With 45 new businesses opening this year and visitation numbers back up to pre-pandemic levels, downtown St. Catharines is seeing signs it’s on an upswing.

Kat Dodge, executive director of St. Catharines Downtown Association, said the number of new businesses in 2025 was more than double the average of about 20 a year the organization had when she joined it in 2021.

“Since the pandemic, this is an all-time record for us. It’s just really exciting.”

Newcomers have included vintage stores, hair salons, restaurants, butchers and even a tire shop, with a trio of stores for video games, discount items and appliances popping up in the east end within the past two weeks.

While the reason for the large jump in new businesses isn’t known for sure, Dodge said there has been a trend of people tak

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