City of St. Catharines Launches CIVIC Maps: A New Interactive Mapping Tool

The City of St. Catharines is making it easier than ever for residents, businesses, and developers to explore and understand their community with the launch of CIVIC Maps—the Community Interactive Visualization and Information Centre.

Powered by ArcGIS, CIVIC Maps is an innovative tool that provides real-time access to a wealth of geographic information, helping users navigate city limits, property lines, zoning details, building permits, conservation areas, and much more. Whether you’re a resident looking for Ward information, a business owner researching zoning regulations, or a developer planning your next project, CIVIC Maps offers the tools to explore St. Catharines like never before.

“CIVIC Maps is a game-changer for how we provide information to the public,” said Margaret Josipovic, Senior Manager of the City’s Housing Accelerator Program. “This tool allows anyone to access detailed, interactive maps and find key information about our city in just a few clicks.”

The creation of CIVIC Maps was made possible through funding from the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). As part of the City’s HAF Action Plan, this investment supports initiatives that streamline development processes and improve access to housing-related data. By making zoning, land use, and permit information readily available, CIVIC Maps enhances transparency and efficiency, helping developers, planners, and residents make informed decisions about housing and development in St. Catharines.

With an easy-to-use interface, CIVIC Maps allows users to explore detailed maps of roads, parks, schools, hydrants, and property lines. It provides access to zoning and planning data, including official plan maps, building permits from as far back as 2010, and Ward boundaries. Users can also view Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority layers, such as floodplains, regulated wetlands, and conservation areas, as well as regional planning layers for employment zones, archaeological potential sites, and designated Greenfield areas.

The mapping system is equipped with a suite of powerful tools. Users can measure distances and areas directly on the map, mark and annotate locations with the drawing tool, and compare overlapping layers using the swipe tool. The “Near Me” feature allows users to find a selected location's permits, parks, and Ward details. The zoning lookup tool provides property-specific zoning information, while the elevation profile tool enables users to calculate elevation changes by drawing a custom path. The select tool allows users to highlight specific map features and retrieve detailed information about them.

“This is just the beginning,” added Josipovic. “We are already looking at future enhancements, including 3D building visualizations and active planning applications to provide even more value to users.”

The platform is available now and can be accessed at stcatharines.ca/CIVICMaps. The City encourages residents, businesses, and developers to explore the tool and provide feedback to help shape future improvements.