‘Trust is broken’: Analysis concludes GM catwalk in ‘good’ condition; residents still demand Council take action

A visual inspection of the metal catwalk spanning Ontario Street, connecting two sections of the former General Motors property, has ruled the fixture is “structurally sound and in good condition”. The conclusion has done little to alleviate the concerns of residents and some councillors. 

On February 5, the City of St. Catharines received a report from Kalos Engineering, a firm hired by the owner of the former General Motors property, analyzing the condition of the utility bridge over Ontario Street. The report was commissioned after concerns were raised by local councillors Bruce Williamson and Marty Mako 

As reported by The Pointer, Williamson and Mako brought forward a motion in late January to have the property owner conduct an analysis of the structure in response to concerns from residents who pass under the metal catwalk on a daily basis. The pair agreed to defer the motion after Mayor Mat Siscoe said an analysis was to be completed “in the coming days”.

According to the report, which is based on a visual inspection by engineers using an articulated lift to be able to view the elevated structure, “The overall construction of the bridge appears to be good, and the bridge was generally in good condition.” The inspection was completed on January 28. 

While no visible signs of rust or deterioration were recorded on the portions of the bridge that were inspected, the report admits key elements of the structure were not reviewed. 

“The existing bridge foundations were not visible at the time of inspection,” the report reveals. The document specifies that the review was confined “exclusively on the bridge” itself and did not extend to the foundations or supporting elements that hold the structure in place.

The catwalk rests on two critical support points. On the west side of Ontario Street it sits atop the decaying wall of a partially demolished building, exposed to the elements from both sides and from above. On the east side it is supported by a purpose-built steel tower anchored to the ground. Neither of these essential support structures, including the tower’s foundation, was subject to inspection in this report.

Ontario Street is one of the city’s busiest arterial routes, travelled daily by motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, transit vehicles, school buses and emergency services. Suspended above this roadway, the steel catwalk has stood unused for years. According to the property owner, it poses no risk to the public.

“The steel truss members, connections, supports, walking surface, and guardrails were found to be sound. Based on the conditions observed at the time of inspection, no remedial or repair work is recommended,” Gordon Martin, a representative with 1001357722 Ontario Inc. wrote in a letter to City officials accompanying the Kalos report. “Both vehicular and pedestrian access beneath the bridge are considered safe.” It’s unclear what relationship this numbered company has to the GM site. According to corporate records the numbered company was incorporated in September 2025 and Martin is listed as the president, secretary and treasurer of the organization. The address listed in the company records (1001 Champlain Avenue, Suite 302 in Burlington) matches that of Celernus Investment Partners. Martin is that company’s president and founder. Celernus has been named in a Statement of Claim from Peters Environmental. The company alleges they were not paid for remedial work on the site, including the installation of a filtration system, which is now offline. 

The catwalk spanning Ontario Street is a remnant of the former General Motors industrial operation. It is attached to a decaying building on the west side and free-standing metal tower on the east side. The foundations of these structures were not inspected as part of the recent review. 

(Joel Wittnebel/The Pointer files)

At Monday’s City Council meeting, Councillor Williamson’s motion seeking a review of the catwalk is back on the agenda. 

Williamson’s motion directs City staff, in coordination with Niagara Region and the property owners, to review the current condition of the overhead structure and, if warranted, take remedial action, with all costs ultimately borne by the landowners. The wording of the motion is identical to the original version brought forward prior to the Kalos review. 

It’s unclear what will happen with the motion—which could be amended at Monday’s meeting—now that an outside review has already been completed. It is also unknown whether the City will accept the findings of the Kalos review, or choose to conduct further analysis. The Kalos report does not appear on Council’s agenda, but can be found on the City’s webpage dedicated to the Ontario Street properties. 

Williamson declined to comment on the motion or any amendments he may be bringing forward prior to Monday’s meeting. 

Gwen Kennedy, a St. Catharines resident and spokesperson for the Coalition for A Better St. Catharines, says that while inspection of the catwalk is a good first step, it is far from sufficient given the broader condition of the site. She says the entire property remains both a danger and a blight on the community, and is imploring Council to act decisively rather than focusing narrowly on one overhead structure.

The Coalition is a local advocacy group focused on holding the City accountable for safety, environmental and community issues. The organization has long campaigned for stronger enforcement on the neglected and hazardous properties that comprise the former GM site. The Pointer revealed the extent of the heavy contamination on the site from dangerous toxins. It’s a troubling collection of cancer-causing chemicals including heavy metals, petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) and other industrial wastes that can be incredibly harmful to humans, fish and other aquatic life at high concentrations—the site is directly adjacent to Twelve Mile Creek. Lead contamination—which can hamper brain development in fetuses, infants and children, was found at 10 times the level established to protect human health and the environment; PHC F1 (a class of petroleum hydrocarbons that includes things like gasoline) was present at levels more than 20 times healthy limits; trichloroethylene (TCE), a known human carcinogen, was present at more than 30 times healthy limits; benzene, another known carcinogen, was found at levels more than 50 times set limits; polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), were found at more than 85 times the set limit; and PHC F3 (another class of PHCs which includes diesel) was detected at 1,100 times the limit.

“We have repeatedly called on Council to use all the powers at its disposal to have the site demolished and made safe,” Kennedy emphasized. "The City has strong tools available, including property standards and vacant building bylaws which allows the municipality to order demolition and cleanup, ultimately at the owner’s expense". 

Despite these powers under local bylaws and the provincial Building Code, the City and Council has been unwilling to step in and address a long list of safety concerns posed by the abandoned industrial operation.  

The limited scope of the Kalos report has many residents concerned. 

In the report’s “Limitations” section, Kalos Engineering includes a blunt disclaimer: “No party other than the Client shall rely on the Consultant’s work without the express written consent of the Consultant.”

That statement alone appears to preclude City Council or staff from relying on the document for any purpose as they are not the client. The City would be considered a third party.

The report goes further, imploring that any decisions made by third parties are entirely their own responsibility:

“Any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it (the report), are the responsibility of such third parties.”

Kalos explicitly shields itself from legal accountability if others act on the report.

“Any third party user of this report specifically denies any right to any claims… against the Consultant.”

These limitations, and the fact that the report was prepared for the property owner by a private consultant of their choosing, has Kennedy concerned. 

“Over the past decade there has been a pattern of negligence, broken promises, and disregard for safety and security at the site. The trust is broken,” she said. 

Kennedy argues that this history makes it impossible to accept assurances from the property owner when public safety is at risk, especially over a major roadway like Ontario Street. For that reason, she and many other residents are urging Council to use their powers to get the site cleaned up once and for all.  

Martin, in his letter accompanying the report, insists the review was conducted objectively. 

“This inspection and report were conducted by an independent professional engineering firm acting in accordance with the standards, ethics, and regulatory requirements governing licensed engineers in Ontario. Professional engineers are legally obligated to provide objective, evidence-based findings and to uphold strict principles of public safety, accuracy, and professional integrity,” his letter explains. “The conclusions presented reflect the engineer’s independent professional judgment and are not influenced by any external party.”

It is noteworthy that Monday’s motion is being moved by Williamson and seconded by his ward colleague, Councillor Marty Mako, although the former GM site sits within the ward boundaries represented by Councillors Caleb Ratzlaff and Robin McPherson.

Ratzlaff and McPherson have taken few concrete actions outside of symbolic efforts to clean up the GM site. One such effort was the City-sponsored “Renew the View” project, which encouraged residents to gather at the contaminated site for a “Community Paint Day” to create murals on plywood fencing. Many residents have since decried what they see as an irresponsible effort to “normalize” the presence of the site in the community, believing the City should instead be taking decisive action to clean the site once and for all.

For the Coalition and many residents of St. Catharines, the catwalk debate is only one symptom of a much larger failure to address a long-neglected and hazardous property in the heart of the city.

Kennedy stresses that residents were promised action years ago and maintains that Mayor Siscoe and the ward councillors campaigned four years ago on a commitment to vigorously pursue cleanup of the GM site. In the Coalition's view, little meaningful progress has been made.

Council meets on Monday night at 6:30 to discuss the issue.

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