#sangjunhan — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #sangjunhan, aggregated by home.social.
-
EMILY HUANG TO REPRESENT CANADA at ISEF IN ARIZONA
Emily Huang, a grade 12 Laurel Heights Secondary School student, was selected as one of eight students to represent Canada at the upcoming Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, from May 9 to 15, 2026.
On Mar. 23, 2026, Youth Science Canada (YSC), a national organization dedicated to supporting young Canadians in STEM, announced […]
https://www.communityedition.ca/emily-huang-to-represent-canada-at-isef-in-arizona/ -
A HORSE NAMED FRIDAY LAUNCH ANTICIPATED DEBUT ALBUM
On Apr. 14, 2026, the Kitchener-based chamber-folk band A Horse Named Friday released their debut album, The Marriage of Loneliness and Continental Bliss, marking a milestone for a project that was years in the making.
The band kicked off their supporting tour this month at Kitchener’s Queen St. Commons Cafe, bringing a sound shaped by diverse instrumentation and a strong sense of […]
https://www.communityedition.ca/a-horse-named-friday-launch-anticipated-debut-album/ -
STUDENTS PROTEST OSAP CHANGES
Ontario students across the province are protesting about the recent changes made to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). The Ontario government has announced that, starting this fall, OSAP grants will decrease from a maximum of 85 per cent to 25 per cent.
On Mar. 4, 2026, hundreds of students and community members from across Ontario gathered at Queen’s Park to protest the cuts. Similar protests broke out in different cities, including Waterloo and Ottawa. The OSAP changes are not only affecting post-secondary students but also secondary schools.
At the University of Waterloo, the reaction has been described as historic. Remington Aginskaya-Zhi, Vice President of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), noted that the campus is seeing a level of mobilization not seen in decades.
“This is the most engaged we’ve seen students probably ever,” Aginskaya-Zhi said. “The rally that we held was one of the biggest gatherings or protests on campus in probably our entire history.”
The movement is gaining even more traction in the Greater Toronto Area, where students are framing the cuts as a systemic attack on public institutions. Trudi Kiropatwa, a third-year student at Toronto Metropolitan University and a member of the Student Mobilization Committee (SMC), says the impact in Toronto is extreme.
“We’re essentially on a sinking ship,” Kiropatwa said. “This government and their corporate cronies see us as customers and our education as an industry that is ready to be exploited.”
The urgency stems from a lack of clarity on how these cuts will affect individual bank accounts. According to WUSA, the provincial OSAP estimator for the upcoming year has yet to be released, leaving students in a state of financial limbo.
Kiropatwa noted that for many, the breaking point is graduating into a job market with record-high youth unemployment while saddled with massive debt.
“Me, personally, I’m going to be graduating with tens of thousands of dollars of student debt already without these changes,” she said. “These changes are making the issue ten times worse.”
“Students definitely are very worried,” Aginskaya-Zhi said. “We are hearing stories from students telling us they’re uncertain whether they can come back to school next year, or whether they can pursue graduate studies.”
This uncertainty is already forcing students to make difficult lifestyle changes. Aginskaya reported that some students are opting for longer commutes rather than living in Waterloo to save on costs, while others are seeing their younger siblings reconsider university altogether.
Beyond the provincial level, the University of Waterloo is also grappling with internal budget crisis pressures. Aginskaya-Zhi highlighted that financial support units on campus are currently understaffed, which could complicate the processing of student aid.
“The university right now is understaffed and has lots of challenges to hire new staff…but funding should not come at the cost of giving more debt to students,” she said.
In response, organizations like WUSA and the SMC carried out a massive convergence at Queen’s Park on Mar. 24, 2026. Despite the government maintaining its argument that the 25 per cent grant limit is sustainable, the mobilizations saw hundreds of activists reiterating demands for a full reversal.
“We’re not here to demand a return to normal…which is a Band-Aid solution,” Kiropatwa said. “We’re here fighting for free, democratic, and accessible education.”
“Right now, I think students are angry, and what we are focusing on is giving students an avenue to let out their anger,” Aginskaya-Zhi said.
She emphasized that the momentum will not fade as the semester ends.
“Just because winter term is ending and it’s summer now doesn’t mean that students have forgotten this betrayal from the government.”
As Parliament returns to session, WUSA intends to keep the pressure on local MPPs to ensure the student voice is heard.
“We hear your anger, we hear your frustration,” Aginskaya-Zhi concluded as a message to the student body. “We are going to work to make sure that you can share that with us.”
#Government #greaterTorontoArea #GTA #impact #OSAP #percent #Protest #queensPark #RemingtonAginskayaZhi #sangjun #SangjunHan #smc #Toronto #TrudiKiropatwa #UniversityOfToronto #universityOfWaterloo #UofT #UW #wusa -
STUDENTS PROTEST OSAP CHANGES
Ontario students across the province are protesting about the recent changes made to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). The Ontario government has announced that, starting this fall, OSAP grants will decrease from a maximum of 85 per cent to 25 per cent.
On Mar. 4, 2026, hundreds of students and community members from across Ontario gathered at Queen’s Park to protest the cuts. Similar protests broke out in different cities, including Waterloo and Ottawa. The OSAP changes are not only affecting post-secondary students but also secondary schools.
At the University of Waterloo, the reaction has been described as historic. Remington Aginskaya-Zhi, Vice President of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), noted that the campus is seeing a level of mobilization not seen in decades.
“This is the most engaged we’ve seen students probably ever,” Aginskaya-Zhi said. “The rally that we held was one of the biggest gatherings or protests on campus in probably our entire history.”
The movement is gaining even more traction in the Greater Toronto Area, where students are framing the cuts as a systemic attack on public institutions. Trudi Kiropatwa, a third-year student at Toronto Metropolitan University and a member of the Student Mobilization Committee (SMC), says the impact in Toronto is extreme.
“We’re essentially on a sinking ship,” Kiropatwa said. “This government and their corporate cronies see us as customers and our education as an industry that is ready to be exploited.”
The urgency stems from a lack of clarity on how these cuts will affect individual bank accounts. According to WUSA, the provincial OSAP estimator for the upcoming year has yet to be released, leaving students in a state of financial limbo.
Kiropatwa noted that for many, the breaking point is graduating into a job market with record-high youth unemployment while saddled with massive debt.
“Me, personally, I’m going to be graduating with tens of thousands of dollars of student debt already without these changes,” she said. “These changes are making the issue ten times worse.”
“Students definitely are very worried,” Aginskaya-Zhi said. “We are hearing stories from students telling us they’re uncertain whether they can come back to school next year, or whether they can pursue graduate studies.”
This uncertainty is already forcing students to make difficult lifestyle changes. Aginskaya reported that some students are opting for longer commutes rather than living in Waterloo to save on costs, while others are seeing their younger siblings reconsider university altogether.
Beyond the provincial level, the University of Waterloo is also grappling with internal budget crisis pressures. Aginskaya-Zhi highlighted that financial support units on campus are currently understaffed, which could complicate the processing of student aid.
“The university right now is understaffed and has lots of challenges to hire new staff…but funding should not come at the cost of giving more debt to students,” she said.
In response, organizations like WUSA and the SMC carried out a massive convergence at Queen’s Park on Mar. 24, 2026. Despite the government maintaining its argument that the 25 per cent grant limit is sustainable, the mobilizations saw hundreds of activists reiterating demands for a full reversal.
“We’re not here to demand a return to normal…which is a Band-Aid solution,” Kiropatwa said. “We’re here fighting for free, democratic, and accessible education.”
“Right now, I think students are angry, and what we are focusing on is giving students an avenue to let out their anger,” Aginskaya-Zhi said.
She emphasized that the momentum will not fade as the semester ends.
“Just because winter term is ending and it’s summer now doesn’t mean that students have forgotten this betrayal from the government.”
As Parliament returns to session, WUSA intends to keep the pressure on local MPPs to ensure the student voice is heard.
“We hear your anger, we hear your frustration,” Aginskaya-Zhi concluded as a message to the student body. “We are going to work to make sure that you can share that with us.”
#Government #greaterTorontoArea #GTA #impact #OSAP #percent #Protest #queensPark #RemingtonAginskayaZhi #sangjun #SangjunHan #smc #Toronto #TrudiKiropatwa #UniversityOfToronto #universityOfWaterloo #UofT #UW #wusa -
STUDENTS PROTEST OSAP CHANGES
Ontario students across the province are protesting about the recent changes made to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). The Ontario government has announced that, starting this fall, OSAP grants will decrease from a maximum of 85 per cent to 25 per cent.
On Mar. 4, 2026, hundreds of students and community members from across Ontario gathered at Queen’s Park to protest the cuts. Similar protests broke out in different cities, including Waterloo and Ottawa. The OSAP changes are not only affecting post-secondary students but also secondary schools.
At the University of Waterloo, the reaction has been described as historic. Remington Aginskaya-Zhi, Vice President of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), noted that the campus is seeing a level of mobilization not seen in decades.
“This is the most engaged we’ve seen students probably ever,” Aginskaya-Zhi said. “The rally that we held was one of the biggest gatherings or protests on campus in probably our entire history.”
The movement is gaining even more traction in the Greater Toronto Area, where students are framing the cuts as a systemic attack on public institutions. Trudi Kiropatwa, a third-year student at Toronto Metropolitan University and a member of the Student Mobilization Committee (SMC), says the impact in Toronto is extreme.
“We’re essentially on a sinking ship,” Kiropatwa said. “This government and their corporate cronies see us as customers and our education as an industry that is ready to be exploited.”
The urgency stems from a lack of clarity on how these cuts will affect individual bank accounts. According to WUSA, the provincial OSAP estimator for the upcoming year has yet to be released, leaving students in a state of financial limbo.
Kiropatwa noted that for many, the breaking point is graduating into a job market with record-high youth unemployment while saddled with massive debt.
“Me, personally, I’m going to be graduating with tens of thousands of dollars of student debt already without these changes,” she said. “These changes are making the issue ten times worse.”
“Students definitely are very worried,” Aginskaya-Zhi said. “We are hearing stories from students telling us they’re uncertain whether they can come back to school next year, or whether they can pursue graduate studies.”
This uncertainty is already forcing students to make difficult lifestyle changes. Aginskaya reported that some students are opting for longer commutes rather than living in Waterloo to save on costs, while others are seeing their younger siblings reconsider university altogether.
Beyond the provincial level, the University of Waterloo is also grappling with internal budget crisis pressures. Aginskaya-Zhi highlighted that financial support units on campus are currently understaffed, which could complicate the processing of student aid.
“The university right now is understaffed and has lots of challenges to hire new staff…but funding should not come at the cost of giving more debt to students,” she said.
In response, organizations like WUSA and the SMC carried out a massive convergence at Queen’s Park on Mar. 24, 2026. Despite the government maintaining its argument that the 25 per cent grant limit is sustainable, the mobilizations saw hundreds of activists reiterating demands for a full reversal.
“We’re not here to demand a return to normal…which is a Band-Aid solution,” Kiropatwa said. “We’re here fighting for free, democratic, and accessible education.”
“Right now, I think students are angry, and what we are focusing on is giving students an avenue to let out their anger,” Aginskaya-Zhi said.
She emphasized that the momentum will not fade as the semester ends.
“Just because winter term is ending and it’s summer now doesn’t mean that students have forgotten this betrayal from the government.”
As Parliament returns to session, WUSA intends to keep the pressure on local MPPs to ensure the student voice is heard.
“We hear your anger, we hear your frustration,” Aginskaya-Zhi concluded as a message to the student body. “We are going to work to make sure that you can share that with us.”
#Government #greaterTorontoArea #GTA #impact #OSAP #percent #Protest #queensPark #RemingtonAginskayaZhi #sangjun #SangjunHan #smc #Toronto #TrudiKiropatwa #UniversityOfToronto #universityOfWaterloo #UofT #UW #wusa -
STUDENTS PROTEST OSAP CHANGES
Ontario students across the province are protesting about the recent changes made to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). The Ontario government has announced that, starting this fall, OSAP grants will decrease from a maximum of 85 per cent to 25 per cent.
On Mar. 4, 2026, hundreds of students and community members from across Ontario gathered at Queen’s Park to protest the cuts. Similar protests broke out in different cities, including Waterloo and Ottawa. The OSAP changes are not only affecting post-secondary students but also secondary schools.
At the University of Waterloo, the reaction has been described as historic. Remington Aginskaya-Zhi, Vice President of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), noted that the campus is seeing a level of mobilization not seen in decades.
“This is the most engaged we’ve seen students probably ever,” Aginskaya-Zhi said. “The rally that we held was one of the biggest gatherings or protests on campus in probably our entire history.”
The movement is gaining even more traction in the Greater Toronto Area, where students are framing the cuts as a systemic attack on public institutions. Trudi Kiropatwa, a third-year student at Toronto Metropolitan University and a member of the Student Mobilization Committee (SMC), says the impact in Toronto is extreme.
“We’re essentially on a sinking ship,” Kiropatwa said. “This government and their corporate cronies see us as customers and our education as an industry that is ready to be exploited.”
The urgency stems from a lack of clarity on how these cuts will affect individual bank accounts. According to WUSA, the provincial OSAP estimator for the upcoming year has yet to be released, leaving students in a state of financial limbo.
Kiropatwa noted that for many, the breaking point is graduating into a job market with record-high youth unemployment while saddled with massive debt.
“Me, personally, I’m going to be graduating with tens of thousands of dollars of student debt already without these changes,” she said. “These changes are making the issue ten times worse.”
“Students definitely are very worried,” Aginskaya-Zhi said. “We are hearing stories from students telling us they’re uncertain whether they can come back to school next year, or whether they can pursue graduate studies.”
This uncertainty is already forcing students to make difficult lifestyle changes. Aginskaya reported that some students are opting for longer commutes rather than living in Waterloo to save on costs, while others are seeing their younger siblings reconsider university altogether.
Beyond the provincial level, the University of Waterloo is also grappling with internal budget crisis pressures. Aginskaya-Zhi highlighted that financial support units on campus are currently understaffed, which could complicate the processing of student aid.
“The university right now is understaffed and has lots of challenges to hire new staff…but funding should not come at the cost of giving more debt to students,” she said.
In response, organizations like WUSA and the SMC carried out a massive convergence at Queen’s Park on Mar. 24, 2026. Despite the government maintaining its argument that the 25 per cent grant limit is sustainable, the mobilizations saw hundreds of activists reiterating demands for a full reversal.
“We’re not here to demand a return to normal…which is a Band-Aid solution,” Kiropatwa said. “We’re here fighting for free, democratic, and accessible education.”
“Right now, I think students are angry, and what we are focusing on is giving students an avenue to let out their anger,” Aginskaya-Zhi said.
She emphasized that the momentum will not fade as the semester ends.
“Just because winter term is ending and it’s summer now doesn’t mean that students have forgotten this betrayal from the government.”
As Parliament returns to session, WUSA intends to keep the pressure on local MPPs to ensure the student voice is heard.
“We hear your anger, we hear your frustration,” Aginskaya-Zhi concluded as a message to the student body. “We are going to work to make sure that you can share that with us.”
#Government #greaterTorontoArea #GTA #impact #OSAP #percent #Protest #queensPark #RemingtonAginskayaZhi #sangjun #SangjunHan #smc #Toronto #TrudiKiropatwa #UniversityOfToronto #universityOfWaterloo #UofT #UW #wusa -
STUDENTS PROTEST OSAP CHANGES
Ontario students across the province are protesting about the recent changes made to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). The Ontario government has announced that, starting this fall, OSAP grants will decrease from a maximum of 85 per cent to 25 per cent.
On Mar. 4, 2026, hundreds of students and community members from across Ontario gathered at Queen’s Park to protest the cuts. Similar protests broke out in different cities, including Waterloo and Ottawa. The OSAP changes are not only affecting post-secondary students but also secondary schools.
At the University of Waterloo, the reaction has been described as historic. Remington Aginskaya-Zhi, Vice President of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), noted that the campus is seeing a level of mobilization not seen in decades.
“This is the most engaged we’ve seen students probably ever,” Aginskaya-Zhi said. “The rally that we held was one of the biggest gatherings or protests on campus in probably our entire history.”
The movement is gaining even more traction in the Greater Toronto Area, where students are framing the cuts as a systemic attack on public institutions. Trudi Kiropatwa, a third-year student at Toronto Metropolitan University and a member of the Student Mobilization Committee (SMC), says the impact in Toronto is extreme.
“We’re essentially on a sinking ship,” Kiropatwa said. “This government and their corporate cronies see us as customers and our education as an industry that is ready to be exploited.”
The urgency stems from a lack of clarity on how these cuts will affect individual bank accounts. According to WUSA, the provincial OSAP estimator for the upcoming year has yet to be released, leaving students in a state of financial limbo.
Kiropatwa noted that for many, the breaking point is graduating into a job market with record-high youth unemployment while saddled with massive debt.
“Me, personally, I’m going to be graduating with tens of thousands of dollars of student debt already without these changes,” she said. “These changes are making the issue ten times worse.”
“Students definitely are very worried,” Aginskaya-Zhi said. “We are hearing stories from students telling us they’re uncertain whether they can come back to school next year, or whether they can pursue graduate studies.”
This uncertainty is already forcing students to make difficult lifestyle changes. Aginskaya reported that some students are opting for longer commutes rather than living in Waterloo to save on costs, while others are seeing their younger siblings reconsider university altogether.
Beyond the provincial level, the University of Waterloo is also grappling with internal budget crisis pressures. Aginskaya-Zhi highlighted that financial support units on campus are currently understaffed, which could complicate the processing of student aid.
“The university right now is understaffed and has lots of challenges to hire new staff…but funding should not come at the cost of giving more debt to students,” she said.
In response, organizations like WUSA and the SMC carried out a massive convergence at Queen’s Park on Mar. 24, 2026. Despite the government maintaining its argument that the 25 per cent grant limit is sustainable, the mobilizations saw hundreds of activists reiterating demands for a full reversal.
“We’re not here to demand a return to normal…which is a Band-Aid solution,” Kiropatwa said. “We’re here fighting for free, democratic, and accessible education.”
“Right now, I think students are angry, and what we are focusing on is giving students an avenue to let out their anger,” Aginskaya-Zhi said.
She emphasized that the momentum will not fade as the semester ends.
“Just because winter term is ending and it’s summer now doesn’t mean that students have forgotten this betrayal from the government.”
As Parliament returns to session, WUSA intends to keep the pressure on local MPPs to ensure the student voice is heard.
“We hear your anger, we hear your frustration,” Aginskaya-Zhi concluded as a message to the student body. “We are going to work to make sure that you can share that with us.”
#Government #greaterTorontoArea #GTA #impact #OSAP #percent #Protest #queensPark #RemingtonAginskayaZhi #sangjun #SangjunHan #smc #Toronto #TrudiKiropatwa #UniversityOfToronto #universityOfWaterloo #UofT #UW #wusa -
REGION INVESTS $15.1 MILLION TOWARD WATER CAPACITY ISSUE
The Region of Waterloo is hurrying to install a $15.1 million temporary plug into a water capacity crisis that effectively hung a “Closed for Business” sign over one of Canada’s fastest-growing tech hubs.
The Region of Waterloo council has approved using more than $15 million in capital funding to pay for a project that could offer a short-term solution to the ongoing water capacity issues. The project involves H2O Innovation Inc., a water and wastewater treatment company based in Oakville, installing three temporary ultrafiltration containers, each with an estimated flow rate of 50 litres per second, at the Mannheim Water Treatment Plant.
The Region of Waterloo relies heavily on groundwater for its municipal drinking water supply and regularly monitors for contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). These “forever chemicals” have been detected in water systems across Canada and are subject to Health Canada drinking water guidelines.
As regulatory standards evolve and monitoring continues, the Region evaluates treatment options to ensure drinking water remains safe and meets provincial and federal requirements. Granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration is a recognized method for reducing PFAS concentrations and is one of the technologies commonly considered by water utilities when addressing these compounds.
The urgency of the situation was discussed during a recent community meeting. Kevin Thomason, vice-chair of the Grand River Environmental Network, warned that the system is running on a razor-thin margin.
“If there’s a water main break or something that may take out five per cent or ten per cent of our supply…that suddenly means taps are going dry and people aren’t getting service or a hospital isn’t getting water or a fire hydrant isn’t getting water,” Thomason said.
“So, we certainly don’t want to be running so close to our capacity,” he said.
The Waterloo Region staff members explain that any delays in approval could result in significant subsequent delays to project completion, which looks to regain lost capacity at that plant. They are seeking approvals before a detailed design gets completed.
The project costs will be included in the 2026 capital budget and funded through the Water Capital Reserve Fund.
The current-year costs of this project are significantly higher in the report presented to regional council at the Special Regional Council Meeting held on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, compared to the projections detailed in a report from late January 2026. At that time, when the council was presented with a variety of potential options, the current-year impact on the capital budget was $2 million.
Projections for the total project cost remained around $16 million. The $2 million price for engineering services and $2.5 million for electrical work are preliminary estimates.
Beyond the immediate infrastructure bottleneck, a sedimentation capacity constraint at the Mannheim plant has choked the water supply by 300 litres per second, which revealed deeper concerns regarding the Waterloo Moraine.
Regional Councillor Joe Nowak plans to introduce a blue belt motion to provide permanent provincial protection for the Moraine’s high volume recharge areas (HVRAs). These specific, porous sections of land are the primary sponges that refill the region’s aquifers and the motion aims to shield them from urban sprawl to prevent long-term water depletion.
“We really need to look at this in conjunction with solving the capacity issue,” Nowak said. “Advocacy doesn’t have to be negative…we have this issue, we’re probably not going to be the only groundwater source community that has this issue.”
As the region pivots to this emergency implementation, Kenneth Brothers officially joined the Region on Feb. 23, 2026, as the Interim Commissioner of Water Services and Wastewater Operations. An internationally recognized professional engineer and a Fellow of the International Water Association, Brothers is tasked with overseeing the immediate repairs and fast-tracking the infrastructure upgrades needed to restore development capacity.
“Yes, we had a plan… but as with a lot of things, I think what we’re all seeing is there’s no holistic infrastructure plan that accompanies all of these things,” Brothers said.
During a Grand River Watershed community meeting on Feb. 6, 2026 regarding the impacts of Bill 23, experts discussed whether the region could simply tap into deep bedrock aquifers, which are water-bearing rock layers found deeply buried below the surface, to solve the water capacity issue.
Hydrogeologist Michael Friend and aquatic ecologist Jack Imhoff cautioned that this water is fundamentally different from the fresh, rain-fed “sponge” of the Waterloo Moraine.
Because this deep water resides in the Salina Formation, a prehistoric underground rock layer composed of ancient sea salt and gypsum, it absorbed extreme levels of salt over millennia. While technically fixable through desalination, the process is prohibitively expensive and produces a massive amount of toxic brine waste that the Region has no safe way to dispose of without damaging the watershed the meeting sought to protect.
“I look forward to joining the Region of Waterloo as we navigate through this pivotal moment,” Brothers said, emphasizing his commitment to “long-term water sustainability” for a population projected to reach one million by 2051.
#closedForBusiness #grandRiverWatershed #kennethBrothers #michaelFriend #PFAS #PFOA #PFOS #RegionOfWaterloo #SangjunHan #temporary #urgency #waterCapitalResearveFund #waterlooRegion -
UPDATES MADE TO URBAN DESIGN PLAN
On Feb. 9, 2026 during the public city council meeting, officials approved major updates to urban policy. These include mandatory inclusionary zoning for new developments within Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) along the ION light rail line.
Beginning July 1, 2027, developers will be required to set aside a portion of their units for affordable housing, a mandate that impacts project profitability and may prompt a rush of application filings before the deadline to bypass the new requirement.
Once the mandate begins, two per cent of units in qualifying developments within MTSAs will be required to be affordable. That requirement will gradually increase to five per cent by 2031—the current provincial maximum permitted under Ontario regulations. The decision marks the end of nearly a decade of deliberation over how to require affordable housing in high-growth areas.
“Communicating certainty is actually a beneficial condition in all of this,” Julie Wright, ward 7 councillor for the City of Waterloo, said during the Feb. 9, 2026 public council meeting.
Wright was referring to the city’s decision to set a firm implementation date for inclusionary zoning rather than tying it to fluctuating market triggers.
By providing a fixed timeline, the city aims to provide a predictable environment for land budgeting and project planning, preventing the wait-and-see approach that often stalls affordable housing construction.
With roughly a year and a half until implementation, Adam Lauder, the city’s manager of community planning, said staff do not anticipate a significant surge, noting that approximately 25,000 residential units are already in the planning pipeline.
“I don’t expect that there’s going to be a large rush of developments…in order to get in front, or become exempt,” Lauder said. “I do think that the industry will use the next year and a half, as they acquire land, to factor inclusionary zoning into their pro forma.”
The certainty of the 2027 start date was met with bittersweet reflections from some leaders.
“The preferred time…for the development community on this is never…and for me the preferred time for this was 10 years ago when we first started talking about it,” Royce Bodaly, ward 2 councillor for the City of Waterloo, said during the Feb. 9, 2026 Waterloo public council meeting.
While implementation had originally been targeted for March 2025, a consultant report warned that current economic conditions could slow the housing market. In response, the council adjusted the timeline and coordinated with the cities of Kitchener and Cambridge to ensure transit-oriented development sites remain viable for builders.
Typically, inclusionary zoning units are set to market averages to provide moderate affordability, rather than being tied to rent-geared-to-income (RGI) programs, which cap rent at 30 per cent of gross income.
“While you’re walking the hallways, you’re not really going to know which door is affordable,” Lauder said. “Inclusionary zoning is not intended to deliver deeply affordable units, but rather moderately affordable units.”
To help the industry manage added costs, the city is offering density exemptions so that affordable units do not count toward maximum density limits. The move aligns with Waterloo’s strategy of growing inward and upward; data shows roughly 80 per cent of recent residential growth has occurred through infill development.
“Inward growth is generally better for the tax base and the taxpayer,” Lauder said.
Council also approved $260,000 for a dedicated by-law dispatch arrangement. Beginning July 1, 2026, after-hours noise and nuisance calls will be routed through Waterloo Regional Police Service dispatch. Referring to a $440,000 transfer from social service funding back into the police budget, Jen Vasic, Ward 5 Councillor for the City of Waterloo expressed her frustration.
“The police budget is huge, and now we’re giving the police more money from an upstream organization… I can’t figure out some better way forward,” Vasic said during the Feb. 9, 2026 Waterloo public council meeting.
The meeting concluded with a presentation on the Urban Design Manual refresh.
“Beauty should be a part of life for everyone and not only the affluent… aesthetics is a social good,” Vasic said during the Feb. 9, 2026 Wasterloo public council meeting.
Diane Freeman, ward 4 councillor for the City of Waterloo added that the creation of happiness actually does bring value when giving consideration to urban design. Ultimately, the policy updates are intended to ensure the city remains accessible.
“Inclusionary zoning helps to ensure that there’s a place in the city of Waterloo for everyone,” Lauder said.
#adamLauder #CityOfWaterloo #councillorJenVasic #dianeFreeman #douglasStewart #ionLightRailLine #JulieWright #kitchener #MajorTransitStationAreas #mtsas #policeBudget #ProForma #publicCityCouncilMeeting #rgi #SangjunHan #urbanDesignManual #WaterlooRegionalPoliceService -
ENTERING THE NEXT CHAPTER : HAMLEY’S SECONDHAND BOOKSTORE OPENS IN CAMBRIDGE
In Nov. 2025, Jamie Hamley and his wife Sheri opened Hamley’s Second Chapter at 132 Main St. in Cambridge.
Jamie, a resident of Waterloo, spent 15 years of his life overseeing operations at Petro Canada gas stations within the city. But his love for literature started early. Growing up in Owen Sound, Jamie spent his after-school hours immersed in local used bookstores, hunting for western novels by Louis L’Amour.
His passion for reading and books inspired his goal of opening a second-hand bookstore, especially when he discovered there were none in Galt.
“My employment at Petro-Canada moved to 3 days a week, so I was looking for an add-on opportunity,” Jamie said. “I have always been a used bookstore customer and an avid reader, so the choice was easy for me.”
The couple collected books for their inventory at a four-day used book sale in Guelph that had 80,000 books available; out of these, they purchased 4,000.
They continued their efforts by purchasing more books through online platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji, as well as from individual residents.
“We have an open concept in the store,” Sheri said. “We don’t want to be overstocked and cramped. We like to offer open space for the customers to look around.”
To further support the neighbourhood, the couple has dedicated a table at the front of the shop to showcase local authors.
Aside from books, the store also offers second-hand puzzles, Funko Pops and DVDs. Jamie said they plan to sell games in the future, but since his stock has grown so quickly, he decided to stop buying merchandise for his store in January, to focus on organization.
“It’s important to recycle products to a second or even tenth user,” Jamie said. “Everybody is a reader—some people just haven’t found the right book yet. Maybe they can find it here.”
“We are just starting to see what the community wants,” Sheri said. “We have expanded our non-fiction section to try to meet our customers’ needs.”
Although having space for their store was a big dream come true, Sheri explained that finding a rental space that suited their needs was a challenge.
“I have always wanted a physical store,” said Jamie. “Customers want to have the book in their hands, and you never know what you will find when you search the shelves.”
With a three-year lease in place, the couple hopes that the store will become their full-time focus. Jamie sees it as the perfect “second chapter” and a meaningful project for him and Sheri to share throughout their retirement.
#Books #bookstore #Cambridge #dvds #facebookMarketplace #funkoPops #Galt #Guelph #hamelyS #jamieHamley #localBookstore #localBusiness #petroCanada #Reading #SangjunHan #secondhand #Thrift #Thrifting #vintage -
INSTRUMENT LIBRARIES HELP SPREAD MUSIC
As the cost of music education continues to rise, instrument lending programs across Waterloo Region are helping remove financial and logistical barriers for families, students, and schools.
Local nonprofit organizations operate instrument lending programs aimed at improving access to music education, particularly for children and youth. One program is Bandology, a program that enriches the music experience of kids and teens through performance opportunities. The Kitchener Public Library (KPL) also runs their music library program, where library members can sign out an instrument using their library card.
Juliana Rutledge, the Innovation Manager and Head of Operations at Bandology, said instrument libraries play a crucial role in helping young people who may not otherwise be able to participate in music programs.
“Music libraries are really important because they level the playing field for a lot of kids and the whole community…in order to be able to access music and to be able to experience music education,” Rutledge said.
They also allow community members to experience new interests at low cost.
“Borrowing an instrument from the library offers people a chance to try a new creative interest without an expensive investment,” Kerri Hutchinson, Manager of Marketing and Communications at the KPL, said.
For Rutledge, the goal is simple: ensuring that cost or access never prevents someone from experiencing music.
“If you’re looking for a little more music in your life, reach out. There’s absolutely something that can be done,” she said.
Research has shown that music education is associated with enhanced academic and cognitive skills, improved social and emotional development, and positive effects on youth well-being. However, access to music programs has become increasingly difficult, as arts funding is often among the first areas cut during budget constraints.
“The arts generally are often the first to be cut when there are expense issues,” Rutledge said. “If you are looking to shrink a budget and find some light arms to cut, music is an easy one to say no to.”
Bandology’s instrument lending library was developed in 2021 and 2022 to improve access to instruments and music programs. The program officially launched after the organization received capital grants from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in 2023 and 2024, allowing the nonprofit to purchase a wide range of instruments.
“These instruments, they’re doing no good to us sitting on our shelves,” Rutledge said. “We want them to be loaned out. We want students in the community who want to make more music and are looking for a way to do that.”
Bandology’s lending program serves multiple regions, including Kitchener-Waterloo, Halton and Guelph. Rutledge said the program fills gaps for families who cannot afford instruments, as well as for schools with limited or aging collections.
“We had one school in Milton last year that was brand new, like still a dirt patch on Google Maps, and they borrowed about a dozen instruments to supplement what they didn’t have,” Rutledge said.
The organization works closely with local educators, who play a key role in connecting students with the program. Rutledge said more than half of applicants learned about the lending library through their music teachers.
“We have a network of teachers that we stay in touch with, and they definitely feel the impact of knowing that there is something to fall back on if their classroom doesn’t have whatever the item might be,” she said.
In addition to the lending library, Bandology runs annual band camps for students in grades one through twelve and offers music workshops in partnership with schools and community organizations. While the nonprofit primarily focuses on children and youth, Rutledge said it is also exploring intergenerational programming that brings different age groups together through music.
The Kitchener Public Library’s musical instrument collection shares a similar focus on accessibility through instrument lending. According to the Kitchener Public Library, instruments can be borrowed for free with a valid library card.
The collection is available at the library’s Central branch in downtown Kitchener and was created with support from Sun Life Financial. The library now maintains the collection through its operating budget and donor contributions.
Rutledge said the growth of instrument lending programs reflects a broader recognition of music’s value within communities.
“There’s more push for instrument loans through libraries and non-profits like Bandology,” she said. “More music is good for all music organizations.”
For more information, visit the KPL website or bandology.ca.
#arts #Bandology #Education #goal #instrument #julianaRutledge #kerriHutchinson #KPL #library #music #nonprofit #ontarioTrilliumFoundation #SangjunHan -
WORLD RELIGIONS CONFERENCE DELEGATES TALK COMBATTING HATE
On Nov. 23, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at hosted the 43rd World Religions Conference (WRC) at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, becoming a hub for dialogue, reflection and education, drawing on religious scholars, community leaders and students to explore the pressing social challenge of combating hate.
The conference brings voices together from major world religions, Indigenous faiths and non-religious perspectives to foster understanding and encourage harmonious living.
This year, representatives from Sikhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Indigenous traditions and Humanism shared how their teachings and lived experiences can help confront prejudice. Nabeela Rana, WRC organizer and member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, highlighted the conference’s neutrality and inclusivity.
“Every year, there are more people coming, and every year we see more interest because of the nature of this conference…we’re giving eight faiths or philosophies a chance to speak,” Rana said.
The event participants explained that hate, whether it’s personal or systematic, thrives on fear and ignorance. Upkar Singh, a community worker and leader representing the Sikh perspective, explained that hate stems from fear, while love and understanding unite communities. He cited historical examples of courage and compassion, such as the sacrifice of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, for the freedom of other traditions, and Guru Nanak’s teachings of nirbhau (without fear), nirvair (without hatred).
“By carrying that same fearlessness, only then can we stand against hate, united and strong,” Singh said.
Shiv Talwar, president of the Spiritual Heritage Education Network and Hindu representative at the WRC, said spiritual practices transform individuals from within to overcome hatred.
“If we want to stop hate, we have to even change our biochemistry…our love is biochemistry driven. Our hate is also biochemistry driven too,” he said.
Mindfulness, breathwork, and contemplative practices were presented as tools to cultivate empathy and awareness.
Farhan Iqbal, an Imam from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, highlighted Islam’s emphasis on conviction and peaceful engagement, recalling the Prophet Muhammad’s resilience in the face of threats.
“[O]ver time, God granted [the Prophet] conviction and the yaqeen, the strength of belief to convey [His] message,” Iqbal said.
He urged attendees to engage with understanding and dialogue.
Father Toby Collins, a pastor from St. Mary Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows Roman Catholic Church, offered a Christian perspective, emphasizing the idea of transforming hate and prejudice through love and forgiveness. He draws on biblical teachings and encourages attendees to pray for those who caused harm, underscoring the power of community and the need to protect joy while serving other people within our community.
“When we pray for other people …there becomes an opportunity to grow an awareness of what we really need, where we can find it, and we can move better towards forgiveness,” Collins said.
Jay Judkowitz, president of Temple Shalom, a Reform Jewish synagogue, highlighted teachings on community and teshuva, the process of repentance and restitution.
“While we are commanded to do teshuva, we are also supposed to accept it,” Judkowitz said. “If you just keep punishing people, the world’s never going to improve.”
Similarly, Mitra Barua, an assistant professor of Asian Studies and a Buddhist Scholar in Residence at the Martin Luther University College, said Buddhist traditions emphasized introspection and mindful reflection to prevent hatred from taking root.
“Buddha guided leaders to examine their own greed, delusion, and aversion before taking harmful action, encouraging individuals to find answers within themselves,” he said.
Clarence Cachagee, founder of the Crow Shield Lodge, a Mishkegowak Chapleau Cree, and the Indigenous speaker at the conference, explained that Indigenous teachings emphasized the sacred connection between the land, ancestors, and prayer. Cachagee shared that prayer, tobacco, and drums are central to maintaining harmony and grounding oneself in community.
“Our drum, when we play our drums, it’s a form of prayer…all of those things come from the land, from home,” Cachagee said.
Finally, Sassan Sanei, A philosopher representing Humanist perspectives during the conference, highlighted that moral responsibility does not require formal religious structures.
“We don’t need a formal structure or organizational hierarchy…we just need to know what’s right and what’s wrong,” Sanei said.
He emphasized empathy, compassion, and reason as guiding principles for confronting hate.
Throughout the conference, recurring themes emerged: fear and ignorance which fuel division, but courage, compassion, introspection, and community build bridges. Faith and philosophy, whether religious or secular, provide tools to recognize hate, transform behavior and foster understanding.
As Rana noted, interfaith engagement represents a path forward for societies seeking unity amid diversity.
“The World Religions Conference continues to offer a platform for dialogue, reflection and education, calling on attendees to build a society rooted in compassion, understanding and the shared effort to combat hate,” Rana said.
By bringing together diverse voices, the WRC demonstrated that understanding and empathy are essential tools in the fight against hate.
#ahmadiyya #amrProduct #clarenceCachagee #CommunityLeaders #crowShieldLodge #Education #engineering #farhanIqbal #guruTeghBahadurJi #OTTO #reflection #SangjunHan #sassanSanei #sikhGuru #spiritualHeritageEducationNetwork #stMaryOurLadyOfTheSevenSorrowsRomanCatholicChurch #WorldReligions #worldReligionsConference
-
EBIKES AND SCOOTERS CONTINUE SEEING SUCCESS IN WR
In the spring of 2023, Neuron Mobility launched a transportation program utilizing orange e-scooters and e-bikes in the Waterloo Region. Residents were given access to these shared modes of environmentally friendly electric vehicles. The program has found success within the region—it offers a quick alternative to driving cars around Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.
Statistics from the spring, summer and fall of 2023 demonstrate positive results, including a total of 46,000 riders; 190,000 trips; 360,000 kilometers ridden; $8.2 million poured into the Waterloo Region economy and 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions saved, which is the equivalent of 192 mature trees.
The Waterloo Region is in the process of building a sustainable transportation network. These e-scooters and e-bikes are an affordable transportation option that makes sense for all types of inner-city travel, leisure rides and short trips transporting a person from their home to their workplace or school. Riders can use e-scooters or e-bikes to get from their homes to an ION or bus stop. Travelers can access an e-bike or e-scooter at a particular point in the region and then ride it and drop it off at a completely different part of town.
Colleen James, regional councillor for the City of Kitchener, said the idea of introducing Neuron e-scooters and e-bikes into the region made sense for many reasons, including the reduction of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This reduction is a climate goal set by the Region of Waterloo. Using low-carbon transportation is a strategy to reach this goal by 2030.
“The benefit to this program is that it was not going to cost us anything, so there is no cost to taxpayers. This is literally a partnership (between the Region and Neuron Mobility) to promote more active transportation,” James said.
James went on to say that this program allows for more options for travel within our region.
“The Region of Waterloo is Canada’s only multi-jurisdiction shared micromobility program…The success of the program can be attributed to a number of factors including the fantastic work of our municipal partners and the enthusiasm for the service from our riders across the Region,” Isaac Ransom, head of corporate affairs for Neuron Mobility, Canada said.
Neuron Mobility also has e-scooters and e-bikes in 17 cities across Canada, including Ottawa, Brampton, Vaughan, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Saskatoon and Regina. Since the launch of these programs in 2021, riders of Neuron e-scooters and e-bikes have travelled over nine million kilometres.
To rent and ride an e-scooter or an e-bike, simply download the Neuron Mobility app and follow the instructions. A person must be at least 16 years old to rent the equipment.
The cost is approximately $2,000 per year for active use. From an environmental point of view, this is a reasonable cost compared to the cost of running a car for a year.
James, with many others, sees a bright future with the continuous utilization of e-bikes and e-scooters within the Waterloo Region.
#brampton #calgary #Cambridge #CityOfKitchener #CO2 #ColleenJames #EBikes #eScooters #edmonton #environmental #environmentallyFriendlyVehicles #escooters #EV #friendlyVehicles #kitchener #LizGaiger #Neuron #neuronMobility #Ottawa #redDeer #Regina #Region #SangjunHan #saskatoon #vaughan
-
EBIKES AND SCOOTERS CONTINUE SEEING SUCCESS IN WR
In the spring of 2023, Neuron Mobility launched a transportation program utilizing orange e-scooters and e-bikes in the Waterloo Region. Residents were given access to these shared modes of environmentally friendly electric vehicles. The program has found success within the region—it offers a quick alternative to driving cars around Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.
Statistics from the spring, summer and fall of 2023 demonstrate positive results, including a total of 46,000 riders; 190,000 trips; 360,000 kilometers ridden; $8.2 million poured into the Waterloo Region economy and 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions saved, which is the equivalent of 192 mature trees.
The Waterloo Region is in the process of building a sustainable transportation network. These e-scooters and e-bikes are an affordable transportation option that makes sense for all types of inner-city travel, leisure rides and short trips transporting a person from their home to their workplace or school. Riders can use e-scooters or e-bikes to get from their homes to an ION or bus stop. Travelers can access an e-bike or e-scooter at a particular point in the region and then ride it and drop it off at a completely different part of town.
Colleen James, regional councillor for the City of Kitchener, said the idea of introducing Neuron e-scooters and e-bikes into the region made sense for many reasons, including the reduction of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This reduction is a climate goal set by the Region of Waterloo. Using low-carbon transportation is a strategy to reach this goal by 2030.
“The benefit to this program is that it was not going to cost us anything, so there is no cost to taxpayers. This is literally a partnership (between the Region and Neuron Mobility) to promote more active transportation,” James said.
James went on to say that this program allows for more options for travel within our region.
“The Region of Waterloo is Canada’s only multi-jurisdiction shared micromobility program…The success of the program can be attributed to a number of factors including the fantastic work of our municipal partners and the enthusiasm for the service from our riders across the Region,” Isaac Ransom, head of corporate affairs for Neuron Mobility, Canada said.
Neuron Mobility also has e-scooters and e-bikes in 17 cities across Canada, including Ottawa, Brampton, Vaughan, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Saskatoon and Regina. Since the launch of these programs in 2021, riders of Neuron e-scooters and e-bikes have travelled over nine million kilometres.
To rent and ride an e-scooter or an e-bike, simply download the Neuron Mobility app and follow the instructions. A person must be at least 16 years old to rent the equipment.
The cost is approximately $2,000 per year for active use. From an environmental point of view, this is a reasonable cost compared to the cost of running a car for a year.
James, with many others, sees a bright future with the continuous utilization of e-bikes and e-scooters within the Waterloo Region.
#brampton #calgary #Cambridge #CityOfKitchener #CO2 #ColleenJames #EBikes #eScooters #edmonton #environmental #environmentallyFriendlyVehicles #escooters #EV #friendlyVehicles #kitchener #LizGaiger #Neuron #neuronMobility #Ottawa #redDeer #Regina #Region #SangjunHan #saskatoon #vaughan
-
EBIKES AND SCOOTERS CONTINUE SEEING SUCCESS IN WR
In the spring of 2023, Neuron Mobility launched a transportation program utilizing orange e-scooters and e-bikes in the Waterloo Region. Residents were given access to these shared modes of environmentally friendly electric vehicles. The program has found success within the region—it offers a quick alternative to driving cars around Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.
Statistics from the spring, summer and fall of 2023 demonstrate positive results, including a total of 46,000 riders; 190,000 trips; 360,000 kilometers ridden; $8.2 million poured into the Waterloo Region economy and 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions saved, which is the equivalent of 192 mature trees.
The Waterloo Region is in the process of building a sustainable transportation network. These e-scooters and e-bikes are an affordable transportation option that makes sense for all types of inner-city travel, leisure rides and short trips transporting a person from their home to their workplace or school. Riders can use e-scooters or e-bikes to get from their homes to an ION or bus stop. Travelers can access an e-bike or e-scooter at a particular point in the region and then ride it and drop it off at a completely different part of town.
Colleen James, regional councillor for the City of Kitchener, said the idea of introducing Neuron e-scooters and e-bikes into the region made sense for many reasons, including the reduction of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This reduction is a climate goal set by the Region of Waterloo. Using low-carbon transportation is a strategy to reach this goal by 2030.
“The benefit to this program is that it was not going to cost us anything, so there is no cost to taxpayers. This is literally a partnership (between the Region and Neuron Mobility) to promote more active transportation,” James said.
James went on to say that this program allows for more options for travel within our region.
“The Region of Waterloo is Canada’s only multi-jurisdiction shared micromobility program…The success of the program can be attributed to a number of factors including the fantastic work of our municipal partners and the enthusiasm for the service from our riders across the Region,” Isaac Ransom, head of corporate affairs for Neuron Mobility, Canada said.
Neuron Mobility also has e-scooters and e-bikes in 17 cities across Canada, including Ottawa, Brampton, Vaughan, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Saskatoon and Regina. Since the launch of these programs in 2021, riders of Neuron e-scooters and e-bikes have travelled over nine million kilometres.
To rent and ride an e-scooter or an e-bike, simply download the Neuron Mobility app and follow the instructions. A person must be at least 16 years old to rent the equipment.
The cost is approximately $2,000 per year for active use. From an environmental point of view, this is a reasonable cost compared to the cost of running a car for a year.
James, with many others, sees a bright future with the continuous utilization of e-bikes and e-scooters within the Waterloo Region.
#brampton #calgary #Cambridge #CityOfKitchener #CO2 #ColleenJames #EBikes #eScooters #edmonton #environmental #environmentallyFriendlyVehicles #escooters #EV #friendlyVehicles #kitchener #LizGaiger #Neuron #neuronMobility #Ottawa #redDeer #Regina #Region #SangjunHan #saskatoon #vaughan
-
EBIKES AND SCOOTERS CONTINUE SEEING SUCCESS IN WR
In the spring of 2023, Neuron Mobility launched a transportation program utilizing orange e-scooters and e-bikes in the Waterloo Region. Residents were given access to these shared modes of environmentally friendly electric vehicles. The program has found success within the region—it offers a quick alternative to driving cars around Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.
Statistics from the spring, summer and fall of 2023 demonstrate positive results, including a total of 46,000 riders; 190,000 trips; 360,000 kilometers ridden; $8.2 million poured into the Waterloo Region economy and 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions saved, which is the equivalent of 192 mature trees.
The Waterloo Region is in the process of building a sustainable transportation network. These e-scooters and e-bikes are an affordable transportation option that makes sense for all types of inner-city travel, leisure rides and short trips transporting a person from their home to their workplace or school. Riders can use e-scooters or e-bikes to get from their homes to an ION or bus stop. Travelers can access an e-bike or e-scooter at a particular point in the region and then ride it and drop it off at a completely different part of town.
Colleen James, regional councillor for the City of Kitchener, said the idea of introducing Neuron e-scooters and e-bikes into the region made sense for many reasons, including the reduction of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This reduction is a climate goal set by the Region of Waterloo. Using low-carbon transportation is a strategy to reach this goal by 2030.
“The benefit to this program is that it was not going to cost us anything, so there is no cost to taxpayers. This is literally a partnership (between the Region and Neuron Mobility) to promote more active transportation,” James said.
James went on to say that this program allows for more options for travel within our region.
“The Region of Waterloo is Canada’s only multi-jurisdiction shared micromobility program…The success of the program can be attributed to a number of factors including the fantastic work of our municipal partners and the enthusiasm for the service from our riders across the Region,” Isaac Ransom, head of corporate affairs for Neuron Mobility, Canada said.
Neuron Mobility also has e-scooters and e-bikes in 17 cities across Canada, including Ottawa, Brampton, Vaughan, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Saskatoon and Regina. Since the launch of these programs in 2021, riders of Neuron e-scooters and e-bikes have travelled over nine million kilometres.
To rent and ride an e-scooter or an e-bike, simply download the Neuron Mobility app and follow the instructions. A person must be at least 16 years old to rent the equipment.
The cost is approximately $2,000 per year for active use. From an environmental point of view, this is a reasonable cost compared to the cost of running a car for a year.
James, with many others, sees a bright future with the continuous utilization of e-bikes and e-scooters within the Waterloo Region.
#brampton #calgary #Cambridge #CityOfKitchener #CO2 #ColleenJames #EBikes #eScooters #edmonton #environmental #environmentallyFriendlyVehicles #escooters #EV #friendlyVehicles #kitchener #LizGaiger #Neuron #neuronMobility #Ottawa #redDeer #Regina #Region #SangjunHan #saskatoon #vaughan
-
EBIKES AND SCOOTERS CONTINUE SEEING SUCCESS IN WR
In the spring of 2023, Neuron Mobility launched a transportation program utilizing orange e-scooters and e-bikes in the Waterloo Region. Residents were given access to these shared modes of environmentally friendly electric vehicles. The program has found success within the region—it offers a quick alternative to driving cars around Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.
Statistics from the spring, summer and fall of 2023 demonstrate positive results, including a total of 46,000 riders; 190,000 trips; 360,000 kilometers ridden; $8.2 million poured into the Waterloo Region economy and 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions saved, which is the equivalent of 192 mature trees.
The Waterloo Region is in the process of building a sustainable transportation network. These e-scooters and e-bikes are an affordable transportation option that makes sense for all types of inner-city travel, leisure rides and short trips transporting a person from their home to their workplace or school. Riders can use e-scooters or e-bikes to get from their homes to an ION or bus stop. Travelers can access an e-bike or e-scooter at a particular point in the region and then ride it and drop it off at a completely different part of town.
Colleen James, regional councillor for the City of Kitchener, said the idea of introducing Neuron e-scooters and e-bikes into the region made sense for many reasons, including the reduction of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This reduction is a climate goal set by the Region of Waterloo. Using low-carbon transportation is a strategy to reach this goal by 2030.
“The benefit to this program is that it was not going to cost us anything, so there is no cost to taxpayers. This is literally a partnership (between the Region and Neuron Mobility) to promote more active transportation,” James said.
James went on to say that this program allows for more options for travel within our region.
“The Region of Waterloo is Canada’s only multi-jurisdiction shared micromobility program…The success of the program can be attributed to a number of factors including the fantastic work of our municipal partners and the enthusiasm for the service from our riders across the Region,” Isaac Ransom, head of corporate affairs for Neuron Mobility, Canada said.
Neuron Mobility also has e-scooters and e-bikes in 17 cities across Canada, including Ottawa, Brampton, Vaughan, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Saskatoon and Regina. Since the launch of these programs in 2021, riders of Neuron e-scooters and e-bikes have travelled over nine million kilometres.
To rent and ride an e-scooter or an e-bike, simply download the Neuron Mobility app and follow the instructions. A person must be at least 16 years old to rent the equipment.
The cost is approximately $2,000 per year for active use. From an environmental point of view, this is a reasonable cost compared to the cost of running a car for a year.
James, with many others, sees a bright future with the continuous utilization of e-bikes and e-scooters within the Waterloo Region.
#brampton #calgary #Cambridge #CityOfKitchener #CO2 #ColleenJames #EBikes #eScooters #edmonton #environmental #environmentallyFriendlyVehicles #escooters #EV #friendlyVehicles #kitchener #LizGaiger #Neuron #neuronMobility #Ottawa #redDeer #Regina #Region #SangjunHan #saskatoon #vaughan
-
KITCHENER INTRODUCES RENOVICTION BY-LAW
On June 23, 2025, Kitchener city council directed their staff to draft a renoviction by-law. Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) delegates pushed the council to end bad faith evictions, or renovictions. These are due to a landlord’s desire or need to renovate, thus leading to residents moving out of apartments they can afford.
Similar bylaws were introduced in London and Hamilton this year to protect residents after being served a N13 eviction notice, given when a landlord intends to renovate or demolish a rental property, or convert it to a non-residential use.
“The Region of Waterloo’s Building Better Futures Plan supports the creation and preservation of affordable housing, and we work collaboratively with all levels of government to advance affordable housing in our community,” Scott Cressman, Senior Communications Advisor for the Region of Waterloo, said.
The London by-law came into effect in March 2025. It requires landlords to apply for a license within one week of serving a tenant with a N13 eviction notice.
The bylaw forces landlords to submit a report that is certified by an engineer or architect proving the renovations need the unit to be temporarily vacant. The City of Kitchener council is considering a similar format.
In January 2024, Hamilton became the first city in Ontario to adopt a renoviction by-law. Setting the precedent for the Kitchener bylaw, it will require a landlord to apply for city renovation license within seven days of issuing a N13 eviction notice. The license fee will be $715 per unit, and $125 to renew per annum.
“In Ontario, tenant displacement and eviction protection policies fall within the jurisdiction of the province or local area municipalities. This includes rental replacement by-laws related to the renovation, conversion and demolition of rental housing,” Cressman said.
Bill 97, The Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, Subsection 50 [3] was re-anacted so that landlords are to give notices of a termination of tenancy when they require the possession of a rental unit to do repairs or renovations. This, however, has left many tenants in the Waterloo Region still vulnerable to renoviction.
“This was a provincial law that happened, made it so basically any new builds or renovated builds had no cap on rent that could be charged. And then certain amoral landlords saw that as an opportunity to falsify renovations or minor improvements or whatnot, to get tenants out,” Linda Vos, a leader for the 250 Frederick ACORN tenant union, said.
Vos became involved with ACORN in November of 2023 when one of her neighbours at 250 Frederick St. reached out to ACORN with concerns about their new landlord. ACORN helped them thoroughly when news of the landlord’s history of renoviction spread. Willing tenants of the building were signed up for mailing lists pertinent to their situation, and planned marches to City Hall immediately.
“We are hoping that Kitchener and Waterloo both come back with in their drafts that have these strong renoviction protections for tenants, ACORN has been fighting for specific features in the renovation by laws for years now,” Vos said.
#ACORN #Bill97 #CityOfKitchener #Hamilton #HelpingHomebuyers #HelpingHomeownersProtectingTenantsAct #housingCrisis #kitchenerCityCouncil #LindonVos #London #ProtectingTenantsAct #Renoviction #SangjunHan #scottCressman #seniorCommunicationsAdvisorForTheRegionOfWaterloo #waterlooRegion
-
WELCOME TO OUR QRIB
Willow River Centre and Spectrum’s Black, Racialized and Indigenous Queers (BRIQ) House are co-organizing a series of events called QRIB (Queer, Racialized, Indigenous and Black) community hangouts to help foster a safer community for self-identifying queer, racialized, Indigenous and Black individuals.
The two organizations started hosting these hangouts last year from Aug. 9 to Dec 13. Initially focused on karaoke, the hangouts have since evolved to include other community-focused activities like bonfires and discussion circles.
The name “QRIB” is a play on words for the word crib and was chosen to evoke a sense of home or gathering space. The Willow-River Centre, an event venue based in Kitchener, played a key role by offering a space designed for the Indigenous and racialized queer population, incorporating culturally specific elements, local art and non-hierarchical, healing-focused community values, instead of clinical or colonial support models.
“They bring a sense of safety for a lot of Indigenous and queer people locally,” Karla Gomez, a facilitator of the QRIB hangout, said.
Spectrum provides funding and support, including food and resources at hangouts. Though the organization wasn’t initially inclusive, recent leadership changes made it more committed to reconciliation and community prioritization.
“The hangouts are non-hierarchical, free, and community-led, fostering healing and connection in ways that feel safe and liberating to those involved,” Roni Noodle, a director of the QRIB hangouts, said.
Noodle also explained how QRIB is unique in Kitchener-Waterloo, and no other local spaces offer the same intersectional support for 2SLGBTQIA+ and racialized individuals. Noodle described BRIQ House as another supportive space for Indigenous and queer people in the area but noted it holds a different relationship with the community compared to Willow River Centre. Although Spectrum started hosting QRIB hangouts to create a more inclusive space, it’s not a space designed for racialized, Black and Indigenous individuals. Even though they’re attempting to change, they decided a partnership with Willow River Centre will help them.
“It’s a space where you don’t need to translate your soul. It’s designed with you in mind,” Roni said.
They said that people from within the racialized or queer community are not always comfortable in public spaces and they do not feel acknowledged or seen, but this is a space where those individuals can feel comfort and express themselves more freely.
Noodle explained that last year’s QRIB hangouts went very well. However, Spectrum’s director changed earlier this year and the two organizations were not sure if they had funding for the hangouts this year. However, the new director was very supportive of the events.
“Events like this are too important to the community for us not to prioritize funding for it,” Gomez said.
She said events such as the QRIB hangout need to exist, saying that Spectrum continues to show commitment to supporting these hangouts, by applying for funding for racialized Indigenous Queers.
These events have had a successful turnout so far, with returning participants and new individuals joining the hangout, these events also address local issues revolving around the racialized, queer, and Indigenous communities such as peer support, food insecurity, loneliness, and isolation.
#2SLGBTQIA_ #Black #colonialSupportModel #FoodInsecurity #healingFocused #Indigenous #Isolation #karlaGomez #KitchenerWaterloo #LocalArt #loneliness #PeerSupport #qrib #queer #racialized #RoniNoodle #SafeSpace #SangjunHan #Spectrum #WillowRiverCentre