A Clean and Green City

Vision

A beautiful city inspires pride, strengthens community, and improves quality of life.

The appearance of our city influences how residents feel about the place they call home. Clean streets, vibrant parks, healthy natural spaces, attractive neighbourhoods, and well-maintained public spaces strengthen civic pride, encourage community connections, and make St. Catharines an even better place to live, work, raise a family, and retire.

A clean and green city is about more than appearances. It reflects a commitment to responsible stewardship, respect for our environment, and pride in our community. Cleanliness, beautification, and environmental sustainability are fundamental responsibilities of a well-managed municipality, not optional enhancements.

St. Catharines is gaining recognition as one of Ontario's most exciting communities for food, wine, arts, culture, recreation, and outdoor experiences. As our city continues to grow, our public spaces should reflect the same excellence found in our local businesses, restaurants, wineries, festivals, waterfront, and neighbourhoods. Investing in a cleaner, greener, and more beautiful city strengthens community pride while supporting local businesses, attracting visitors, encouraging investment, and reinforcing our reputation as one of Canada's great places to live and experience.

Every resident deserves to live in a city that is cared for with the same pride they take in their own home, neighbourhood, and community. By embracing environmental stewardship, celebrating our community identity, investing in placemaking, and working together to care for our shared spaces, we can ensure St. Catharines continues to be a city that residents are proud to call home, businesses are proud to invest in, and visitors are excited to experience.

Bryan Blue planting trees with his daughter

Guiding Principles

What This Priority Is Built On

Civic Pride

A beautiful city begins with a community that takes pride in where it lives. Civic pride is built when residents see neighbourhoods that are clean, parks that are well maintained, public spaces that are welcoming, and streets that reflect the care people have for their community. When residents are proud of their city, they are more likely to volunteer, support local businesses, participate in community events, care for public spaces, and encourage others to do the same. Civic pride is contagious. It strengthens neighbourhoods, builds stronger communities, and creates a city that people are proud to call home.

Environmental Stewardship

Protecting our natural environment is one of the greatest responsibilities we have to future generations. St. Catharines' parks, waterways, trails, forests, beaches, green spaces, and urban tree canopy are among our community's greatest assets. Responsible environmental stewardship means protecting these assets while balancing environmental sustainability with practical municipal decision-making. Healthy natural spaces improve public health, strengthen neighbourhoods, support biodiversity, improve air quality, reduce urban heat, strengthen climate resilience, and enhance quality of life. They also strengthen our city's identity by making St. Catharines a place residents are proud to call home and visitors want to experience.

Community Identity

St. Catharines is earning recognition as one of Ontario's most exciting communities for food, wine, arts, culture, recreation, and outdoor experiences. Our public spaces should reflect the same excellence found in our local businesses, restaurants, wineries, festivals, waterfront, and cultural attractions. The way a city looks, feels, and functions shapes how residents experience it and how others perceive it. Investing in beautiful public spaces strengthens civic pride while supporting local businesses, attracting visitors, encouraging private investment, and reinforcing St. Catharines' reputation as a welcoming, vibrant place to live, work, and experience. Every improvement to our parks, streetscapes, gardens, trails, and waterfront contributes to the story we tell about our city. By investing in our community identity, we celebrate what makes St. Catharines unique while creating places that residents are proud to call home and visitors are excited to explore.

Shared Responsibility

Building a cleaner and greener city requires partnership. Municipal government has an important leadership role, but lasting success depends upon residents, businesses, schools, community organizations, and volunteers working together to care for the places we share. Communities become stronger when everyone contributes.

Long-Term Sustainability

Environmental responsibility should support both today's residents and future generations. Good stewardship means protecting our natural assets, maintaining our existing infrastructure, planting trees, expanding green spaces where appropriate, reducing waste, and making decisions that strengthen environmental resilience over the long term. Every investment in our community should leave St. Catharines cleaner, greener, more beautiful, and better prepared for future generations.

Strategic Priorities

The Plan for St. Andrew's Ward

Celebrate Our Garden City Identity

Celebrate and strengthen St. Catharines' identity as The Garden City by investing in beautiful parks, gardens, streetscapes, waterfronts, public art, and welcoming public spaces that inspire pride and create memorable experiences for residents and visitors alike.

Why It Matters

Our identity as The Garden City is one of our greatest strengths. Beautiful public spaces improve everyday life, encourage civic pride, create gathering places for families, and reinforce the character that makes St. Catharines unique. A city known for beautiful parks, flowers, gardens, and inviting public spaces attracts residents, businesses, investment, and visitors while strengthening our sense of community.

Expand and Protect Our Urban Tree Canopy

Expand and protect St. Catharines' urban tree canopy through strategic planting, long-term maintenance, and thoughtful planning that enhances neighbourhoods while protecting our environment.

Why It Matters

Trees are one of the most valuable long-term investments a city can make. They provide shade for parks and playgrounds, improve air quality, reduce urban heat, manage stormwater, support biodiversity, protect our waterways, and create healthier neighbourhoods. A thriving urban tree canopy enhances neighbourhood beauty, increases property values, attracts investment, and reinforces the natural character that defines St. Catharines. Trees are environmental assets that also deliver lasting economic and quality-of-life benefits for residents and future generations.

Keep St. Catharines Clean, Beautiful, and Welcoming

Maintain high standards for cleanliness by supporting proactive litter collection, waste management, boulevard maintenance, and the care of parks, trails, beaches, and public spaces.

Why It Matters

Residents notice the little things. Clean streets, maintained parks, attractive landscaping, healthy gardens, and welcoming public spaces influence how people feel about their city. A clean community reflects pride, professionalism, and respect for residents while creating positive first impressions for visitors, businesses, and investors alike.

Invest in Exceptional Community Spaces

Continue investing in parks, playgrounds, recreation centres, libraries, sports facilities, trails, beaches, waterfronts, and gathering places that improve quality of life for residents of every age.

Why It Matters

Great public spaces bring communities together. They encourage healthier lifestyles, strengthen neighbourhood connections, support recreation, improve mental health, celebrate our community identity, and contribute to a vibrant local economy. Every resident deserves access to public spaces that reflect the pride we have in our city.

Strengthen Community Partnerships

Support neighbourhood associations, schools, environmental organizations, businesses, service clubs, and volunteers through community clean-ups, tree planting initiatives, beautification projects, and neighbourhood improvement programs.

Why It Matters

The strongest communities are built together. When residents take an active role in caring for their neighbourhoods, they develop stronger community connections, greater civic pride, and a deeper sense of ownership over the places they share. Government should empower these efforts by providing leadership, support, and opportunities for community involvement.

What This Priority Is Built On

Civic Pride

Environmental Stewardship

Community Identity

Shared Responsibility

Long-Term Sustainability

The Plan for St. Andrew's Ward

Celebrate Our Garden City Identity

Expand and Protect Our Urban Tree Canopy

Keep St. Catharines Clean, Beautiful, and Welcoming

Invest in Exceptional Community Spaces

Strengthen Community Partnerships

Help Bring It to St. Andrew's Ward