Tag Archives: city of Waterloo

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2025-04-16- “Elbows Up For Climate” action and economic sovereignty in Waterloo

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CKMS News – 2025-04-16- “Elbows Up For Climate” action and economic sovereignty in Waterloo.

dan kellar
Waterloo, ON – Waterloo mayor Dorothy McCabe has joined more than 160 other civic leaders across the country to demand that Canada’s federal and provincial leaders respond to the ” dual threats of tariffs and climate change” by taking bold action on climate initiatives and supporting the national economy.

The demands are presented in a letter released by the Elbows Up for Climate Campaign, a group of elected municipal officials, and argues that the status-quo approaches to climate action is not working. The letter proposes “five bold and achievable ideas the next federal government can implement as soon as it is elected, to tariff-proof our economy and create a jobs boom in every community”

To bring the letter’s demands into a local context, CKMS News spoke with Mayor McCabe, who discussed climate risks in Waterloo Region, actions the city is taking to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, and what economic sovereignty looks like in the region.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2025-04-04- Sensory Backpack initiative launched in Waterloo

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CKMS News -2025-04-04- Sensory Backpack initiative launched in Waterloo

dan kellar
Waterloo, ON – The city of Waterloo has unveiled a new tool to support the sensory needs of community members while visiting city facilities, the sensory backpack.  Packed with items to help individuals reduce or increase sensory input, such as noise cancelling headphones, sunglasses, and fidget tools, the new initiative was launched on April 2nd, World Autism Awareness day.

The backpacks also include information about Waterloo’s inclusion services, and items for self-regulation and communication such as a timer, a drawing pad, and Picture Exchange Communications System (PECS), which allows folks to communicate through pictures.

These kits fit in with the city’s reconciliation, equity, accessibility, diversity and inclusion framework, and are accessible to any visitor at 6 city run facilities. Similar programs have been launched in other Ontario cities including Ottawa, Toronto, and Barrie.

This show features an interview with Molly Riediger, the Inclusion Services Coordinator at the City of Waterloo.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2025-03-18- Waterloo council delays implementing Inclusionary Zoning rules amid “uncertainty”

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CKMS News -2025-03-18- Waterloo council delays implementing Inclusionary Zoning rules amid “uncertainty”

dan kellar
Waterloo, ON – On March 3rd, the City of Waterloo voted to delay implementing inclusionary zoning bylaws which would have required developers to include some affordable units in any new condominium projects in areas around major transit stations.  The new by-law, which was approved in June 2024 would have gone into force at the end of March and the decision to delay implementation follows a similar decision in December of last year by Kitchener’s council.

City staff presented a report to council which argued that tariffs from America, the federal government’s restrictions on international students and immigrants, fluctuating interest rates, and the low resale price of condos, are all creating uncertainties in the building market. 

This show features audio from the council meeting and an interview with Lynn Intini, an eviction prevention and tenant organising worker at the Social development Centre of Waterloo Region.  Intini discusses inclusionary zoning, the focus on investment driven developments, housing needs vs housing demand, and non-market solutions to the housing crisis.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2025-03-04- City of Waterloo launches “Get READI” plan to address systemic inequity.

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CKMS News – 2025-03-04- City of Waterloo launches “Get READI” plan to address systemic inequity.

dan kellar
Waterloo, ON – As Waterloo works to incorporate reconciliation, equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion, the launch of the Get READI plan in mid-February will now guide all city divisions as they plan and provide programs and services for the community. 

While announcing the launch, mayor Dorothy McCabe said that the work the city does must reflect the growing size and diversity of the city’s population. The city has been working towards this goal since 2017 to address historical systemic denial of equity.

This show features an interview with Divya Handa, the director of reconciliation, equity, accessibility, diversity and inclusion at the city of Waterloo.  Handa discusses the Get READI plan including the genesis and origin of the city’s work, the cooperation needed in drafting the plan, how implementation will happen, and addresses some of the critiques of DEI that have been raised.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2024-09-10- Waterloo’s Snow Assist program expands as applications for the program’s 2nd year open

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CKMS News -2024-09-10- Waterloo’s Snow Assist program available for eligible residents

dan kellar
Waterloo, ON – The City of Waterloo has expanded the availability of their Snow Assist program for the upcoming winter to help more residents. Reflecting the city’s accessibility and inclusion efforts, Snow Assist is aimed at residents 65 years of age and older and for low-income folks with disabilities.  The program will place qualifying applicants in one of three streams of service for snow removal on their properties throughout the winter.

Applications are due by the end of September and can be accessed on waterloo.ca/snow-assist.  Folks who were approved for the program last winter will be automatically re-enrolled.

This show features an interview with Tiffany Smith the manager of community programming for the city, who discusses the impetus for the program, and the various streams of service available.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

Waterloo resident battles the perfectly manicured lawn

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Waterloo City is moving closer to loosening restrictions on front lawn grass, making way for increased naturalization.

After three years of responding to neighbours’ complaints about the length of her grass to bylaw, Waterloo resident Masha Kuznetsova asked Waterloo City Council on Monday night  for changes to Bylaw No. 2011-123, the Lot maintenance bylaw.

She asked the city to increase grass height of up to 40 cm (15.7 inches) and to reduce the requirement for a buffer strip around a naturalized area. Currently in the city of Waterloo, the maximum allowed grass height is 20 cm (8 inches). While the current buffer strip regulation is 1 metre, proposed changes to the by-law would reduce the buffer strip to 30 cm (11.8 inches).

Staff explained they receive about 400-800 long grass complaints per season.

Also in the meeting the city’s transportation services presented new boulevard garden guidelines which will allow for increased naturalization in lawns and on boulevards throughout the City of Waterloo. In addition, the city parks department kicked off the park’s urban forest management strategy by examining rules regarding trees on private property.

Listen to the story above:

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

CKMS News – City of Waterloo offers free sidewalk and windrow snow clearing to eligible residents

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MP Holmes
Kitchener, ON

The City of Waterloo is offering a free assisted sidewalk and windrow snow-clearing service for eligible residents who are unable to clear their sidewalks and windrows during the winter months. Earlier this year and after obtaining community feedback on how to proceed with future snow clearing in the city, City Council decided to open applications for a trial snow-clearing service.

Tiffany Smith, Manager, Senior Services and Community Services at the City of Waterloo, explained who the program is meant to help, how to apply, and what the future plans are.

Demand has been high and the city has quickly received applications for half of the forty spots available. Smith explained how this initiative is the first of a four year phase-in program that will see snow-clearing services expanded. Council approved this plans in a May 2023 meeting. A synopsis of this report can be found at EngageWR. There are plans to assess the program and gather further input from homeowners and the community after this first trial season.

As a part of its current snow-clearing responsibilities, the city clears multi-use trails and paths around the city, as well as walkways and bike lanes. City plows also currently clear about 85 km of sidewalk in and around various city parks and facilities

Applications open until October 31st and can be found online here.

You can listen to the show above:

3 Nines Rewind, CKMS LTA / Live On-Site, Events

Winterloo 2019 – CKMS Live-on-location

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THIS COMING SATURDAY and SUNDAY (Jan. 26th and 27th, 2019) CKMS-FM is LIVE on location and Live-to-Air at the Uptown Waterloo Town Square!!!
We will be providing live music and interactive DJ sets at 2019 Winterloo Festival!!!

Winterloo is an outdoor FREE community winter festival with cool winter activities open to all to get involved in.

Hosted by the City of Waterloo; come join us for ice sculpture carving competitions, dog sled racing, CKMS-FM live DJ sets during the Uptown “Shake N’ Skate”, food trucks such as Tim Horton’s and Beaver Tails, ice fishing games, winter golf in Waterloo Park, snowman building contests, horse and buggie tours, and so much more!!!!
All FREE FOR YOU, FAMILY, FRIENDS AND YOUR COMMUNITY of the Waterloo region!



Music: CKMS DJ’s DJ Denim, DJ JD, DJ Yasin, Nattyphsicist, Francis Claire, Yenniefer Storange, Jeff Stager, Bob Jonkman and many more CKMS DJs and programmers Live-On-site!! We will be LIVE-To-AIR on the FM and stream!!
DJ set times will be announced and updated on our Facebook page this week!


Any questions or details on how you can get involved with CKMS or Winterloo email office@radiowaterloo.ca or cam@radiowaterloo.ca

Hope to see you this coming weekend at the Winterloo Festival!