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Niagara Region

Speech therapy for kids in St. Catharines and Niagara

Niagara Children's Centre in St. Catharines runs both the free Preschool Speech and Language Program and the Children's Treatment Centre for all of Niagara Region.

In St. Catharines and Niagara the pieces are Niagara Preschool Speech and Language (Niagara Children's Centre) before school, Niagara Children's Centre for rehabilitation to age 19, Niagara Health for hospital clinics, and the District School Board of Niagara and Niagara Catholic District School Board once a child is in school. Niagara Children's Centre on Glenridge Avenue serves twelve municipalities from Grimsby to Fort Erie, with satellite clinics so Welland and Niagara Falls families are not always driving to St. Catharines.

Speechie plans virtual appointments for St. Catharines and Niagara families once CASLPO registration is confirmed. Until then, this page maps what is free today.

Free and public options in St. Catharines and Niagara

  1. 1

    Before school: Niagara Preschool Speech and Language

    Run by Niagara Children's Centre. Free, parent self-referral, birth to school entry. Call 905-688-3550 ext. 110 or 1-800-896-5496.

  2. 2

    In school: 2 boards

    Ask the teacher for a referral to the board's speech-language pathologist.

    • District School Board of Niagara
    • Niagara Catholic District School Board

    French-language: Conseil scolaire Viamonde and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir.

  3. 3

    Any age: Niagara Children's Centre

    Niagara Children's Centre serves Niagara Region to age 19 and is the SmartStart Hub entry point; families refer directly. Niagara Health takes physician referrals for specialty clinics, and Niagara Region Public Health runs early-years programs.

Services finder Full Ontario guide

What is different about St. Catharines and Niagara

Niagara Children's Centre runs the preschool speech program, the Children's Treatment Centre and the SmartStart Hub for all twelve Niagara municipalities from one organization on Glenridge Avenue in St. Catharines, with satellite clinics so Welland, Niagara Falls and Fort Erie families can be seen closer to home.

District School Board of Niagara and Niagara Catholic District School Board both employ speech-language pathologists, and Brock University in St. Catharines has an applied linguistics program that feeds into speech-language pathology graduate study, although the graduate training itself is elsewhere.

St. Catharines Public Library and the other Niagara library systems run free storytimes. Private rates in Niagara are generally at the lower end of the Ontario range, and the CASLPO register lists registrants by city so Niagara Falls and Welland can be searched separately.

Hospital

Niagara Health

Free storytimes

St. Catharines Public Library

French-language boards

Conseil scolaire Viamonde, Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir

Private speech therapy in St. Catharines and Niagara

OHIP does not cover private clinics in St. Catharines; typical 2026 rates are roughly $110 to $180 per hour and $300 to $600 for an assessment (often mid-range in St. Catharines). Verify any clinician on the CASLPO Public Register, then see the cost guide and questions to ask.

Start at home, today

Questions St. Catharines and Niagara families ask

How do I get free speech therapy for my child in St. Catharines?
Before school, parents refer directly to Niagara Preschool Speech and Language, run by Niagara Children's Centre (905-688-3550 ext. 110 or 1-800-896-5496): no doctor referral, no diagnosis, no fee. Once in school, ask the District School Board of Niagara or Niagara Catholic District School Board for a speech-language referral, or refer to Niagara Children's Centre directly.
Which hospital in St. Catharines has a speech-language service for children?
Niagara Health is the hospital route in Niagara Region; specialty clinics such as feeding, cleft or voice need a physician referral. For most speech and language concerns the community program (Niagara Children's Centre) or Niagara Children's Centre is the faster door.
Does OHIP cover private speech therapy in St. Catharines?
No. OHIP does not pay for private speech-language pathology in St. Catharines or anywhere in Ontario. Many extended health plans cover part of it, and fees paid to a CASLPO-registered speech-language pathologist qualify for the medical expense tax credit.
Will Speechie offer appointments in St. Catharines?
Speechie plans virtual appointments for St. Catharines families once the clinician's CASLPO registration is confirmed. Until then, use Niagara Children's Centre and join the waitlist to be notified.

Nearby cities

Hamilton

City of Hamilton

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Need help now? Ontario has free options.

Children not yet in school can self-refer to the Preschool Speech and Language Program. No doctor, no fee.

Find your local program