St. Catharines (2011 population 131,400; metropolitan population 392,184) is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, with 96.11 square kilometers of land. It lies in Southern Ontario 51 kilometres (32 mi) south of Toronto across Lake Ontario, and is 19 kilometres (12 mi) inland from the international boundary with the United States along the Niagara River. It is the northern entrance of the Welland Canal. Residents of St. Catharines are known as St. Cathariners.

St. Catharines carries the official nickname "The Garden City" due to its 1,000 acres (4 km²) of parks, gardens and trails.

St. Catharines is situated in an area for commerce and trade since it is located between the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and the Fort Erie- US Border. Manufacturing is the city's dominant industry, as noted by the heraldic motto, "Industry and Liberality". General Motors of Canada, Ltd., the Canadian subsidiary of General Motors, operates two plants in the city (one plant was partially shut down in 2010) and until recently was the city's largest employer, a distinction now held by the District School Board of Niagara. TRW operate a plant in the city, though in recent years employment has shifted from heavy industry and manufacturing to services.

Laura Ingersoll Secord (September 13, 1775 – October 17, 1868) was a Canadian heroine of the War of 1812. She is known for warning British forces of an impending American attack that led to the British victory at the Battle of Beaver Dams.

Laura Ingersoll was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in 1775. Following the aftermath of the American Revolution, her father, Thomas Ingersoll, who had supported the loyalists, moved his family to Canada in 1795, reportedly in hopes of regaining his lost family fortune. In 1797 Laura married a United Empire Loyalist, James Secord, son of an officer of Butler's Rangers. The couple resided in Queenston, Upper Canada (present-day Ontario), while her family went on to settle present day Ingersoll, Ontario.

After helping carry Isaac Brock's body from the battlefield during the Battle of Queenston Heights, James Secord, sergeant of the 1st Lincoln Militia, was later wounded by a musket ball. Laura went searching for James and was tending his wounds when they encountered a trio of U.S. soldiers, two raising their muskets intending to dispatch the prone sergeant. Captain John E. Wool of the 13th U.S. Infantry happened on the scene, preventing the attack. Wool and James Secord would remain life-long friends.

Neil Ellwood Peart ( /ˈpɪərt/; born September 12, 1952), OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush. Peart has received numerous awards for his musical performances, and is known for his technical proficiency and stamina.

Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario (now part of St. Catharines). During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer. After a discouraging stint in England to concentrate on his music, Peart returned home, where he joined a local Toronto band, Rush, in the summer of 1974.

Early in his career, Peart's performance style was deeply rooted in hard rock. He drew most of his inspiration from drummers such as Keith Moon and John Bonham, players who were at the forefront of the British hard rock scene. As time passed, however, he began to emulate jazz and big band musicians Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. In 1994, Peart became a friend and pupil of jazz instructor Freddie Gruber. It was during this time that Peart decided to revamp his playing style by incorporating jazz and swing components. Gruber was also responsible for introducing him to the products of Drum Workshop, the company whose products Peart currently endorses.