About the Study

The City of St. Catharines initiated a project in May 2022 to develop an Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) that builds upon key policies and plans, including the City’s Transportation Master Plan (2021). This comprehensive plan serves as a long-term guiding document, envisioning a community that better supports and encourages all forms of active transportation. It aims to provide directions on improving physical and social infrastructure and creating a more accessible and equitable network for users of all ages and abilities. The ATMP is not prescriptive, allowing flexibility in implementation.

Key Objectives

• Create a network of Spine Routes – high-comfort active transportation routes that seamlessly connect residents to most destinations in St. Catharines;
• Improve connectivity for people walking by closing gaps, improving crossings and reducing vehicle speeds and volumes near key destinations;
• Prioritize investments to support the mobility of equity-deserving communities in the City;
• Embrace innovation and iteration, including the use of pilot projects, pop-up projects and creative partnerships;
• Support mobility choices by making walking, cycling and wheeling as easy as driving;
• Build upon St. Catharines’ potential as a destination for active transportation by improving local and Regional connections with its neighbouring municipalities;
• Develop new trails within the City to build upon St. Catharines’ reputation as the Garden City, connecting residents to nature and their neighbours.

Process

The City retained WSP Canada Inc. to develop the ATMP, with input from St. Catharines residents, stakeholders and City advisory committees. The process aimed to enhance St. Catharines’ existing active transportation network, connect residents to key destinations, and support those who rely on active transportation.

Following a draft report and staff report presentation to City Council on July 22, 2024, the final ATMP was submitted and adopted on Sept. 23, 2024.

The plan was developed in accordance with Phase 1 and 2 of the Master Planning process under the Municipal Class Environment Assessment (MCEA), which outlines future transportation project requirements for detailed studies.

Consultation

Public and stakeholder input was an important part of developing the Active Transportation Master Plan to allow voices from various groups to be heard and considered. During the initial phases of the project, an online public survey to understand the current state of active transportation and priorities to guide the ATMP was launched on the EngageSTC website.

Public in-person engagement occurred during the summer of 2023, with a pop-up booth at the Downtown Block Party on July 15, 2024, to receive feedback on the draft active transportation network. Additional engagement occurred at the Better Cities Film Festival in October 2023. Once the draft ATMP was completed, a formal Public Information Centre was conducted on May 28, 2024, to receive feedback on the draft recommendations. The project team met with various committees at the City, including the Environmental Action Advisory Committee and the Accessibility Committee.

What Next?

The ATMP is intended to guide City staff as they:

• Aim to implement a Rapid Implementation Network to provide a basic active transportation network that connects key parts of St. Catharines within the next three years;
• Complete longer-term construction projects for active transportation facilities on the Ultimate Active Transportation Network that align with the renewal and replacement of other municipal infrastructure;
• Conduct feasibility assessments for long-term bridge and trail construction projects;
• Implement policies that support the use of active transportation for new developments, reducing vehicle traffic impacts of population growth;
• Collaborate with municipal committees and stakeholders, residents, and the Niagara Region in the implementation of the ATMP over the next 25 years.

City staff will use the new ATMP to guide the planning and design of future improvements to the active transportation network as well as the delivery of programming initiatives to support active transportation. Each year Council will be updated on the plan’s implementation progress and the design and construction of permanent active transportation infrastructure will be integrated into the budget development process. Projects within the Ultimate Active Transportation Network are anticipated to require further detailed study and approvals before construction. The ATMP is a living document and flexible to accommodate updates that may result from future design studies.

View the Final Draft of the Active Transportation Master Plan