In his 2024 State of the City Speech delivered today at Kitchener Fire Headquarters, which was delayed last November for family reasons, Mayor Berry Vrbanovic highlighted the successes achieved throughout 2024 by Kitchener Council and staff, in advancing strategic priorities on behalf of our community. During his speech, Mayor Vrbanovic also made an exciting Building Kitchener Together announcement concerning the city’s acquisition of lands in Downtown Kitchener to build a much-needed new fire station, combined with a mixed-use housing development which will ensure more residents have new housing to call home.
“Building Kitchener Together is about working towards creating a city where everyone has a place to call home and nobody is left behind,” said Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “It means strengthening our neighbourhoods, providing vital services, and investing in housing initiatives with our government partners, to improve the quality of life for all residents.”
In the Mayor’s speech, which was delivered to a full room on the Fire Department Headquarters’ apparatus floor, including members of Kitchener City Council, he announced that Kitchener’s newest fire station will be built on lands located at 450 and 470 King Street East. But most exciting, this project will be built In partnership with Kitchener Housing Inc. (KHI), as the City is providing the land from this site to enable at least 150 affordable housing units as part of this first of its kind housing project within our broader region.
“Thanks to meaningful and productive partnerships built in recent years with both our Federal and Provincial government partners, Kitchener is taking significant steps to address the public safety needs of our community with the affordable housing so desperately needed by our residents,” added Mayor Vrbanovic.
With the City of Kitchener exceeding their housing targets in 2023, they were successful in receiving $14 million from the Province of Ontario’s Building Faster Fund (BFF). A portion of this fund has been allocated to this King St. East project.
Additionally, the Federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) will support studies needed to prepare the site. The City previously announced other initiatives supported by HAF that are helping to increase the supply of housing, including affordable and supportive housing, throughout Kitchener.
“Kitchener’s partnership with all orders of government, community partners and the development sector to enable more housing across the housing continuum is what truly embodies the vision of Building Kitchener Together,” said Mayor Vrbanovic. “We are grateful to all of our partners for creating opportunities for innovative housing solutions that directly benefit those who need it most.”
Alongside this announcement, the City of Kitchener released two videos highlighting both key milestones in Building Kitchener Together, as well as sharing the stories of community partners contributing to our Housing for All vision.
A full recording of the State of the City event can be found on our website tomorrow.
Learn more about the Building Kitchener Together vision and partnerships.
For more information, contact:
Shannon Weber
Chief of Staff
City of Kitchener
(519) 904-5776
shannon.weber@kitchener.ca
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