Downtown in St. Catharines in Niagara Region, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
The NS&T and Western Hill
Photographed by Kevin Westell, June 11, 2025
1. The NS&T and Western Hill Marker
The Niagara, St. Catharines and Toronto Railway (NS&T) was formed in 1899 and provided both passenger and freight service to the eastern half of the Niagara Peninsula. In addition to these services, the NS&T also provided the equivalent of a local transit service to St. Catharines using streetcars.
In 1915, the Burgoyne Bridge over the Twelve Mile Creek was opened, improving access from downtown St. Catharines and Western Hill by an at grade connection. This new road bridge significantly improved the link between the two areas of the City.
The new bridge included a streetcar track down the centre of the bridge. This was an extension of the track from the comer of St Paul Street and Ontario Street across the bridge and to the rail way station about 2 km away.
The extension to Western Hill became part of the service which ran from near the Victoria Lawn Cemetery on Queenston Street - to the Grand Trunk station (now VIA/GO). It operated every twenty minutes through the day and connected to other street- car routes serving the remainder of the City and the interurban cars running to other Niagara
this page online
This service ran until 1947 when it was replaced by buses. The bus operation was taken over by the City in 1960 when the St Catharines Transit Commission was formed.
Erected by Canadian Railroad Historical Association (CRHA) Niagara Division.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1899.
Location. 43° 9.226′ N, 79° 14.773′ W. Marker is in St. Catharines, Ontario, in Niagara Region. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of St. Paul Street West and McGuire Street, on the right when traveling north on St. Paul Street West. In spite of the street name St. Paul Street West, the road's actual direction of travel is north-south at this point. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9 St Paul Street West, St Catharines ON L2R 3P7, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe and in Niagara Canada. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Photographed by Kevin Westell, June 11, 2025
2. The NS&T and Western Hill - Marker in context
View from north-bound St. Paul St. W. The marker is plainly visible, just after a big gray rectangle sculpture.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Crossing Twelve Mile Creek - The Burgoyne Bridge (here, next to this marker); Lance Corporal Fred Fisher, V.C. 1894 - 1915 (within shouting distance of this marker); This Statue of the Honorable William Hamilton Merritt (within shouting distance of this marker); This Boulder Was Once The Half-way Mark Between Niagara-on-the-Lake And Queenston (within shouting distance of this marker); William Hamilton Merritt 1793 - 1862 (within shouting distance of this marker); Niagara District United Empire Loyalists Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); 1796 - 1935 (within shouting distance of this marker); Anglican Church, St. Catharines (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Catharines.
Regarding The NS&T and Western Hill. Epilogue to the inscription: in 2023, the city's St. Catharines Transit was amalgamated into the region's Niagara Region Transit.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 12, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. This page has been viewed 99 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 12, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
