Category Archives: Newsroom

Posts from the CKMS Newsroom programs, community shows, and associated news sites.

The CKMS Newsroom works to provide a deeper analysis of the issues that impact our communities, than which the mainstream news sources provide.

The CKMS Newsroom is comprised of volunteers and journalists and is organised by the Newsroom Committee:
dan kellar (@dankellar) is the current lieutenant of news with Bob Jonkman as the technical expert and newsie.

The CKMS Newsroom receives funding from the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada through the “Local Journalism Initiative” project. Check out the country-wide LJI content at https://frequencynews.ca/

The journalists for the LJI project in 2026-2027 are: dan kellar, Leah Gerber, R Avery, Shalaka Jadhav, and Eren Berke Yörük.

Past newsroom journalists include: Ivan Angelovski, MP Holmes, and Namish Modi.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-09-19- Terry Fox Run Returns as Cancer Research Funding Surpasses $1 Billion

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CKMS News -2026-09-19- Terry Fox Run Returns As Cancer Research Funding Surpasses $1 Billion

Eren Yoruk

Waterloo, ON – The Terry Fox Run returns this Sunday for its 46th year, as the Terry Fox Foundation continues to support cancer research across Canada.

The Foundation surpassed $1 billion raised for cancer research in February. This year, about four million Canadians are expected to take part in runs across 600 communities, including Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.

Terry Fox’s niece Jessie Alder says her uncle’s story and message continue to resonate with Canadians and people around the world. She also points to the progress being made through the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centers Network, which aims to expand access to precision medicine across Canada.

Terry Fox Foundation COO Martha McClew says the organization funds research through a rigorous peer-review process, with only a small percentage of submitted projects receiving funding. She also highlights the Foundation’s cancer research biobank, which contains cancer cells from 16,000 Canadians and is helping researchers share data and better understand how patients respond to treatments.

Alder and McClew also reflect on what Terry Fox’s legacy could look like if a cure for cancer is eventually found, and why the Terry Fox Run remains important as both a fundraiser and a community event.

The Terry Fox Run takes place Sunday, September 20 at 9 a.m. For more information, visit run.terryfox.ca.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-09-17- Susan Aglukark Performs in Kitchener on Together For Nature Tour

CKMS News -2026-09-17- Susan Aglukark Performs in Kitchener on Together For Nature Tour

R Avery

Kitchener, ON – Juno award winning singer-songwriter and Officer of the Order of Canada Susan Aglukark is performing this evening in Kitchener as part of the Together for Nature Tour, and she spoke with CKMS ahead of today’s show. The tour, hosted by Ontario Nature and Legal Advocates for Nature’s Defence, features Susan Aglukark in performance alongside addresses by Okiniwak, Friends of the Attawapiskat River, and a screening of the short film Here We Stand.

Susan Aglukark sat down with CKMS to discuss the tour and her musical career, going back to her first song and music video “Searching,” released in 1991, and her upcoming EP, Disco Ball, to be released later this fall.

The Together for Nature Tour is in Kitchener this evening at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

New stage comedy about growing up biracial in Waterloo Region opens October 1st

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Host: Leah Gerber

A new play titled Mixed(er), about growing up biracial in Waterloo Region is aiming to get you laughing. The story is about a young woman’s fateful homecoming to Waterloo Region after finishing university. She finds out her parents are throwing a surprise birthday party for her and that they’ve invited all her White friends and her only Black friend. Suddenly the worlds she’s worked to keep apart come colliding together in a funny, farcical way. The production is presented by local theatre companies MT Space and Unwrapped Theatre. Radio Waterloo spoke with Pam Patel, artistic director of MT Space and Alten Wilmot, co-writer of the play and founder of Unwrap Theatre to talk about the play and what it aims to do.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-09-11- Cambridge Fire Department Aims to Raise Fire Safety Awareness with Open House

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CKMS News -2026-09-11- Cambridge Fire Department Aims to Raise Fire Safety Awareness with Open House

Eren Yoruk

Cambridge, ON – The Cambridge Fire Department is preparing to welcome residents to its annual Open House on September 12 at Fire Station 1 on Bishop Street.

The event will give residents a chance to meet firefighters, tour the station, explore emergency equipment and learn about fire and life safety. This year’s event will also feature a live side-by-side burn demonstration showing the impact of residential fire sprinkler systems.

In an interview with CKMS News, Chief Fire Prevention Officer Eric Yates discussed the importance of working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, home escape plans and safe battery charging. He also highlighted lithium-ion batteries as one of the department’s growing fire safety concerns.

The interview also covers recent fire loss trends in Cambridge, wildfire preparedness and what residents can do to reduce fire risks at home and outdoors.

You can find more information about the event on the Facebook event page.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-09-10- Kitchener’s Community Canopy Program Update

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Leah Gerber

Kitchener, Ontario

The City of Kitchener began a program two years ago to increase its overall tree canopy and increase the number of trees in the neighbourhoods that need them most. But now in its third year, how is the program doing? 

Radio Waterloo spoke with Hajnal Kovacs, the city’s forestry project manager, as well as Ashlynn Fleming, the interim manager of tree programs at REEP Green Solutions and community member David Shaftoe to understand the project’s goals and how well they are meeting these targets. 

 

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-09-10- Waterloo Region Wilmot Land Assembly Update

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Leah Gerber

Wilmot, Ontario

Waterloo Region staff have been purchasing land in Wilmot Township to put together a very large shovel-ready parcel to attract major industry to the region. So far the Region has acquired 550 acres of its 770 acre goal. The process began with threats of expropriation over two years ago, and because councilors and staff have all signed non-disclosure agreements, the public has not been informed of most of the major plans for this project.

Radio Waterloo reached out to the Region of Waterloo, Wilmot Township, The Grand River Environmental Network and township citizens to provide an update on what is known about the issue so far.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-08-28- ‘That’s A Recipe For Disaster’: Waterloo Region Council Opposes Dual Leadership Model

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CKMS News -2026-08-28- ‘That’s A Recipe For Disaster’: Waterloo Region Council Opposes Dual Leadership Model

Eren Yoruk

Waterloo, ON – Waterloo Region Council is pushing back against a new provincial governance model that could allow one person to serve as both Mayor and Regional Chair.

Cambridge Regional Councillor Doug Craig introduced the motion, warning that combining the two roles could create conflicts of interest and concentrate too much executive power in one person under Ontario’s Strong Mayor and Strong Chair systems.

Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe backed the motion, calling the combination of Strong Mayor and Strong Chair powers “a recipe for disaster.” She also argued that Strong Mayor powers have not necessarily accelerated housing approvals.

Craig and McCabe also criticized Ontario’s decision to appoint the next Regional Chair rather than have the position filled through an election.

Waterloo Region residents have directly elected their Regional Chair since 1997. Under the province’s new governance rules, Ontario will appoint the next Chair following the 2026 municipal election.

Regional Council passed Craig’s motion unanimously. The resolution will now go to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, local MPPs, area municipalities and other affected regional municipalities.

CKMS Community Connections, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS Community Connections for 19 August 2026 with Jim Stewart of the Waterloo Region Health Coalition

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Show Notes

Close-up of a man with a moustache and beard looking at the camera
Jim Stewart

In this special edition of CKMS Community Connections Jim Stewart returns to speak with Bob Jonkman about the operational budget strangulation experienced by Ontario hospitals, the impending implementation of two-tier, private health care in Alberta, and the rally at Noon on 1 September 2026 at the office of the Hon. Bardish Chagger, 100 Regina Street South in Waterloo, to convince her and other Liberal MPs to enforce the Canada Health Act to stop the privatization of our public health system.

The interview starts at 0m29s.

Waterloo Region Health Coalition:

Ontario Health Coalition:

The Waterloo Region Health Coalition previously on Radio Waterloo:

Upcoming Events

Podcast

Download: ckms-community-connections-2026-08-19-episode269-Jim-Stewart-of-the-Waterloo-Region-Health-Coalition.mp3 (47 MB, 51m41s, episode 269)

Transcript

ckms-community-connections-2026-08-19-episode269 – Transcript – Jim Stewart of the Waterloo Region Health Coalition.txt (44 KB)

CKMS Community Connections airs on CKMS-FM 102.7 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm on Mondays.

Got music, spoken word, or other interesting stuff? Let us know at ccc@radiowaterloo.ca or leave a comment on our “About” page.

CKMS logo with wavies coming out the sidesSubscribe to the CKMS Community Connections podcast!

CKMS | 102.7 FM | Radio Waterloo | Community ConnectionsSee all CKMS Community Connections shows!

Bonus Video

Video: CKMS Community Connections for Wednesday 19 August 2026, 220 MB (Radio Waterloo video)

Show notes and podcast interview content is Copyright © 2026 by the participants, and released under a CC BYCreative Commons Attribution Only license. Copy, re-use, and derivative works are allowed with attribution to Radio Waterloo and a link to this page. Music selections are copyright by the respective rights holders. The theme music is written and performed by Steven Todd.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2026-08-19 – Neighbours for Palestine: Waterloo Region Rallies at Pixus Technologies

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R Avery

Kitchener, ON – On Thursday, August 13, community members with Neighbours for Palestine: Waterloo Region assembled at Pixus Technologies on Gage Avenue in Kitchener, as part of the National Day of Action: Put Elbit On Notice called for by Arms Embargo Now. This day of action targeted Canadian suppliers of Elbit, Israel’s largest arms manufacturer. Organizers called on Kitchener’s Pixus Technologies to cease their practice of supplying semi-rugged enclosures and radio components to Elbit, calling attention to the genocide and other grave human rights harms perpetrated by Israel’s military.

 

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

CKMS News-2026-08-13-WRPSbackpacks

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Host: Leah Gerber

Now in its ninth year running, the need for backpacks continues to grow. This year, the Waterloo Regional Police are calling out for more backpacks as they currently do not have enough to meet the demands of the program. Cherri Greeno is the director of corporate affairs with the WRPS and speaks about how the challenge got its start, and the needs of this year’s challenge. Radio Waterloo also speaks with Yasmin Haloubi, the fundraising manager with Reception House, one of the receiving organizations that distribute the backpacks to the community about the impact and importance of the program. 

Find out more about the WRPS backpack challenge here.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-08-13- AI Boom Raises Questions as Waterloo Region Studies Data Centre Impacts

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CKMS News -2026-08-13- AI Boom Raises Questions as Waterloo Region Studies Data Centre Impacts

Eren Yoruk

Kitchener, ON — Waterloo Region Council has unanimously passed a motion to study the potential impacts of future data centre development in the Region, following concerns raised by residents about water use, electricity demand and infrastructure.

Regional Councillor Colleen James brought the motion during Tuesday’s Sustainability, Infrastructure and Development Committee meeting. It directs Regional staff to examine the economic, environmental, infrastructure and fiscal implications of data centres, as well as community safeguards and best practices in other jurisdictions.

The council approved the motion with two amendments, including additional consideration of source water protection and impacts on traditional lands. Regional staff will report their findings back to Council by the first quarter of 2027.

The discussion comes as the rapid growth of artificial intelligence drives demand for larger and more energy-intensive data centres across Canada and beyond.

Waterloo Region already hosts data centres, including Ascent’s facility in Cambridge. James says the motion is not intended to approve or reject any specific project, but to help the Region understand how future facilities could affect its infrastructure and environment.

Residents who spoke at the meeting raised particular concerns about water consumption and the Region’s reliance on groundwater.

James says the goal is to gather information now so future councils can make informed decisions about data centre development.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-08-08- St. John’s Kitchen Opens Around the Clock as Homelessness Crisis Deepens in Waterloo Region

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CKMS News – 2026-08-08 – St. John’s Kitchen Opens Around the Clock as Homelessness Crisis Deepens in Waterloo Region

Eren Yoruk

Kitchener, ON — St. John’s Kitchen in Kitchener has permanently expanded its services to operate around the clock, responding to growing demand from people experiencing homelessness in Waterloo Region.

The kitchen, operated by The Working Centre, began its new 24/7 schedule on July 27. It now welcomes drop-ins from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., before providing overnight support from 9 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. The facility closes briefly each morning for cleaning and setup.

The expansion comes as homelessness continues to grow across the region. The Region of Waterloo reported in 2024 that chronic homelessness had increased by an average of 28 per cent each year since 2020. Joe Mancini, director and co-founder of The Working Centre, says the growing number of people experiencing homelessness has put increasing pressure on services.

In this story, we speak with Mancini, St. John’s Kitchen staff and volunteers, and a person experiencing homelessness about the impact of the kitchen The interviews explore what the 24/7 operation means for people using the facility, how staff respond to the growing demand, and the broader housing, employment and drug-related factors contributing to homelessness in Waterloo Region.

For more information about St. John’s Kitchen, visit theworkingcentre.org.  

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-07-28- Kitchener ‘Unplugs’ King Street with First Week-long Pedestrian Event

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CKMS News -2026-07-28- Kitchener ‘Unplugs’ King Street with First Week-long Pedestrian Event

Eren Yoruk

Kitchener, ON — For the first time, King Street in downtown Kitchener has been transformed into a week-long pedestrian-only space as the City launches King Street Unplugged, a pilot project aimed at creating a more people-focused downtown.

Running from July 26 to 31, the event closes a section of King Street between College and Young Streets to vehicle traffic, replacing it with live entertainment, games, workshops, markets and family-friendly activities. Mayor Berry Vrbanovic says the initiative builds on previous car-free events but marks the city’s first attempt at a week-long pedestrian experience.

Manager of Downtown Development and Innovation Aura Hertzog says the project responds to community feedback seeking more welcoming public spaces where residents can connect while supporting local businesses. If successful, the pilot could become an annual event.

The city will evaluate the initiative by gathering feedback from businesses and visitors, monitoring attendance and measuring community engagement throughout the week.

Local businesses are already seeing positive signs. Mandy Kowitz, owner of Square Peg, says she noticed increased foot traffic on the first day and expects more customers throughout the week.

Visitors also welcomed the idea. Resident Mila Purcell says closing King Street for a full week creates a more enjoyable downtown experience and hopes the event returns next year.

For more information about King Street Unplugged, visit downtownkitchener.ca.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-07-27- Youth food markets serving fresh local produce at the neighbourhood level

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CKMS News -2026-07-27- Youth food markets serving fresh local produce at the neighbourhood level

 by: dan kellar
Waterloo, ON – Throughout the summer, youth in Waterloo region will be organizing weekly fresh produce markets with vegetables grown at 6 communities gardens and sourced from several local farms.  Dozens of youth, aged 14-19 are participating in the Youth in Food Systems program which involves innovative approaches to garden and market management.

In a press release, Grace Ihejiamaizu, the Program Manager for Youth in Food Systems wrote “This year, youth Market Leaders have also helped design different Pay What You Choose approaches for their markets, exploring how fresh, local food can be made more accessible while giving young people practical experience in leadership, teamwork and community engagement.”

The markets run every Wednesday until August 26 at Eastwood Collegiate Institute and Victoria Hills  Community Centre in Kitchener, from 4:00pm – 6:00pm, and at the Fiddlesticks Community Centre in Cambridge from 3:00pm – 5:30pm.

This show features an interview with Luma Abuarqoub, the summer Youth Program Assistant for the Youth in Food Systems program. Luma details the work of the youth, and we discuss where the program fits in larger efforts of food security, and how the hazardous air quality brought on by climate change fueled forest fires in northern Ontario have affected their operations this summer.

The YFS program, now in its 5th year, is organised by Seeds of Diversity, a Waterloo based charity focused on seed-saving and resilience in local food systems.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-07-24- Tuning into Transit: The Story Behind Cambridge’s Fife-Playing Bus Driver

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CKMS News -2026-07-24- Tuning into Transit: The Story Behind Cambridge’s Fife-Playing Bus Driver

Eren Yoruk

Cambridge, ON – A Cambridge bus driver is bringing a piece of history to local transit terminals through his passion for music. Tracy MacDonnell, a Grand River Transit (GRT) operator, uses his route breaks to step off the bus and play the fife, an 18th-century military instrument similar to a flute, for waiting passengers.

MacDonnell has been playing the fife for 36 years, after first learning the instrument while working at Toronto’s Historic Fort York. What started as a job requirement became a lifelong passion for traditional fife and folk music.

Over the past two decades as a GRT driver in Cambridge, MacDonnell has continued using music as a way to manage the stress of the job and connect with the public. Passengers have often responded positively, with some applauding his performances and sharing their appreciation.

In this CKMS News interview, MacDonnell discusses the history of the fife, how he became a bus driver, and why sharing a brief moment of happiness through music remains meaningful to him.

 

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-07-23- Community town-hall discussion to guide David Alton’s mayoral run

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CKMS News -2026-07-23- Community town-hall discussion to guide David Alton’s mayoral run

by: dan kellar
Kitchener ON – Ahead of the official municipal campaign period, community builder, housing advocate, and mayoral candidate David Alton has started hosting a series of community townhalls which will focus on how to ensure that all residents share the same rights to live their lives and be integrated in efforts to “build a joyful city”.

The first event, which took place in June was The Right to Belong, with the second in the series The Right to Housing happening Saturday July 25th at the Chandler Mowat Community Centre in Kitchener.  The other events will take place once per month in the lead up to the October election.

According to government data including the “Point in Time” count, nearly 2,400 people were experiencing homelessness in Waterloo Region, with about 78% of those folks experiencing “chronic homelessness. Provincially, the rate of homelessness increased by 25% between 2020 and 2024 and across the country according to the federal government “Over the past five years, the total population experiencing homelessness on a single night has increased by 59%”. The total number of homeless folks on any given night in Canada is over 65,000.

Candidate Alton, who was a recipient of the Region of Waterloo’s “Community educator award in housing” told CKMS News that “I see this campaign as a public education opportunity” and that each townhall will lead to calls to action and it is their intent to “Spread these calls to action and these platforms that are community built, to every candidate to try to get them as far as possible.”

This show features an interview with David Alton

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Radio Waterloo Production, Shows

CKMS News-2026-07-23-Third Annual Long Dash Festival Celebrates the Creative Intersections between Art & Science at rare Charitable Research Reserve in Cambridge, Ontario

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The Long Dash Festival is a free, two-day event running between July 25 and 26, exploring the creative intersections between art and science. Hosted at rare Charitable Research Reserve in Cambridge, Ontario, and co-presented by Musagetes, the festival takes its name from the Long Dash Skipper, a brown and orange butterfly found in grassy habitats, including at the site of the festival.

In this segment, I’ll be in conversation with Elwood Jimmy, Indigenous Programs Curator at Musagetes, who highlights how Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of relating to the land inform the approach to programming the festival, and how the festival being sited at rare Charitable Research Reserve has helped shape the experience of the festival over the last three years.

In this conversation, Jimmy mentions Elder Peter Schuler, Elder of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation of the Anishnaabek Peoples. His collection of literary works, “The Sound of the Homeland Drum” was launched at the ArtsEverywhere Festival in Guelph in May 2026 through the Indigenous Otherwise Program, and printed by Publication Studio Guelph, both supported by the Musagetes Foundation. Learn more at publicationstudio.biz/books/the-sound-of-the-homeland-drum/.

The Long Dash Festival is free to attend, and listeners can find the full schedule and learn more about the festival at longdashfestival.ca.

Photo Credit: Illustration by Cai Sepulis courtesy of the Long Dash Festival

—

This program is a part of the Local Journalism Initiative and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, Heritage Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.

You can access archived versions of this program at radiowaterloo.ca/news, and listen to all the Local Journalism Initiative content at frequencynews.ca

If you want to get in touch with comments, or ideas about stories to cover, email us at news@radiowaterloo.ca

The theme music on today’s show was “Polyvinyl” by Anemoia, courtesy of the Free Music Archive, under the Creative Commons Attribution License. You can find it at the Free Music Archive—freemusicarchive.org

Newsroom, Station

Job Posting: Journalists for the Radio Waterloo Newsroom (part time)

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This posting is now closed. All applicants will be contacted the week of 15 June 2026.

Organisation: Radio Waterloo Inc. (CKMS-FM 102.7)
Job Title: Freelance Part Time Journalist (2 positions)
Term: June 2026 to March 2027.
Compensation: $30.65/hour

The Radio Waterloo newsroom is looking for two dynamic journalists who care about local journalism and local issues. The positions are funded by a grant from the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI), through the Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC).

The focus for news stories is primarily in Kitchener and Waterloo; other communities covered are Cambridge, North Dumfries, Wilmot, Wellesley, Woolwich, and Guelph. Stories will centre on social issues such as housing, homelessness, poverty, mental health, the war on drugs, and social activism. There will be a focus on the municipal election from August to October.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Produce 10 to 25 minute audio pieces with interviews, and analysis, edited for radio broadcast.
  • Provide a photo or illustration for each piece, self-created or using a permissible license.
  • Write a synopsis of these stories for publication on the Radio Waterloo website, and the CRFC website, Frequency News.
  • Set up and undertake interviews for assigned or approved pieces.
  • Pitching ideas for pieces.
  • Use audio editing software to produce the piece.
  • Upload the completed work to the appropriate servers.

Qualifications

  • Ability to critically assess potential news stories and interviews ethically and efficiently.
  • Journalism training/experience and documentary production experience are assets.
  • Self-motivated and willing to initiate and complete projects.
  • Experience with audio editing software is an asset.
  • Familiarity with website and social media platforms are assets.
  • Familiarity with issues of homelessness, poverty, and drug use are assets.

Journalists will report to the Senior Journalist, with additional oversight from the Newsroom Coordinator.

Position 1:  20 hours/week. Produce at least two pieces each week.

Position 2: 10 hours/week. Produce at least one piece each week.

How to apply: Send your resume/CV and a brief cover letter to news@radiowaterloo.ca by Friday 12 June 2026.

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TVB Newsroom 20020724 from Wikimedia Commons used under a CC BY-SACreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-01-27- Water woes in Waterloo Region

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CKMS News -2026-01-27- Water woes in Waterloo Region dan kellar Kitchener, ON – After several years in a row that the aquifers in Waterloo Region have been drawn down more than they have recharged, the municipal government has announced serious water capacity issues and have put a stop fully approving any new developments which require their approval. The water issues were first publicly disclosed in December 2025, and on January 13th the regional council held a lengthy discussion with staff, residents, and land developers regarding the immediate actions and effects regarding the water issue, and some short and medium term actions the regions will be taking to address the water woes. This show features an interview with Kevin Thomason, Vice-Chair of the Grand River Environmental Network.  Kevin has been following water related issues in Waterloo Region for years and has reviewed the staff report which describes in detail what the problems are. Additionally, this show features a clip of Sam Nabi of Hold The Line WR delegating at regional council on January 13th.
CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2026-01-14- One Million Neighbours WR launches their Neighbourhood services map

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CKMS News -2026-01-14- One Million Neighbours launches their Neighbourhood services map

dan kellar
Kitchener, ON – A new tool for assessing how levels of various services differ between neighbourhoods across Waterloo Region has launched by the One Million Neighbours WR coalition.  The first version of its Neighbourhood Services Map ranks each neighbourhood for access levels based on availability of transit, amount of green space, number of schools, libraries, and healthcare infrastructure, and how many community spaces exist.

A key feature of the map is that the calculations account for population, and as the number of residents that call Waterloo Region  home grows to over 1,000,000 in the coming decades, keeping track of the equity of resource distribution across communities as they grow will be key to understanding a neighbourhood’s needs.

This show features an interview with KW local Sam Nabi, the project coordinator of One Million Neighbours W, and a board member of Hold the Line WR. The map was created with open source data by Civic Tech WR volunteers who will update the data on the map “at least annually”. You can access the map from Connected KW‘s webpage.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2025-12-15- Police budget push-back as cops ask for another 20 million a year and a new building

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CKMS News -2025-12-15- Police budget push-back as cops ask for another 20 million a year and a new building.

dan kellar
Kitchener, ON – As the Waterloo regional police ask for another $20,000,000 dollars to be added to their yearly budget, in addition to $173,000,000 for a new “communications centre”, residents and even some regional councillors are questioning the ballooning expenditures. A primary concern is that yearly multi-million dollar increases to the police budgets are starving other services of funding since council is pressured to keep tax increases low.

The Waterloo Region police budget, which was over $230,00,000 in 2025, has increased by more than $100,000,000 since 2014, and has more than doubled since 2013.  This year’s request of over $250,000,000 will represent over 30% of the regional budget.  In comparison, housing and homelessness services are budgeted at $165,200,000 for 2026.

The increase in the police budget will result in an average 6.75% property tax increase for regional residents, that’s another 57$ a month beyond all the previous yearly increases.

The police presented their budget to the Regional Council at the end of November and in a council meeting on December 3rd council heard from the police association and residents.  While the police say more money to the force and more cops “will help save residents” delegates noted that funding upstream services, such as housing options and mental health supports, have more impact on reducing crime than more armed cops with “boots on the ground”.

In a surprise move ahead of the budget vote on December 16th, Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic put forth a motion to block the police’s capital budget saying the new communications centre is “beyond their mandate” and it “is highly unlikely that all three emergency services would engage in this partnership in any foreseeable future”. However the same motion calls for the approval of the $20,000,000 yearly increase to the police budget.

This show features audio from both the December 3rd and November 26th council meetings.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2025-12-07- As homelessness increases, a new overnight warming centre offers more than “heads in beds”

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CKMS News – 2025-12-07- As homelessness increases, a new overnight warming centre offers more than “heads in beds”

dan kellar
Kitchener, ON – A new space for folks to escape from the cold and receive food and social supports has opened in Kitchener as cold winter weather has set early in Waterloo Region.  Thresholds Homes and Supports opened the doors to the new 30 bed overnight warming centre at 298 Lawrence Avenue in November. The new centre will serve any who is 18+ and is inclusive of all gender identities.

In a press release ahead of the opening Jessica Hill, the new warming centre’s team lead is quoted “We are working hard to go beyond giving people a place to warm up, and will have staff on site, including a peer support worker, to connect folks with other supports, and provide a hot meal and snacks to take with them when they leave.”.

The new warming centre comes at a critical time as homelessness continues to plague an increasing number of local residents. The provincial 2024 “Point-in-time” count found that nearly 2,400 people were experiencing homelessness in Waterloo Region, with about 78% of those folks experiencing “chronic homelessness.  At the time only 301 shelter beds were available regionally, and with the new overnight 30 bed warming centre, the number is still well below the required capacity.

This show features an interview with Jessica Hill, the team lead of Thresholds Homes and Supports’ new overnight warming centre in Kitchener.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2025-12-02- Kitchener fast tracking new housing through the federal Housing Design Catalogue

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CKMS News -2025-12-02- Kitchener fast tracking new housing through the federal Housing Design Catalogue

dan kellar
Kitchener, ON – Adding to the tool box to build housing in Kitchener faster, the city has fully endorsed the federal government’s new Housing Design Catalogue, which makes full “off the shelf” building design plans available free of charge.  Further the city has fast tracked parts of the application process to make sure that zoning compliance approval is done within 15 days of application, and building permit review is completed within 10 days.

In a recent press release from the city, Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said “Together, with Kitchener’s flexible planning frameworks and resources and Canada’s new guide, we’re making it easier to build more housing across our city.”

The press release also claims that the housing design catalogue “aims to make housing more affordable and accessible, providing pre-designed, adaptable housing plans for homeowners and builders, including backyard homes, fourplexes, stacked townhouses and sixplexes.

You can check out the approved designs on the City of Kitchener’s and the CHMC’s websites.

This show features an interview with Katie Anderl from Kitchener’s housing and policy division and Tim Benedict, the manager of building in the city’s building division.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2025-11-26- Kitchener Fire Department deploys upgrades to 911 services

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CKMS News -2025-11-26- Kitchener Fire Department launches upgrades to 911 services

dan kellar
Kitchener, ON – Following years of development and adhering to a provincial edict, the Kitchener Fire Department has launched the “next generation” of 911 services in the region.  The upgrades reflect the changes in the ways people communicate with 911, primarily the uptake of mobile phones and the abandonment of land lines.

Next generation 911 will use Internet Protocol tracking to get a more precise location of the caller and allow for faster communication of details between the caller, the dispatch centre, and fire crews rushing to a scene.

The changes to 911 services have been underway since 2022 when the mandate to upgrade was announced by the federal Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

The government of Ontario has been supporting the transition over the past three years with $208,000,000 in grants across the province since 2022.  The Kitchener Fire Department  has received $650,000 of those provincial grants while the Waterloo regional police service has been given $3,8000,000.

This show features an interview with Jamal Alam, who has spent the past 3 years as the Program Manager of Fire Systems and Projects with the Kitchener Fire Department.  Alam has been with the Kitchener Fire Department for 9 years.

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CKMS News 2025-11-05- MPP Catherine Fife elected chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians

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CKMS News -2025-11-05- MPP Fife elected chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians

dan kellar
Waterloo – Becoming the first Canadian to hold the role, Waterloo NDP MPP Catherine Fife was elected to lead the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) at the organization’s conference in early October. Fife becomes the 8th chairperson in the organization’s history.

According to the group’s website, the CWP is the network of women members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Parliaments and Legislatures and is a means of” building the capacity of women elected to Parliament to be more effective in their roles”.  Fife notes that it is a “huge responsibility” but adds that “this is the kind of work that also gives me energy”.

MPP Fife says she hopes to focus her efforts around access to education, democratic engagement, human rights and climate change.

The CWP over 3,000 Women Parliamentarians, in over 180 Commonwealth national and sub-national Parliaments, .

This show features an interview with MPP Fife, who is excited to take on the role which she says is “a great opportunity to learn, and take things to the next level.”