Key Decisions of Council: March 2, 2026

Key decisions of Council is a summary of major discussion items presented at Kitchener City Council meetings. It is circulated immediately following each meeting. Please refer to the minutes for an official record of the meeting.   

City of Kitchener awarded 2025 Employer of the Year Award 

The City of Kitchener has been recognized by the Canadian Association of Certified Planning Technicians (CACPT) as the recipient of the 2025 Employer of the Year Award for the public and municipal sector. This national honour reflects CACPT’s mandate to uphold high professional standards in the planning technician field and highlights Kitchener’s leadership in supporting growth planning, professional development, and excellence in service delivery. The award recognizes not only the impact of Kitchener’s planning work within the city, but also its leadership among municipalities.     

City Council endorses continuation of Pitch Kitchener following a successful inaugural pilot  

Council received an update on the progress and outcomes of Pitch Kitchener, highlighting strong participation from local entrepreneurs, industry partners, and the tech community. The pilot demonstrated a clear impact in supporting early‑stage innovation, leading staff to recommend establishing Pitch Kitchener as an annual program. 

Building on the success of the pilot, Council has endorsed continuing the program on an annual basis.  

As part of the decision, Council confirmed a $100,000 program allocation in the 2026 budget and directed staff to bring forward a funding request through the 2027 budget process to sustain future rounds. The program aligns with the City’s commitment to Stewarding a Better City Together by empowering staff and community partners to champion innovation, remove barriers, and strengthen Kitchener’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

To learn more about Pitch Kitchener, visit the City’s website. Read the full report here.  

Council approves agreement with WRPS for bylaw dispatch services  

Kitchener City Council has approved entering into a formal agreement with Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS), alongside the City of Waterloo, the City of Cambridge, and the Town of North Dumfries, to provide dispatch services for Municipal Bylaw Enforcement. The agreement will introduce a dedicated, bylaw‑focused dispatch line to streamline service and improve response times. 

The annual cost to the City is estimated at $587,000, based on current call volumes. This new service delivery approach replaces an operating model in place since 1996 and became possible due to recent amendments to the Police Services Act and direction from the WRPS police service boards to recover costs for the provision of non-core services, including dispatch services provided for municipal bylaw enforcement. WRPS’s new approach will strive to achieve consistent service delivery amongst participating municipalities. 

To learn more, read the full report here.  

Kitchener’s response to Regional Water Capacity issue  

The City of Kitchener has activated a formal incident management response to address the Region of Waterloo’s (ROW) water capacity constraint in the Mannheim Service Area, which serves Kitchener, Waterloo, and parts of Cambridge, Woolwich, and Wilmot. The City has mobilized all necessary resources to support coordinated solutions. City staff are contributing technical expertise through the ROW Technical and Planning Working Groups and strategic support through the ROW Communications Working Group.  

Development in Kitchener continues, supported by a careful, risk‑based approach. The Region is working with area municipalities on an interim development framework that could allow up to 50% of confirmed, unbuilt capacity expected to come online in the next five years to be used for development approvals. This approach is intended to maintain housing progress while protecting the long‑term integrity of the system. City staff are closely reviewing all applications, assessing each project’s opportunities and risks considering the current capacity constraint. Should Regional Council approve the interim framework, a detailed report outlining impacts on Kitchener’s in‑progress applications will come to Council at a future date. 

Water conservation will play an increasingly important role over the coming months and years. Even as new supply projects move forward, reducing peak season demand - particularly outdoor water use - is essential to restoring system resiliency. Regional staff are reviewing enhanced conservation strategies, and the City is prepared to do its part to support responsible water use. Residents and businesses are encouraged to participate in programs such as Water Efficient Technology (WET) incentives, observe outdoor water-use guidelines, and engage in water‑saving education initiatives available through the Region of Waterloo.  

More information is available at www.regionofwaterloo.ca/water.