Back to SearchThe City of Kitchener’s Growing Together initiative has been named Project of the Year by the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) in addition to receiving a Planning Excellence Award at the PlanON Awards on Sept. 25.
The PlanON Awards is an awards program that honours the exceptional achievements of OPPI members who demonstrate professional excellence and a commitment to advancing the planning profession in Ontario. This awards program recognizes the important role the planning profession plays in shaping the quality, livability, and sustainability of communities for future generations.
“I am constantly impressed by the visionary work of our planning staff as Kitchener leads the way in innovative growth planning across Ontario and Canada,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “Council has stepped up to support the forward-thinking land-use framework of Growing Together and other initiatives that will work to boost housing supply and shape the thoughtful growth of our city far into the future.”
Growing Together is a bold, first-of-its-kind planning framework for Major Transit Station Areas, which are the lands surrounding Kitchener’s ION light rail transit system. Through newly created land uses and zones, Growing Together is the most housing-forward, permissive, and flexible planning framework in Canada, built on an award-winning, equity-driven engagement process that used unique tools to gather and translate community feedback.
"Council has embraced innovation in urban planning and shown a willingness to accept increased density to accommodate city growth and create more housing,” said Ward 6 Councillor and Chair of the Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee, Paul Singh. “By adopting these forward-thinking approaches, council has ensured that development aligns with community needs while addressing housing shortages."
Growing Together utilizes custom-designed policies such as the removal of parking minimums, flexible density maximums, and implementing new, responsive built-form regulations to allow for more housing density in core areas.
“This award is an honour and would not have been possible without the dedication and passion of the planning team,” said Rosa Bustamante, Kitchener’s Director of Planning & Housing Policy. “I’m proud that Kitchener is leading the way in planning and placemaking across the country.”
For more information, contact
Shawn Falcao
Manager, Corporate Communications
shawn.falcao@kitchener.ca
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