U p d a t eF a l l 2 0 0 8

Flagro Industries Limited has marked 30 years of business in St. Catharines

with a move into its new facility at 26 Benfield Drive,  located  at  the  recently redeveloped Brighton Business Park. The revitalized business park now spans the  properties  of  301 Louth St,  76 Ridley Road and several lots on Benfield Drive.

An  additional  office  area  and  warehouse comprising of 12,000 sq.ft has been added to an existing building at the west-end business park. This has allowed for a new 40,000  sq.ft.  facility  that Flagro now calls home. This building shows the new face of the Brighton Business Park where several companies have relocated in the past 12 months. Plans for similar buildings are included in the future expansion of the business park on the Benfield Drive properties.

“The upgrade and expansion of Flagro’s new headquarters not only benefits our existing companies,  it  boosts  the  attractiveness of  our  City  to  potential  investors,”  states Economic  Development  Officer  Marco Marino.

Flagro Industries Limited is a manufacturer of  propane,  natural  gas  and  oil  fired const ruction  heating  equipment.  This  heating  equipment  is  used  for the  construction  of  homes,  commercial buildings and high rise developments during the winter months. “Flagro construction heaters have been synonymous with reliability  and  quality  in  the  Canadian construction industry for over three decades and we are gaining ground in

the  US,”  notes  company President Iain Watson.

Innovation & new product development created

the demand for a larger facility equipped with the latest specialized metal working equipment  and more  area  for  assembly, testing  and  warehousing.  Recent  new products  include  oil-fired  construction heating equipment used  in  the oil fields of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Colorado and Wyoming.

Flagro has also become the preferred manufacturer and supplier of the Silver Giant line of commercial gas and charcoal grills to the hospitality and rental

industries.   This  grill  is  used by  caterers, restaurants,  clubs  and  rental  companies across Canada and the U.S. The Niagara Wine Festival, Niagara Parks, Ribfest and many local golf courses are common places the Silver Giant grill can be found.

Founded  by  Bruce Watson  in  1978,  Flagro has  remained  a  family  owned  company, operated since the mid 1990’s by his sons Iain  and  Robert Watson.  Starting  with  just a handful of employees, today the successful enterprise  employs  over  30  people.  Many employees have been with the company for over 20 years and have contributed to Flagro’s success during its 30 years in the industry.

Flagro celebrates 30th anniversary with new 40,000 sq Ft. Facility

I N T H I S I S S U E :

Pen Centre Celebrates 50 Years .............. 2City & Brock Sign MOU .......................3City & McMaster Partner .....................4InLine - Integration & Automation ........5Radio Holland Opens New Office ..........5Made In St. Catharines ..........................6Think Honda…Think Henley Honda!.....6Kiko Swings For Success ........................ 7Calendar Of Events ...............................8Contacts ................................................8

The Pen Centre, one of  approximately 20 shopping centres across

the country that is managed by 20 Vic Management  Inc.,  is  proudly  celebrating 50  years  of  serving  the  Niagara  Region this year.

The Pen Centre employs approximately 3,000  people,  almost  a  third  of  those  as full-time employees. The shopping centre’s estimated  payroll  in  2007  exceeded $52,000,000 and it paid over $7,000,000 in municipal taxes. Sub-contracted services for such things as snow and waste removal, landscaping,  transportation,  cleaning, recycling and local utilities all help fuel the local and regional economy.

“As  a  major  employer  and  taxpayer, the shopping centre makes considerable contributions  to  the  Region  of  Niagara as well  as  to  the City of St. Catharines,” says Mall Manager John Bragagnolo.

The shopping centre leases space to over 180 stores and services, including concourse kiosks  and  booths, which in turn pay taxes and attract shopping dollars to the mall.

“Retail  sales  from  the  tenants  within the  Pen  Centre  exceeded  $280,000,000 last year,” says Bragagnolo, “another huge chunk of tax money for both local and national governments.”

The Pen Centre gives free space to hundreds  of  local  charitable,  sporting and service organizations every year. By selling and showcasing their own products and  services,  the  dollars  they  raise  also find their way into Niagara’s economy.

“We have spent huge sums of money renovating  and  redeveloping,  first  when we bought the Pen Centre in 1994 and invested  over  $40  million,  then  when we redeveloped the area that had been occupied by the Eaton’s store. We brought in new stores whenever we had space and saw a need. In 2005 we developed the  50,000  sq  ft  home  décor  pad  near Pier 1. We even added the out parcel restaurants,  removing  the old Sears Auto and replacing it with a Boston Pizza and Kelsey’s. Through all the changes, the Pen Centre  wanted  to  bring  uniqueness  into the market place,” added Bragagnolo.

In  the  next  few years,  it  is  estimated  that the Pen Centre will undergo another multi-million  dollar  facelift,  with  new flooring,  an  updated  Food  Court,  new public washrooms and more. All of these major  renovations  affect  the  Pen Centre’s contribution  to  the Niagara  economy  too, as they employ large-scale contractors to carry out the work. In an area hard hit by manufacturing sector losses, this alone can prove  beneficial  for  Niagara.  Fifty  years from  its  humble  beginnings,  the  iconic shopping centre continues to keep pace with or anticipate their customer’s needs. “That’s all part of operating a successful shopping centre operation,” says Bragagnolo.

P e n C e n T r e C e l e b r a T e s 5 0 Y e a r s o F C o n T r i b u T i n g T o n i ag a r a’ s e C o n o m Y

An aerial photograph (2005) showcases the Pen Centre’s considerable expansion

An aerial photograph (1962) displays the Pen Centre’s humble beginnings

The Pen Centre is a testament to the strength of our retail industry in St. Catharines. The merchants offer quality products coupled with excellent customer service and the mall management team from 20Vic has harnessed these qualities to become the preferred shopping destination in Niagara - summerized Marco Marino, Economic Development Officer

Brock University and the City of St. Catharines have signed

a Memorandum of Understanding that will facilitate the exploration and development of the relocation of the University’s School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines, as well as the creation of Niagara Centre for the Performing and Visual Arts venue at the same location.

During the ceremony held in June, Brock President and Vice-Chancellor Jack N. Lightstone and City of St. Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan demonstrated the strong working relationship between the University and the City.

The purpose of the MOU is to develop an understanding between all parties on the feasibility analysis currently in progress, budgetary collaboration, public relations and fundraising.

“At Brock we believe it is important for universities to be directly engaged in the advancement of their communities – socially, economically and culturally,” says Lightstone. “To this end, we are excited about partnering with the City to explore

the possibility of relocating the School of Fine and Performing Arts to downtown St. Catharines, as well as creating a significant ‘arts hub’ for Niagara in the city.”

“This project will be the cornerstone of Council’s vision for a revitalized downtown St. Catharines,” says McMullan. “With the School of Fine and Performing Arts bringing

students downtown by day and the Performing Arts Centre attracting audiences from across Niagara, it will encourage redevelopment and investment in our City’s core.”

“Brock University and City of St. Catharines have a history of working together, and that spirit of co-operation continues today,” said McMullan.

broCk & CiTY sign memorandum oF undersTanding For ProPosed downTown PerForming arTs CenTre

Brock University President and Vice Chancellor Jack N. Lightstone and Mayor Brian McMullan execute the Memorandum of Understanding

BizPal launched in St. catharineSStarting and running a business in the city of St. Catharines just became easier thanks to BizPaL, a new online business permit and licence service that saves time spent on paperwork and helps entrepreneurs start up faster.

This past June, Rick Dykstra, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, on behalf of the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry and Brian McMullan, Mayor of St. Catharines, welcomed the launch of BizPaL in St. Catharines.

BizPaL is an innovative project that provides entrepreneurs with simplified access to the information on permits and licences they need to establish and run their businesses. This unique partnership among federal, provincial, territorial, regional and local governments is designed to cut through the paperwork burden and red tape that small business owners encounter. The BizPaL service in St. Catharines was developed with the support of Industry Canada, in collaboration with the City of St. Catharines and the Province of Ontario.

“BizPaL is part of our government’s economic plan that is laid out in Advantage Canada to provide an innovative and entrepreneurial business environment,” said Mr. Dykstra. “This service will benefit the province of Ontario and the City of St. Catharines by providing valuable information to businesses, helping them to grow and prosper.”

“Small business drives our economic growth, and BizPaL makes it easier for small and medium‑sized businesses to thrive in this province” ‑ states Economic Development Director, David Oakes.

“With more than 5000 in St. Catharines alone, small and medium‑sized enterprises are the key to the future of our local economy,” said Mayor McMullan. “So it is important for the City to support initiatives such as BizPaL that will assist this growing sector.”

Area business owners and entrepreneur can access the service by visiting www.stcatharines.ca. The Province is looking forward to expanding BizPaL to other areas of Ontario over the next year.

Visit bizpal.ca for additional project history, information and access to the websites of participating partners.

The  Michael  G.  DeGroote  School  of Medicine  at  McMaster  University 

and the City of St. Catharines announced on  June  19,  2008  partnership  to  establish the  McMaster  Niagara  Family  Health Centre.

The centre, to be located at 18-24 Ontario Street,  will  be  a  clinical  teaching  unit to educate future doctors and will help address the needs of Niagara residents who do not have a family physician. “This is a win-win-win situation for the medical school,  the  community  and  the  patients needing a family physician,” said Dr. David Price,  chair  of  the  Department  of  Family Medicine  of  the  Michael  G.  DeGroote School of Medicine.  “The Niagara region has  first  class medical  staff  and  has  been very welcoming of the Niagara campus of  the  Michael  G.  DeGroote  School  of Medicine.  We’re  very  pleased  to  work with the City to help provide excellent medical care for citizens. This care will be provided by an interprofessional team including  nurses,  family  physicians  and residents, mental health workers and others.  Dr.  Price  expects  the  residents  may  very well be enticed to subsequently practice in the community.

Renovations  of  the  city-owned  space at  18-24  Ontario  Street,  currently the Community Physicians Clinic are underway. The medical school and community are currently recruiting four physicians who will oversee eight family medicine residents as well as clinical clerks who are medical students.

“The City of St. Catharines is pleased it was able to work collaboratively with McMaster  University  to  establish the  centre,”  said  Mayor  Brian McMullan.    “This  announcement is critical to providing access to family physicians for our current residents, but also in ensuring the provision of primary health care for future residents and employers.”

The  McMaster  Niagara  Family Health  Centre  will  welcome the first residents on July 1, 2009. It is expected the centre will have a patient roster of more  than 6,000 patients.   Mark Sherk, Chair of the new McMaster-Niagara Family Health Centre Board of Governors, has organized community support for the clinic,  including  raising  the necessary funds required for renovations.  

“The St. Catharines community has been an enthusiastic supporter of the new Centre as well as the St. Catharines Family Physicians Clinic before it,” says Mr. Sherk. “In fact the equipment and facilities funded through the donations to the previous clinic – specifically those made by Herzog Foundation, 1984 Olympic Mens 8 Rowing Crew and the Hultink and Maltese families will continue to be used in the new centre.”

McMaster University,  a world-renowned, research-intensive  university,  fosters a culture of innovation, and a commitment to  discovery  and  learning  in  teaching, research and scholarship. Based in Hamilton,  the  University,  one  of  only four Canadian universities to be listed on the Top 100 universities in the world, has a student population of more than 23,000, and an alumni population of more than 131,000 in 128 countries.

C i T Y o F s T . C a T h a r i n e s & m C m a s T e r u n i v e r s i T Y Pa r T n e r o n Fa m i lY h e a l T h C e n T r e

(From left) David Price, Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University, Mark Sherk, Chair of the McMaster Niagara Family Health Centre’s Board of Governors & Mayor Brian McMullan showcase an artist’s rendition of the new health centre

Economic Development & Tourism Services has been working with both McMaster University and the McMaster-Niagara Family Health Centre Board to provide assistance throughout the entire process. “This initiative is the culmination of the St. Catharines Physician Recruitment Task Force strategy to provide both recruitment and retention of family physicians within St. Catharines.” stated Economic Development Officer Brian York. “The McMaster-Niagara Family Heath Centre will provide us with the foundation for not only training new doctors, but also retaining them once they have graduated.”

Inline Internet Systems, Inc. is best described as a go to company

for difficult and complex software development challenges. Established in Mississauga since 1995, the company moved to the St. Catharines area in 2003. “Our customers are mainly based in the US and with a number of employees already in the Niagara region we decided to move the operations down here to be closer to both”, says Russ Cobbe, President of Inline.

Inline has a number of off the shelf software products. oPAYc is a software developer toolkit to integrate 50+ payment different gateways easily into a software application to be able to process credit cards. iHTML is a web programming language used by developers worldwide to develop web sites that are very interactive and utilize databases extensively. iHTML Merchant is a suite of ecommerce software for running online stores including the iHTML Merchant Mall which is the only on-line mall software available in the market today.

Inline does a significant amount of supply chain integration where they use their e-commerce software to fully automate online businesses so that orders are coming in, going out to suppliers, invoices are coming in from suppliers and those are then automatically entered into the companies accounting system. “We have clients doing thousands of orders a month with only a couple of employees because of the high level of integration and automation”, adds Cobbe. Inline also developed the software that runs a US Department of Homeland Security employee online mall as well as a significant portion of the US Military online shopping mall system.

A recent area Inline has been working in is the kiosk and self service arena. They have created the software that runs the Internet café’s on nearly all the US military bases worldwide as well as a kiosk system for the US Housing and Urban Development department. “Our expertises on kiosks is in the software side where we get all the hardware talking together and provide a management system to remotely control the kiosks since they tend to be very widely distributed” says Cobbe.

While the company appears to do many disparate things, its mainly e-business related, with the exception of its iDRINK.com website and social networking applications.

The social networking applications were done to explore the phenomenon and see how their e-business focus can be applied to that market. “We will have, what I think will be, the first truly e-business type applications on sites like Facebook and MySpace in the new year”, comments Cobbe.

“Our business grows via word of mouth and referrals, we are very good technically but we really don’t do a very good job of marketing and letting people know what we can do for them” summarizes Cobbe. He adds, “When companies do find out about us they get pretty excited about what we can do to either cut down costs or improve their business processes”.

To learn more about what Inline’s technology offerings visit http://www.inline.net or email info@inline.net

i n T e g r a T i o n & a u T o m a T i o n l i e a T T h e C o r e o F T h e s T. C a T h a r i n e s ’ F i r m

An increase in maritime business influenced Radio Holland Canada to

expand operations and open an office in St. Catharines.

Radio Holland Canada represents many well known brands of marine electronic equipment. The new office is fully prepared for both sales and service support of communication, navigation and automation equipment.

“Radio Holland is known for its presence along the major shipping routes and fast service on the spot. We concluded that our activities in service and sales of maritime electronics in Canada have been growing substantially. The essence of Radio Holland's global policy for service is to determine where the growth areas in shipping are, to determine where our customers need us and consequently to be there,” says Dé Slager, CEO of the Radio Holland Group. Radio Holland was recently awarded a large project to supply and install V-SAT equipment for many of the Great Lakes Shipping Companies. The V-SAT systems provides each ship with a virtual office environment plus VoIP phones which

will eliminate the ships reliance on cellular telephones. The V-SAT project is being implemented over a four year period and could include over 100 Laker ships on both sides of the Canada / U.S. border.

“We’re thrilled to have Radio Holland open it’s 4th Canadian office in St. Catharines,” said David Oakes, Director of EDTS. “Their strategic location along the Welland Canal offers Radio Holland the ability to quickly service and support one of our most important trade corridors,” added Oakes.

Radio Holland Group is a specialized company in the supply, installation, integration and service of maritime electronics and is also known as satellite airtime provider. The company employs more than 900 people worldwide in 60 own branches, strategically located along all major shipping routes. Radio Holland is part of Imtech N.V., one of the world's largest service providers in the field of electrical engineering, ICT and mechanical engineering.

R a d i o H o l l a n d G R o u p o p e n s n e w o f f i c e i n s t. c at H a R i n e s

Russ Cobbe, President, Inline Internet Systems

henley  Honda  recently  moved  into the  new  location  at  308  Lake 

Street (at the corner of Lake and Secord Streets). This new state-of-the-art facility features a seven car showroom to showcase the Honda line-up of vehicles, drive-in  service  comfort,  along  with twelve  service  bays,  including  Express Service.

Henley  Honda  delivers  an  automotive experience through the sales, leasing and service  of  new  Honda  and  Pre-Owned vehicles. “We are dedicated to providing our  customers with  an  enjoyable  vehicle ownership  experience,”  explains  Reni de  Verteuil,  President  and  Dealer Principal  of  Henley  Honda.    It’s  all about  the customer experience at Henley Honda!

Henley  Honda  has  developed  a  deep  bond with the Niagara community over the years. Henley  originally  obtained  the  Honda franchise in 1972, becoming the first Honda dealership in Niagara and one of the first in Canada.  The business was subsequently purchased by the de Verteuil family in 2003. Since that time much attention has been  focused  on  Henley  Honda’s  profile and commitment to the community.  Henley Honda is proud to be the official automotive sponsor  for  Brock  Athletics,  having committed  $100,000  which  the  Brock University Athletics Department  is putting toward Athletic Scholarships. The annual Henley  Honda  Car  Rally  has  raised  over $10,000  in  donations  for  Gillian’s  Place (formerly Women’s Place of St. Catharines and North Niagara) from the past 2 rallies. This year’s  rally  is  set  for Sunday October 5, 2008 starting at Henley Honda!

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T h i n k h o n da … T h i n k h e n l e Y h o n da !

Tangarine Concepts Corp. may work with millions of dollars in electronic business transactions on an annual basis, but President Keith Turner says there is still plenty of room to grow. The wholly owned subsidiary of Tangarine Payment Solutions Corp., which is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange, recently moved into a brand new building in the City’s west end. The headquarters, at 14 Commerce Place, supports both an inside sales and marketing force while allowing for management of retail customers, and maintenance of its Interac debit processing terminals.

“I am delighted to announce the opening of our new location, which has been constructed to suit our business,” noted Keith Turner, President and Chief Executive Officer, during the summer’s grand opening, adding praise for the architect and builders, including Joseph Colonna, Anthony Continelli and the Premium Building Group team.

Starting in 1999 with a fax machine, telephone and a dream from his downtown St. Catharines apartment, Turner has built Tangarine into an operation serving 8,000 Canadian companies with debit and credit card financial services, specializing in services for smaller businesses that might not otherwise afford these services.

Before opening the $1-million, 5,500-square-foot headquarters on Commerce, the 60-member team, including 30 sales and marketing staff, was leasing office space on Carlton Street. While Turner started mostly with providing automated

banking machines, Tangarine today offers the technology to process debit and credit card transactions and e-commerce products to run online companies and websites – to the tune of more than 2.5 million transactions per month for companies across the country. The company also provides small and medium-sized businesses such as restaurants, bars, gas stations and convenience stores with loyalty programs and pre-paid gift cards.

During the opening of the headquarters, St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, praised Tangarine for its growing economic clout in the region.

St. Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan echoed Minister Bradley’s praise, noting, “You’re supporting local families and allowing them to raise their children here,” he said. “We think it’s invaluable.”

made in St. CatharineS

Tangar ine ’s new cor porate headquarte rs located at 14 Commerce Place

a natural, productive swing can elude even the most practised golfers on any given day, and can end up adding up strokes through the drives and short-game plays.  St.  Catharines-based  KIKO Products Inc. has come up with a simple solution in the form of the Wrist Rite.

While it isn’t intended for use in competition,  it  can  be  worn  any  time a golfer steps onto the course with an aim of  improving  the  game. The Wrist Rite helps avoid both bowing and cupping of the  lead  arm wrist  during  shots,  giving the golfer wrist balance while giving instant feedback to the wearer whether hitting a drive shot or on the green for a putt.

It  slips  into  the  glove,  helping maintain a straight wrist and therefore adding in dropping strokes and improving accuracy.

John White, a CPGA Professional, has endorsed  the Wrist  Rite,  an  invention of  KIKO  founder  Charlie  Kingston, who took up golf for exercise on doctor’s orders. When the frustration of the game came early in his learning, he read up on what the experts had to  say,  and  quickly  learned  that the positioning of the wrist becomes critical in how well the golfer hits the ball.

A  biomechanical  engineer,  Kingston turned to his trade for a possible solution,  forming  an  idea  to  design something to be used by either right or left-handed players; that would not be too cumbersome; and would not cause any damage to the wrist. The plastic splint  he  created  is  one-size-f its  all, and costs about half the cost of one golf lesson.

Besides White’s endorsement,  Kingston’s  invention captured the attention of former Canadian Olympic boxers, brothers Steve and Jamie Pagendam.    Both  Jamie  and  Steve  saw great improvement in their golf games and decided to invest in the company.

The Wrist Rite is a local story from start to finish, since it is manufactured in Fort Erie, and is available at various local golf pro shops and driving ranges, as well as through  the  company’s  website.  KIKO plans to expand by adding an array of sporting products in the near future.

For more information, go to www.kikogolf.com

k i k o s w i n g s F o r s u C C e s s w i T h w r i s T r i T e

Kiko Products exemplifies the type of entrepreneurs we have in St. Catharines. We have many risk takers with innovative ideas and they have the vision to identify new markets easily - points David Oakes, Director of Economic Development Department.

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“We are most appreciative of the support and  confidence  our  customers  display in  us,”  says  Reni,  “So  it’s  our  civic responsibility here at Henley to contribute back to our community.”   With  its award winning  vehicles,  over  50  dedicated employees and an extensive list of satisfied customers…  Henley  Honda  is  firmly  on the road to continued growth and success!

The St. Catharines Enterprise Centre is your Destination for Business SuccessEach year, the St. Catharines Enterprise Centre provides free information and advisory services to thousands of start‑up and existing small business owners from across the Niagara Region. Visit us today and discover how you can realize your entrepreneurial dream.

Our services include:

•Free one‑on‑one business consultations to discuss business prospects and review business plans;

•Market research assistance;

•Guidance on licenses, permits, registration, financial assistance, and regulations;

•Access to current resource materials, including directories, trade indexes and books;

•Access to a network of business professionals and mentors;

•Delivery of events and business seminars on bookkeeping, writing a business plan, market research, tax and payroll; and

•Delivery of youth business programs such as Summer Company, Business Plan Competition and Canadian Youth Business Foundation Loans.

St. Catharines Enterprise Centre 1 St. Paul Street, Unit 10

St. Catharines ON L2R 7C2 Phone: 905‑688‑5601 ext. 1767

Fax: 905‑685‑0611 E‑mail: smallbusiness@stcatharines.ca

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

small business enTerPrise CenTreEffective Record Keeping & Cash Flow ForecastingSeptember 3, 2008, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

How to Write a Business PlanSeptember 17, 2008, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Market Research SeminarOctober 8, 2008, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Developing a Web Site for your BusinessOctober 15, 2008, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.Canada Revenue Agency Seminars:

Small Business InformationNovember 5, 2008, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.@ Canada Revenue Agency Office, Niagara A & B Boardroom, 32 Church Street, St. CatharinesPresented by: Canada Revenue Agency & the Ontario Ministry of Finance

Joint PST-GST/HSTNovember 19, 2008, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.@ Canada Revenue Agency Office, Niagara A & B Boardroom, 32 Church Street, St. CatharinesPresented by: Canada Revenue Agency & the Ontario Ministry of Finance

Payroll Information for the New EmployerDecember 3, 2008, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.@ Canada Revenue Agency Office, Niagara A & B Boardroom, 32 Church Street, St. CatharinesPresented by: Canada Revenue Agency & the Ontario Ministry of FinanceTo register, please call the St. Catharines Enterprise Centre at 905-688-5601 ext. 1767 or send an e-mail to smallbusiness@stcatharines.ca

eConomiC develoPmenT & TourismOktoberfest FestivalSlovenian Lipa Park, September 7, 2008Polka & Waltz style music 2pm to 10pm, including Grammy award winner Walter Ostanek & his band & the Golden Keys band from Kitchener. Special guest performances by other groups. Food & refreshments available. Admission charged, children under 16 years free. Located in Pelham near Rockway, Lipa Park, 2850 Ollie Rd. For information call Tony 905-685-4149 or email: ahcobb@sympatico.ca

Exhibit - Niagara Through the Lens: Shots That Set the StandardSt. Catharines Museum September 13 to November 2, 2008For more information contact the St. Catharines Museum at 905-984-8880, 1-800-305-5134 or visit: www.stcatharineslock3museum.ca

Fall Craft ShowPen Centre, September 15-21, 2008Hosted by the Pen Centre Shopping Mall. For more information contact 905-687-6622 or visit www.thepencentre.com

Niagara Wine FestivalSeptember 19 to 28, 2008Join our ‘Wine Country’ celebration of Niagara’s internationally acclaimed grape & wine industry. More than 100 events including; winery tours & tasting, concerts, Niagara cuisine, artisan shows, wine seminars, family entertainment & one of Canada’s largest parades. Selected as Ontario’s Cultural Event of the Year for three years in a row & as one of North America’s Top 100 Events by the American Bus Association in 2005 for more information call 905-688-0212 or visit www.niagarawinefestival.com

Port Dalhousie Restaurant Walking TourSeptember 23 & 25, 2008A signature fall event for Port Dalhousie featuring a guided tour of Port Dalhousie restaurants paired with Niagara Region wineries. This is a great way to sample your way through great food & fine wines and learn a bit about Port Dalhousie. For more information visit www.portdalhousie.com, call 905-937-4783 or email: info@portdalhousie.com.

Grape & Wine Festival Pancake BreakfastSaturday, September 27, 2008Enjoy a pancake breakfast and live entertainment before the Grande Parade in the Downtown Farmers’ Market building with proceeds going to the St. Catharines General Hospital. Breakfast includes pancakes, back bacon, juice tea/coffee. Tickets are $5.00 person. Contact 905-688-5601 ext. 1503.

PumpkinvilleOctober 11, 2008 A free family event held at Happy Rolph’s Bird Sanctuary. The day includes professional children’s games, bouncers, face painting, costume characters, pumpkin carving & scarecrow building contests. Call 905-688-5601 extension 1570 or e-mail jgreen@stcatharines.ca

James Street Night of ArtOctober 17, 2008, 7pm – 10pmJames Street will fill with visual art, media art, dance, music & theatre in participating stores, store windows, sidewalks & the street. For more information visit www.stcartscouncil.ca or call 905-988-1888.

Historic Ghost WalksOctober 16 to 30, 2008Downtown St. Catharines has some of the best historical buildings in Niagara & many of them are haunted! Join our tour guides as they take you on an easy paced stroll through our Downtown while listening to & exchanging stories of the different hauntings & ghosts that have made their presence known. Call for a tour today 905-685-8424 or www.stcathdowntown.com

Movie’s in Market SquareMid October Bring your lawn chairs, & enjoy some of old favourites on the big screen in Market Square in Downtown St. Catharines. Hosted by the Downtown Association. Movie details & dates will be found online at www.stcathdowntown.com or call 905-685-8424 for more information.

Pumpkin FestivalOctober 25, 2008, 10am to 1pm, Market Square, City Hall, Church Street, & Downtown St. Catharines.Pumpkin carving contest, costume contest & parade. Children’s rides & entertainment. Call 905-688-5601 ext.1503 for information.

St. Catharines Art Association ExhibitionPen Centre, November 6-8, 2008 Hosted by the Pen Centre Shopping Mall.For more information contact 905-687-6622 or visit www.thepencentre.com

Portraits of the North: Sketches of Native and Inuit EldersSt. Catharines Museum November 15th 2008 to January 5th, 2009Pencil drawings of First Nations, Metis & Inuit Elders of Northern Canada by Gerald Kuehl “These people grew up during a time when survival depended exclusively on their skills as hunters. They lived nomadic existences while battling the unpredictability of nature in the most hostile environment in the world. While their clothes, physiques & character were indelibly shaped, it was their faces & hands, on the front lines, that were scorched by the sun, tortured by the cold & lashed by the wind.” That unique way of life which existed for millennia, surviving entirely off the land & sea, is now virtually extinct. These people & their stories are what remain.” Call 905-984-8880 or visit www.stcatharineslock3museum.ca for information.

St. Catharines Santa Claus ParadeSunday, November 30, 2008The Santa Claus Parade starts at 2:30pm. Parade route: William St. to St. Paul St. to James St. to King St. to the Market Square. Come on over to the Market Square after the parade, have a chance to visit with Santa as he strolls around, enjoy some hot apple cider & activities for the whole family. In partnership with Community Care, please bring a food donation. For information call 905-688-5601 ext.1503 or email: dgarrington@stcatharines.ca

Victorian ChristmasSaturday’s in December 2008Enjoy complimentary horse drawn carriage rides through historic Downtown. A pleasure for all ages. Happening each Saturday in December (6,13,20) before Christmas from 11am to 3pm. Call 905-685-8424 or visit www.stcathdowntown.com

Downtown Festive Window DisplaysDecember 1 to December 31, 2008To make your Downtown experience even more enjoyable, the merchants of Downtown compete in a festive window display competition. Stroll the Downtown during the holiday season & take in the wonderful displays the merchants have created. Businesses are decorated to award winning magnitude, look for the trophies displayed in the shops from the competition. Contact 905-685-8424 or visit www.stcathdowntown.com

Calendar of events

Development Inquiries 905.688.5601 x.1760 905.688.8994

Enterprise Inquiries 905.688.5601 x.1767 905.688.8994

Tourism Inquiries 905.688.5601 x.1731 905.984.8980