St. Catharines Farmers Market

Since the early 1860s, the St. Catharines Farmers Market has delivered the best Niagara grows, bakes and makes to the centre of the city.

Visit Market Square in Downtown St. Catharines to buy fresh, local foods and hand-made items and to connect with those who grow and produce the meats, fruits, vegetables and baked goods that end up on the plate. The farmer’s market provides a chance to eat fresh, shop local and learn from those in the know.

As St. Catharines continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic the St. Catharines Farmers Market will operate on Saturdays and Thursdays  from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Safety protocols are in place to protect the health and safety of farmers market patrons and vendors. Please check out the information below for more information on safety efforts, and new ways to shop online with vendors.

Newly-introduced requirements and safety actions for customers include:

• Admittance of only one customer at a time, pairs or groups are asked to have only one individual enter the market
• No more than 24 customers being admitted to the market at any given time
• Requiring of customers to sanitize their hands before entry
• All customers and vendors must wear a face mask or covering due to limitations on other typical preventative measures such as sneeze guards. Wrapped scarves, bandanas, surgical masks and face shields will all be considered acceptable face coverings
• No handling or sampling of food will be permitted; vendors will set up a display table to showcase their products but sale items will be stored behind the table for completion of customer orders
• Maintaining a safe physical separation of two metres from other shoppers, including in the entry line
• Distancing and traffic-flow lines will be clearly marked outside and inside the market
• Reusable bags will not be permitted for the time being

Vendors will also face a host of new restrictions and protocols to help limit the spread of COVID-19, including:

• Mandatory use of face masks
• Preferred use of electronic payments, cash payments will require a second individual whose sole duty will be handling of cash
• Maintaining a two-metre separation with patrons and fellow vendors who do not reside in their household
• Prepackaging of products when possible
• Hand washing / sanitization after every transaction
• Frequent sanitization of surfaces
• Self-assessment for COVID-19 exposure and symptoms

Market patrons will be directed on a set path through the market to ensure physical distancing can be maintained. Check out our Market Map for more information.

As part of the reopening the market will introduce a new online shopping portal, a feature that will continue even after COVID-19 restrictions ease. Shoppers can head online and fill their virtual shopping cart with an array of meats, cheeses, produce, artisan items and more from all their favourite market vendors. Their completed orders can be picked up at the market during open hours.