Citizens Blindsided: 800 (Or More) Rental Apartments Forced on Downtown St. Catharines – Condo Owners Outraged
By Rob McConnell | TWATNews.com | Monday, September 29, 2025
The City of St. Catharines has once again proven that when it comes to development, the people who live, work, and invest in this city come last. Without proper consultation, and in a closed-door meeting, City Council—led by Mayor Mat Siscoe—pushed through the sale of land at 8 Gale Crescent and 29 Riordon Street to pave the way for an 800-unit rental development.
What’s being sold to the public as a “transformational project” is, in reality, a betrayal of trust. The residents of 7 Gale Crescent, whose 14-storey condo tower looks out over the site, were blindsided. Their once unobstructed views will be replaced by towering rental blocks catering to “all levels of rental clientele.” The outrage is palpable—condo owners who invested in their homes now face the reality that their quality of life and property values will be diminished by a decision they had no say in.
Renters vs. Owners: A False “Community Vision”
The city claims this project is about creating balance and revitalizing downtown. But let’s be honest: condo owners take pride in their property, while transient renters—many who cycle in and out—are far less likely to maintain the same sense of care or investment in the neighborhood. What this project really guarantees is more revenue for the city, more profits for the developer, and more business for utilities—while long-term residents are left to deal with the consequences.
Closed Doors, Open Wallets
Perhaps most troubling is the secrecy. This deal was not brought to the public for discussion. No town halls. No neighborhood meetings. No chance for citizens to ask the hard questions. Instead, council chose to act behind closed doors, hiding behind its development corporation (MDC) to rubber-stamp a project that had clearly been in the works for months.
Is this democracy? Or is this city governance in service of developers, not citizens?
Neglect Turned Into Profit
Let’s not forget: the neighborhood around Gale Crescent has been neglected for years. Infrastructure, safety, and community spaces have all taken a back seat. Yet suddenly, when there’s money to be made, City Hall springs into action—fast-tracking a mega-development that enriches developers like Nickel Real Estate Investments and fills the city’s coffers, while paying little regard to the people already living there.
Mayor Siscoe insists “the community will be happy we’re moving forward.” But which community is he talking about? Certainly not the residents of 7 Gale Crescent or the surrounding neighborhood, who are rightfully furious at being kept in the dark.
A “Legacy Development” for Whom?
The city touts this as a “legacy project.” Legacy for who? For the developer, who will profit massively off taxpayer-supported incentives? For the city, which will cash in on new streams of property tax revenue? Or for the citizens, who once again are left with no voice, no transparency, and no respect?
This is not a win for St. Catharines. It’s another example of how leadership in this city operates: short on consultation, long on developer-friendly deals, and utterly indifferent to the very people they were elected to serve.
The only “game changer” here is that the citizens of St. Catharines are finally seeing just how little their voices matter at City Hall.
Homeless Responsible for Growing Public Health and Safety Crisis in St. Catharines’ Ontario Gale Crescent–Riordan Area
Homeless Responsible for Growing Public Health and Safety Crisis in St. Catharines’ Ontario Gale Crescent–Riordan Area
By Rob McConnell - Friday, August 22, 2025
St. Catharines’ Gale Crescent and Riordan Street corridor has become the epicenter of a growing crisis that threatens the health, safety, and quality of life for residents, businesses, and property owners. What was once a quiet, well maintained and functional community has deteriorated into a hotspot of crime, drug activity, and public health hazards—conditions fueled by unchecked homelessness and a lack of meaningful action from municipal, regional, and provincial leaders.
Alarming Public Health Hazards
Residents in the Gale Crescent–Riordan area are confronted daily with scenes more akin to a neglected back alley than a Canadian city neighborhood, once called a “Garden City.” Blood-stained bandages and discarded tissues with blood litter private property and sidewalks. Used drug paraphernalia—needles, pipes, and syringes—are scattered where seniors and other honest, hard working, and tax paying citizens walk, many along with their fur babies. Spent condoms and human feces have become a common sight, creating an environment ripe for the spread of disease. Cases of C Diff have been reported by residents in the area. Garbage piles up in the Gale - Riordan area and storefronts, left to rot until concerned residents clean it themselves.
This is not only unsightly—it is dangerous. The presence of biohazardous waste poses a very real threat of infection and disease transmission to residents of all ages and their pets. For property owners, the cleanup costs and health risks are becoming unbearable.
A Surge in Crime and Disorder
Beyond the visible health hazards, the Gale Crescent–Riordan corridor has become a hub for criminal activity. Residents report escalating levels of drug trafficking and open drug use.
Confrontations and aggressive actions of the homeless towards residents are not uncommon. Prostitution has increased, bringing with it a wave of related crime, including theft, vandalism, and violent altercations. What should be safe public spaces are now avoided by families, workers, and seniors who no longer feel secure in their own neighborhood. The homeless are responsible for the decrease of real estate in the area.
Police presence is sporadic and enforcement often appears toothless. The result is a cycle of disorder that emboldens criminal activity while leaving law-abiding citizens to fend for themselves.
Governmental Inaction and Public Frustration
Despite repeated calls for action, the City of St. Catharines, the Region of Niagara, and the Province of Ontario have done little to address the problem. Local residents and business owners feel abandoned by the very institutions tasked with protecting them. Empty promises, pilot projects, and endless studies have done nothing to stop the slide toward chaos. The lack of visible enforcement and sanitation measures has created a perception of indifference—or worse, outright neglect—by government officials.
Enabling Instead of Addressing the Crisis
To compound the problem, homeless advocacy groups and church-based charities regularly provide food and supplies to individuals living rough in the area. While well-intentioned, critics argue that these efforts amount to little more than enabling, effectively treating the homeless as if they were strays to be fed rather than addressing the root causes of addiction, mental illness, and lawlessness. By sustaining street life instead of working toward real solutions, these groups inadvertently contribute to the ongoing deterioration of public health and safety.
A Call for Immediate Action
The Gale Crescent–Riordan situation is not simply a matter of compassion or social services—it is a public health emergency and a growing threat to civic order. Residents demand immediate, coordinated action from all levels of government. This includes:
• Increased law enforcement presence to curb drug trafficking, prostitution, and violence.
• Sanitation and cleanup initiatives to remove hazardous waste and restore basic health standards.
• Strict enforcement of bylaws to protect private property owners and businesses.
• A balanced approach to homelessness that prioritizes rehabilitation, treatment, and housing solutions—not enabling destructive behavior on city streets.
Until these measures are taken, the Gale Crescent–Riordan area will remain a cautionary tale of what happens when governments fail to act and advocacy efforts prioritize symbolism over results. []
Publisher's Note: If you have a story or information that you would like the public to know about the Homeless situation where you live or work, and how the Homeless are affecting you, please send us an email to admin@rel-mar.com.
BREAKING NEWS: Thursday, December 12, 2024
Ford government introducing bill to crack down on homeless encampments today, Thursday, December 12, 2024
Scrambling to cope with rising homelessness and an explosion of tent encampments in parks, Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives are finally taking action.
On Thursday, the Tories are introducing legislation to give municipalities and police additional money and “enhanced legislative powers” to help find shelter and services for homeless people.
Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Paul Calandra said Wednesday that local authorities would get more resources to deal with a growing problem.
But he added that cities and towns will be expected to use those new “tools” to ensure encampments are cleared and tent dwellers get better shelter.
“Make no mistake about it, we’re taking back our parks, we’re taking back our streets,” Calandra said Wednesday.
“It is not in the best interest of communities and our municipal partners. We’re going to hold them accountable for clearing out those encampments, but at the same time understanding that we need resources and we need places for people to go,” he said.
“If those investments don’t give us the results that we are looking for … the legislation that we are tabling (Thursday) … will allow us to take even more aggressive steps.”
In the wake of court rulings in Waterloo and Kingston, Ford has threatened to use of the Constitution’s “notwithstanding clause” to override any legal hurdles that would prevent the removal of tents from parks.
There are about 1,000 people living in Toronto parks despite city bylaws that prohibit camping or lighting fires.
But his political adversaries say Ford’s approach is not enough to deal with something as complex as homelessness, which involves addiction, mental health as well as the skyrocketing cost of rent.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles — whose riding of Davenport includes Dufferin-Grove Park, home to Toronto’s biggest encampment — blamed Ford for the rising number of encampments since he took office in 2018.
Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said “the issue has exploded under the Conservatives over the past six years” and municipalities are desperate for help.
Green Leader Mike Schreiner said “the solution to homelessness is housing.”
Ford’s bill comes after a dozen mayors urged him to enact tougher laws to help them cope with encampments.
Support The Application of Section 33 “The Not Withstanding Clause” Of The Canadian Charter Of Rights And Freedoms Petition To End The Growing Homeless Criminality Crisis In St. Catharines, The Region Of Niagara And Province Of Ontario.
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