HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-2021-7 - KW Joint Services Initiative Committee 2021 Update
REPORT TO: Council
DATE OF MEETING: December 13, 2021
SUBMITTED BY: Kathryn Dever, Director Strategy & Corporate Performance,
519-741-2200 ext. 7370
PREPARED BY: Kathryn Dever, Director Strategy & Corporate Performance,
519-741-2200 ext. 7370
WARD (S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: November 29, 2021
REPORT NO.: CAO-2021-7
SUBJECT: K-W Joint Services Initiative Committee 2021 Update
__________________________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION: That report # CAO-2021-7, regarding K-W Joint Services Initiative
Committee 2021 Update, be received for information.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The report provides Council with an update on recent and active Joint Services Initiatives
between Kitchener and Waterloo.
Of 5 joint initiatives undertaken over the last year, 1 was successfully completed, 3 will
carry forward into 2021, and 1 did not proceed.
Three new joint initiatives will be added to the program for 2022
There are no financial implications associated with this report.
The community was informed by posting of the report to t
agenda in advance of the Council meeting, and current information on the joint services
page
This report supports the delivery of core services.
BACKGROUND:
This report is intended to provide Council an update on Joint Services Initiatives between
Kitchener and Waterloo. The two Cities have an established history of collaboration and
cooperation, and a formalized approach to joint initiatives through the Kitchener-Waterloo Joint
Services Initiatives Committee (JSIC) for over 15 years. The initiative seeks to maximize
effectiveness and efficiency of resources and service delivery, complete strategic joint
all to benefit
residents in both cities. Over 75 joint initiatives have been undertaken some formally
completed, and others continuing as ongoing collaborations. An annual program of joint
projects is identified in the fall for the upcoming year. These joint projects are reviewed by the
JSIC and certain projects are identified for inclusion in the formal program. Staff track progress
of the initiatives including service improvements, efficiencies and any cost savings achieved,
which are reported to Council in this annual report. The JSIC also supports collaboration
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
opportunities arising throughout the year that are not formally planned, which provide mutual
benefit and efficient use of collective resources.
REPORT:
Annual joint initiative opportunities are identified in the fall for the upcoming year, with
suggestions scoped prior to review by the JSIC, which includes the CAOs and senior leadership
teams of each municipality. At ts
and considers the following criteria in setting annual joint initiatives:
Enhances the ability of either city to deliver or develop a service or program outside of its
resources,
Creates service-level improvements, while maintaining costs or producing future savings,
Provides operational and/or capital opportunities, and/or
Features best practices of both organizations.
The JSIC met to review progress on 2021 initiatives and other collaborations underway between
the two cities; due to the complexity of continuing joint initiatives and ongoing pandemic response
and recovery, the committee did not identify new initiatives for 2022.
2021 Joint Services Initiative Accomplishments
One initiative was successfully completed; key accomplishments are highlighted below:
Speed Limit Review: Both Cities, along with other regional partners are undertaking a review of
the uniform speed limit of 50km/hour. This review will evaluate benefit and feasibility of reducing
the uniform speed limit to 40km/hour in an effort to enhance roadway safety.
Kitchener carried out two pilot neighbourhoods and added a third as a component of Deer
Ridge Drive traffic calming review, Waterloo completed three pilots, and the Cities shared
best practices and before and after data for pilots through ongoing communication.
Collaborated on scope of work for related University of Waterloo research project on
; this work will continue with the Vison Zero joint
initiative.
Kitchener will implement Council direction on city-wide speed limits aligned to Vision Zero
initiative, focused on speed reduction from 50 km/h to 40 km/h in all residential
neighbourhoods and further reduced to 30km/h in vulnerable road user areas.
Waterloo will develop a public engagement project for the option to reduce posted speed
limits to 30km/h on all class 4 and 5 roads as per Council direction and as part of the
Speed Management Plan in the Transportation Master Plan.
Continuing Joint Services Initiatives
Three active and complex initiatives continued from last year and will carry forward into
2022; progress updates are highlighted below:
Investigation of New Stormwater Incentives Program Private Stormwater Enhancement:
Investigate the potential for new stormwater incentives for private property owners to enable
private property owners to enhance stormwater management on their properties, reducing runoff
to municipal systems.
Kitchener developed a 3-phase roadmap for Market Incentive Program development and
implementation, shared proposal with Environmental Advisory Committee, and received
Council approval to proceed; established budget and staff resourcing, to be led through
Corporate Sustainability office.
Kitchener procured a consultant to: undertake market analysis of 5 priority sub-watersheds
and assess homeowner demographics to generate criteria to structure incentives; analyze
potential third-party service providers, products and strategies for implementation; and, do
initial screening of viable options for program administration and delivery.
Waterloo presented SWM master plan to Council, including options for a market-based
incentive program, and initiated partnership with Reep Green Solutions to extend their
backyard tree planting program to Waterloo, focused on working with homeowners to plant
the right tree for the right place in their yards, educational tree stewardship workshops, and
increasing urban tree canopy cover in areas where the City cannot plant.
Waterloo will work to develop and define market-based incentive program in 2024, which
will .
Inclusionary Zoning Affordable Housing: Assess the impact of Provincial legislation requiring
the inclusion of affordable housing units in new residential development projects, and the option
for municipalities to implement such zoning. The assessment will include exploring opportunities
to combine resources to conduct a study and implement Inclusionary Zoning (IZ), since based
generate data and prepare a municipal assessment report as a precursor to implementing
Inclusionary Zoning. Pending possible changes to the legislation, long-term resource/cost
sharing may be required to develop, implement and report on new zoning provisions.
Peer review of fiscal impact assessment completed; financial modeling updated to reflect
market and legislative changes, impact of community benefit charges, parkland
dedication and updated development charges; recommendations updated to reflect
current conditions.
Background research, financial impact assessment and peer review considered at
Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge City Councils.
Next steps include broad community consultation on IZ policy and program, and
continued consultation with Waterloo Region Homebuilders IZ ad hoc working group.
Continued and steady progress to be made in all three Cities through collaboration on
policy and program design to align with Regional Official Plan amendments that will
enable inclusionary zoning
Anticipated completion is July 2022, through a consistent approach after the enabling
Regional Official Plan policies are in effect.
Getting Around: Explore the cost and risks to implement an app providing residents real-
time access to information including
during a full plow snow event.
Kitchener continues to take the lead on this initiative, and piloted and tested a solution
internally over winter 2020/2021
Solution has been piloted, tested, and modified in response several rounds of internal
staff and external volunteer citizen focus group feedback.
Kitchener implementing wider pilot with all Operations staff in fall 2021, with target to go
live during first winter 2021/2022 snow event; supporting communications and promotion
plan being developed.
best practices, tools
and citizen communication.
Potential operational cost savings through reduced call volumes to the CCC related to
winter maintenance progress during full plow events.
One initiative did not proceed, with future progress dependent on a framework from the Region
of Waterloo; it is described below:
Stormwater Management (SWM) Facilities Risk Assessment: Undertake a SWM facilities risk
assessment to mitigate chlorides entering drinking water, through a partnership between the
Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo, and the Region of Waterloo.
The Region of Waterloo has not yet finalized Source Protection Policy boundaries and
framework for municipalities to follow when conducting SWM facility risk assessments,
and as such, a formal joint initiative cannot proceed at this time.
Waterloo completed a pilot study through external grant funding which established a
methodology to identify risks to source drinking water protection areas from SWM
facilities.
The Cities will review the Waterloo results and methodologies and continue collaboration
outside of the JSIC program, with openness to revisit a formal joint initiative in the future
once the Regional framework is provided.
New Joint Services Initiatives
In addition to the three continuing initiatives discussed above, the JSIC determined that three
new initiatives would be added to the formal program in 2022; updates will provided in the next
annual report.
Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS)
Kitchener and Waterloo already share a common AMPS to move adjudication of parking
tickets out of the provincial court system. This 2022 joint service initiative will look at expanding
the program beyond parking tickets to include provincial offence notices for other offences
including e.g., noise, backyard fires, dumping, and dogs off leash.
Vision Zero
traffic safety strategy with the goal of zero traffic fatalities and serious
injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. Vision Zero can be achieved
through different approaches Es of traffic safety: evaluation, engineering,
education, enforcement and engagement. Having collaborated on speed limit reductions in
residential neighbourhoods, Kitchener and Waterloo will work together adopt and implement
Vision Zero approaches, with a focus on shared strategies for enforcement and education.
Affordable Housing Strategy Development
Kitchener has developed and begun implementing its award-winning Housing For All Strategy,
and Waterloo is already working to develop its first Affordable Housing Strategy. Although work
on this initiative is well underway for both municipalities, the formal JSIC initiative will include
close collaboration in terms of program development and implementation to address housing
challenges in our community.
Broader Collaboration
Outside of the formal JSIC program, there are many other opportunities for both municipalities
to collaborate in addition to working with other area municipalities as project partners. In some
cases, initiatives overlap with the Region. Recent examples of successful local and local-
regional collaboration outside the formal annual JSIC program include:
Coordinated pandemic response and recovery/reopening planning including
approaches, processes, templates, and communications to the public.
Work toward a proposed hydro merger of Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro Waterloo North
Hydro that will provide reliable service, invest in new technologies, generate cost savings
through operational efficiencies and keep local jobs in our communities.
Waterloo and Kitchener in addition to the Region and its member municipalities were all
part of Climate Action Waterloo Region - the collaborative responsible for the
development of Transform Waterloo Region, our community climate action plan.
This work will continue into 2022 and beyond as implementation takes place.
Waterloo and Kitchener are part of a pilot project with the World Council on City Data
(WCCD) and Infrastructure Canada as part of the ISO 37120 Sustainable Cities and
Communities reporting framework. Both municipalities are participating in year 3 of the
project.
Government relations and advocacy on a number of projects including delegation
meetings at the 2021 AMO Conference and continued advocacy to the Province on the
proposed changes to R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 565: Public Pools in an effort to reduce red tape
while balancing patron safety and municipal risk.
Collaboration on housing and homelessness to address challenges and identify
locations for service providers that were forced to pivot to address social distancing
requirements during COVID to keep members of our vulnerable population safe.
Area municipal CAOs continue to identify broader collaboration opportunities to improve
service effectiveness and efficiency for citizens, with an emphasis on enhanced
collaboration between the Region of Waterloo and local municipalities.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
The recommendation of this report supports th
the delivery of core service.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital Budget The recommendation has no impact on the Capital Budget.
Operating Budget The recommendation has no impact on the Operating Budget.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM
council / committee meeting. Both Cities maintain current information about active joint service
initiatives and upcoming projects at: www.kitchener.ca/jointservices and
www.waterloo.ca/jointservices.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
There are no previous reports/authorities related to this matter.
APPROVED BY: Dan Chapman, Chief Administrative Officer