HomeMy WebLinkAboutCIS Agenda - 2020-10-19Community &Infrastructure Services Committee
Agenda
Monday,October 19, 2020
1:00 p.m. -5:00p.m.
Office of the City Clerk
Electronic Meeting
Kitchener City Hall
nd
200 King St.W. -2
Floor
Kitchener ON N2G 4G7
Page 1Chair -Councillor K. Galloway-SealockVice-Chair -Councillor D. Schnider
Due to COVID-19 and recommendations by Waterloo Region Public Health to exercise physical
distancing, City Hall is open for select services. Members of the public are invited to participate in this
meeting electronically by accessing the meeting live-stream video at kitchener.ca/watchnow.
While in-person delegation requests are not feasible at this time, members of the public are invited to
submit written comments or participate electronically in the meeting by contacting Dianna Saunderson,
Committee Administrator at dianna.saunderson@kitchener.ca. Delegates must register by 11:30a.m.
onOctober 19, 2020, in order to participate electronically. Written comments will be circulated prior to
the meeting and will form part of the public record.
Consent Items
The following matters are considered not to require debate and should be approved by one motion in accordance
with the recommendation contained in each staff report. Amajority vote is required to discuss any report listed
as under this section.
1.INS-20-013-Assisted ServicesProgram –WorkingCentreGrant
2.DSD-20-156-Land Sale -Ottawa Street Right of Way
Delegations
Pursuant to Council’s Procedural By-law, delegations are permitted to address the Committee for a maximum of five
(5)minutes.
None at this time
Discussion Items
3.CSD-20-004-Advancing the City’s Work on Equity, Anti-Racism, Indigenous(60min)
Initiatives & Social Justice Issues (eg. Homelessness)
(Staff will provide a 5-minute presentation on this matter)
4.INS-20-016-Natural Gas Rates(30min)
(Staff will provide a 5-minute presentation on this matter)
5.INS-20-015-2020Cycling and Trails Master Plan(120min)
(Staff will provide a 10-minute presentation on this matter)
Information Items
None
Dianna Saunderson
Committee Administrator
** Accessible formats and communication supports are available upon request. If you require assistance to
take part in a city meeting or event, please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 **
REPORT TO:Community & Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:October 19, 2020
SUBMITTED BY:Niall Lobley,Director of Parks & Cemeteries,
PREPARED BY:Niall Lobley, Director of Parks & Cemeteries
WARD(S) INVOLVED:All
DATE OF REPORT:September 29, 2020
REPORT NO.:INS-20-013
SUBJECT:Assisted Services Program – Working Center Grant
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
That subject to annual budget approval, Council provide a grant of up to$220k per
year to the Working Center in order that they provide assisted services (winter
sidewalk clearing) to up to 325 properties annually; and
That such a grant be adjusted based on the number of residential properties
serviced year over year and be reflective of the operational costs incurred by the
Working Center to deliver services; and further
That the grantis not eligible to be used forsub-contractingthird party commercial
contractors to perform the services outlined in this report, and further,
That Mayor and Clerk be authorized to enter into a three year grant agreement with
The Working Centre to provide the services outlined in this report andalso in INS-
20-010, subject tothe satisfaction of the City Solicitor;
BACKGROUND:
In September,2020, Council provided direction to staff to implement an Assisted Services
program on an ongoing basis to support residents who may be unable to clear residential
sidewalks in front of their properties due to age or disability(INS-20-010).
REPORT:
As per the approved Assisted Services Program, in winter 2020/21 up to 175 residential
properties will be supported through the program. 75 additional properties will be included
each year thereafter reaching 325 available spaces in winter 2022/23.
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It is hoped that the Working Center will be able to continue to support the program. The
partnership between City and Working Center provides multiple benefits to the
community; it provides an effective way of clearing snow from properties in the assisted
services program as demonstrated in previous years pilot programs, and also delivers
significant social value. Through this program, the Working Center is able to provide
meaningful employment to low-income and street-involved individuals.
The grant provided to the Working Center each year will be reflective of the number of
residential properties being supported each year. It is estimated that this grant will be
$120k in 2020/21, increasing by approximately $50k annuallyuntil demand for the
program is met.
Residents will be able to apply to participate in the program each year through an
application process. Previous recipients will be invited to re-apply each year. Applicants
will need to confirm age and/or disability status and confirm financial eligibility. Staff will
actively promote the program, seeking to ensurea high level of community awareness of
the program and that all members of the community that could benefit from the program
are aware of it. Through this communication and sustained growth in the program it is
hoped that capacity will grow so that all eligible members of our community that wish to
use the program are able to be supported.
The term of the initial grant is three years to provide the Working Center the maximum
ability to be able to plan to support the program through its growth. If at any time the
Working Centre is unable to support the whole program, the grant will not be paid and
alternative delivery solutions sought. In the event that the Working Center is onlyable to
meet part of the demand, the grant will be reduced accordingly and staff will seeking to
locate alternative means (contract out) any remaining eligible residential clearing needs.
Sustained growth of the program will be pending annual budgetary approvals by Council.
INFORM:
This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the
council / committee meeting.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision
throughthe delivery of core service.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Council has directed that 175 spaces are available on the program in 2020/21 and that
this should be increased by 75 spaces annually thereafter. Funding to support the
program is referred to annual budgetary processes but is estimated at:
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$120,000 in winter 2020/21
$170,000 in winter 2021/22
$220,000 in winter 2022/23
PREVIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER:
th
Most recently, this matter was discussed and supported by Council at the September 14
Council meeting in supplemental report, INS-20-010, supported by INS-20-09.
However, this matter has also been raised in INS-18-023, and INS-19-009 in which
Council directed staff to work on an Assisted Services pilot program working with the
Working Center. These pilots have ledto the recommendation in INS-20-10 and INS-
20-09.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Denise McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services,
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REPORT TO: Community & InfrastructureServices Committee
DATE OF MEETING: October 19, 2020
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Bennett, Manager, Business Development, 519-741-2200 X 7230
PREPARED BY: Rob Morgan, Capital Investment Advisor/Brownfield Co-ordinator,
519-741-2200 x7734
WARD (S) INVOLVED: Ward 5
DATE OF REPORT:September 9, 2020
REPORT NO.: DSD-20-156
SUBJECT: Land Sale – Ottawa Street Right of Way
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute aconditionalAgreementof Purchase
and Salewith Kitchener Trussler Holdings Inc.for their acquisition of the City’s remnant
piece of the Ottawa Street South road allowance having an area of approximately 2.21
acres, at a purchase price of $884,000.00, subject to the City’s conditions, and that the
subject road allowance beclosed anddeclared surplus to the City’s needs; said
agreement to be to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor; and further,
That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute all documentation required to
complete the transaction, said documentation to be to the satisfaction of the City
Solicitor.
BACKGROUND:
The City was approached by a development company Kitchener Trussler Holdings(KTH) that owns the
land on both sides of theCity’s remnant piece of the Ottawa St road allowanceRight of Way (ROW).
KTHwould like to consolidate the parcels to form a contiguous land parcel to allow for the development
of acomprehensiveresidential subdivision with a mixed-use component.
The developer’s lands to the south, shown on the attached plan, also contain a house that Heritage
Kitchener has requested be retained and designated under the Heritage Act. The developer is working
with our Heritage Planner to facilitate same.
The subject site as well as the potential purchaser’s lands are designated Mixed Use in the City’s
Official Plan and are currently zoned Agricultural A-1.KTH will be required to apply for a zone change
to completethe Plan of Subdivision registration.
The request to purchase the City lands was circulated to the City’s Property Management Team as well
as the Regionand no objections to the sale of the landwere raised.
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Conditions:
The sale of the property is subject to the following conditions:
1.Ifthe Purchaser does not complete the plan of subdivision within 5 yearsof the closing of
this transaction, the City reserves the right to repurchase the subject lands at 90% of the
purchase price.
2.That the subject land is not to be resold prior to the registration of the plan of subdivision.
Land Value
The purchase price of $884,000.00 is fair market value for the subject parcel of land based on
an appraisal secured by the City.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through
the delivery of core service.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The proceeds from the transaction will be deposited into the Land Reserve Account.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the
council / committee meeting.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services
Department
Enclosures: Property location
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Property Location:
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REPORT TO: Community & Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: October 19, 2020
SUBMITTED BY: Michael May, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, ex. 7079
PREPARED BY: Michael May, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, 7079
Denise McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services, ex. 4657
Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services, ex. 7646
WARD (S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT:October 8, 2020
REPORT NO.: CSD-20-004
SUBJECT: Advancing the City’s Work on Equity, Anti-Racism, Indigenous
Initiatives& Social Justice Issues (eg. Homelessness)
__________________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City advance its work on equity, anti-racism and Indigenous initiatives, as well as other
social justice issues(eg. homelessness),through the creationof a dedicated staff team, as
outlined in CSD-20-004, which will provide senior level leadershipandinternal staff expertise in
theseareas; and that the associated funding for that team be built into the 2021 budget.
BACKGROUND:
Mayor’s Task Force on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)
In late 2019, the Mayor’s Task Force on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) was created to support the
achievement of the following priority in the City’s Strategic Plan – “Create a comprehensive Equity,
Diversity and Inclusion Strategy by 2020 to combat systemic barriers to full economic and social
participation in the city.”
The Task Force consists of approximately 30 members of the community, who are demographically
representative of the City’s overall population,and 15 City staff. Councillors Singh and Marsh, as well as
the Mayor are also on the Task Force. The mandate of the Task Force isfocused on four broad areas:
1) broadening community engagement in municipal decision-making – particularly for people who
are traditionally under-represented;
2) improving equitable municipal service deliveryto Kitchener’s diverse population;
3) encouraging, maintaining and promoting a more inclusive workplace and diverse workforceat
the City of Kitchener for both employees and volunteers, and;
4) celebrating the full diversityof the Kitchener community.
Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began the Task Force was paused, however, it has now resumed
and is targeting 2021 for completionof its work.
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Alongside the early work of the Task Force, in 2019 the Cityalsoimplemented a number of equity-focused
initiatives, including:
1)providing preliminary EDI awareness training to over 200 City staff.(In 2020, the City engaged
Kike Ojo of KojoInstitute to provide additional training to City Council and to the City’s entire
management team – approx. 150 staff);
2)administering and publicly reporting on the City’s first-ever Workforce Census(intended to
become a regular measurement tool in the years ahead);
3)beginning to collect demographic data on Engage Kitchener surveys as well as applications to
participate on Council advisory committees, and;
4)proceeding with a tender to secure on-demand interpretation support for residents.
City’s Initial Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report
In 2019, City Council directed staff to proceed with the implementation of the Truth & Reconciliation Calls
to Action starting with two priorities (COR-19-021):
1)Introduce a territorial acknowledgement at the commencement of City Councilmeetingsto signal
a commitment to responding to the Truth & Reconciliation Calls to Action, and to demonstrate
respect for the ongoing relationships we are building; and
2) Implementa training program for staff and Council that will increase Indigenous competency at
an organizational level, resulting in improved customer service and increased capacity of non-
Indigenous staff across the organization to work respectfully and appropriately on Indigenous
initiatives in a municipal context.
Internal capacity building within the City of Kitchener isnowunderway and Indigenous Inter-cultural
competency training was organized in spring 2020 for Council and staff, however, itwas deferred due to
the pandemic and inability to deliver in-person training. Staff areworking with municipal partners to
identify an alternative approach to delivering the training.
In early 2020, the City leveraged a $25,000 donation from the Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation
to support the exploration of Indigenous opportunities in the Huron Natural Area (HNA). The project
focuses on understanding Indigenous use of HNA through key focus areas:
Cultural awareness programming and activities; exploring Indigenous education programs, Forest
School initiatives, storytelling through signage and guided walks, etc.
Land-based restoration and stewardship; includes exploring how traditional land-based
Indigenous ecological knowledge can be integrated and utilized to enhance the existing
restoration, stewardship and engagement programs delivered in the park.
Events, ceremony and celebration; includes exploring how the park can function as a space for
Indigenous events and celebrations for both public participation as well as private ceremonies
The HNA initiative was paused in the initial stages of the pandemic and was re-initiated in July with the
completion of the recruitment process and onboarding of an Indigenous Parks Engagement Associate to
support this work.
It is recognized that the initial response to the TRC’s calls to action provide a starting point in the City’s
journey to develop meaningful relationships and work toward reconciliation with local First Nations, Métis
and Inuit.However, a more comprehensive approach to reconciliation is required to address systemic
inequities, racism and to support, celebrate and deliver services to Indigenous Peoples in Kitchener.
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City of Kitchener Housing Strategy
In late 2019, a Housing Strategy Advisory Committee was formed to provide advice on the creation of an
affordable housing strategy for the City of Kitchener. That advisory committee is comprisedof 35
members of the public, the non-profit community, advocates, people with lived experience, the
development communityand academia, as well as municipal, regional and provincial staff. Councillors
Chapman, Michaud, Schnider and Singhare also on the committee.
The Affordable Housing Strategy will be the first time in decades that the City of Kitchener has undertaken
a comprehensive study of affordability across the housing continuum, which includes addressing
homelessness, social, non-market and market housing.
A draft Housing Strategy was presented to Council on August 31, 2020and staff are expecting to present
a final strategy to Council for its consideration in December 2020.The strategy will clearly define what
roles the City of Kitchener should play that are complementary to work of the Region,province and federal
governments, as well asthe non-profit sector and the private sector, to help ensure housing is provided
in the city that meets the needs of existing and future residents.
REPORT:
The City of Kitchener currently does not have any permanent staff dedicated toworking onissues of
equity, anti-racism,Indigenous initiatives, and othersocial justice issues such aspoverty,homelessness
and addictions(eg. consumption and treatment servicessite).As a result, Citystaffhas limited expertise,
or lived experience,in these areasto make informed decisions and recommendations to City Council.
To rectify this lack of staff subject matter expertise and lived experience, the workplan of the EDI Task
Force(first created in 2019 and updated in 2020), as well as the City’s Housing Strategy, both
contemplated making recommendations to City Council in Q3/4 of 2020 to secure dedicated staffing with
expertise in these areas.
Recent events within the local community havesolidified andaccelerated the need to secure thatstaff
expertise on an urgent basis:
On June 3, 2020, local leaders from Black Lives Matter WaterlooRegion, the African Caribbean
Black(ACB)Network, and otherscommunity leaders, organized a very successful Black Lives
Matter march in downtown Kitchener. This march, which was organized in response to the deaths
of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Regis Korchinski-Paquet, served as a
catalyst for urgentcommunity conversations about anti-Black racism.It also demonstrated a
desire from many residents for the City and othersto acturgentlyto dismantlesystemic racism.
On June 20, 2020, members of the local Indigenous communities established the O:se
Kenhionhata:tie Land Back Camp in Victoria Park. One of the demands of the camp organizers
wasthe need tofor local municipalities tocreate paid, permanentIndigenous staff positionsto
engagewith local First Nations, Métis, and Inuit. The camp has received significant support from
community members. In addition, staff have had discussionswith other local Indigenous
community members including the Wellbeing Waterloo Region’s First Nations, Métis, Inuit
Advisory and Advocacy Circle. These discussions have strongly reinforced the need for the City
to secure internal staff expertise to move forward on its obligations under the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission (see below).
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In March 2020, as traditional housing supports were being closed as a result of COVID-19 related
public health restrictions, several members of the community came together to create “A Better
Tent City” at Lot 42. This new form of shelter (in Kitchener), which has received significant support
from a broad cross-section of the community, was intended to establish a safer and more stable
alternative to informal encampments for individuals experiencing homelessness. At the same
time, a number of community partners such asthe House of Friendship, Lutherwood, YW
Kitchener-Waterloo, YMCA, ROOFandRay of Hope have had to pivot to utilize new shelter
models.Moving forward, the City and the Region are continuing to engagecommunity members
and partners in creative ways to reimage the shelter system and establish new supportive housing
options in the community.
Increasing Need for Dedicated City Staffing:
There are several factorscontributing to the urgent need for the City to securepermanent and dedicated
internalstaffexpertise to work on these important areas:
1)Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report
The Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2015) provided a directive in the form
of Calls to Action to address the harm caused by the residential school system as well as other
systemic barriers and inequities faced by First Nations,Metis andInuit. The Calls to Action
established that municipalities have a responsibility to support reconciliation work directly within the
City’s mandate and to further support interjurisdictional cooperation in the application of Calls to
Action directed at other levels of government, organizations and industries. Within Kitchener there
are many opportunities to work with local First Nations, Metis and Inuit to pursue reconciliation in a
number of areas within the City’s jurisdiction, including: arts and culture, events, heritage, sport,
parks/land development and environment/sustainability.This work could include public art,
Indigenous music and performance, Indigenous sport and inclusion of Indigenous athletes in allforms
of sport, representing Indigenous content in heritage narratives to prevent erasure of Indigenous
societies, collaborating on land stewardship initiatives to promote sustainability, and Indigenous
access to land for the purposes of ceremony, food gathering and community/cultural development.
Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final reportwas released five years ago, City staff
have startedto move forward on the City’s reconciliation obligations, however, with no internal staff
experience dedicated to leading this work, the City has made minimalprogress. Understandably,
members of local Indigenous communities, as well as others in the community, have become
increasinglyfrustrated by the slow progress to implement meaningful action to honour this important
work. Staff have heard clearly and repeatedly from members of local Indigenous communities, that
the City requires permanent, dedicated staff who have direct lived experience, cultural understanding
and an Indigenous world view to identify and implement organizational change in the form of
community engagement, customer service and workplace inclusion, as well as to facilitate
Indigenization opportunities within the community to support the TRC’s intent to restore culture,
promote healing and improve relationships.
2)Ontario Human Rights Code
The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits actions that discriminate based on protected grounds in a
protected social area, which includes accommodation (housing), contracts, employment,
goods/services/facilities, and membership in unions/trade/professional associations. The overall aim
of the Code is the creation of aclimate of dignity, mutual respect, and the ability to meaningfully
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contribute to community. In order to fulfill the legal responsibilities outlined in the Code, the City must
provide resources and services which uphold the expectations of the Code, such as ongoing staff,
volunteer and Council training, policy and process reviews, and the ongoing systematic collection and
reporting of disaggregated demographic data. For the most part, this work is currently not being done
by the Cityin a proactive and coordinator mannerand it will require internal staff expertiseand
additional capacityto effectively move it forward.
3)City’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion(EDI)Workplan(2020/2021)
Working with input from the EDI Task Force, staff have developed an updated EDI workplanfor
2020/2021which balances the need to make fundamental changes to the organization, with the need
to respond to input from members of the local African Caribbean Black(ACB)and Indigenous
communities, as well as many others. That workplan, which will significantly increase staff workload
in these areas, is made up of8 specific bodies of work:
1)Create a new corporate equity and inclusion policyand make changes to existing policies
through an equity lens.
2)Develop a comprehensiveand targetedEDI training program for Council, staff and volunteers.
3)Make changes to recruitment and promotional practices to remove systemic barriers.
4)Establish a strategy to collect and report disaggregated demographic data from staff,
volunteers and service users.
5)Make changes to the City’s corporate communications from an equity-informed perspective,
including how to recognize and celebrate specific events.
6)Develop a new mentorship program for youth living in low-income households.
7)Develop a program to help fund community groups working on issues of equity, anti-racism
and Indigenous initiatives.
8)Create a team of permanent staff to provide municipal leadership on issues equity,anti-racism
and Indigenous initiatives forward within the organization.
In the months ahead, staff will work with members of the Task Force, as well as other subject matter
experts and community partners, to move this work forward. Many of the workplan items listed above
willalsorequire additional community engagement before they are finalized, and in most cases,
brought back to City Council for its consideration.
4)City of Kitchener Housing Strategy
TheCity’sHousing Needs Assessment,presented to Council in January 2020, outlined thefact that
increases to the cost of renting or owning a home have far outpacedthe costs of inflationin recent
years.That Assessment also documented increasing levels of homelessness within the City and the
inability of the existing emergency shelter system to meet the needs of people who were experiencing
homelessnessand challenged by addiction and mental health issues.
In responseto these findings, theCity’sdraft housing strategy, which was presented to City Council
in September 2020, focused on five main themes:
1)Meeting Needs – through the establishment of housing targets within the housing continuum;
2)What the City Can Do – through city policies, incentives and the use of city lands;
3)Working Together –through the development of a collaborative funding strategy, advocacy
and partnerships;
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4)Being Informed/Informing – continue to collect better quality data on housing and
homelessness, regularly update counciland further engage around housing needs within
specific demographic groups of the Kitchener community; and,
5)Implementation/Workplan – develop annual workplans, including budget, timing and
responsibilities and public reporting on progress.
Within those five themes staff anticipate the final strategy willincludearound 20 strategic actions,all
of which will require dedicated staffing to ensure they are effectively implemented (and to ensure the
strategyand recommendationsdoesn’t simply sit on a shelf). In addition to coordinatingthe
implementation of the strategywith other City staff, as well as community and government partners,
there will be a significant body of work requiredthat will come out of this strategy to collect, analyze
and report on housing trends, advocate and respond to federal, provincial and regional initiatives and
to coordinate the implementation of the actions within the housing strategy.
As the City beings to undertake all of these new bodies of work as outlined in its housing strategy, it
will be important that the it utilizes an equity lens. This is also true as the City continues to increase
its focus in other social justice issues, such as poverty, mental health and addictions.
Staffing Team Proposal:
Given the lack of internal staff expertise in these areas,the Corporate Leadership Team believes the
creation of an internal staff team dedicated to this work is a top priority for investment on an urgent basis.
To that end, staff are recommendingthecreation of an Equity, Anti-Racism and Indigenous Initiatives
team that would provide the City and City Council, with dedicated leadership, expertise and senior level
competencies in issues of equity, anti-racism, discrimination, Indigenous initiatives, andother social
justice issues such as homelessness, poverty,mental health and addictions.
Mandate:
The mandate of this dedicated staffteam would be to:
1)Lead the Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) in an ongoing process of identifying and eliminating
systemic barriers and inequities, such as those based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation,
age, religious practices, and/or disability.
2)Lead CLTand the Director of Human Resources in the ongoing work of creating a more inclusive
workplace culture and diverse workforce through foundational changes to policies, practices and
accountability mechanisms in place to uphold the City’s obligations under the Ontario Human
Rights code.
3)Work with CLT to enhance the City’s engagement with members of the community who have
been traditionally excludedfrom municipal decision-making and service provision, as well as
community-led organizations and other local municipal governments focused on equitable access
to municipal supports/services.
4)Recommend new municipal programs/initiatives (or changes to/cancellation of existing ones) that
support marginalized members of the community, as well as community organizations focused
on equity, anti-racism, and Indigenous related issues.
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5)Develop, implement and oversee a multi-year evaluation and accountability strategy, inongoing
collaboration with the community,to monitor, measure and publicly report on the City’s work on
equity, anti-racism and Indigenous initiatives in order to identify successes, challenges, gaps and
areas for improvement.
6)Facilitate the development and implementation of City policies/partnerships/programs related to
other socialjustice issues (e.g. homelessness, mental healthand addictions) through an equity
framework.
Instead of working as a standalone business unit, the work of this team will become embedded in the
work of the City of Kitchenerby providing support and guidance to staff across the entire organization –
similar to the operations of other internal support services such as Human Resources, Legal Services
and Corporate Communications.
Team Structure:
Staff are proposing the team be made up of the followingfull-time FTEs as outlined below:
Full job descriptions for each of these proposed positions have been developed based on research into
similar functions in other Canadian municipalities, as well as input gathered through consultations with
members of the Mayor’s EDI Task Force,and severalmembers of the local ACB and Indigenous
communities.The following provides a high-level summary(not fully inclusive of all the job
responsibilities)of eachof theproposed positions:
1)Director (Equity, Anti-Racism & Indigenous Initiatives) – Provide leadership andexpert
recommendations to City Council, CLT,andothermembers of the Equity, Anti-Racism and
Indigenous Initiatives team to fulfill their mandate. Foster strong and mutually beneficial
relationships with people, organizations and governments working on issues of equity, anti-
racism,Indigenous initiativesand social justice (eg. homelessness, addictions), as well as senior
staff across the City of Kitchener organization.As a Director(which is a senior-level positionwithin
the organization), this position would be a member of the Corporate ManagementTeam.
2)Senior Indigenous Advisor – Through collaboration and engagement with the local First
Nations, Metis and Inuit, as well as the application of Indigenous knowledge and traditions,
provide recommendations to the Director, Corporate Leadership Team and City Councilin support
of the City’s response to the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission.Foster strong and
mutually beneficial relationships with local First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities and
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organizations. Make recommendations on the creation/adjustment/cancellationof partnerships
and initiativesthat will benefit local Indigenous communities.
3)Senior Anti-Racism Advisor – Lead the City’s Corporate Leadership Team and City Council
(where applicable), in the development and ongoing implementation of a sustained, multi-year
process to identify, disrupt and eliminate systemic barriers,inequities andracismwithin the City
of Kitchener. Foster strong and mutually beneficial relationships withBIPOC (Black, Indigenous,
People of Colour) individuals and organizations focused on the needs of the BIPOC community.
Make recommendations on the creation/adjustment/cancellation of partnerships and initiatives
that are beneficial for BIPOCmembers of thecommunity.
4)Research & Data Analyst – Support the Equity, Anti-Racism and Indigenous Initiatives team with
tasks related to research, data collection, analysis and reporting to fulfill their team mandate.
Implement a multi-year evaluation strategy to publicly monitor, measure and report on theCity’s
work in these areasand implement a cycle of public reporting to key stakeholders. Implement the
City’s strategy to collect and publicly report disaggregated data of staff, service/program users
and volunteers once it has been developed (part of the City’s EDI workplan).
5)Social Planning Associate – Provide recommendations to the Director and Corporate
Leadership Team on emerging social justice issues (eg. homelessness, poverty, consumption
and treatment sites), and the application of an equity-informed framework for social justicerelated
projects and initiatives.Lead the implementation and coordination of the actions outlined in the
City’s Housing Strategy. Facilitate the development of City policies or programs related to social
justice through an equity-lens(eg. homelessness, mental health and addictions).
Staff believe that given the urgency to secure internal expertise in these areas, the recruitment process
for the Director position should beginimmediately, in the hopes it will be completed by the end of 2020
or early 2021.Recruitment for the other FTEs would take place throughout 2021under the guidance of
the newly hiredDirector.
It is important to note that the exact vision for this team, and the specific job responsibilitiesfor each
position, will likely change over time as the City gains additional experienceand expertisein these areas,
as community needs change, and as the Director is brought on board and will no doubt have specific
thoughts and vision for the details of how this team can best work together.
Measures to Support Team’s Success:
The work of this staff team will be challengingand will likely not always be well received/supportedby
key stakeholders inside and outside the organization. These challenges will take a personal and a
professional toll on the individuals who fill the roles.In order to provide those individuals with the personal
supports they will need, and to set the staff team up to succeed, the following actions will be taken:
1)Staff will utilize the services of an external recruiter to support the recruitment of the Director – and
other roles if the need is identified by the Director.Extra, targeted efforts will be made to promote the
job opportunityto attract the best candidate.
2)The Director will be provided with an external coach (of their choosing)to serve as an independent
advisor as they are onboarded and beginto move this work forwardwithin the organization.
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3)The Director will be mentored by the CAO to help build a direct 1-on-1 relationship and to provide
them with an opportunity to better understand the corporate culture, practices and personalities.
4)Regularly scheduled and targeted sessions will be organized between the Director, their team, and
all members of the Corporate Leadership Teamto ensure ongoing alignment and active support for
the team’s work from the City’s most senior staff members.
5)The staff team will work directly with an external public advisory committee(s) to provide them with
personal/professional support and guidance, and to ensure public accountability for their work.There
may be an opportunity for cross-regional collaboration on an advisory committee(s), the details of
which will be determinedonce the Director has been brought onboard.
6)The team will be provided administrative support to allow them to focus on their core responsibilities.
7)Additional supports will be put in place for all members of the staff team on the advice of the Director
(once they are hired).
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
City of Kitchener 2019 – 2022Strategic Priority: Caring Community – Enhance people’s sense of
belonging and connection by providing welcoming community spaces and programs; better engaging,
serving and supporting our diverse populations and helping to make housing affordable.
Strategic Plan Action: Create a comprehensive Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy by 2020 to
combat systemic barriers to full economic and social participation in the city.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The costs associated with the creation of the proposedFTEs (eg. salary, fringebenefits, IT and phone
costs, training) is $556,000. By phasing the hiring of these positions throughout 2021, the impact to the
operating budget can be spread out over two years($353,600in 2021 and $202,400in 2022).
Should Council approve this proposal, the Corporate Leadership Team is committed to working these
costs into the 2021 budgetwhile maintaining a tax rate increase that is at, or below, the average rate of
inflation for 2020 and 2019 (as per Council’s approve policy).
In addition to these standard staffing related costs, other funding will be required to
operationalize/implement the activities of this team. Staff will prioritize funding from existing accounts to
support those activities in 2021. This will provide the Director and their team with the funding they need
in 2021, and the time they need to develop a better understanding of their detailed workplan and funding
needs in advance of the 2022 budget process.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
In preparing this proposal, staff consulted with members of the Mayor’s Task Force on Equity, Diversity
and Inclusion, as well as several members of local Indigenous communities, and the African, Caribbean,
Black community.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: DAN CHAPMAN, CAO
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REPORT TO:Community & Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:October 19, 2020
SUBMITTED BY:Greg St. Louis,Director of Utilities, 519-741-2600 ext. 4538
PREPARED BY:Greg St. Louis, Director of Utilities, 519-741-2600 ext. 4538
WARD(S) INVOLVED:All
DATE OF REPORT:October 8, 2020
REPORT NO.:INS-20-016
SUBJECT:NATURAL GASRATES
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
That Kitchener Utilities’ natural gas rates be approvedas proposed in report INS-
20-016 - Appendix A, for all Kitchener delivery customers effective November 1,
2020.
BACKGROUND:
Kitchener Utilities provides safe, reliable and economical natural gas. A balanced
approach to mitigate rate risks and provide rate stability for the gas supply program is
followed. Kitchener Utilities natural gas rates have twocomponents: gas supply,andgas
delivery.The gas supply program is responsible for the purchase of the gas commodity
and transportation of natural gas to Kitchener andis a pass-through cost program. The
delivery program is responsible for delivery of natural gas to customers. This includes
billing, meter reading, capital, maintenance and operating costs of the distribution system.
The following are key highlights of this natural gas rate change report:
Kitchener Utilities is able to keep the natural gas supply rate stable at the
current rate forsystem gas customers;
The delivery components of the proposed natural gas ratesarerecommended
to change as proposed in Appendix A;
An average residential customer will see an overall rate increase of less than
stst
a dollar per monthor 1.5%, for the period November 1, 2020to October 31,
2021 with the proposed rate change.
REPORT:
Kitchener Utilities’ natural gas rates are set annuallyin October to provide certainty to gas
consumers on natural gas rates as the heating season begins.There are two components
associated with natural gas rates – gas supply and gas delivery.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
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Gas Supply:
The gas supply rates are impacted by natural gas supply, demand, and the weather.The
purchase price of gas was forecastedto increase in 2020. Based on this, the gas supply
rate wasprojectedto increase from 13.50 cents to 13.51 cents per cubic metreduring the
2020budgetprocess.However,demand of naturalgas in North America decreased
lowering the cost to purchasegas. As a result, staff were able to secure natural gas at a
lower priceand the associated savings are passed along to Kitchener Utilities customers
with natural gas supply rate being held constant at the current rate of 13.5cents per cubic
metreinto 2021.
Gas Delivery:
There are two components to the delivery charges: a daily fixed charge, and a variable
rate. There are four Delivery Rate Groups: M1, M2, M4 and M5. These rates service
customers of different volumetric requirements. The delivery components of the proposed
natural gas rates are shown in Appendix A.
As illustrated in Appendix A, the fixed rate per day remains unchanged.There is a
requirement to raise the delivery M1, (residential)rate by 0.5 cents per cubic metre from
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20.5871 cents per mto 21.0871cents per m,representing approximately 1.5% net
impactto customers in the M1 system gas Rate Group.In addition, there is a requirement
to increase M4 rate (Firm Industrial & Commercial Contract) fixeddemand charge from
52.9 cents per cubic meter to 56.9 cents per cubic meter. This is on the first 8,450 cubic
meters of gas.This will impact five industrial and one commercial customer.
The key drivers of delivery rate changes are the following:
Gas delivery system capacity upgrades required to ensure critical minimum supply
volumes are available to customers
Gas meter purchases to meet regulatory requirements of Measurements Canada
Inflationary increasesto operating and capital expenditures
Measures to offset these impacts include holding maintenance programs at 2020 funding
levels, reductions in marketing, efficiencies intraining, anddrawingfrom the gas capital
reserve to address 2021and 2022capital pressures.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision
through the delivery of core service.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
For an average system gas residential (M1) customer consuming 2,100 cubic meters
annually, the proposed natural gas rates result in an increase tothe overall annual bill by
$10.50 for the period November 1, 2020to October 31, 2021.
The Government of Ontario is making funding available tosupport eligible residential,
small business and charitable organization customers struggling to pay their energy bills
as a result of COVID-19. COVID-19 Energy Assistance Programs is being delivered
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directly by Kitchener Utilities following therules andprogram criteria laid out by the
Ontario Energy Board (OEB). The program provides a one time, on-bill credit to eligible
electricity and natural gas customers to help them catch up on their energy bills and
resume regular payments.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Kitchener Utilities will work with the Corporate Communicationsand MarketingDivision
to ensure that media outlets are provided with a press release to inform customers. An
insert is being prepared to be distributed with utility bills in Novemberand information will
be posted ontheKitchener Utilities’ and City website. An on-bill message will also appear
on Novembernatural gas bills.
INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance
of the councilmeeting.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Denise McGoldrick,General Manager,
Infrastructure Services
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APPENDIX A
CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER
NATURAL GAS
GENERAL SERVICE RATEM1
Applicability
To residential and non-contract commercial and industrial customersthat consume less than 50,000 m³ per year.
Rate
Daily Fixed Charge$ .7300
And
VARIABLE DELIVERY
SUPPLY COMMODITY
NET RATE
RATE
333
¢/m¢/m¢/m
13.50007.587121.0871
Meter Readings
Gas consumption by each customer under this rate schedule shall be determined by periodic meter readings, provided that in
circumstances beyond the control of the Corporation, such as strikes or non-access to a meter,The Corporation may estimate
the monthly consumption between the meter readings and render a monthly bill to the customer.
Effective
November1, 2020
Policy Relating to Terms of Service
1)Gas purchased under this rate schedule shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer,unless resold as “motor
vehicle fuel gas”, as that term is defined in Ontario Regulation 805/82.
2)Customers who temporarily discontinue service during any twelve consecutive months without payment of the monthly
fixed charge for the months in which the gasis temporarily disconnected shall pay for disconnection and reconnection.
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CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER
NATURAL GAS
GENERAL SERVICE RATE – M2
Applicability
To residential and non-contract commercial and industrial customers that consume 50,000 m³ and more per year.
Rate
Daily Fixed Charge $2.3000
And
SUPPLY COMMODITY VARIABLE DELIVERY NET RATE
RATE
333
¢/m¢/m¢/m
13.50006.437319.9373
Meter Readings
Gas consumption by each customer under this rate schedule shall be determined by periodic meter readings, provided that in
circumstances beyond the control of the Corporation, such as strikes or non-access to a meter,The Corporation may estimate
the monthly consumption between the meter readings and render a monthly bill to the customer.
Effective
November1, 2020
Policy Relating to Terms of Service
2)Gas purchased under this rate schedule shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer, unless resold as “motor
vehicle fuel gas”, as that term is defined in Ontario Regulation 805/82.
3)Customers who temporarily discontinue service during any twelve consecutive months without payment of the monthly
fixed charge for the months in which the gas is temporarily disconnected shall pay for disconnection and reconnection.
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CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER
NATURAL GAS
FIRM INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONTRACT RATE – M4
Applicability
To a customer who enters into a contract for a minimum term of one year, that specifies a daily contracted demand (CD)as follows:
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Between 2,400 mand 140,870 m.
Rate
1.Bills will be rendered monthly and shall be the total of:
i)AFixed Demand Charge:
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First8,450 mof the daily contracted demand,56.9000¢/m
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Next19,700 mof the daily contracted demand,19.8000¢/m
333
All mover28,150mof the daily contracted demand,16.8000¢/m
ii)A Variable Delivery Charge(incl. storage):
3
First 422,250 m3 delivered per month1.4000 ¢/m
3
Next volume equal to 15 days use of CD1.4000 ¢/m
3
Remainderof volumes delivered in the month1.4000 ¢/m
iii)A Monthly Gas Supply Charge:
3
Supply Commodity 13.5000¢/m
2.Over-run Charge
Authorized overrun gas is available provided that it is authorized by the Corporation in advance.The Corporation will not
unreasonably withhold authorization.Overrun means gas taken on any day in excess of 103% of contracted daily demand.
3
Authorized overrun will be available April 1 through October 31, and will be paid for at the rate of 3.271¢/mfor the delivery
3
and, if applicable, totalgas supply rate of 13.5¢/m.
3
Unauthorized overrun in any month shall be paid for at the rate of 7.5871¢/mfor the delivery and total gas supply charge for
3
system-suppliedvolumes at the rate of 13.5¢/m.
3.Minimum Annual Charge
In each contract year, the customer shall purchase from the Corporation or pay for a minimum volume of gas equivalent to
150days use of contracted demand.Overrun gas volumes will not contribute to the minimum volume.In the event that the
customer shall not take such minimum volume, the customer shall pay an amount equal to the deficiency from the minimum
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volume times a rate of2.00¢/m, and if applicable, a total gas supply charge of 13.5¢/m.
In the event that the contract period exceeds one year, the annual minimum volume will be pro-rated for any part year.
Effective
November1, 2020
Policy Relating to Terms of Service
Gas purchased under this rate shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer.
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CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER
NATURAL GAS
INTERRUPTIBLE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONTRACT RATE – M5
Applicability
To a Customer who:
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A) Enters into a contract for a minimum term of one year that specifies a daily contracted demand between 2,400 mand 140,870
3
minclusive and,
B) Has an alternate fuel supply and combustion system available.
Rate
1.The price of all gas delivered shall be determined on the basis of the following schedules:
i)Monthly Fixed Charge $620.00
a.and
ii)Delivery Charge (incl. storage):
Daily Contracted Demand Level (CD)
333
2,400 m<CD <17,000 m3.0539¢/m
333
17,000 m<CD <30,000 m2.7611¢/m
333
30,000 m<CD <50,000 m2.6859¢/m
333
50,000 m<CD <70,000 m2.6332¢/m
333
70,000 m<CD<100,000 m2.5955¢/m
333
100,000 m<CD <140,870 m2.5584¢/m
iii)A Monthly Gas Supply Charge:
3
Supply Commodity 13.50000¢/m
2.Over-run Charge
Overrun gas is available provided that it is authorized by the Corporation in advance. The Corporation will not unreasonably
withhold authorization.Overrun means gas taken on any day in excess of 105% of contracted daily demand.
3
Unauthorized overrun gas taken in any month shall be paid for at the rate of 7.5871¢/mfor the delivery and total gas supply
3
charge for system-suppliedvolumes at the rate of 13.5¢/m.
Unauthorized Overrun Non-Compliance Rate:
Unauthorized overrun gas taken any month during a period when a notice of interruption is in effect shall be paid for at the
rate of 235.6800 ¢/m³ ($60 per GJ) forthe delivery.
3.Minimum Annual Charge
In each contract year, the customer shall purchase from the Corporation or pay for a minimum volume of gas equivalent to
150 days use of contracted demand.Overrun volumes will not contribute to the minimum volume.In the event that the
customer shall not take such minimum volume, the customer shall pay anamount equal to the deficiency from the minimum
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volume multiplied by3.654¢/mfor the delivery charge and if applicable, a gas supply charge of 13.5¢/m).
Effective
November1, 2020
Policy Relating to Terms of Reference
Gas purchased under this rate shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer.
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REPORT TO:Community & Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:October 19, 2020
SUBMITTED BY:Niall Lobley,Director of Parks & Cemeteries,
Barry Cronkite, Director of Transportation Services
PREPARED BY:LizChristensen,Trails Project Manager
WARD(S) INVOLVED:All
DATE OF REPORT:October 6, 2020
REPORT NO.:INS-20-015
SUBJECT:2020 Cycling and Trails Master Plan
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Cycling and Trails Master Plan for the City of Kitchener be adopted as the
guiding document for cycling and trails implementation; andfurther,
That consideration of the recommendations and implementation of the plan be
referred to departmental business plans and budget process.
BACKGROUND:
In 2010 Council adopted a Cycling Master Planfor Kitchener and in 2012 a Multi-Use
Pathways and Trails Master Plan. Collectively, these two plans have guided and led
significant enhancement and investment in laying a foundation for connecting residents
and communities in Kitchener over the past decade. However,both plans are at the end
of their implementation schedules.Due toemerging pressures within our community such
as a growing need for equitable city development,accommodating population and
employment growth and the need toreduce greenhouse gas emissions, Council directed
staff to bring these two strategic documents into alignment. Byproviding mobility choices
that support walking, cycling and rolling (including mobility devices, scooters and
, the Citycan begin to address these pressures.
This includesareview and update ofimmediate, short, medium and long-term objectives
and a continued and sustained investment into a connected Kitchener.
The City of Kitchener has made significant progress implementing on-street cycling routes
and off-street trails. The City has an exiting network of pedestrian and cycling facilities,
including more than 265 kilometers of off-street trails and over 80 kilometers of on-street
cycling routes.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
5 - 1
The 2020 Cycling and Trails Master Plan(CTMP)has been in development overthe past
18 monthswith support from aproject team made up ofstaff,Urban Systems, Dillon
Consulting and 8-80 Cities.
In addition to the project team, the Master Plan was supported by an internal technical
working group, a community working group and a regional stakeholder group.The
community working group volunteered a significant amount of time, through 10evening
sessions and helped shape a plan that is meaningful for the community. As the community
working group developed the CTMP the broader technical and regional stakeholder
teams evaluated the project to ensure it was implementable. This breadth of knowledge
and experiencedrawsfrom a range of community and municipal stakeholders throughout
the Region of Waterloo.
An extensive community engagement plan was implemented,whichdrew input frommore
than 3,200 resident voices providing feedback through a series of engagement activities,
each building on the lastto support the development of the CTMP.
The plan was developed following the MasterPlan approach under the Province of
the CTMP
compliments and integrates with both Regional strategies for active transportation and
trail development and addressescross-boundary connectivitywith the cities of Waterloo
and Cambridge.
The Cycling and Trails Master Plan was developed prior to the global COVID-19
pandemic. COVID-19 has changed mobility patterns in cities across the world, with a
steep and sudden decline in vehicle and transit use, along with a significant increase in
active transportation.Expanded active transportation networks haveemerged as an
effective tool for cities in their fight against COVID-19, supporting physical distancing
requirements while encouraging regular daily physical activity.
REPORT:
VISION, GOALS and THEMES:
As part of the development of the CTMP, the community working group developed a
vision and strategic goals that, if adopted, will shape for the way in which the City views
and improves active transportation. Further, the vision and goals will serve as the basis
from which all on-street cycling routeand off-street trail improvements and investments
are identified and prioritized.The Vision is:Trails and cycling will connect Kitchener and
create a sustainable, safe, equitable, and healthy community for everyone year-round
Three Goals are defined tohelp achieve the vision:
Build more Connections
Provide a Safe and High Quality Experience
Create a Culture of Active Living
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In order to deliver on the vision and stated goal, the CTMP includes three overarching
themes; Connections, Experience and Culture. Each Theme has a series of Strategies
developed to support it, and each strategy has a number of actions linked to that strategy.
Connections:
This theme is aimed to establish a network of on-street cycling routes and off-street trails
that are comfortable, complete and connected. The intent is to create a network that is
integrated with other mobility options such as transit, connected to neighbouring
communities and aligned with facilitates on roads under the jurisdiction of the Region of
Waterloo.
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Fig.1: Example of actions under Theme 1: Connections. Full details of actions under this
theme can be found on page 41 of the Cycling and Trails Master Plan.
Experience:
This theme is aimed at improving the user experience by making cycling and trail use to
be come more attractive and competitive ways to move around the city and they need to
be as safe and convenient as possible. A key focus is to ensure that using trails and
cycling routes in Kitchener to be easy, stress-free, and as seamless as possible. This can
be done by providing bicycle parking, wayfinding and maintaining the network year-round.
Providing a convenient and high-qualityexperience for people every time they use trails
and cycling routes will help to make walking, rolling and cycling a more desirable
transportation option.
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Fig.2: Examples of Actions under Theme 2; Experience. Full details of actions under this
theme can be found on pages 42 & 43 of the Cycling and Trails Master Plan
Culture:
This theme is aimed to support measures that can be done to encourage more cycling
and trail use. This these is focused on the ways the City can work to create an active
culture and increase and promotion of cycling routes and trails.
From the Vision and Goals, a number of strategies and actions that are identified in each
programming decisions as well as on-going resource requirements in support of cycling
and trail use over the next 25+ years. The plan has been developed as a long-term plan
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which will require financial investment, staff resources, and implementation strategy over
the short, medium and long term.
Fig.3: Examples of Actions under Theme 3: Culture. Full details of actions under this
theme can be found on page44 of the Cycling and Trails Master Plan.
IMPLEMENTATION
The CTMPestablishes the context for investmentin trails and active transportation
corridors and facilities over the next 25 years. However, the primary focus of the CTMP
isonimmediate (over the next 3 years) and short-term(over the next 3-10 years)
priorities, recommended in the first10years.
Implementing immediate and short-termpriorities over the next 10 years wouldsee the
City deliver;
neighbourhood bikeways, bikelanes, separated cycling infrastructureand
boulevard multi-use trails. This includes implementing a downtown gridof
separated cycling facilities
-use trails
Improvements and upgrades to numerous walkwaysand trail crossings, safely
connecting local communities
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The creationofa city-wide network of cycling routes and trails that is comfortable
for people of all ages and abilities including children, women and seniors.
The CTMPinformsonstreet(cycling routes, neighbourhood bikeways and boulevard
Multi Use Trails (BMUTS)andoff-streetfacilities(Multi Use Trails (MUTs) and other
recreational trails),within Kitchener.The plan provides direction and enhances
connections across the City,ensuring new communities are connected to an increased
range of trail and transportation options.
Investment in the immediate and short-termpriorities within theCTMPwillhelptopromote
active transportation in the City and reduce automobile dependence and greenhouse gas
emissions, provide more recreation and leisure options, improve public health outcomes
and reduce future infrastructure demands.Additionally,
The Implementation and administration strategy is action-oriented and recognizes the
need to make early and on-going investments to build a culture for cycling and trail use
in Kitchener.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
An effective and meaningful public engagement strategy iscritical to the development of
any successfulMasterPlanned document.With that in mind, the process to develop the
CTMP included considerable outreach toresidentsin their neighbourhoods, at events
where they were most comfortable; multiplestakeholdersworkshops that encouraged
participationand feedbackand regular community working group meetings to ensure that
the master plan was representative of the Kitchener community.Engaging at local
community events ensured that this strategy was informed by a broad cross-section of
the community and not just those that are already engaged in cycling and trail activities.
In order to connect with the community on a personal level, the consultant, staff team and
community working group delivered a series of fun inclusive community engagement
activities. Initial engagement of cycling routes and trails was conducted by the City over
Workshop on, which consisted
on ten bike rides and two walking tours across eight City Wards, with 138 participants of
all ages groups including children.
ENTRUST -To help guide the creation of the CTMP, a community working group was
formed of thirteen invited members and eight members-at-large, including community
members, stakeholders and city staff. The community working group meet 9 times during
the project on a monthly basis and provided continuous input on key decision as the
CTMP wasdeveloped. From the beginning the community working group was
instrumental in the development of the visions and goals. The group provided a close
review of all elements of the proposed network. The feedback received was invaluable
towards providing a more inclusive, made-in-Kitchener approach to the development of
the cycling and trails network as well as the strategic and implementation aspects of the
CTMP.
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CONSULT -Throughout the process the project teamengaged with over 3,200 residents.
A public launch event was held at the annual 2019 Neighbours Day celebrationwith
interactive family-friendly activities. Over the summer in 2019 the project team and
community working group attended nine public events throughout the community. The
pop-ups were designed to be engagingand interactive using a range of activities to collect
input. The project team hosted a public design lab workshop where approximately 70
people participated in exploring the design of cycling facilities and trails.
Thousands of comments were received by residents about their issues, challenges, and
priorities for cycling and trail use. This data was then carefully incorporated into the CTMP
to inform the strategies and actions.
The consultant and staff also meet with various advisory committees throughout the City.
The CTMP was presented tothe Downtown Action and Advisory Committee, Cycling and
Trails Advisory Committee, Kitchener Youth Action Council, Environmental Committee
and Grand River Accessibility AdvisoryCommittee.
INFORM
of the council / committee meeting.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The development of the Cycling and Trails Master Plan supports the theme of People
Friendly Transportation withinthe City of Kitchener Strategic Plan 2019 2022.
Specifically,it provides the framework and guidance for two of the strategic actions within
the Strategic Plan:
Install a continuous and protected cycling network that connects adjacent
neighbourhoods to the downtown by 2022.
Improve connectivity and year-round maintenance to multi-use trails and pathways
as prioritized through the Cycling and Trails Master Plan with an initial target of
providing year-round access to a minimum of an additional 3 km of existing trails
by 2022.
In addition, the CTMP contributes toward equity, climate and sustainability objectives,
particularly helping to create a community that allows for increased active transportation
thereby lowering community dependence of personal motor vehicle travel, increased
personal independence for all ages and abilities, and lower community Greenhouse Gas
(GHG)emissions, contributing toward community-basedclimate action goals.
Lastly, active transportation and access to recreational facilities such as trails, is one way
inwhich Kitchener can help support economic development (Vibrant Economy).
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Increasingly, companies and skilled labour are looking to locate or expand their
businesses in communities that offer a variety of transportation modes and specifically all
ages and abilities biking and walkingfacilities.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
At full implementation(in the 25+ year time horizon)the CTMP identifies approximately
$80M of capital investment in cycling and trails across the City of Kitchener with an
associated additional operating cost of approximately $3.5M.
Staff have focussed on implementation of the immediate and short-termpriorities over
the next ten years, aligned with the capital budget program cycle. These priorities reflect
approximately $24M of capital investment. The 10 year capital forecast already allocates
$17M towards cycling and trails via tax and development charge supported budget lines,
leaving$7M remaining that would need to be addressed through future budget processes
or external grant funded opportunities.
Operatingcostswill increase as capital projects are implemented,up to an estimated
th
$1.7Mimpactannually in the 10year.Any increases that are not supported by growth
increases to operating budgets will be referred to future budgets.
Appendix A Summary ReportAttached
Appendix B Network Map-Linked
Appendix C Connections Report-Linked
Appendix D Experience Report-Linked
Appendix E Culture Report-Linked
Appendix F Engagement Report-Linked
Appendix G Implementation Report-Linked
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Denise McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services,
Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services
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