Key Decisions of Kitchener Council: June 23, 2025

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. 

Kitchener receives CAMA Willis Innovation Award

The City of Kitchener has been awarded the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators’ Willis Innovation Award for its City Hall service centre transformation.

In January 2024, Kitchener opened a dynamic customer service centre. The centre offers residents access to staff experts offering over 100 services in more than 200 languages. The 24-7 contact centre handles over 100,000 calls and 90,000 emails annually, dispatching crews to address community issues.

Kitchener is the only City to have been honoured with the award in Ontario.

Learn more about the award and CAMA here.

Kitchener honoured with Canadian Award for Financial Reporting

The Canadian Award for Financial Reporting has been awarded to the City of Kitchener by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its annual financial report. The City of Kitchener’s annual financial report has been judged by impartial Canadian Review Committee members to meet the high standards of the program, including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” designed to clearly communicate the municipality’s financial story and to motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

For more information, visit the City's website.

Tara Cooper appointed as 2025 Artist in Residence

The City of Kitchener is pleased to announce the appointment of Tara Cooper as the 2025 Artist in Residence. Recommended by a juried selection committee and the Arts & Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC), Cooper will create a site-specific public artwork for Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre.

The commission includes a $10,000 honorarium and a $30,000 project budget through the City’s 1% for Public Art policy. The initiative involves ongoing collaboration with city staff and community members throughout the design and installation process

Find the report here.

Council approves plan to develop rental renovation licensing by-law

Kitchener City Council has approved plans to develop a Rental Renovation Licensing By-law, aiming to safeguard tenants from evictions due to renovations – commonly known as “renovictions.”

The initiative responds to a June 2025 Council directive following discussions on the city’s role in curbing bad-faith evictions. The forthcoming by-law is intended to complement existing provincial legislation and will be designed in consultation with experts on housing law and landlord-tenant issues. The consultant’s work is set to begin this summer, with a full report and draft by-law expected no later than early 2026.

This move aligns with the City’s strategic goal of Building a Connected City Together - fostering stronger neighbourhoods, supporting housing stability, and ensuring access to secure, affordable rental homes.

Council approves grants for brownfield remediation that have enabled 319 units of housing and 145,000 square feet of commercial space

The tax incremental grant (TIG) helps to see redevelopment of sites that have contamination, helping Kitchener to realize its priorities to build more housing, support a thriving economy and develop a green city together.