The Council Round-Up (Jan/Feb 2024)
A snapshot of what's happening in council chambers around Waterloo Region
Region of Waterloo:
The Region has made some recent transit improvements as they create a more environmentally friendly and sustainable transit system.
In response to record transit ridership, Regional Council is “investing $43.2 million in 36 new hybrid buses to grow and modernize Grand River Transit’s fleet.” These buses are expected to be delivered by early next year. Read the full report.
As seen in the photo above, Waterloo Region welcomed its first electric bus on January 26th. This bus is part of a fleet of eleven electric buses. The total cost for this fleet is just over $15 million, with federal and provincial funding covering more than $11 million of that total. “In 2020, the region stopped buying diesel-only buses; since that time it has added 25 hybrid diesel-electric buses to its fleet of 280.”
The fleet of eleven electric buses will find their home at the Northfield Drive Maintenance Facility which is “equipped with 12 chargers; buses can be fully charged in four hours.” As noted in the Region’s press release, “These 11 buses are part of a pilot. As they head out on the road to pick up passengers, we'll collect data about how they perform.” That data will include:
Range - how far buses can travel on a charge in different conditions;
Reliability - how the buses perform in service carrying customers every day;
Rider experience - we'll be seeking feedback from our customers on different aspects of the electric bus.
The Region will also build a new GRT station at Conestoga College’s Doon Campus. Construction will begin in spring 2025, with an expected finish date of late 2026. “The new bus platforms and heated shelters will improve the customer experience for Conestoga students, staff and the neighbouring community.” This work coincides with the new universal transit pass (U-Pass) for Conestoga students rolling out this fall. Read the full report.
Did you know that Waterloo Region is home to a Cold War bunker? We are, indeed. And what should be done with it has been a matter of discussion for a few years now. However, any plans for the abandoned Cold War bunker have been put on hold for at least two years.
The bunker “was built on the banks of the Grand River near Freeport Hospital in 1966 to protect up to 40 key officials for several weeks in the event of a nuclear attack. The windowless, 5,700-square-foot shelter had 25-centimetre-thick doors and walls, and was equipped with its own generator, septic system and water supply.”
Last year, the Region spent ~$700,000 in emergency repairs to address the leaky roof and to remove hazardous materials like asbestos and mould.
“The plan after that was to spend $50,000 on more public consultation about possible future uses for the unusual building. The region had budgeted $50,000 in 2024 for design costs, and $4.4 million in 2025 for further work to make the bunker functional.” Those plans were shelved during recent budget deliberations and Regional staff say they don't expect any work to happen until at least 2026.
Cambridge:
Cambridge Council voted unanimously in support of a motion to hire security guards to address concerns around theft and vandalism, at an annual cost of just over $300,000 (plus an additional $50,000 to purchase a vehicle). Though, according to this Record article, “the net impact is about $197,000 annually. This is because the city will realize savings on security guards it currently contracts from an outside company, as well as overtime incurred by parks and recreation staff who respond to alarm calls at city facilities after hours.”
Councillor Cooper hopes the security team will function as a deterrent because, he says, “We’re all familiar with the criminal and anti-social issues that we’ve had downtown over the years, especially the past five or six years.” Councillor Hamilton states, “this is not a motion targeting the entire unhoused population”, and that he hopes this will “deter that small group that is causing large problems.”
I tend to agree with Luisa D’Amato’s claim in this piece, that it seems some councillors believed “that this is a problem caused by homeless people. Some councillors referenced encampments and unhoused people.” Yet, “the city's dilemma — and the solution it has come up with — reveals a system that has been broken.” It seems to me that funds spent on a security team are, at best, a band-aid. The city (with much-needed funding support from the provincial and federal governments) must address the underlying issues if we are to move the needle on this at all.
Kitchener:
You may recall that I previously shared that Cambridge Councillor Scott Hamilton had put forth a motion for Cambridge to look into the possibility of using municipally-owned parking lots to allow for affordable housing to be built on top of them. While that motion failed 5-4, the idea gained traction elsewhere and Kitchener Council voted unanimously for staff to look into a proposal meant to find city-owned land that could be used for housing developments.
"Staff will be directed to identify surplus or underutilized parcels of city-owned land, including surfaces like parking lots, which could be considered for the development of housing, including affordable housing, and will present a list of options to city council” later this year, said ward 2 Councillor Dave Schnider.
Council has also approved an “honorarium and reimbursement policy for advisory and quasi-judicial committees that aims to enhance equity, diversity, and inclusion by recognizing and removing barriers that prevent members of the public from making a meaningful contribution to the City's decision-making process.” This policy saw city staff conduct an environmental scan, a survey of over 30 municipalities, two internal surveys and a governance review. To learn more, read the full report online.
Waterloo:
Prime Minister Trudeau was in Waterloo last month to announce that the federal government reached an agreement with Waterloo “to fast-track 650 new housing units over the next three years. This work will help spur the construction of more than 15,000 homes over the next decade and help meet the demand in Waterloo.”
Waterloo will receive over $22 million through the Housing Accelerator Fund. By reducing barriers, these funds will “create more housing options in the city, including more rentals, affordable units, and housing near university and college campuses.” This announcement follows Waterloo Council’s recent decision to allow up to four units as-of-right, and up to four storeys in low-density neighbourhoods.
Waterloo Council recently approved their three year operating and capital budget plan. “The three year budget supports existing programs and services, as well as service delivery enhancements and additions based on the Strategic Plan, operating funding to support new capital assets and continued investment in infrastructure renewal.”
The budget includes property tax increases of:
6.14% in 2024 — average increase of $91 per household
6.34% in 2025 — average increase of $99 per household
6.41% in 2026 — average increase of $107 per household
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