St. Catharines Strategic Plan

Economic Prosperity

Goal: St. Catharines will maintain and expand as a home to thriving businesses and a diverse and resilient economy.

Strategic directions:

• Sustain emphasis on attracting, retaining, and expanding businesses
• Promote St. Catharines as a great place for business through strong communications and marketing
• Support entrepreneurship and the growth of existing businesses
• Continue Strategic Economic Diversification
• Develop talent attraction and retention strategies and promote work opportunities within our community
• Harness authentic tourism assets to promote St. Catharines as a premier visitor destination
• Advance a positive and progressive environment for development
• Enrich the urban growth centre vitality through creative placemaking initiatives
• Develop talent attraction and retention strategies and promote work opportunities within our community
• Cultivate the community as a hub for film and television production
• Build an inventory of community assets to anticipate development needs in the city

Priority initiatives:

Community Improvement Review, Economic Development Strategy Implementation, Strategic Economic Development Partnerships, GO Station Redevelopment, Community Improvement Plan Implementation (until such time that review is complete), Support the Ontario Marine Strategy, Advance the Civic Square concept and explore, Downtown Gateway Signage opportunities, Strategic Tourism Partnerships, and Film Policy Update

Social Well-being

Goal: St. Catharines will strengthen neighbourhoods and communities through quality-of-life opportunities that are accessible to all.

Strategic directions:

• Advocate to other levels of government to address homelessness
• Facilitate, encourage and advocate for affordable and attainable housing options
• Enhance neighbourhoods through regeneration, particularly in the downtown core
• Develop and promote a diverse system of connected parks, open spaces and trails
• Provide quality, well-maintained indoor and outdoor recreation facilities with programming based on community and best practices
• Comply with provincial timelines for planning approvals to contribute to housing targets
• Facilitate greater certainty on underground infrastructure capacity
• Increase City capacity for volunteerism and community engagement through best practices
• Leverage City assets to expand and enhance community hubs

Priority initiatives:

Advocacy campaigns for federal, provincial and Regional affordable housing and homelessness investments, Housing Action Plan Update, Parks Policy Plan Implementation, Recreation Master Plan Implementation, Municipal Development Corporation, Ontario Street Secondary Plan, Waterfront Access Master Plan (including continued refinement of beaches management strategies and waterfront access in Port Weller East), Development Approval Process Optimization, Wastewater Infrastructure Grant Applications Flow Monitoring, Incentives Advocacy, Older Adult Tax Deferral Program, and Street Outreach Resources to support transition from encampments.

Environmental Stewardship

Goal: St. Catharines will be recognized as a leader in environmental sustainability and resilient in the face of escalating climate change events.

Strategic directions:

• Protect, preserve and enhance the City’s tree canopy
• Prepare community for impacts of climate change particularly increasing frequency and severity of weather related events
• Strive for a corporate reduction in emissions of 40 to 45 per cent by 2023 and net zero by 2050
• Work toward an integrated multi-modal transportation network that facilitates the movement of people and goods
• Ensure community planning is consistent with environmental sustainability through compliance with Garden City Plan, Regional Official Plan Amendments and Provincial Policy Statement
• Pursue opportunities aligned with the Ontario Climate Change Action Plan
• Comply with new Consolidated Linear Infrastructure Requirement
• Increase use of permeable materials
• Communicate successes to the community and advocacy for support from other levels of government

Priority initiatives:

Tree Planting Strategy and Implementation, Master Servicing Plans for Underground, Infrastructure + Related updates for Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Plans, Active Transportation Plan Development, Resourcing and Implementation, Continued Implementation of Corporate Climate
Adaptation Plan, Creation of a Formalized Climate Mitigation Plan and Emissions Monitoring System, Shoreline Protection Program and Continued Implementation of Corporate Energy
Demand Management Plan.

Cultural Vibrancy

Goal: The rich culture, heritage, and vibrancy of St. Catharines communities will be communicated and celebrated by the City.

Strategic directions:

• Protect the City’s heritage assets
• Provide exceptional venues and programming for the arts and heritage of St. Catharines that are accessible to community groups
• Support festivals and events that showcase the vibrant culture of St. Catharines
• Expand opportunities in Sport Tourism by aiding bid development and attracting signature events
• Support for community groups and civic receptions in a manner that is fair, equitable and fiscally sustainable
• Support the protection of heritage properties in St. Catharines
• Integrate public art in neighbourhood and placemaking strategies
• Celebrate and promote the City’s current historic role in the Welland Canals

Priority initiatives:

Community Hosting and Bid Assistance for Significant Sports Events (World Rowing, Junior Golf, Minto Cup, World Junior Hockey, Grape and Wine + Folk Arts Festivals and Partnerships, Support for Community Cultural Events to celebrate diverse communities / neighbourhoods, Targeted Downtown Heritage Preservation Study, Sustained Funding and Implementation of SCCIP Program, SCCIP Funding Review and Culture Plan Update

Organizational Excellence

Goal: The City of St. Catharines will achieve excellence in financial and service sustainability and high customer satisfaction.

Strategic directions:

• Balance fiscal stewardship with services and service levels
• Examine City services and service levels to balance neighbourhood quality with opportunities for taxpayer affordability
• Maintain quality assets in a good state of repair; identify and close the municipal infrastructure gap
• Modernize processes, systems, and performance measurement
• Attract, retain and engage talented employees; aspire to become an employer of choice
• Provide exceptional customer service and communication to the community

Priority initiatives:

Core Service Review, Managed Public Debt based on Modernized Asset, Management and Work Order Management System, Customer Service Improvement through People, Strategy and wait time reductions, Multi-Year Budget Process, Corporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy, Parking Services Review, and Social Procurement Policy