Strategic Sites CIP

As directed by Mayoral Directive 2026-10, the City of St. Catharines is proposing creating a site-specific Strategic Sites Community Improvement Plan (Strategic Sites CIP) to support the long-term remediation and redevelopment of large, underutilized and vacant properties.

This new Strategic Sites CIP will apply to the below sites:

• 282 Ontario Street
• 285 Ontario Street
• 142 Queenston Street

This new Strategic Sites CIP will contain the following programs:

• extended Brownfield Tax Increment Finance incentive
• Development Charge deferral

Get Involved!

Citizens & Community members: please provide comments and feedback on the revised plan. Program documents are posted and updated at the 'Important Documents' to the right ➡️

Public Meeting

City Council hosted Legislated Public Meeting on September 14, 2026, to receive input and comment on the plan. At this meeting, Council deferred the decision until the next term of Council. More information to this meeting will be updated here after the municipal election.

Previous CIP Updates

Community Improvement Plans are one of the most effective tools available to municipal governments to directly incentivize redevelopment, accelerate the creation of housing units, and support growth in strategic areas, including brownfield sites and growth centres. The City of St. Catharines has had a CIP in place since 2004, which was revised in 2015 and in 2020.

The 2020CIP was updated to the 2026CIP to focus on the needs of the community by encouraging sustainability, affordable housing, and renewal through brownfield remediation. On June 8, 2026, the 2026CIP was approved by Council. The Notice of Decision can be found under 'Important Documents' to the right. Please note that the 2026CIP has received an appeal. Until there has been a decision on the 2026CIP from the Ontario Land Tribunal, the 2020CIP remains the plan in effect. ️For more information on the City's current 2020CIP, please visit: www.stcatharines.ca/CIP