St. Catharines

St. Catharines is a federal riding in the Niagara Region of Ontario, encompassing the eastern and northern portions of the City of St. Catharines—the most populous municipality in Niagara and the administrative centre of the regional government. The riding is bordered by the Niagara Escarpment to the south, Lake Ontario to the north, and the Welland Canal—one of the engineering marvels of the St. Lawrence Seaway system—to the west. The constituency includes neighbourhoods such as Port Dalhousie, a historic lakefront village at the northern terminus of the original Welland Canal, as well as the downtown core and the residential areas stretching toward Brock University on the escarpment.

The 2021 census recorded a population of approximately 136,800 for the City of St. Catharines. The riding is predominantly English-speaking, with Italian, German, and French among the most common non-official mother tongues. The demographic profile is somewhat older than the provincial average, with a significant retiree population alongside the student community drawn by Brock University and Niagara College.

Candidates

Chris Bittle (Liberal) — Born in Niagara Falls, Bittle graduated from Queen's University with an Honours Bachelor of Arts and earned his law degree from the University of Windsor. He practised civil litigation at Lancaster, Brooks and Welch LLP in St. Catharines, specializing in commercial disputes, real estate litigation, and landlord-tenant matters. He also chaired the board of Quest Community Health Centre and taught at Niagara College and Brock University. First elected in 2015, he was appointed Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons in 2017 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport in 2019. He was seeking his third term.

Krystina Waler (Conservative) — Born and raised in St. Catharines, Waler earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Wilfrid Laurier University. Her career focused on international humanitarian work—she organized seven medical missions overseas staffed with Canadian medical teams to treat people injured in military conflicts. She served as director of a surgical education and training partnership in association with Sunnybrook Health Sciences and as interim executive director of a foundation supporting orphaned children abroad. She ran in the riding in both 2019 and 2021.

Trecia McLennon (NDP) — McLennon is a local author, entrepreneur, and intercultural communications coordinator at Brock University. Her candidacy drew attention as she would have become the first federally elected Black woman to represent St. Catharines.

Rebecca Hahn (PPC) — Born and raised in St. Catharines, Hahn holds an educational background in business administration and is a small business owner. A wife and mother of two, she ran as the People's Party of Canada candidate in 2021.

About the Riding

The Welland Canal has shaped St. Catharines since the first canal was constructed between 1824 and 1833, establishing the city as the commercial hub of the Niagara Peninsula. The modern canal—the fourth iteration, completed in 1932—carries ocean-going vessels between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, bypassing the 100-metre elevation change at Niagara Falls. Ships passing through the locks remain a distinctive feature of daily life in the western part of the city, and the canal's industrial legacy is visible in the manufacturing plants and port facilities along its banks.

Brock University, established on the Niagara Escarpment in 1964, is a major employer and economic driver. The university's Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute has positioned St. Catharines at the centre of Canadian wine research, complementing the Niagara wine industry that operates dozens of wineries along the escarpment and lakeshore. Tourism—fuelled by the proximity to Niagara Falls, the wine route, and the historic charm of Port Dalhousie—is a significant contributor to the local economy.

St. Catharines faces the economic transition challenges common to mid-sized Ontario cities. The decline of traditional manufacturing has been partially offset by growth in healthcare, education, and tourism, but unemployment and underemployment remain higher than in the GTA. Housing affordability has emerged as a growing concern as Niagara attracts residents priced out of the Toronto market. The opioid crisis has affected downtown St. Catharines acutely, and access to mental health and addiction services is a persistent issue. The riding has been competitive between the Liberals and Conservatives, with the NDP also maintaining a consistent presence.