St. Catharines has a population of 406,704. It is located in Southern Ontario and south of Toronto.
St. Catharines is the northern entrance of the Welland Canal. Residents of the city are known as St. Cathariners.
The nickname of the City of St. Catharine is “The Garden City” because it has 1,000 acres of gardens, parks, and trails. The city is located between the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and the United States and Canadian border.
The main industry in St. Catharines is manufacturing. The city’s second largest employer is General Motors of Canada, Ltd., which is the Canadian subsidiary of General Motors.
The largest manufacturing plant in the city is THK Rhythm Automotive. The largest employer in St. Catharines is the District School Board of Niagara.
St. Catharines is located on one of the main telecommunications backbones between the United States and Canada. Because of this, there are a large number of call centers which operate in the city.
Prior to being called St. Catharines, the settlement was called various names, including The Twelve and Shipman’s Corners. The title St. Catharines was recorded in 1796.
In some cases, there were variations of spelling used, including St. Catherines or St. Catharine’s. In 1845, the name St. Catharines was confirmed when the town was incorporated.
It is not entirely clear who the city is named after. There are several theories, including:
- Saint Catherine of Alexandria;
- Catherine Butler, the wife of Colonel John Butler; or
- Catherine Askin Hamilton, the wife of Robert Hamilton.
Another theory indicates that Catharine Rodman Prendergast Merrit, the wife of William Hamilton Merritt may be the basis for the -ar spelling of the city. A second theory for this spelling is that Catharine spelled with an -ar was the typical way the name was spelled by Palatine German settlers in the area.
The Welland Canal is a ship canal which passes through the city and is the most defining transportation icon of the town. The canal gives shipping vessels the opportunity to cross between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
One attraction individuals can visit in St. Catharines is the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre. The museum showcases the history of St. Catharines as well as the Welland Canals.
There is an elevated observation platform where visitors can watch ships. Other local visitor attractions include the Morningstar Mill and The Catharine Art Gallery.
The Morningstar Mill is a heritage site that is 2.98 acres. It includes:
- The Morningstar Mill;
- A sawmill;
- The home of the Morningstar family;
- A barn used for blacksmith decorations; and
- The Decew Falls gorge which is located along the Niagara Escarpment.
The Catharine Art Gallery features original art for sale as well as art lessons and workshops. For individuals who are interested in theater, there are several theater companies, including:
- Garden City Productions;
- Carousel Players;
- Mirror Theatre;
- Essential Collectives Theatre; and
- The Empty Box Theatre Company.
St. Catharines Legal Information
The City of St. Catharine is the judicial seat of the Niagara North Judicial District of Ontario, the Central South Region. The Superior Court of Justice is located across from City Hall on Church Street.
There is also a satellite court in Grimsby. The city forms the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) 1 District.
The headquarters of the NRPS, which used to be located on Church Street, were moved to Niagara Falls to a new building housing its administrative offices and support services.
A potential client who is seeking legal assistance in St. Catharines, Canada may find it helpful to be aware of the differences in the legal systems between Canada and the United States. Individuals who practice law are referred to as lawyers or attorneys in the United States, while they are called barristers or solicitors, and sometimes lawyers, in Canada.
The term attorney is used to describe individuals who are appointed under powers of attorney in Canada, not individuals who are licensed to practice law as in the United States. This distinction may be helpful when searching for lawyers in St. Catharines, Ontario using United States based legal services, such as LegalMatch.
Both attorney and lawyer can be used to search for St. Catharines lawyers on LegalMatch because information on LegalMatch is written by individuals from the United States with American vocabularies.
There is not a distinction in the United States between lawyers who do not practice law in court and those who do. A lawyer in Canada is permitted to appear in court and represent clients in court.
A barrister in Canada is a lawyer who practices in court, mediation, and arbitration. A solicitor in Canada performs legal work outside of a courtroom which is related to transactional matters, such as:
- Business mergers and acquisitions;
- Drafting contracts;
- Drafting wills;
- Real estate transactions;
- Corporate matters; and
- Other legal issues.
In the Province of Ontario, The Court of Ontario has two divisions, The Superior Court of Justice and The Ontario Court of Justice.
The Superior Court of Justice hears serious cases, which may include:
- Serious criminal offenses;
- Divorces;
- Civil cases;
- Civil cases which involve large sums of money; and
- Any challenges to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The Ontario Court of Justice hears other types of cases, which include:
- Criminal offenses, except for the most serious offenses;
- Pre-trial hearings, or preliminary hearings, in criminal cases which will go to The Superior Court; and
- Violations of provincial laws.
Within these two court divisions, there are also specialized branches to handle certain types of cases. For example, within the Superior Court of Justice, there is the Family Court branch and the Small Claims Court branch.
If a court ruling or decision is disputed, it may go to appeal before The Court of Appeal for Ontario. This court is separate from other courts in Ontario.
The Court of Appeal for Ontario usually provides a final ruling on a legal issue which it hears. If a ruling in this court is appealed, it goes to the highest court in the country, The Supreme Court of Canada.
Locate Lawyers in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada Attorneys Quickly
When an individual is searching for lawyers or law firms in St. Catharines, it is important to know if they have completed the required education and training to practice law in the province. In order to become a lawyer in Ontario, an individual is required to obtain an undergraduate degree and complete law school.
Following their education, a lawyer in Ontario is required to complete an articling program. They must then pass the bar exam.
Lawyers in Canada can choose whether they want to practice law in court and there, choose whether to be called a barrister or solicitor. An excellent resource for finding a lawyer in St. Catharines is LegalMatch.
LegalMatch can help you find lawyers in St. Catharines who can assist with your case. LegalMatch will provide you with information on pre-screened lawyers in St. Catharines, which includes their:
- Background information;
- Experience and educational information;
- Fee information;
- Malpractice coverage; and
- Reviews from former clients.
If an individual does not have legal representation for their case in St. Catharines, they may consult with St. Catharines duty counsel. Duty counsel lawyers provide legal advice and assistance during court appearances for individuals without legal representation.
Duty counsel may be identified at a courthouse by asking court house staff or a court clerk or, in some cases, may be wearing a badge indicating they are Duty Counsel. Duty counsel lawyers can provide individuals with information, guidance, and advice prior to their court appearance.
If you are interested finding a lawyer in St. Catharines, or have questions regarding Toronto legal procedures or the laws in St. Catharines, Canada, you can visit the following websites: