Ontario Supports Sunset Beach Renovation Project in St. Catharines

St. Catharines – The Ontario government is supporting infrastructure upgrades at Sunset Beach in St. Catharines with a $4.4 million provincial grant through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP).

Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West, joined city officials and local community leaders at Sunset Beach today to announce the funding.

“Sunset Beach has been a favourite lakefront destination for families in St. Catharines for generations,” said MPP Oosterhoff.

“Today’s announcement of provincial funding to support infrastructure improvements of the parking lot, boat ramp and existing park amenities, as well as shoreline protection efforts, will ensure the city beach is able to serve local residents for years to come.”

“This grant is going to go a long way toward achieving the community vision set out for Sunset Beach,” said Eric Lamothe, Manager of Business Planning and Strategic Services for the City of St. Catharines.

“A big thank you to the province for approving the application which will enable us to expedite the project. We are looking forward to completing these improvements which will contribute to a more enjoyable experience for beachgoing residents.”

The first phase of the project is scheduled to start this fall and will include improvements to the parking lot, reconstruction of the existing boat ramp and shoreline protection efforts. The second phase will include improvements to existing park amenities, such as trails and picnic tables, and a complete replacement of the playground structure at the public beach.

The project is part of the Sunset Beach Community Vision, which was approved by the City of St. Catharines in July 2019. Provincial support was granted through the Sport and Community Renewal Stream of the Strategic Priority Infrastructure Fund, with the province set to cover just over 73 percent of the total cost, while the City of St. Catharines contributes 27 percent of the total cost, or $1.6 million.

“This investment from the province allows the city to continue building the vision we have for Sunset Beach,” said Mat Siscoe, Mayor of the City of St. Catharines.

“Improvements to the overall accessibility of the site mean that more members of the community will be able to enjoy one of the gems in our city’s Northend. Kudos to city staff, ward councillors and residents for creating a vision that I know our community will be proud of.”

Renovations are expected to begin October 1, 2023.