Fee Assistance in Recreation

The City of St. Catharines' Fee Assistance in Recreation (FAIR) program offers financial assistance to eligible recreation program participants living with low incomes and helps enable greater access to City recreation and leisure activities.

FAIR benefits

With FAIR, eligible participants can access the following subsidy to programs:

  • 50 per cent subsidy on all registered pre-school, child, youth or teen programs provided by the City
  • 50 per cent subsidy on all registered adult programs provided by the City
  • 50 per cent subsidy on an individual swim pass for a period of up to 12 months
  • 50 per cent subsidy on an Older Adult Centre Membership

Qualifying criteria

To apply for FAIR, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Live in the City of St. Catharines
  • Have a household income that falls below the before tax Low Income Cut-off (LICO) line for your family size (refer to the FAIR Application Form to determine this)

Apply for FAIR

Complete the following steps to apply for FAIR. If you need help photocopying your documents, you can visit our Citizens First customer service desk at City Hall and bring in your documents.

  1. Download and complete the Fee Assistance in Recreation (FAIR) Application Form. You can also pick up the form from City Hall or at any recreation community centre.
  2. Photocopy and attach proof of residency to your application. This could be your driver's licence, property tax bill or utility bill.
  3. Photocopy last year's Notice of Assessment for each adult in your household from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). If you cannot find your Notice of Assessment, you can contact the CRA for assistance.
  4. Email your completed application and supporting documents to fair@stcatharines.ca or drop off your completed application and supporting documents to customer service at any of these City locations:

You can also mail your completed application and supporting documents to:

City of St. Catharines
Fee Assistance in Recreation Program
St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre
425 Carlton St.
St. Catharines, ON L2M 4W9

We will contact you within two weeks of receiving your application with next steps.