Canada Day Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Welland and Niagara Region: What’s open and closed

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Published June 30, 2023 at 4:04 pm

Canada Day in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Welland and Niagara Region falls this year on Saturday, July 1. Some businesses and services might also be closed on Monday, July 3, as many will observe the holiday that day.

Canada Day is often called Canada’s birthday, celebrating the July 1, 1867, anniversary of the country’s confederation.

While that is true, the use of the word “birthday” is something of an oversimplification. Canada Day is the anniversary of only one important national milestone on the way to the country’s full sovereignty, namely the joining on July 1, 1867, of the colonies of Canada (Upper and Lower Canada at the time, Ontario and Quebec now) with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick into a wider British federation of four provinces.

On that day, Canada became a “kingdom in its own right” within the British Empire, commonly known as the “Dominion of Canada,” which is why Canada Day was known as Dominion Day until 1982 when a Private Members Bill changed it later that year.

So what’s open and what’s closed this coming Saturday? Most of Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake businesses remain open as both the city and the town are designated as tourism destinations and thus can remain open on federal or provincial holidays.

The other 10 municipalities in Niagara, including St. Catharines and Welland, are mostly shut down. While some businesses are posting hours, others add “hours may differ” because it’s a holiday. The best bet? Call ahead.

Open Canada Day:
(For every business below, phone ahead as most are posting “hours may differ”)
  • Canada One in Niagara Falls
  • SmartCentres in Niagara Falls
  • Outlet Collection at Niagara in Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • Some smaller grocery stores, such as Rabba grocery stores
  • There are over 60 Niagara-region wineries/vineyards and most will be open. Phone your favourite for times.
  • Silversmith Brewing, 1523 Niagara Stone Rd
  • Counterpart Brewing, 3659 Stanley Ave, Niagara Falls
  • Bench Brewing, 3991 King St, Beamsville
  • Lock Street Brewing, 15 Lock St, St. Catharines
  • Niagara Oast House Brewing, 2017 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • The Exchange Brewery, 7 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • Cold Break Brewing, 193 St Paul St W, St. Catharines
  • Niagara Brewing, 4915-A Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls
  • Blackburn Brew House, 8001 Blackburn Pkwy, Niagara Falls
  • Gretzky Estate Beer/Wine, 1219 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • Dragan Brewing, 100 Grantham Ave S Unit 1, St. Catharine
  • Merchant Ale House, 98 St Paul St, St. Catharines
  • Brimstone Brewing, 209 Ridge Rd N, Ridgeway (Fort Erie)
  • Breakwall Brewing, 46 Clarence St, Port Colborne
  • Newark Brewing, 4766 Christie Dr, Beamsville
  • The Grist Brewery, 78 Four Mile Creek Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • Most bars and restaurants
  • Shoppers Drug Marts
  • Movie theatres
  • All Niagara Falls family-oriented tourist attractions but call ahead
  • Select community centres and libraries but call ahead as a handful are posting that they are closed

Closed Canada Day:

  • All city and town halls
  • Federal and provincial government offices
  • All municipal offices
  • Most grocery stores are closed but call ahead to be sure
  • The Pen Centre in St Catharines (Landmark Cinemas are open)
  • Fairview Mall in St Catharines
  • Briarfield Shopping Centre in St Catharines
  • Pendale Plaza in St Catharines
  • Seaway Mall in Welland
  • SmartCentres in Welland and St Catharines
  • Most community centres and libraries but call ahead
  • Banks
  • Canada Post (no mail pick up or delivery)
  • Community Recycling Centres
  • All LCBOs
  • All Beer Stores
  • City Hall
  • Provincial government offices

Transit

  • GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule on July 1 and July 3
  • Transit services in St Catharines, Welland and Niagara Falls will operate on holiday hours

Garbage:

  • Community Recycling Centres will be closed Saturday

Monday, July 3

In lieu of the holiday falling on a weekend, a handful of businesses and institutions will also be closed Monday. They include:

  • Banks
  • Canada Post (no mail pick up or delivery)
  • Community Recycling Centres
  • City Hall
  • Provincial government offices
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