Meeting Type:

Open Houses and PICs

Event Details:

The Planning and Building Services Department received applications for a Zoning By-law Amendment and Official Plan Amendment for lands located at 159 Ontario St. The Applications were declared complete on April 4, 2025, pursuant to sections 22 (6.1) and 34 (10.4) of the Planning Act.

The applicant is seeking permission to construct an 18-storey mixed-use building containing 492 apartment units, ground floor non-residential uses, amenity areas, and a parking garage.

The City’s Official Plan designates the subject land as Downtown on Schedule D1, and further designates the land as Medium High Density Residential (60 to 198 units / ha) on Schedule E10. There is a special policy which states that small scale ground floor retail, service commercial, office and indoor recreation uses are permitted in conjunction with residential uses on the site. The Applicant has requested an Official Plan Amendment to permit a maximum density of 410 units per hectare.

The Zoning By-law zones the subject land High Density Residential (R4) with Special Provision 58. The R4 zone permits high-density apartment buildings. Special Provision 58 permits additional non-residential uses (Office, Retail, Service Commercial, and Indoor Recreation) and establishes a maximum density of 198 units per hectare. The applicant has requested to replace Special Provision 58 with a new Special Provision that carries forward the additional permitted uses, but removes the density cap. The new Special Provision is also proposed to establish an expanded list of permitted non-residential uses, a reduced parking ratio for the residential units, site-specific building setbacks, reduced dimensions for obstructed parking spaces, site-specific bicycle parking location permissions, and the elimination of a requirement for 1.5 metre bump outs at the end of parking aisles.

The application materials are available for review and comment and may be found at www.stcatharines.ca/development and at the Planning and Building Services Department, City Hall, 50 Church St. Please contact Charlotte McEwan, Senior Planner at 905.688.5601 x1716, the City’s TTY number (text telephone) 711, or by email at cmcewan@stcatharines.ca if further information is required.

Visit www.stcatharines.ca/Council for information on how to access and participate in the Public Meeting, and how to request and make a delegation before Council. 

Written submissions must be received by noon the Friday before the public meeting by mailing or delivering them to:

                   City of St. Catharines Legal and Clerk Services / City Clerks Division, City Hall, 50 Church St, P.O. Box 3012, St. Catharines, ON, L2R 7C2. 

                   Refer to File No: 25 103727 OP and 25 103728 ZA

Email submissions may also be made by noon the day of the public meeting and directed to clerks@stcatharines.ca. Both oral and written comments will be taken into account by City Council in making a decision on the subject matter.

Location:

Council Chambers, City Hall, 50 Church Street, St. Catharines