ABOUT
Community Land Trust of Niagara – CLTN is a not-for-profit organization with the goal of increasing the supply of accessible, affordable, and sustainable housing in Niagara.
Working non-competitively with existing housing providers in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, the CLTN aims to acquire land and buildings from the private market and then work with partner organizations to develop and renovate the properties to secure long-term affordability. Niagara’s unhoused and poorly housed residents, as well as the agencies dedicated to their well-being, stand to benefit immeasurably from the assets, expertise and networks forged by the Trust.
MISSION
To relieve poverty by:
Acquiring and holding land and buildings in Niagara for the purpose of providing affordable housing to residents of Niagara and surrounding areas with low or limited means;
Partnering with other agencies and organizations to create affordable housing in Niagara for residents of Niagara and surrounding areas with low or limited means.
VISION
Creating and stewarding affordable housing options for future generations.
Values
Equitable
Everyone deserves decent, affordable housing.
Collaborative
We build stronger communities by working collaboratively with like-minded partners.
Innovative
We proactively seek out solutions, wherever they may lie, to bridge the gaps and strengthen the affordable housing system.
Accountable
We are open, transparent and accountable to the community as we work to fulfill our mission and vision.
History of the CLTN
Addressing a need in our Community
The CLTN emerged from the vision of a dedicated group of residents from the Niagara region, mobilized to action in response to an acute housing affordability crisis. Now more than ever, innovative strategies across all sectors of the community are needed to get more people into safe, decent homes.
Several organizations across Niagara are seeking affordable, accessible land to increase the inventory of housing – however most do not have the means to confront the challenges alone. Able to bring a wealth of expertise to bear around financing and property, the CLTN will be there to provide the linkages and resources that will enable community agencies to find and develop much needed homes.
The Community Land Trust of Niagara is committed to being a part of the solution.
What is a Community Land Trust?
Land trusts work with governments, community groups, developers, financial institutions, and any other partners with a stake in affordable housing.
Land trusts are just recently seeing an emergence throughout Canada. There is a growing network of CLTs across the country.
Land trusts not only work to make housing attainable, but they also ensure that any housing they develop remains affordable.
For more information on CLTs and resources contact the Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts (CNCLT):
Board
If you are interested in a board position with the CLTN click here to find out more on how you can volunteer.
Lori Beech, Vice-Chair
Lori has 30 years’ experience in non-profit management and program development in charitable, government, and association organizations in a variety of sectors with local, provincial and national scope. For the past 11 years, Lori has worked in community housing and social services as Executive Director of Bethlehem Housing and Support Services. She brings her expertise to various leadership roles on a wide range of community social service tables. Lori holds a General BA degree with a major in Business Administration, Accounting and Finance, Post Diploma Certificate in Non-Profit and Association Executive Management.
Rob DePetris, Treasurer
Rob is a Tax Principal at WMKL He specializes in owner/manager client, charities and not for profit organizations and estate planning. He has an Honours Bachelor of Administration from Brock University, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto and was called to the bar in Ontario in 1994. He has also graduated from the Tax In Depth Course offered by the CPA Institute and is a graduate of the !CD-Rotman Directors Education Program. He currently i on the board of directors of the Canadian Automobile Association of Niagara and is Treasurer of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce and the Welland Tennis Club. Rob has served in the past as chair of the board of the St. Catharines and Thorold Chamber of Commerce, chair of the board of the United Way of St. Catharines and District, and President of the St. Catharines Minor Baseball Association. He is a proud member of the St. Catharines Rotary Club.
Tom Richardson
Tom was admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1972, having graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a B.A. and an LL.B. He served as City Solicitor for the City of St. Catharines for 12 years, joining Sullivan, Mahoney in 1986. Tom now specializes in administrative, environmental and municipal law. While Tom’s practice focuses upon land use law with a particular emphasis on matters leading to the Ontario Municipal Board, the Environmental Review Tribunal and the Niagara Escarpment Commission, he appears regularly before Courts of various jurisdictions including the Ontario Court of Appeal and Divisional Court.
Tom’s practice includes a full range of development and environmental applications acting for municipalities, developers and ratepayers groups. These applications have ranged from commercial developments to plans of subdivision and non-profit housing co-ops to rural severances and minor variances. He is a member and past President of the Lincoln Law Association and a member of the Canadian Bar Association.
Tom is co-author of a book entitled A User’s Guide to Municipal By-laws. In addition, Tom has presented papers at a number of continuing legal education seminars.
Proud to be a native of the Town of Merritton (now part of the City of St. Catharines), Tom has resided in St. Catharines all of his life. He has served on the Board of the Downtown Association, the Niagara Symphony, Meals on Wheels and Hospice Niagara. He is a long-time and active member of St. Thomas Anglican Church in St. Catharines.
Nicholas Godfrey
Nick is a Registered Professional Planner based in the Niagara Region. His interest in joining the CLTN comes from a desire to develop innovative and practical solutions to address the full range of housing needs in Niagara.
Sarah Lukaszczyk, Secretary
My name is Sarah. I was born in St. Catharines, Ontario and I returned to the Niagara Region for graduate studies during the pandemic.
Long story short, after I completed my undergrads at the University of Waterloo, I did research on renewable energy for a remote island in the Philippines. I then returned home for a year break and did my master’s at Brock University. My grad research focused on Canadian housing policies and specifically on the City of St. Catharines’ ‘Compassion Charter’, which focused on addressing the lack of affordable housing in the area. Further, and while in school, I worked at Community Care’s Housing Help Centre. This Housing Help Centre worked with individuals and families to secure housing and to avoid eviction. Additionally, this work led me to the Niagara Regional Friendship Centre, where we worked together to ensure community members avoided evictions and they had access to cultural supports. My motivation now is to plan for and build more inclusive and sustainable communities.
Ronald Hong
Ronald is an experienced real estate and land development professional with over 15 years of working at the nexus of policy, finance, and land across Ontario’s public and private sectors. Currently, he leads strategic real estate transactions at Infrastructure Ontario, where he oversees land assemblies, acquisitions, and high-profile dispositions that support public priorities and enhance community value.
Before joining Infrastructure Ontario, Ronald advised developers and investors on mixed-use communities—projects that demanded careful alignment between development goals and social outcomes. He’s known for his ability to foster trust among diverse stakeholders, navigate complex systems with clarity, and deliver results grounded in both technical fluency and human-centred leadership.
What motivates Ronald is using his expertise to achieve long-term impact. Joining the CLTN board gives him a chance to help steward land and housing resources that truly benefit people across Niagara—particularly those facing housing affordability challenges.
Beyond the numbers and transactions, Ronald is drawn to mission-driven settings where collaboration, integrity, and purpose come first. He looks forward to working alongside fellow board members to advance CLTN’s vision of creating accessible, sustainable housing for future generations—anchoring every decision in relationships, community, and lasting value.
Caleb Ratzlaff, Chair
Elected in 2022, Caleb Ratzlaff is a St. Catharines City Councillor and Niagara Region Transit Commissioner. Before entering politics, Caleb completed a Master’s degree in Political Philosophy and spent time working in the trades. After finishing school, he put down roots in his hometown, establishing several place-based neighbourhood associations and advocacy groups. Grassroots organizing has brought to light stories of displacement, evictions, and rent increases far beyond the inflation rate. The neighbours behind these stories ignited a desire in Caleb to find non-market housing solutions that allow everyone, especially young families, newcomers, and seniors, to feel secure and rooted in their homes.
When he’s not watering neighbourhood ice rinks or wrangling his three children in the park with his partner, you’ll find him in the kitchen baking sourdough bread.
OUR Funders
