Zoning

The City of St. Catharines' Zoning By-law regulates the use of land and the character, location and use of buildings and structures. Typical regulations include:

Types of uses permitted on a lot
Lot size and dimensions
Location, size, bulk and height of buildings and structures
Landscaping
Parking requirements

On April 8, 2024 Council approved a Zoning By-law Housekeeping Amendment (By-law 2024-032).

The key elements of the Housekeeping Amendment included:

Permissions for two additional residential units (accessory dwelling units) with detached, semi-detached, or townhouse dwellings, including size, height, setbacks, and parking. This includes updated standards for detached accessory dwelling units.
Permissions for duplex, triplex and fourplex dwellings within the Low Density – Suburban Neighbourhood (R1) Zone and elimination of quadruplex dwellings from all zones, as the term is redundant and synonymous with the existing definition of townhouse dwelling.
Updating definitions for lot lines, yards, and encroachments, such as decks, patios, and porches (platform structures).
Revising parking space dimensions, bicycle and accessible parking requirements and introducing parking area requirements, such as minimum drive aisle widths.
Definitions relating to landscaped open space and landscape buffers and inclusion of maximum hard landscaping coverage.
Inclusion of a transition clause, updated page numbers, revised section numbers, and other various formatting elements.

Please note, where a complete application for:

i) Approval of draft plan of subdivision;

ii) Approval of draft plan of condominium;

iii) Subdivision Agreement;

iv) Condominium Agreement;

v) Site Plan approval;

vi) Development Agreement;

vii) Removal of part lot control;

viii) Committee of Adjustment approval;

ix) Building Permit

was received after Dec. 16, 2013, and on or before April 8, 2024, the Zoning By-law as it read prior to the Housekeeping Amendment, may continue to apply, subject to Section 1.1.13 of the Zoning By-law (as amended by the Housekeeping Amendment).

Zoning By-law (as amended by Housekeeping Amendment)

Zoning By-law (pre-Housekeeping Amendment)

Zoning maps

We provide zoning maps to help you view and understand the zoning requirements of each section of the city, as well as:

How land may be used
Where buildings and structures can be located or "setback" from the property line
Types of buildings and structures permitted and how they are used

Determining the uses and permissions of your property

You can follow these steps when referencing our Zoning By-law to determine what uses and permissions apply to your property:

Locate your property on a zoning map

Contact us for an official copy of a zoning map and find the zone areas in the by-law's Section 15 to determine the zone category that your property lies in. Match the zone symbol or abbreviation on your property with the full category name, found in Section 4.

For example, you may see the symbol "R1" on your property. This indicates that your property is within the Low Density Residential - Suburban Neighbourhood Zone.

Verify if your property has been subject to a by-law amendment

Our Zoning By-law is not a static document. It is amended over time as demands and policies change regarding land use. Verify if your property has been subject to a by-law amendment by viewing a list of amendments in Section 13.

Recent amendments may not be included on the version of the by-law you are viewing. Contact us for confirmation of any recent by-law amendments that may apply to your property.

Determine your property's permitted uses

View Section 4 of the by-law to determine what uses are permitted on your property and each zone in the municipality. Some uses are only permitted under certain circumstances. You can find detailed lists of permitted uses on the first pages of Sections 5 to 11.

View definitions found in Section 12 if you are unsure of the nature of a permitted use or how it has been defined for the purposes of the by-law.

Determine your property's zone standards

View Sections 5 to 11 of the by-law to determine what zone standards may apply to the permitted uses of your property. This includes standards for:

Minimum lot area
Minimum frontage requirements
Minimum yard requirements
Maximum permitted height of buildings
Minimum required landscaped open spaces on the lot

Determine the general provisions that apply to your property

View Section 2 of the by-law to discover a generic set of standards, known as "general provisions," that apply to all properties in all zones throughout the city.

General provisions contain standards that regulate the construction and location of accessory buildings and platforms that apply to all properties, regardless of where the property is located.

Determine the permitted parking and loading uses for your property

View Section 3 of the by-law to learn about the parking and loading requirements for all permitted uses for your property and before considering making any changes to your parking or loading usage.

Minor variances and Zoning By-law amendments

Learn how to apply for a minor variance or Zoning By-law amendment if you wish to:

Make minor changes to your property
Completely change the use of your property
Perform changes to your property and building's minimum parking, minimum setbacks, maximum height, and/or maximum building coverage
Perform a build or usage that is not currently permitted in your existing zoning area (such as adding a basement apartment to a home in a neighbourhood zoned for single dwellings only, or adding a retail store to a commercial property that permits only office use)

Request a Zoning Compliance Letter

Request a Zoning Verification letter from Planning and Building Services using the City of St. Catharines Building Permit Application Portal which will provide you with current zoning, permitted use, last recognized use, work orders, and notices of violation outstanding pursuant to the applicable building or zoning by-laws. The current fee can be found in the Rates and Fees Guide.