Thoughtful Development

"As our community continues to grow, you have told me that the path forward for our community is one that balances continued growth and world-class innovation while maintaining a small-town feel and promoting a caring community. You want the city to do all that it can to assist in terms of ensuring our community has a wide range of housing choices and a wide-range of affordabilities. I am committed to working at making that happen together with city and regional council.

Over the past four years, we have taken some progressive steps in ensuring our community develops thoughtfully.  However, there is more work to be done here.
 
Over the next four years:

1. We will work to ensure new affordable housing is built in Kitchener and throughout the region to reduce our waiting list for affordable housing, including looking at what properties the city and region can invest for this purpose.
2. Develop a comprehensive communications and community engagement strategy for development that will more effectively engage residents in developments happening in their neighbourhood.
3. Complete a development services review to make improvements for both residents and the development industry in terms of the project approval process.
4. Increase the number of green spaces in the downtown to meet the needs of the growing population by eliminating the park land dedication fee exemption currently provided to downtown developers and accelerate the development of a major park along the Grand River.
5. Show regional leadership in environmental stewardship towards our commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050  including the development of a community-based Green Kitchener fund.