Flower pot program blooming again for local businesses
Want to add a little colour outside your business? We can help with our annual flower pot program.
Businesses can
request professionally designed and planted 24-inch pots filled with beautiful pink and white flowers and plants perfect for setting out in front of stores, offices and other businesses.
Flower pot rental fees are:
- $83.55 for one
- $156.95 for two
- $219.10 for three
- $271.05 for four
Businesses are responsible for watering and maintaining the pots throughout the season. Flower pots will be delivered in late spring and picked up in early fall.
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Some downtown roads closed this weekend
Portions of James Street and Summer Street are temporarily closed until 10 p.m. Sunday, April 29 for the In the Soil Arts Festival.
- James Street closed from King Street to St. Paul Street.
- A small portion of Summer Street by James Street is also closed.
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City announces nominees for 2018 Arts Awards
The nominees are in for the 2018 St. Catharines Arts Awards, set to celebrate the most talented and creative minds in the community at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre on June 4.
"The talent that we will celebrate at the St. Catharines Arts Awards truly represents the best of our community," said Kathleen Powell, supervisor of Historical Services and acting supervisor of Cultural Services.
"The outstanding individuals and organizations that have been nominated for Arts Awards are all very deserving because of their commitment, their creativity and their contributions to making St. Catharines a more beautiful, vibrant and exciting place to live."
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Nominations for 2018 municipal election open Tuesday, May 1
Starting May 1, candidates interested in running in the 2018 municipal and school board election will be able to file their nomination papers.
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Students wanted to run their own businesses
this summer
Hey students, want to add CEO to your resume this summer? If you have a great business idea and are returning to school in the fall we can help make that happen.
Applications are open for Summer Company, a provincial program helping students start their own businesses. Summer Company offers students ages 15 to 29 business training and mentorships from local successful business people, support from the small business experts at the St. Catharines Enterprise Centre and a $3,000 grant to get their ideas off the ground.
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A special night for our volunteers
Mayor Walter Sendzik and City Council applauded the efforts of volunteers from across St. Catharines at the 30th annual Volunteer Recognition Night, thanking them for making a difference in their community.
The night's top honours went to Roger Robillard, recognized with the Mayor's Volunteer of the Year Award, and Katie Kathiresan, who was honoured with the Margaret MacLennan Youth Volunteer Award.
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City cleaning up the streets
It's that time of year again - spring street cleaning.
Street cleaning crews begin working their way through St. Catharines
on Monday, April 30. Find out what neighbourhoods they are doing next on the City's
website,
Facebook
, and
Twitter.
If you can, avoid parking on the road when we are in your neighbourhood. It will help the street cleaners do a better job.
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Celebrate basketball in Canada and Niagara
Next time you're at Meridian Centre, stop by the Box Office and check out the new basketball display. The St. Catharines Sports Hall of Fame and the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre tell the story of basketball in Canada and the Niagara Region in celebration of the upcoming FIBA U18 Americas Championship taking place at the Meridian Centre, June 10-16.
The display case includes items from the St. Catharines Museum, Canada Basketball and from local Olympians. Hosting events such as the FIBA championships offers opportunities to celebrate sport, culture and community.
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An easier way to pay property taxes
Pay property taxes on time every time with our pre-authorized payment plan.
Enroll in our
pre-authorized payment plan to have property taxes paid over 10 months automatically without having to visit City Hall or send cheques in the mail. Plus, November and December are free of payments.
Remaining property tax payment due dates:
- Monday, April 30
- Friday, June 29
- Friday, Sept. 28
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You're invited
Join the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre at Wednesday, May 30 and Thursday, May 31 at 7 p.m. as it announces the lineup for its fourth HOT TICKET season.
Enjoy short showcase performances by artists who will be part of the 2018/19 HOT TICKET season.
Free tickets are now available to seat owners and HOT TICKET members. Any remaining tickets will be available to the public on Wednesday, May 2 at 10 a.m.
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A report from Mayor Walter Sendzik
I want to acknowledge all of the feedback we've received on the draft rental licensing by-law. There was a strong turnout at the open house April 17 and we've received a lot of feedback. There've been many concerns raised about the proposed by-law and we want to make sure that we get this right. That's why I'm forming a Mayor's working group to bring together all of the key stakeholders to find made-in-St. Catharines solutions to the housing issues our community is facing.
The working group will include representation from landlords and tenants, the real estate industry, community housing agencies and Brock University and will work with City staff to find creative, affordable and sustainable solutions to ensure that rental housing in St. Catharines is decent, safe and complies with City
by-laws. It will consider the feedback received to date and look at solutions other communities have adopted to regulate rental housing.
If you are a landlord, tenant, housing agency, real estate agent or other stakeholder interested in the working group please
email me
by Tuesday, May 1 explaining your interest and how you will contribute to the issues we are facing. Meetings will get started right away to discuss solutions and recommendations for City Council to consider later this year.
The June 25 date that the by-law was to return to City Council will therefore be delayed.
This is an important issue and we want to get it right. Thank you for your feedback and engagement on this issue.
Read more about the St. Catharines Draft Rental Housing Licensing By-Law and offer your feedback here.
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Provincial funding will help spruce up, enhance safety at south bridge to Meridian Centre
The City will use more $147,347 in provincial funding from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' Main Street Revitalization Initiative to enhance the intersection and plaza area of William Street / St. Paul Street.
The funding will help the City build a public plaza in the area of the pedestrian bridge to Meridian Centre and install a pedestrian crossover at the intersection that's similar to the road crossing at Garden Park and St. Paul Street.
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Get charged up
at City Hall
Power up in Downtown St. Catharines. City Council approved an agreement with Alectra Utilities to install electric vehicle charging stations in parking spaces at City Hall.
The charging stations will be installed later this year.
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Special Council meeting May 23
City Council scheduled a special council meeting for Wednesday, May 23 to tackle a number of planning matters, including public meetings for:
- 63 Lakeport Road (Lincoln Fabrics redevelopment)
- 20-24 Grapeview Drive (Draft Plan of Condominium)
The special meeting agenda will also include recommendation reports for:
- 41 Moffat St. (Draft Plan of Subdivision)
- Rodman Hall Heritage Designation
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Other business
Public meetings
City Council heard concerns and other feedback during a public meeting regarding the GO Transit Station Secondary Plan and Urban Design Guidelines and a public meeting regarding zoning by-law amendments to allow an eight-storey mixed-use development on Lakeport Road.
Council will consider staff recommendations and public feedback at future meetings.
141 Louth St.
City Council approved an application for draft plan of standard condominium to allow the development of a four-storey 30-unit apartment building at 141 Louth St.
Revenue strategy
City Council authorized the City to negotiate a shared services agreement with the
Niagara Region to develop a revenue generation strategy and will allocate up to $75,000 from the 2017 year-end surplus to fund the City's part of the costs.
Council also allocated parts of the surplus to the following City reserve funds:
- Tax Stabilization Reserve - $260,788
- Winter Control Reserve - $150,000
- Litigation/Insurance Reserve - $100,000
- Election Reserve - $77,000
Sign variances
City Council turned down a request to appeal a refusal for variances to the City's sign by-law for a two-year pilot project at 142 St. Paul St.
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More council online
Council Highlights offers informal summaries of some of the recent decisions and business discussed during
St. Catharines City Council meetings. The Office of the City Clerk provides a full recap of decisions and motions in its official minutes, available on the Friday after every
St. Catharines City Council meeting.
City Council meeting agendas and minutes are available online.
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City Council
6:30 p.m., City Hall
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Click here to learn about construction projects happening in the City.
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