The City of St. Catharines' Property Standards By-law prescribes standards for the maintenance and occupancy of property in the City.
Property standards inspections
Buildings are required to be structurally sound. All exterior walls, roofs and foundations must be maintained, safe and protected against deterioration. Our staff conduct property standards inspections to ensure compliance and to enforce the Property Standards By-law related to the:
- Boarding up of vacant buildings
- Removal of waste and accident hazard conditions
- Requirements for structural, heating, electrical, plumbing, cleanliness, storage, etc.
Tenants and rental housing
If you are a tenant and live in rental housing, check out our Guide on Things Tenants Should Know, including fire safety, garbage and yard maintenance, noise and public nuisances and tips on being a good neighbour.
Register a complaint
You can report an issue around a Property Standards By-law infraction online.
If you are a tenant, you must provide us with a copy of the written complaint you submitted to your landlord or management company listing the issues that need to be addressed and two-week timeline to have the work started and completed. The copy can be uploaded as part of completing the online form. When filling out the online form, if you are a tenant, please put your information in the Complainant Information section.
After we receive the complaint, an inspector will visit the site to ensure the complaint is valid. If so, we will update you and send a letter with the infraction's details, what is required for by-law compliance and the timeline for the modifications to be complete to the property owner.
Continuing non-compliance may be subject to legal action.