Tag Archives: Berry Vrbanovic

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CKMS News -2024-09-19- Protest planned for “Hands off our kids” demonstration.

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CKMS News -2024-09-19- Protest planned for “Hands off our kids” demonstration.

dan kellar
Kitchener, ON – On September 20th, the 2nd annual #1MiillionMarchForChildren will be at Kitchener city hall for a planned day-long rally. Uniting under the banner Hands Off Our Kids, the rally organizers say they are concerned about parental rights and how sexual orientation and gender identity are being taught in public schools.

Also planning to be at city hall is the group Queer Youth Defense, who have organised a 2nd annual counter demonstration to “drown out hate with a little bit of light”.

This show features an interview with Acer Bonaparte of Queer Youth Defense along with statements CKMS News received from trustee Cindy Watson of the Waterloo Region District School Board, from jeewan chanicka, the Director of Education at the WRDSB, and from Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. CKMS News tried to contact local organizers from Hands off Our Kids, but did not receive a response, however, material from the group’s website is referenced. 

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

Federal government announces $25 million for affordable housing builds, repairs in Waterloo Region

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MP Holmes
Kitchener, ON

The federal government has announced over $96 million in contributions and loans aimed at affordable housing across South Central Ontario, including Waterloo Region.

Locally, the funding amounts to $25 million which will help create 336 new affordable homes and repair more than 7,300 homes in the region.

The announcement was made at an affordable housing construction site in Kitchener on Thursday. The event was attended by political representatives, including Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, Regional Coun. Colleen James, and the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development of Canada Jenna Sudds, who made the announcement on behalf of Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

Key local projects that will receive this funding, include the revitalization project at 82 Wilson Ave., St. Mark’s Place in Kitchener and the Beaver Creek Housing Cooperative in Waterloo.

The federal government has also introduced a “frequent builder” status to streamline funding applications for experienced builders.

CKMS has more on the story.

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Kitchener demands fair share of federal arts funding

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MP Holmes
Kitchener, ON

Arts institutions in Kitchener are struggling, and the city is pinning it on inequities in the Federal regional arts funding model. City Council noted that Kitchener receives five times less in arts funding than larger cities like Montreal and Winnipeg. In response, they passed a motion requesting the federal government to address these disparities.

Despite the City’s assistance, local arts institutions have been struggling for some time. In 2023, the KW Symphony closed due to lack of funds and more recently the Museum has experienced economic troubles.

City Councillor Dave Schnider highlighted the significant funding cuts by the federal government and how this impacts local arts organizations.

While the motion was supported unanimously by council members, Mayor Berry Vrbanovic suggested also seeking additional support from the provincial government.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2024-05-03- Kitchener donates land for not-for-profit housing project, as MPP urges province to do the same.

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CKMS News -2024-05-03- Kitchener donates land for not-for-profit housing project, as MPP urges province to do the same.

by: dan kellar

Kitchener – On April 29th, Kitchener city council approved a land donation to a not-for-profit to build affordable housing.  Habitat for Humanity will receive the land and have most development fees waived, and in return they will build more than 60 homes, including larger three and four-bedroom units, and smaller studio, one, and two-bedroom units”.

As of January 2024, more than 8000 people remain on the affordable housing waitlist in Waterloo Region alone, waiting years for assistance. However, Kitchener Centre Green Party MPP Aislinn Clancy’s new motion may address waitlists across the province as it calls on the provincial government to use provincial land to build affordable housing. 

This show features interviews with Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic and MPP Clancy, who is also a former Kitchener city councilor. Mayor Vrbanovic focuses on how projects like this are helping to meet the city’s housing goals, while MPP Clancy discusses her new motion.