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City Council Columns - May 2026
Hi Ward 1, Hope you’re well! Our city’s long been a place of bold bets on technology. With the launch of Digital Kitchener 2.0, our new strategy for a people-centered digital city, we’re doubling down on that tradition. This isn’t a strategy about technology for technology’s sake, it’s about making Kitchener work better for you.
Consider the 16,000+ smart LED streetlights we’ve already installed across the city. That network doesn’t just cut hundreds of tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year, it also alerts city crews the moment a light goes out, supports traffic and weather sensors, and is now being tested to wirelessly read water and gas meters to lower costs, and warn you of a potential water leak. That’s smarter infrastructure that quietly improves your commute, your home, and your neighbourhood.
Digital Kitchener 2.0 builds on ideas like that. It commits us to improving digital access for everyone because being disconnected means being left behind. We’ve expanded free public Wi-Fi to community centres and parks, but our long-term goal is a city-wide standard ensuring no resident is shut out of online services, whether they’re applying for a permit, finding a program, or simply staying informed.
We’re also exploring how emerging technologies like AI can improve city services, not to replace the human touch, but to make services faster, fairer, more responsive, and less costly. Kitchener is one of Canada’s most innovative cities and Digital Kitchener 2.0 ensures that innovation works for everyone who calls this place home.
To make it easier for you to celebrate gardens in your neighbourhood we have Kitchener in Bloom recognition packages at our community centres and libraries. You can pick one up and deliver it to a home with a beautiful garden to let the gardener know you appreciate it.
Swimming is more affordable with our Summer Splash Pass. They’re $39.11 for youth and seniors, and for Adults 18-54, they’re $55. These passes are valid for all swims at our indoor and outdoor pools. Go to kitchener.ca and search “swimming programs.” May is Youth month, all youth 12-24 can get a free swim pass for this month, by searching Youth Month 2026 at kitchener.ca.
Thanks to the volunteers who participated in the Dom Cardillo Trail Neighbourhood Clean Up. The Stanley Park Community Association is asking what kinds of programs and events you’d like to see at the Stanley Park Community Centre. Go to engagewr.ca/kitchener for the survey.
Public input for the City’s 2027-30 Strategic Plan begins in June. There will be many ways to provide input to inform council and staff about your priorities including engagewr.ca/kitchener—scroll down to find Strategic Plan. This plan directs the ways and areas you want your tax dollars spent on.
Let’s go Rangers! Cheer on our Kitchener Rangers with me as they play the Barrie Colts for the OHL Championship and J. Ross Roberston Cup. City Hall is lit up in red and blue for support.
Contact me directly at dave.schnider@kitchener.ca, call me at 226-751-2470, or call our 24-hour contact centre, 519-741-2345 or info@kitchener.ca. Visit daveschnider.com for lots of Ward 2 and city info.
Hello Ward 4! May is often seen as a month of renewal — longer days, warmer weather, and new growth. Ward 4 is certainly reflecting that spirit with many exciting projects underway.
Construction continues at Upper Canada Park, including parking lot improvements, permanent washrooms, basketball court upgrades, lighting, seating, and other enhancements. Due to the difficult winter, timelines have shifted slightly, with the skatepark and playground expected to reopen at the end of May, parking lot completion by July 1, and full project completion by the end of September.
Traffic calming improvements will return in 2026 with additional in-road flex signs and 10 seasonal narrowings planned throughout the ward. Driver awareness remains the most important part of pedestrian safety. “Slow Down” signs are available again this year — please contact me directly if you would like one.
The community garden at Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre (DPPCC) is now complete, featuring a new accessible pathway to the garden gate along with armour stone seating areas for gatherings and community connection. Tree planting will take place later this month, with a community celebration planned for June.
Restoration work is also taking place at the Old Mill Ruins in Lower Doon, just in time for spring and summer visits.
Due to the Victoria Day weekend, I will be at the DPPCC on Saturday, May 23 from 10:00–11:30 am. Please stop by for a coffee and chat! You can also reach me at christine.michaud@kitchener.ca. I always appreciate the opportunity to connect with residents.
I hope you’re enjoying the warmer weather and spending time outdoors with family and friends. Spring is a great time to reconnect with our parks, trails, and community spaces, and to share updates from City Council and the ward.
This month, Council advanced several initiatives to support growth, affordability, and community well-being. Council approved an extension of Kitchener’s current development charges by-law to help maintain financial stability as the city grows. We also approved over $264,000 in community grants to support local arts, recreation, sports, and organizations that strengthen neighbourhood life across Kitchener.
In Ward 5, we continue to invest in outdoor recreation and public spaces, which includes improvements to parks and trail connections like McLennan, Meadowlane, and Country Hills.
I encourage you to participate in Kitchener in Bloom by nominating outstanding properties in your area. Packages are available at your local library and community centre to pick up and drop off, to deserving neighbours to recognize their contribution to beautifying our neighbourhoods.
Planning a backyard project this season? Information on pools, fences, and shed permits are available through the City of Kitchener—call 519-741-2345.
As we head into the Victoria Day long weekend, I encourage everyone to enjoy Kitchener’s outdoor amenities. It’s exciting to share the Route 1 and 2 improvements that strengthen our active transportation connections across our city.
I look forward to connecting with you at my upcoming “Chat with the Councillor” meetings at our local community centres.
Hello neighbors,
It’s an energized spring at City Hall. As we refine Kitchener’s roadmap for the next 25 years, my focus remains on keeping Ward 6 a vibrant, safe, and stable place to call home.
Smart Growth with a Local Lens: As Chair of Planning, I am leading the review of Kitchener 2051, our new Official Plan. I am advocating for “missing middle” housing, like multiplexes that allow families to stay together—while ensuring density is managed responsibly to respect our neighbourhoods and their character.
Clarifying Community Security: Council recently approved a pilot for CCTV and automated license plate readers in high-traffic areas. I want to be very clear―these are not speeding cameras. Unlike previous automated enforcement, these tools are strictly for crime prevention and assisting police with serious investigations. This is about public safety and peace of mind and not issuing traffic tickets.
Your Voice―McLennan & Lions Park: We are currently updating the Master Plans for McLennan and Lions Parks. These spaces are in the heart of our ward, and your input is vital. Please visit Engage Kitchener at www.engagewr.ca/kitchener to share your thoughts about:
· What specific trail improvements would make these parks better?
· What new features are most important to your family?
Your feedback helps in directly shaping infrastructure repairs and long-term recreational goals in our beloved parks and green spaces.
The “proof is in the pudding,” and I’m committed to ensuring our city’s plans deliver real, visible results for your family.
Contact me at paul.singh@kitchener.ca.
Hi Ward 7! I wanted to give you an update on the ongoing restoration work at Westheights Park Natural Area. Last fall, the City received a grant from the Nature Conservancy of Canada to begin managing invasive Phragmites around the pond. Since then, crews have removed standing dead stalks, improving access and preparing the site for long-term control. The next phase of treatment is scheduled for late summer, followed by fall plantings in areas where invasive species have been eliminated, helping restore the health of the pond ecosystem.
On April 30, Forestry and Natural Areas staff partnered with more than 50 Grade 7 students from Westheights Public School for hands-on learning. Students explored the site’s history and ecology and helped plant native trees and shrubs along the forest edge, supporting urban forest expansion and inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards.
The City has also launched the Kitchener Nature Stewards Program, with Westheights identified as a priority location. Trained volunteers will assist with invasive species removal and site preparation for future meadow and woodland restoration. Applications are open until May 21 through Volunteer Waterloo Region.
Looking ahead, updated signage and new habitat structures—including features for birds, pollinators, and turtles—will be installed in the coming weeks. Residents can also support monitoring efforts by sharing biodiversity observations via iNaturalist. Thank you to everyone who continues to care for Westheights Park.
Hello Ward 8, I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful weather!
In April, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Lakeside Park community clean-up, organized by the Friends of Lakeside Park. Volunteers were recognized with certificates for their care and stewardship of this community gem. Their dedication has helped keep Lakeside Park welcoming and well cared for over many years. Congratulations, and thank you for all you do for Lakeside!
Many Westmount residents attended and delegated to Council on the Kitchener 2051 Official Plan. I directed staff to include the four amendments requested by the Westmount 2051 resident group in the next draft, which is expected to return to Council on May 25. I appreciate the thoughtful advocacy from residents who took the time to participate in this process. More information to follow.
The Region of Waterloo recently postponed the long-awaited redevelopment of Mooregate Cres. This is devastating for residents who moved out of their housing in 2024 in anticipation of a project that was to include 8 and 16 storey buildings; new 1 to 4 bedroom homes; a daycare; and community amenity spaces.
I met with residents in April who were clearly disappointed by this decision. On April 22, I delegated to Regional Council, asking them to reverse it, meet with residents, and provide clear, consistent, and timely updates. Residents deserve transparency, respect, and meaningful communication about what comes next. I will continue to advocate for these residents. More information is available at www.engagewr.ca/wrh-mooregate-redevelopment.
A lot happened in April that I feel is worth reporting here.
Council approved a Rental Renovation Licensing By-law designed to protect tenants from bad-faith evictions while still allowing legitimate renovation work to move forward. I celebrate the passing of this bylaw, although I am disappointed that it will not come into effect until January 2027. People are being “renovicted” now and the longer we delay the bylaw’s implementation the greater their number will be. I also brought a compensation motion forward which failed. The compensation package would have given greater protections to tenants. Thank you to all those who delegated and shared their stories. Your feedback was very important to me.
Another item discussed at the Finance and Corporate Services meeting was the councillors’ and mayor’s compensation packages. The staff report recommended a 29.3% wage increase for the Mayor and a 10.3% increase for City councillors. These increases would be on top of the annual cost of living increase we received in April 2026. I voted against the 10.3% increase because I know people throughout the city and the region are struggling to pay the rent, feed their families and cover transportation costs. In my many years as an employee, I have never received a 10.3% increase in any job in addition to cost of living increases every year, and I find it shameful that we have agreed to this increase. I wish the Province would come up with a wage chart for elected municipal officials. I found it very awkward voting on Councils’ salary increase to give myself a raise (should I be re-elected).
The Province’s proposal to make significant changes to our regional government structure, including the appointment of a Regional Chair, has prompted important conversations about representation and accountability at the regional level. As your Ward 10 City Councillor, I spend a significant amount of time hearing from residents about regional services and helping redirect concerns related to Region of Waterloo responsibilities, of which there are many specific to ward 10.
These discussions have me thinking more about the idea of directly elected regional representatives serving defined regional wards. A model like this could strengthen accountability by making it clearer for residents to know who represents them on regional matters and who to contact when issues arise. We often hear from politicians about democracy and accountability but this is an example of it being obscured. Both federal and local property taxes support the Doug Ford’s province of Ontario who now through the appointment of regional chair will effectively control the regional council. Whether it is concerns about garbage collection, transit service, road maintenance, or social services, residents would have a direct regional representative responsible for hearing those concerns and advocating on their behalf.
As conversations around regional governance continue, it is important that any changes prioritize transparency, accessibility, and clear lines of accountability for residents. Local and provincial government works best when residents know where decisions are being made and how to have their voices heard.
Ontario’s Big City Mayors meet with provincial and federal leaders on housing and infrastructure Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic joined Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) when they met in April with federal and provincial representatives to discuss shared priorities for Ontario cities.
The OBCM caucus met with:
• The Honourable Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
• The Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance and MPP for Pickering
• The Honourable Michael Tibollo, Associate Attorney
General Discussions included the effective delivery of new federal and provincial infrastructure programs, issues of housing affordability and how, together, all orders of government can build strong, resilient cities. “Cities are committed to being partners in solving the housing and affordability challenges facing Ontario,” said Mayor Vrbanovic. “That partnership must include effective tools and coordinated investments in infrastructure that our residents and businesses rely on every day.” Discussions emphasized the critical role municipalities play as delivery partners for infrastructure and housing programs, and the need for funding frameworks that are predictable, timely, and flexible enough to reflect local priorities and on-the-ground realities. “Ontario’s cities are on the front lines of housing delivery and economic recovery,” said Vrbanovic. “Municipal governments are ready to deliver, but we need funding programs that are designed with local implementation in mind and don’t create unintended consequences that will slow much needed infrastructure and housing. I am confident that our government partners listened to our feedback and together, we can move forward in a constructive manner.” Mayor Vrbanovic and Ontario’s Big City Mayors will continue working collaboratively with our government, association and industry partners to advocate for policies and investments that both reflect the realities facing Ontario’s cities, and recognize municipalities as key partners in delivering national and provincial priorities.
Greetings Ward 3,
I can’t tell if winter is still here or if it’s spring! But, I can tell you that regardless of the weather, activities and programs continue to move ahead.
Our annual Kitchener in Bloom (KIB) program has begun. If you enjoy some of your neighbourhood gardens, I encourage you to visit the Kingsdale Community Centre and pick up some KIB recognition packages to drop at the addresses of those gardeners to express your appreciation.
Our pool passes for the summer are now on sale. The city’s goal is to provide great programming at an affordable cost. To learn more about the Summer Splash Pass, visit www.kitchener.ca/SplashPass.
Our road crews are still working to fix those potholes that have been wreaking havoc on our roads. To report a location still needing service, please reach out to our 24/7 contact centre at 519-741-2345 or info@kitchener.ca.
I want to thank all of those who came out last month to the Ward 3 spring pancake breakfast. We served over 140 individuals from our community. Also, many thanks to the volunteers―family and friends and fellow City and Regional Councillors―who came to lend their support and cooking skills. This event couldn’t have happened without your assistance.
Lastly, having had a sneak peak at the City’s events and performers that will be joining us this summer, I can tell you, it’s going to be fantastic! Retro and up and coming acts will have the city and its downtown core hopping. Please be on the lookout at our events page for updates.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any concerns, questions or suggestions.