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Kitchener Centre by-election: will the new MPP have any impact in Doug Ford’s Ontario?

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Residents of Kitchener Centre provincial election will choose their new MPP this week, in a by-election influenced  as much by party politics as much as local politics.

The former MPP, Laura Mae Lindo, resigned the seat she held for the NDP in July.

The NDP candidate is Debbie Chapman who has served on Kitchener City Council for almost five years as councillor for Ward 9, and she teaches political science at Wilfrid Laurier University.

The Liberal Party candidate is Kelly Steiss, who has worked in municipal government for over two decades. She has volunteered in different capacities to help social inclusion, including as a member of the Mayor’s Task Force for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Steiss has also been the president for the Waterloo Rotary Club.

Aislinn Clancy  is running for the Green Party of Ontario. Clancy is currently the Ward 10 councillor for the City of Kitchener and is also the deputy leader of the Ontario Greens. Previously, Clancy worked as a social worker for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board.

Progressive Conservative candidate Rob Elliott has experience in the transportation and government sectors and a former PC party vice-president and regional organizer. Mr. Elliott does not live in Kitchener. He lives in Keswick, north of Toronto.

We spoke to University of Waterloo Political Science Professor Emeritus Robert J. Williams. During his 35 year career at Waterloo, Professor Williams taught courses on provincial, Ontario and municipal government and politics.From 1994 until 2003 he was Academic Director of the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme at Queen’s Park. He has conducted or advised on ward boundary and electoral system reviews in more than twenty-five Ontario municipalities, and testified as an expert witness before the Ontario Municipal Board in several cases involving electoral arrangements. Professor Williams has also served as President of Municipal Cultural Planning Inc., a not-for-profit organization created in late 2009 to advance the practice of municipal cultural planning in communities across Ontario.

Professor Williams provided some history of the Kitchener Centre riding and context for the by-election. He noted that the riding had voted liberal for fifteen years before the previous MPP Laura Mae Lindo and the NDP took the seat in 2018.

Professor Williams noted the fact that Rob Elliott does not live in the constituency is telling and questions why the PCs could not find anyone in the riding to run.

While the PC party casts a long shadow on this byelection, the larger political parties may also influence voters. Professor Williams talks about these wider influences and their possible impact in the Kitchener by-election.The Liberals are currently without a leader and will be holding a leadership convention on December 2. The Green party has one MPP, but the positive reputation of the Green MP Mike Morrice, may also influence voters. And while the NDP have managed to survive a controversy, Professor Williams wondered if it would cause any repercussions at the voting booth.

Professor Williams mentioned the Sarah Jama controversy, which happened when Sarah Jama a NDP MPP from Hamilton expressed sympathy for the current situation in Palestine. Marit Stiles, the leader of the NDP, kicked Jama out of the NDP caucus saying Jama had broken the trust of her colleagues. Then the Kitchener Centre NDP riding issued a statement alleging Stiles was “out of touch with the one million Muslims in Ontario.” The journalist Sabrina Nanji of the Queens Park Observer interviewed Chapman about the situation and she replied she had no knowledge of the letter. She was not aware of the letter and was not involved in its publication, in fact she said the letter blindsided her. Chapman noted three members who were involved in writing the letter resigned, and she stands by Stiles.

Professor Williams was not entirely optimisitic that the new MPP will have a lot of influence, “You are not determining who will be the premier but you are choosing someone who will … contribute as a member of a party to deliberations.”

The former MPP, Laura Mae Lindo, resigned the seat she held for the NDP in July. The Kitchener Centre riding has a population of about 105,260 and is about 42 km2. The person who does win the riding could have approximately 3 years in the job before the next election. The surrounding constituencies – Kitchener South Hespeler and Kitchener Conestoga are both held by PC MPPs, while the Waterloo riding is currently held by the NDP.

This is one in a series of shows about the Kitchener Centre by-election in which we ask candidates some of the lesser-asked questions that are important to our community.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

Kitchener Centre by-election: candidates offer ideas to solve child care chaos in the riding

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The reason the Kitchener Centre by-election was called is because the previous MPP, Laura Mae Lindo, stepped down and one of the challenges she cited was the difficulty of obtaining childcare.

In a presentation this past April to regional council, the Region of Waterloo Community and Children’s Services reported as of February, a total of 7,214 children ages 0 to 4 years were on the waitlist for a licensed child care space in Waterloo Region. The population of Kitchener Centre is about 19.7% of the entire region. (Kitchener Centre’s population, according to 2016 figures, which are the latest available, was 105,260 and the Regional population that same year was 535,154).  The government has announced beginning next year that the starting wage for Early Childhood educators employed by operators in the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system will increase to $23.86/hour.

With the Kitchener Centre by-election this week, CKMS took the opportunity to ask the four front-runner candidates what they think about the state of childcare in the region, the pay rise and, how if elected MPP, they will be able to influence staff hiring and retention?

The four main candidates are Rob Elliott of the Progressive Conservatives, Debbie Chapman of the NDP, Kelly Steiss of the Ontario Liberal party, and Aislinn Clancy of the Ontario Greens.  Three attempts over 10 days were made to contact the Progressive Conservative candidate Rob Elliot, but we did not hear back from the PCs in time for broadcast.

In response to our question, Aislinn Clancy focused on space and labour. She said that parts of the riding are a childcare desert, and Clancy believes more can be done to incentivise underused buildings such as community centres and churches, to develop childcare centres. Clancy also focused on bringing more respect to the profession of early childhood education and in doing so, continue to increase their pay.

Debbie Chapman said that she would like to see free childcare. She also noted that ten dollar a day care is great, but the waiting lists are very long and that puts parents in difficult situations.

Kelly Steiss noted that even though there is 10$ /day childcare, there aren’t enough workers to keep the system going. She was disappointed it took the Ontario government so long to sign on to the federal agreement. Steiss said early childhood educators do important work and paying them well is an investment in our future.  She also noted that $23.86 is a good place to start in relations with these workers.

This is one in a series of shows about the Kitchener Centre by-election in which we ask candidates some of the lesser-asked questions that are important to our community.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

Kitchener Centre by-election: waiting on a train that never arrives

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In early November the NDP leader Marit Stiles introduced a motion called on the government to provide a timeline and funding commitment for the Kitchener GO Line expansion, which was then promptly voted down by the Conservatives (66 to 30).

With the Kitchener Centre by-election this week, CKMS took the opportunity to ask the four front-runner candidates if, after all the effort that has been applied, the government still won’t budge, what can they add to this effort?

The four main candidates are Rob Elliott of the Progressive Conservatives, Debbie Chapman of the NDP, Kelly Steiss of the Ontario Liberal party, and Aislinn Clancy of the Ontario Greens.

CKMS News made three attempts over 10 days  to contact the Progressive Conservative candidate Rob Elliot, but did not hear back from the PCs in time for broadcast of this story. The other three candidates responded and spoke to CKMS News about GO train service in Kitchener Waterloo.

First up is Debbie Chapman of the NDP who says two-way, all-day GO service is a top priority for her and her party,  and despite the Conservatives voted down the motion, the fight continues.

The Liberals have also called for all-day and all weekend train service to Toronto. Kelly Steiss, the Liberal candidate explains how people have been pushing for more GO trains and acknowledges the frustration riders feel.

Aislinn Clancy of the Ontario Greens noted how the PCs have said they are supportive of the idea of increased GO service, but then vote against it. Clancy has called on focusing on financial elements of the decision to appeal to the Conservatives. All levels of government to speed up the process to secure increased GO service.

CKMS asked the candidates who agreed to speak about  their familiarity with local transit is and if they actually use it, asking them “When was the last time you went to Toronto on the GO train?” and “When was the last time you took the GRT (Grand River Transit buses) and Ion Rapid Transit Service (light rail)?”

Debbie Chapman of the NDP had not taken the GO transit to Toronto recently, but does take local public transport

Aislinn Clancy of the Greens has had recent experience on GO transit and the GRT and highlighted the problems that she has experienced and heard.

While Kelly Steiss of the Liberals has not had recent experience with GO Transit, her campaign staff have. She also has recent positive experience with the Ion.

This is one in a series of shows about the Kitchener Centre by-election and in which we ask candidates some of the less-asked questions that are important to our community.

 

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

Amid tax increases, Kitchener City Councillors struggle with previous cycling funding commitments, “We’ve gone way too far.”

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MP Holmes
Kitchener, ON

City of Kitchener Councillor Bil Ioannidis said that we have gone way too far with cycling infrastructure. The Councillor made the comments at the Finance and Corporate Services committee meeting on Monday, November 20. The committee was reviewing the city of Kitchener’s 2024 draft operating budget that is to go to the mayor for approval in early December. The budget includes approximately $5.5 million to advance the strategic priorities, which were determined in the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. Some of these areas, and the funding given to them in this budget include:

$700,000 for downtown cycling grid and infrastructure;

$424,000 in traffic calming;

$300,000 trail improvements for the Active Transport plan;

$1.2 million for the Housing for all Strategy;

$117,000 for the Creative Hub;

$173,000 to expand community centre hours; and

$240,000 to launch additional special events, including one new major festival in 2024.

Councillors raised a series of questions about different strategic priority funding options, but it was the competing interests of cycling, trails, and traffic calming that occupied most of the meeting. In addition to Councillor Ioannidis’s remarks, other councillors balked at both the $700,000 given to the downtown cycling grid and infrastructure and the $300,000 for additional cycling and trail connections, while traffic calming, a much more important issue in many of the councillors’ opinions, was afforded only $424,000.

City staff tried in various ways to address the concern about too much attention paid to cycling which came from at least 3 of the councillors attending. Councillor Paul Singh asked where the $700k for the cycling infrastructure came from, and why it had been applied to the cycling infrastructure. First Jonathon Lautenbach, city of Kitchener CFO explained the city’s position and then Justin Readman,· General Manager, Development Services at city of Kitchener, elaborated the funds are the final phase of a long-term capital investment that the city agreed to undertake years ago.

Councillor Christine Michaud also noted that she’s not hearing complaints about cycling but rather about the speed that people drive their cars and the need for traffic calming. City staff said that traffic calming has been funded in the past and what is in the budget reflects what Council has previously agreed to, based on what each area needs. But Michaud reinforced her concerns, and desire for more funding, to contend with traffic calming and reducing drivers’ speed.

Councillors Dave Schnider and Jason Deneault expressed strong interest in improving signage in parks for trails and cyclists. Councillor Schnider noted you can get on a trail and go all the way around the city but there are no signs informing people they can do so. City staff assured Council a comprehensive wayfinding strategy is going to be revealed soon.

Councillors Ioannidis and Margaret Johnston asked about lighting on trails and parks, but were informed that lighting beyond the major trails (namely the Iron Horse Trail and the Spurline Trail) is too expensive.

The Kitchener City operating budget also included funding for new and continuing services and infrastructure. Kitchener City Chief Financial Officer, Jonathan Lautenbach summarised the tax increases for services and infrastructure, which include a 3.9% per year rise in property tax (that’s a $47 rise over last year) and 6.3% increase in utilities (a $77 increase).

Next week is the final week for any changes to the budget. Public are reminded next Monday, November 27, is public consultation night and the Council will also examine the Capital budget on that same evening. For more information on the 2024 operating budget, the city of Kitchener has a detailed description on their website here.

 

Listen to the show above:

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

Kitchener Mayor announces new housing incentives and new relationship with the performing arts in State of the City address

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MP Holmes
Kitchener, ON

In his annual State of the City address, on Thursday November 9, Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic made several new announcements, including new incentives to build affordable housing in the city.

Starting in 2024, the city of Kitchener, with the help of the federal government, will offer incentives to to build not-for-profit, supportive, and affordable rentals or affordable coops units. The initiative is meant to help construct more than 500 new affordable housing units and will cost over $5 million. These incentives consist of matching grants at $5,000 per unit to subsidize early-stage development costs. No-interest loans of an additional $5,000 per unit will also be available from the city. The mayor said more information will be release about this new initiative over the next few weeks.

This housing announcement comes on the heels of the previous announcement by Federal Minister Sean Fraser that $42.4 million of funding from the Government of Canada’s Housing Accelerator fund will fast track the construction of 1200 new local homes by early 2027. See the announcement here.

The Housing Accelerator Fund was launched by the Federal government in March of this year to assist municipalities to increase the housing supply.

The Mayor told the crowd how Minister Fraser noted that Kitchener has the most significant growth rate of any Housing Accelerator Community in Canada, of which there are about 500.

Other announcements the Mayor made in his address include changes to the community centre model to reflect changing and more diverse neighbourhoods and to help newcomers become more connected to community. The mayor talked about the city’s efforts to build a creative and ideas hub downtown and also announced a new relationship structure between the city and local performing arts organizations. This new structure consists of the city playing a larger part in the operations and promotions of the performing arts groups in order to boost tourism.

The mayor listed ongoing environmental goals such as increasing the tree canopy to 30% in all neighbourhoods by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, namely by converting city-owned combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles. He also noted plans to add a major new park near the Grand River, but did not provide additional details.

Despite talking in depth about housing, the idea hub, the environment and changes to community centres and the relationship with performing arts venues, the Mayor did not talk about the affordability or growing homelessness crises.

The ceremony was held at the Kitchener Market and featured videos with residents and each of the councillors talking about what has been accomplished in the past year.

A complete recording of the State of the City event can be found here. To learn more about the City of Kitchener’s 2023 – 2026 Strategic Plan and its vision for 2043, visit kitchener.ca/ourplan.

Listen to the story above

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – Kitchener City Council takes advantage of extra time and defers lodging home motion

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CKMS News – 2023-11-07 – Kitchener City Council takes advantage of extra time and defers lodging home motion

Lodging home licensing is on the way in Kitchener, but at Monday night’s council meeting, council took the opportunity to defer the motion until March 2024.

At last week’s council meeting, on October 30, a motion to remove restrictions on lodging houses was deferred. Councillor Bill Ioannidis introduced the deferral after questioning if fourplex apartments are a better option overall to increase affordability and if a pilot study would be a better approach to roll out licensing.

In response to those questions, at this week’s meeting, delegate Phil Marfisi noted how lodging homes differ from fourplex apartments, and that lodging homes do not require much in the way of preparation and can be occupied without additional construction or renovation. Because of this, Marfisi said, lodging homes can be a more economical mode of housing. Marfisi also explained how a lodging house pilot study would not meet the urgency of the crisis and would impede the delivery of this needed housing.

A second delegate, Lynn Intini, presented a description of lodging home residents and how the plan integrates with the city of Kitchener’s overall housing plan. She also pointed out that exclusionary zoning bylaws can have human rights implications if it restricts where people can live.

Council was informed on Monday night that the bylaw will be back in March 2024. Councillor Scott Davey moved to defer the lodging house motion as nothing would be able to be enacted until the lodging house licensing bylaw was ready anyway. Councillor Jason Deneault agreed with the deferral and noted that by deferring, more research can be done into issues such as short-term rentals that overlap and influence the affordable rental market.

You can listen to the show above

 

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

CKMS News – The GRT proposes increased accessibility measures and increased fare hikes in the 2024 regional budget

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CKMS News – 2023-11-03 – Proposed GRT increase

MP Holmes
Kitchener, Ontario

Proposed changes to the Grand River Transit (or GRT)  fares would see cash fares rise, but under these proposals, accessibility services would also increase. Commissioner for Transportation Services Mathieu Goetzke presented the proposals to Regional Council during a budget consultation meeting on Wednesday November 1.

This budget consultation meeting, one of several in the run-up to the final budget day on December 13, focused on determining the budgets for the Region’s equitable services and opportunities. Items of discussion included improving community safety and well-being, automated speed enforcement, youth-focused initiatives, paramedic services, transportation, and proposed transit fare changes to the GRT.

These proposed fare changes include increasing the electronic cash fare by two cents from $2.98 to $3.00, increasing monthly passes from $92 to $96; and increasing cash fares from $3.75 to $4 per single ride.

GRT fares last increased this past July, by 25 cents, from $3.50 to $3.75, which means that, with this proposed increase, fare hikes of will have increased by 50 cents or 12.5% in two years. Despite this, ridership has never been higher. In September, the GRT set a new ridership record with 150,000 boardings per day.

Commisioner Goetzke explained why this cash fare price increase is needed, but several councillors expressed concern. Councillor Natasha Salonen wondered if the cash fare increase wouldn’t hurt the most marginalised.

Another proposed increase is the fare window, which is how long one bus ticket is good for. Currently the GRT offers a 90-minute window and is proposing a 120-minute, or two-hour, window. Councillor Rob Deutschmann suggested increasing the fare window to three hours, arguing the size of the region justified increasing the transfer window. Councillor Jim Erb agreed and noted that Waterloo Region riders often switch between the bus and ION train systems, which takes more time.

Commisioner Goetzke listed the proposed measures to increase accessibility, including removing $5 minimum load on easy go card, developing a mobile payment app, increasing the discount on needs-based fares, and introducing a new group pass for $12, which would allow unlimited travel for up to five people regardless if they are a family or not.

These proposed changes were presented as a preview of what will be discussed in more detail at a later council meeting. The intention of this review was to bring forward a budget-day motion to adopt a new user fee and charge bylaw.

Councillors have until December 4 to make a motion to amend the budget before the final budget day on December 13.

At the next Strategic Planning and Budget Committee, on November 8, Council will be examining the draft 2024 budgets focusing on the theme homes for all.

 

You can listen to the show below:

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

CKMS News Removing restrictions on lodging houses deferred while city council wrestles with affordability

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CKMS News 2023-11-02- Council considers lodging homes

MP Holmes
Kitchener, Ontario

Kitchener city staff have drawn up new guidelines for land use and zoning changes for lodging houses in the city, but Council isn’t satisfied. At the Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee meeting on October 30, Kitchener Council examined these changes, and given the mix of opinions on council, deferred their decision until the next council meeting on Monday November 6.

Several review studies, including Kitchener’s Housing for All Housing First strategy and the March 2021 Lower Doon Land Use Study, among others, encouraged the city to examine how lodging (or rooming houses) can play a role in alleviating the housing crisis. And so, at Monday evening’s council meeting, Kitchener city planning staff came back with a proposal that would remove references in the official plan and zoning regulations to minimum distance separations, lodging houses parking regulations, and geographical limitations on lodging houses.

Two delegates presented to Council in favour of lodging houses. Nelson Chukwuma from the Conestoga Student Inc.‘s Board of Directors and Martin Asling of the Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) housing advocacy group. Both explained the importance of lodging houses to help both students and permanent city residents secure affordable housing.

In the mid 2000s, as part of then-official plan, the City of Kitchener sought to limit the creation of new lodging houses. Currently there are about 20 licensed lodging houses located across the city and an unknown but an assumed large number of unlicensed lodging houses.

One of the recommended zoning changes is to scrap the minimum distance provision, which limits lodging houses from being too close to one another. Up until now, lodging houses have to be at least 400m from one another. Martin Asling explained that this, according to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, is a form of ‘people zoning’ and is illegal in Ontario. In considering this change, Councillor Scott Davey expressed concerns about a possible overconcentration of lodging homes in an area, and he wondered what the consequences of that would be.

City staff also recommended that parking regulations be removed. Martin noted that these regulations are from an earlier time and are now out of date and no longer in line with the city’s aims.

Another recommendation from staff, that both delegates agreed with, was to lift restrictions to allow lodging houses in all residential zones throughout the city.

Affordability was a concern for many of the councillors. Councillor Bill Ioannidis asked Martin how to keep lodging houses affordable and prevent landlords from overcharging. In response, Martin listed a series of studies that have examined the implementation of lodging houses and which found that affordability stayed intact. Councillor Debbie Chapman asked Martin if he knew of any measures that could be put in place now to ensure affordability, and Martin explained how preventing the loss of lodging house supply is important.

City staff made a point to note that this meeting was not about licensing lodging homes but rather land use and zoning changes. Despite this, throughout the meeting, questions on licensing and enforcement popped up, Mayor Berry Vrbanovic asked if both the zoning and licensing could be dealt with concurrently given the importance and urgency of this measure. Staff were quick to point out that the licensing depends on removing some of the zoning and land use restrictions, and perhaps it could be done concurrently, but the changes to zoning and land use must occur before a licensing program is overhauled.

Other issues of licensing that were raised included how to incentivize landowners to obtain a licence, how licensing would be enforced, and what repercussions there currently are if landowners choose not to obtain a license.

Councillor Ioannidis expressed a preference for the four-plex housing strategy, which was passed at council previously. By the end, the Councillor noted he had more questions than answers and pushed for a deferral to the next council meeting. The deferral motion was passed and the issue will be readdressed at Council meeting on November 6.

 

You can listen to the show 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:

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Chief medical officer announces COVID-19 vaccine availability timeline

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MP Holmes
Kitchener, ON

Up-to-date COVID and flu vaccines will be available for all residents on Monday, October 30. The announcement was made at last  week’s Waterloo Regional Council meeting by Dr. Hsui-Li Wang, the chief medical officer for Waterloo Region.

Up until now, vaccines had been reserved for vulnerable individuals, but starting Monday, the new vaccine will be made available to the wider public at local public health clinics and participating pharmacies and health care providers.

There are no walk in appointments at this time, and clinic appointments must be made through the provincial booking system.

Also on October 30, the Board of Health will begin sending notifications to parents as reminders to update children’s immunization records and vaccines.

The update also stated that while COVID 19 has been increasing slightly in the Region, wastewater data remains at elevated levels with signals dominated by most recent variant (XBB).

Listen to the show above:

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Poverty Reduction Forum encourages people to get involved in police budget consultations

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by MP Holmes
Kitchener, ON

“Show up and tune in” was the message from the Poverty Reduction Forum, when asked how people can engage with 2024 police budget consultations. The Forum, which was hosted by the Kitchener Public Library and presented by the Waterloo Region Community Legal Services, was held on October 17, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

The Forum consisted of two four person panels that included outreach workers; people with lived experience of poverty; academics; a former politician; and social workers.

Some of the conversation at the Forum revolved around the problems and challenges when dealing with the police. Consistently, across the panels, delegates encouraged all members of the public to get involved in the community consultation process, in particular to attend the upcoming public consultations on the police budget on October 26 and November 6.

Earlier this year, the Waterloo Regional Council approved a motion that demanded the WRPS board consult with council and the public before approving its annual budget, in an effort to encourage transparency and improve relations between the police and the public. Up until now, Regional Council could only approve or reject the police budget and had no control over individual budget items or the process.

As reported by CKMS news last week, Regional Councillor Rob Deutschmann presented a motion to council to express dissatisfaction and disappointment in the engagement process so far and that the WRPS budget seems to have been finalized with neither public nor council input. That motion ultimately failed, though the vote was close.

At the Poverty Forum, advocates Kamil Ahmed, a community organizer and mediator at Community Justice Initiatives, and Sara Escobar, co-founder of Peregrine Outreach, both stressed the importance of public participation. Kamil also discussed the importance of gaining a wider perspective and understanding of the police’s increased budget requests.

The WRPS is the 12th largest police service in Canada and the 7th in Ontario. In 2023 the police budget was $214 million. Despite a surplus, the WRPS has asked their 2024 budget to be increased by $16 million, in large part to fund additional 18 new officers in 2024 and 2025. The reason, according to police, is because officer staffing in the region has fallen short of other major municipalities, noting that as the population has grown in size, staffing has not increased.

To bolster their request, the police pointed to the rise in crime from 2012 to 2021 has risen 34 percent.

The Police budget public consultations begin with a virtual meeting on Thursday, October 26 at 1 pm. You can join this consultation by watching on Waterloo Regional Police Service Board’s YouTube channel.

 

You can listen to the story above:

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Kitchener City Council approves motion to examine construction of fourplexes on single residential lots

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by MP Holmes
Kitchener, Ontario

Kitchener City council unanimously passed a new motion to begin the process to increase the missing middle housing stock by allowing fourplexes on single residential lots.

The housing advocacy group YIMBY delegated in favour of the motion at the Council meeting. “YIMBY” is an acronym which stands for “Yes In My Back Yard”.

The ‘missing middle’ is defined as medium-density housing that sits somewhere between single-family residential properties and high-rise condominiums. The intention behind missing middle housing is that it is cheaper for each resident because costs of living on a property are split between four residents rather than one. Currently, fourplexes need special zoning approvals to be built in Kitchener. This new possible bylaw would legally allow fourplexes under the municipality’s zoning bylaw, so special permission to build will not be needed.

Councillors were mostly open and optimistic although wary of opposition. Councillor Paul Singh encouraged city staff to prioritise issues of parking in their development. Councillor Debbie Chapman raised the issue of affordability and how the city will ensure this initiative doesn’t fall prey to the allure of AirBnB revenue, and Councillor Bill Ioannidis lamented the community’s expectations related to housing.

The idea of fourplexes has been brought forward in other Ontario municipalities. Mississauga has decided to not move forward on fourplexes, while Toronto passed a motion to allow fourplexes back in May.

The motion in Kitchener City Council was similar to a motion the mayor of Guelph brought to a council meeting in Guelph on Tuesday afternoon. That motion was passed unanimously as well. Waterloo City Councillor Royce Bodaly has also brought forward a motion looking at permitting four units on one lot in Waterloo. That motion is set to be discussed at the October 30 Council meeting.

The music on today’s show is called “Maple Music” by Godmode courtesy of by Expectantly Maple Music on youtube.

Listen to the radio story above:

 

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

Waterloo Region community responds with generosity after community fridge theft

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By MP Holmes
Kitchener, Ontario

A gathering was held on Sunday to celebrate the return of a community fridge and the community collaboration that made it happen.

The fridge, which is run by the 519 Community Collective and located behind the Café Pyrus outpost at the Spur Line and Roger Street, had been at the location for almost two years before it was stolen in August.

Although the theft shocked the community, the theft was not reported to the police and there are no suspects. The incident was well covered by major media outlets, and thanks to that exposure, many individuals and businesses have contributed to the installation of two new fridges.

Several members of the community and the 519 Community Collective spoke to CKMS News about the theft and subsequent response. Lisa Braun, one of the 519 Community Collective Board members, explained the community’s reaction to the original theft, and Tyzun James, owner of the Café Pyrus Outpost, which hosts the fridge, also noted the outpouring of support. Julie Sawatzky, the founder and also a board member of the 519 Community Collective, described the collective’s stoic and resilient response to the theft.

About 25 people attended the early afternoon ceremony on Sunday October 15, including Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic who said, “There are many challenges around the community right now for some folks in terms of food security and this is a very meaningful way to help those who need supports to get access to them.”

The 519 Community Collective is a non-profit Kitchener-based organization with eleven different programs that cater to those who are in need across the region. At this time of year, with Thanksgiving and Christmas weighing heavy on organization’s like the 519 Community Collective, Julie Sawatzky explained that they are focusing their efforts and how they are planning to deal with additional demand.  “We just finished our Thanksgiving community event where we served over 800 hot turkey dinners to the community, and we’re super excited that we’re going to be doing something similar this Christmas.”

The fridge will return to normal operations within the week. Food donations can be made at the fridge directly, and other donations, including monetary donations, can be made by contacting the 519 Community Collective.

The music on today’s show is called “Maple Music” by Godmode courtesy of by Expectantly Maple Music on youtube.

Listen to the radio story below:

 

 

The music on today’s show is called “Maple Music” by Godmode courtesy of by Expectantly Maple Music on youtube.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

Pro-Palestinian rally in Waterloo Region responds to events in Israel and Gaza

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By MP Holmes

Pro-Palestinian supporters gathered in the Waterloo Public Square on Tuesday, October 10 to express support for Palestine after Hamas’ surprise deadly assault in Israel last weekend. About 250 people turned up to the rally, which was hosted by the Palestinian Youth Movement.

Although Hamas has been in government in the Gaza Strip since 2006, they have been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union because of its armed resistance against Israel. Now, Israel has declared war on Hamas following last weekend’s planned attack which was the deadliest on the country in decades killing over 1000 and injuring close to 3000 across four locations. The Israeli response has been swift and hard. As of press time, it has been reported that the Israeli military has so far struck more than a thousand targets in Gaza, which is 365 km² in area. These retaliatory strikes have left 1100 people dead and over 5000 injured. Almost a quarter of a million people in Gaza have been displaced and the scale the humanitarian disaster is expected to get worse as Israel has cut off the flow of electricity, food, water, and fuel into Gaza.

In Waterloo Region, flags in the region are at half mast. For several nights this week, Zehr Square at Kitchener City Hall was lit blue and white in memory of the victims. The mayors and regional chair have all expressed shock at the attack, solidarity with Israel, and sympathy for all involved. The Beth Jacob Synagogue in Kitchener held a solidarity gathering on Tuesday evening, which was attended by Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic.

The synagogues weren’t available to talk to CKMS news before press time but Temple Shalom in Waterloo did issue a statement that expressed concern for those trapped in the conflict and that Israel has a right to defend itself.

Back at the rally in Uptown, protestors flew Palestinian flags, while others carried signs that read “End the Nakba” and “free Palestine” For a brief time, there were hecklers yelling over the speakers but with a strong police presence of at least 24 Waterloo Region police officers, the heckling did not last long.  Shatha Mahmoud with the Palestinian Youth Movement, one of the organizers of the rally, talked to CKMS about what is happening in Gaza, the decolonial nature of these attacks, and their reaction to Justin Trudeau’s condemnation of these pro-Palestinian rallies.

 

The Land Back Camp/Willow River Centre provided a strong show of support and allyship, providing volunteers for the rally and march. Amy Smoke of the Willow River Centre provided comment on the rally and their support.

Listen here:

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

Take Back the Night celebrates 40 years in Waterloo Region and puts the spotlight on personal safety at night.

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CKMS News -2023-09-21- Take Back The Night

MP Holmes, Kitchener

The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region is hosting the 40th anniversary of the Take Back the Night event and march this Thursday September 21.

The event and march hopes to raise awareness of the threat of sexual violence and comes in the wake of the city of Kitchener and the Region of Waterloo declaring epidemics of intimate partner violence.

A few weeks ago, CKMS aired a show on Intimate Partner Violence and explained how this Region stands out in cross-Canada data as the least safe place for women to live in all of Canada.

From 2008 to 2019, the Waterloo Region sexual assault incidence rate has been higher than the provincial average, and that rate and numbers it represents continue to increase. This report from The Feminist Shift elaborates on those findings. 

Statistics Canada reported that in 2018, just over one in five (22%) Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo residents aged 15 and older experienced unwanted sexual behaviour in public. 

Many research studies have found that in the vast majority of sexual assaults, the accused is known to the victim. According to a report by the Department of Justice only 20% were victimized by a stranger.

However, sexual assaults are considered significantly underreported to the police. Results from the 2019 General Social Survey on Victimization show that only 6% of sexual assault experienced by Canadians aged 15 and older were reported to the police. 

So, we know sexual assaults are seriously underreported, often committed by someone the victim knows, and that these assaults continue to increase. Contradicting these statistics were the conversations CKMS news had with locals on the street, who said they felt safe at night. Statistics on perception of safety are also available.

In 2020, the Statistics Canada Safe Cities Profile for Kitchener Cambridge Waterloo reported that 42% of women in the region felt very safe when walking alone after dark, while 63% of men felt very safe walking at night. 

Over three quarters of Regional residents thought crime levels in their neighbourhood were lower than the rest of Canada, however the Crime Severity Index tell a different tale. The Crime Severity Index is defined by Stats Can as changes in the severity of police-reported crime by accounting for both the amount of crime and the relative seriousness of these crimes. So while three-quarters of Regional residents thought their communities had lower crime levels than the rest of the country, the Crime Severity Index for Waterloo Region in 2022 was higher than the national average and third highest in the province behind Thunder Bay and Sudbury.

There may be a discrepancy between our perceptions and reality, however as the respondents to our street survey noted increased lighting on the streets and trails, safer transit, and staying closer to built up areas all contribute to the perception of safety. Whether or not we are safer at night than we were 40 years ago, it seems the night remains beyond our reach.

Take back the Night happens at the Gaukel Block from 6-9 on Thursday September 21.

Listen to today’s show above with Karley Doucette of the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region and hits the streets to ask people if they feel safe walking in their community at night.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

World Literacy Day puts the spotlight on low levels of literacy in Waterloo Region

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CKMS News – 2023-09-08 – Literacy in WR

MP Holmes

World Literacy Day on September 8 coincides with the first week of school under the Ontario provincial government’s new Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, which was passed in June of this year. This new education act overhauls what came before. It broadens the minister’s powers and among other things increases reporting requirements, provides more supports for literacy education, and allows for major changes to the language curriculum

Literacy is more complex than just knowing how to read and write, The Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines literacy as “the ability to understand, evaluate, use and engage with written texts to participate in society.”

Statistics Canada defines it as “the ability to use and understand information that is fundamental to daily life at work, at home, and in the community.”

In Canada, literacy is measured with a 5-level scale, 5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest. If a person functions only at lower levels, they may be considered to have problems with literacy.

In the International Assessment of Adult Competencies survey, the OECD found that 49% of Canadians (aged 25 to 65), scored at or below level 2 for literacy and 55% also scored at or below level 2 for numeracy on the 5-level scale. Level 3 is the threshold required to compete in a knowledge-based economy.

In February 2022, the Ontario Human Rights Commission released the ‘Right to Read‘ report, which found, among other problems that one-third of students graduate school without attaining the level of literacy that the OECD deems necessary to function fully in today’s economy.

The Waterloo Region District School Board serves more than 64,000 students in more than 121 schools. In 2018 to 2019, only 70 per cent of WRDSB students were meeting the provincial standards for reading proficiency, according to data from the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). There are explanations for this. Historically, local students have typically lagged when compared to students in other areas of Ontario. In a November 2022 article about dropout rates, Jeff Outhit in the Record noted that in times past in this Region, people used to be able to support families by relying on good-paying factory jobs that did not need much education. Outhit notes that more than 10,000 of these factory jobs have disappeared since 2006.

In the fall of the 2021, WRDSB released a multi-year structured literacy plan. Within a year, in October 2022, local grade 10 students taking the Ontario literacy test beat the provincial average by three percentage points with 85 percent of students in the wrdsb meeting or surpassing the provincial standard. Literacy levels in the Region have risen a full 15 points to 85%. Scott Miller, assistant director of the WRDSB explains how this was achieved.

But what about those people who left school before the recent focus on increasing literacy? They may have left school 2 years ago or forty years ago.

Jane Teur of Project Read Literacy Network explains what this looks like, misconceptions about the people who fall below the literacy line, the Ontario government’s return to phonics in language curriculum, and the gaps in the system.

Regardless, WRDSB says they are ready and explain how they’ve prepared.

The music on today’s show is called “Maple Music” by Godmode courtesy of by Expectantly Maple Music on YouTube.

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.

Check out the archived versions of  this program on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and listen to all the LJI content at canada-info.ca.

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

 

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

Requiem for the ash tree

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By MP Holmes
Kitchener

Ash trees might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about climate change, but since the arrival of an invasive beetle, untold environmental and economic damage has led to the species to the edge of extinction. CKMS News talked to Josh Shea, the manager of Forestry and Natural Area Management at the city of Kitchener to find out what is happening to the ash tree generally and the  city of Kitchener’s approach to the infestation. 

In less than 15 years, the invasive emerald ash borer, has destroyed the ash trees in Kitchener, Waterloo Region, much of Ontario, including as far north as Sudbury, and in 36 US states. This tiny beetle has become a major environmental and economic problem. In a bid to control and starve out the emerald ash borer, the city of Kitchener has removed more than 5,000 trees from city streets and parks. There are about 600 ash trees remaining, some of which are alive, but all will be removed within the next few years. The Grand River Conservation Authority’s website reports that they have removed over 16,000 ash trees at the cost of three million dollars. 

Economic estimates keep growing as the beetle and the trouble it presents become clearer. In 2014, the city of Kitchener estimated dealing with the damage and making the city borer-free would cost $11 million. In July 2019, the Invasive Species Centre found that, on average, Ontario municipalities spend approximately $22,426,763 million each year combating the emerald ash borer alone. 

The conversation touches on the use and role of pesticides, the role of winter and the impact of milder less severe winters in the life cycle of the emerald ash borer. While municipalities fight this small beetle, the province under Doug Ford’s government, has done little to combat this invasive species, putting our forests, economic health, and our municipalities at risk. 

 

The music on today’s show is called “Maple Music” by Godmode courtesy of by Expectantly Maple Music on YouTube. 

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.

Check out the archived versions of  this program on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and listen to all the LJI content at canada-info.ca.

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

 

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

CKMS News – Resisting Renovictions in Waterloo Region

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CKMS News – 2023-08-13 – Resisting Renovictions in Waterloo Region

By: MP Holmes
Kitchener

Over the last few months there have been several rallies and multiple media stories on the group of tenants in the residential building at 267 Traynor Avenue in Kitchener, who have organized against an impending renoviction. Their building was recently purchased by a wealthy investor landlord who then issued N13 notices to at least 20 residents in the building and more in another on Ahrens St. in Kitchener

According to the 2023 Housing Hardship Report from the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, almost half (46%) of renters in Ontario are concerned about their landlord wanting to evict them for some reason.

In Waterloo region, the Report notes that 37% of all tenant households are spending a third or more of their income on housing costs, and a person needs to make at least $24 an hour to afford a 1-bedroom apartment here.

Maribel Jagorin organized the tenants at 267 Traynor Ave., and she talked with CKMS about her situation and fight to save her home and prevent her own and her building’s renoviction.

CKMS news also talked with Jenaya Nixon, who up util recently was an outreach worker for the Eviction Prevention Program within the Social Development Centre. Jenaya was one of the initial supports for the Traynor Ave residents and she talked about how renovictions generally occur and how municipal and regional governments can play an important and meaningful role, regardless of  the provincial and federal initiatives.

Information and support to access if you are facing a renoviction in Waterloo Region:
The Eviction Prevention Waterloo Region at the Social Development Centre:
https://www.waterlooregion.org/eviction-prevention-waterloo-region

Easy to access and up-to-date legal information specific to Ontario:
https://stepstojustice.ca/legal-topic/housing-law/eviction/


Check out the archived versions of  this program on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and listen to all the LJI content at canada-info.ca.

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

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

Headlines: Tenants Organising, C-22 finalizing, Solidarity Day Unity Jam, and worst air quality in a decade.

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Headlines for Saturday June 17th, 2023 from host dan kellar:

1 – Tenant Union pushes back against “high-pressure” landlord.
The recently launched ACORN Tenant Union of Waterloo Region is organising a demonstration targeting a landlord whom tenants say is trying to renovict all the residents in two buildings who are paying less than market rates.

2 – The Canadian Disability Act finally heading for final approval in the Senate
Disabled folks in Canada may soon receive a bit more support due to the impending approval of Bill C-22.

3 – Indigenous Solidarity Day Unity Jam in Waterloo Park.
With the tag line “Love, Lax, and Land Back”, a Solidarity Day Unity Jam and Lacrosse game, hosted by Protect the Tract, will take place in Waterloo park on June 21st.

4 – Forest fires push Waterloo Region’s air quality to the most dangerous levels in a decade.
Last week’s combination of the smoke from climate change fueled forest fires and a low pressure system off the east coast, led to Waterloo Region suffering its worst air quality levels in at least a decade


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.

Check out the archived versions of  this program on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and listen to all the LJI content at canada-info.ca.

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

Shows, Syndicated, Viewpoints

Viewpoints

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New Radio Program | Viewpoints | A national radio show exploring local contentViewpoints is the latest news magazine produced by the Community Radio Fund of Canada. It provides an overview of what’s happening across Canada, thanks to some 20 radio reporters posted across the country (British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, North West Territories, Québec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) and working for the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI). The Local Journalism Initiative supports the production of original civic journalism news content that covers the diverse needs of underserved communities across Canada. Politics, society, environment, community, arts and culture take the air on «Viewpoints» hosted by Boris Chassagne. The Community Radio Fund of Canada works in collaboration with the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA/ANREC).

Viewpoints is syndicated on Radio Waterloo from the NCRA’s !earshot Digital Distribution System, and currently airs on CKMS-FM 102.7 on Mondays from 2:30pm to 3:00pm.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2021-08-14 – Supporting Youth through the housing crisis in KW – Part 2

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Host: Sherice Alishaw

The housing crisis leads to more barriers for the marginalized individuals within our community. Residents are facing an affordable housing crisis in Waterloo region. The low income housing waitlist is almost 6 years until you are able to be offered a unit. Marginalized members of this community are struggling to find and maintain stable housing in this region. 

On this episode of CKMS News, we interview Sandy Dietrich-Bell, CEO of OneROOF a youth shelter in Kitchener. Part 2 of the interview focuses on some solutions to the housing crisis and the barriers that youth  face while trying to obtain stable housing.

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This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant project and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada and the CKMS Newsroom. 

Check out the archived versions of this program and other episodes on radiowaterloo.ca/news, and other stories commissioned under the Local Journalism Initiative at canada-info.ca

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

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2021-08-12 – Supporting Youth through the housing crisis in KW – Part 1

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Host: Sherice Alishaw

The housing crisis leads to more barriers for the marginalized individuals within our community. Residents are facing an affordable housing crisis in Waterloo region. The low income housing waitlist is almost 6 years until you are able to be offered a unit. Marginalized members of this community are struggling to find and maintain stable housing in this region. 

On this episode of CKMS News, we interview Sandy Dietrich-Bell, CEO of OneROOF a youth shelter in Kitchener. We discuss the barriers that marginalized members of our community face while trying to obtain stable housing as well as how the community can come together for a solution to this housing crisis. 

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This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant project and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada and the CKMS Newsroom. 

Check out the archived versions of this program and other episodes on radiowaterloo.ca/news, and other stories commissioned under the Local Journalism Initiative at canada-info.ca

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

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2021-08-09 – Working through hesitancy to bring residents together at the Waterloo Night Market

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Host: Krista Henry

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on how people live their lives. How we work, shop, conduct business and experience entertainment have been transformed. As we continue to emerge from long-periods of restrictions, organizations such as the Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area are trying to re-ignite the passion for coming together again for events that bring people together in a real way. Tracy Van Kalsbeek executive director of the UWBIA speaks about bringing people back to uptown.

Events are vital in the country’s economic recovery and the mental wellness of countless community members. However is there hesitancy in going back to normal with events? We explore the importance of such events and speak with Waterloo resident Sarah about comfort in participating in the community as COVID-19 restrictions ease.

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

Check out the archived versions of this program and other episodes on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and other stories commissioned under the Local Journalism Initiative at canada-info.ca.

You can follow us on twitter @RadioWaterloo. If you want to get in touch with comments, or ideas about stories to cover, email us at news@radiowaterloo.ca.

 

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS NEWS – 2021-08-09 – In Conversation with Fitsum Areguy on finding a rhythm as a journalist during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Host: Shalaka Jadhav

Fitsum Areguy is a Black activist and writer who grew up in Kitchener. He draws on years of experience as a community worker and advocate for youth rights and disability justice. Voted Waterloo Region’s ‘Best Local Writer’ in 2020, he has published in Canadian Dimension, The Waterloo Region Record, Briarpatch Magazine, The Community Edition, and Korea Expose. His interests focus on human rights, misuses of power, and community development, connecting local stories to provincial, national, and global issues through reporting and analysis.  Fitsum is also the co-founder and project director of Textile, a literary publication and writing mentorship program, where Fitsum and I work together.  

As the pandemic has impacted workers across every and any industry, we talked about the importance of upholding the complexity of local stories, finding a rhythm as a journalist during the pandemic, and of course, the launch of InsideWaterloo, an independent media initiative publishing investigative and personal stories of identity and belonging not otherwise covered by traditional media in Waterloo Region.

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

Check out the archived versions of  this program and other episodes on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and other stories commissioned under the Local Journalism Initiative at canada-info.ca.

You can  follow us on twitter @RadioWaterloo. If you want to get in touch with comments, or ideas about stories to cover, email us at news@radiowaterloo.ca.

Music for this episode was courtesy of Dylan Prowse.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2021-08-05 – Impacts of COVID-19 on women in the workforce

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Host: Krista Henry

Recent numbers released fromStatistics Canada indicated that 1.5 million women in Canada lost their jobs during the first 2 months of the pandemic. This led to unemployment rates as high as 20% among women, compared to13% among their male counterparts. 

The YWCA Canada has since developed a Feminist Recovery Plan which emphasizes that women’s rights and gender equity could see the biggest rollback if left unchecked. 

Rosalind Gunn, Director of Marketing and Communications of the YWCA Cambridge and Jennifer Gordon, Director of Advocacy at YW Kitchener-Waterloo discuss the impacts of the global pandemic their organizations have seen on women in the workplace in the Waterloo region.

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This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant program and is funded by the

Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.

Check out the archived versions of this program and other episodes on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and other stories commissioned under the Local Journalism Initiative at canada-info.ca.

You can follow us on twitter @RadioWaterloo. If you want to get in touch with comments, or ideas about stories to cover, email us at news@radiowaterloo.ca.