The City of St. Catharines officially launched its 150th anniversary year on Monday with a ceremonial flag raising at City Hall, marking the beginning of a yearlong celebration under the theme Our Common Ground.
Mayor Mat Siscoe presided over the event on Jan. 5, 2026, unveiling a flag featuring a special 150th anniversary logo. While the community’s history stretches back well before Confederation, St. Catharines was officially incorporated as a city on May 1, 1876.
“This anniversary is about more than marking a date on the calendar,” said Mayor Siscoe. “It’s about recognizing what we share as a community — our histories, our neighbourhoods, and the people who have helped build St. Catharines over the last 150 years.”
Community leaders and representatives from all levels of government attended the ceremony, including St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle, St. Catharines MPP Jennie Stevens, and Niagara Region Chair Bob Gale, along with members of City Council and the City’s senior leadership team.
The Our Common Ground theme was emphasized throughout the event, focusing on the shared history, values, and experiences that have shaped the city. A portion of the anniversary vision, published in full on the City’s website, states: “The land beneath our feet has been one constant that has endured – well before St. Catharines attained City status. It bore the footsteps of the first Indigenous peoples, offered shelter to freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad, and gave rise to the waterways, vineyards, orchards, and gardens that nourish us today.”
The St. Catharines 150 logo continues that theme, drawing inspiration from land parcels and community patchwork — individual plots that sit side by side to form a larger whole. Each parcel represents an element of the city, including past and present residents, cultures, industries, and neighbourhoods coming together as one.
The flag raising marks the first of several commemorative events planned throughout 2026 to reflect the city’s past, present, and future. Highlights include a community celebration on Saturday, May 2 at Montebello Park to help commemorate the official anniversary date, as well as an enhanced Canada Day celebration on July 1 recognizing both Canadian Confederation and St. Catharines’ 150th year, featuring a first-of-its-kind event to close the night.
Other initiatives planned for the anniversary year include the appointment of a Poet Laureate, a series of public art projects across the city, weekly social media features highlighting local history, a 150th anniversary tree-planting legacy project in partnership with environmental groups, and pop-up activations at community events throughout the year.
“For 150 years, St. Catharines has been built by people who care deeply about their neighbours and their community. This anniversary is a chance to celebrate our shared history, honour those who came before us, and recommit ourselves to building an inclusive and vibrant city for generations to come,” said Chris Bittle, St. Catharines Member of Parliament.
Jennie Stevens, St. Catharines Member of Provincial Parliament, also marked the milestone, saying, “Happy 150th to St. Catharines — a city shaped by generations of residents whose hard work, courage, and community spirit built a place of hope and possibility. From its deep Indigenous roots to the Welland Canal and the neighbourhoods that grew together over time, St. Catharines honors its past, thrives in the present, and looks to the future with optimism. As the Member of Provincial Parliament, I am proud to serve this remarkable city and its people, and to celebrate all that makes it a place we are proud to call home.”
Niagara Regional Chair Bob Gale highlighted the broader regional significance of the anniversary. “On behalf of all of Regional Council, I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to Mayor Siscoe, City Council, and St. Catharines staff on the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of the City. This milestone is a testament to the spirit of cooperation between municipalities that has defined Niagara over the decades. As Regional Chair, I look forward to continuing to work with St. Catharines and all our municipalities as we collaborate to find solutions to the most pressing issues our communities are facing,” he said.
Additional events and opportunities for public participation will be announced throughout the year. More information about St. Catharines 150 and upcoming programming is available at www.stcatharines.ca/STC150.
