What’s closed and open New Years Day St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland

Here is what’s open and closed on New Year’s Day 2025 in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland and Port Colborne.

Where lists like this get tricky in the Niagara Region is due mostly to Niagara Falls. You see, the city is part of the “special tourist area exemption” that allows businesses to open without fines on statutory holidays.

So where malls and the like are closed in, say, St. Catharines, Grimsby or Welland, that’s not necessarily the case in Niagara Falls.

As an example, the Walmart Supercentre at 7481 Oakwood Dr. will be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Jan. 1. In Niagara Falls, it’s entirely up to the business owners – both large and small. Want to give your staff the day off? Closed. Want to start the New Year off by making some money? Open… because it’s allowed.

The thing about being a tourist destination – and Niagara Falls is Canada’s number one tourist attraction – is that you’ve got to give visitors something to see and do. And since New Year’s Day does not hold the same religious connotations that Christmas Day does, the sky is the limit at the Falls.

So there will be a few Niagara Falls exemptions on this list. Here’s what’ll be open and closed on Jan. 1, 2025:

Open

• Some smaller grocery stores, such as Rabba. Larger ones in Niagara Falls may be open – call ahead
• Most convenience stores and gas stations, including those with convenience stores attached
• Some Shoppers Drug Marts (call ahead)
• Most restaurants will be open, especially in Niagara Falls but call ahead to be sure. Many will have delayed hours, choosing to open mid-afternoon
• Niagara Falls OPG Winter Festival of Lights
• Movie theatres though many are indicating tickets must be bought online
• The Outlet Collection at Niagara (holiday hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
• Most of Niagara Falls’ family-oriented tourist attractions though call ahead to double-check

Closed

• All LCBOs and Beer Stores (including Niagara Falls)
• All major grocery stores, such as Fortino’s, Longo’s, Walmart, Great Canadian Superstores, Metro and Zehrs (Niagara Falls exemption)
• Some 60-plus wineries and 13 craft breweries may be open but most are not – call ahead.
• Government offices
• All city and town halls
• All St Catharines and Welland malls, some Niagara Falls malls. If you live in Niagara Falls, call ahead
• Banks
• Libraries
• Community centres
• Community recycling centres
• Arenas

Garbage and Recycling 

• There will be no garbage pick up on Jan. 1. It will be delayed one day for the week in most places.

Transit:

• Bus service on Niagara Transit runs until 2 a.m. on Dec. 31 in Welland, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls. There is no service on Niagara Transit on Jan. 1.
• GO Transit runs on a Saturday schedule on Jan. 1. See https://www.gotransit.com/ for times.

Lead photo: Anna Shvets