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Council Info - Nov. 14, 2018

Council Info is a summary of discussion and the major items presented at Council meetings. It is circulated immediately following each meeting. You are encouraged to quote from and copy this information. Please refer to the minutes for an official record of the meeting.

Final Regional Council meeting for this term of Council

Tonight’s Regional Council meeting will be the last meeting for this term of Council. It also marks Regional Chair Ken Seiling’s final meeting before retirement. Chair Seiling was first elected Regional Chair in 1985. He has seen the community change and grow dramatically during his tenure and has provided strong, steady leadership throughout.

Elmira Family Centre creates shared community space

Council approved agreements that will create a shared community space at the new Elmira Family Centre. K-W YMCA will operate an EarlyON Child and Family Centre and the Elmira Community Nursery School will operate a half day program. The Elmira Family Centre is co-located with the new Riverside Public School, which opened in late 2016.

Community Innovation Grant awarded

Council awarded this year’s $50,000 community innovation grant to the Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank for the development of Indigenous land-based programming at a garden site located on the rare Charitable Research Reserve. These grants support not-for-profit community organizations, partnerships or groups undertaking innovative projects with potential to provide effective and sustainable solutions to existing or emerging needs within the region.

Installation of new pedestrian signal

Council approved the installation of a new pedestrian signal at Bridgeport Road at the Laurel Creek Trail crossing. This decision was made after requests from the City of Waterloo and local residents. The new crossing will help address the greater demand form pedestrian and cyclist crossings at the Laurel Creek trail crossing location.

Church Street improvements

Council approved a variety of improvements to Church Street (from Spruce Lane to Arthur Street), in the Township of Woolwich. The improvements will repair poor road conditions, add curb and gutter and storm sewers, replace underground infrastructure and add cycling/active transportation facilities. Construction is expected to occur in 2020 at a cost of $2.85 million (Region’s share).

Region terminates current RFP process for transit hub

Council has decided to terminate the current request for proposal process with King Victoria Transit Hub Partners Inc. who were bidding to build the transit hub at King and Victoria Streets in Kitchener. The Region wants a centralized transportation facility, offering connections to local buses, ION, GO trains, VIA Rail, inter-city buses, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians – integrated with residential, office and retail space, creating an iconic transit hub. The hub will connect the region to the Toronto-Waterloo Innovation corridor, promoting growth and generating economic development. The Province has committed $43 million of funding for the public transit component of the project. Alternative approaches such as restarting the procurement process or dividing up the transit hub phases through more conventional methods are being considered.

Tenders/Contracts:                                       

The following tenders/contracts were approved by Council:

  • $2,702,252 plus applicable taxes to US Water Services Inc. for horizontal greensand pressure filters for the Strange St. Water Supply system in Kitchener.
  • $2,152,751 plus applicable taxes to Martin and Levesque Inc. for transit uniforms for a five year period.
  • $2,148,000 plus applicable taxes to Trojan Technologies ULC Group for UV disinfection equipment for the Galt Wastewater Treatment plant in Cambridge.
  • $720,930 over three years to Library Services Centre for library services including acquisition, cataloguing and processing of materials.
  • $686, 688 plus applicable taxes to BGL Contractors Corp. for chemical systems safety improvements to the Manheim Water Treatment plant.
  • $479,000 plus applicable taxes to Serene Group Inc. for shower room improvements at Sunnyside Home.
  • $159,306 plus applicable taxes to VFD Solutions Inc. for a five year preventative maintenance program for the Region’s variable frequency drives (motors) at its water pumping stations.


Next Council Meeting
December 5, 2018 at 7 p.m. (*Inaugural)


For more information, contact:
Bryan Stortz, Director, Corporate Communications, 519-575-4408
Regional Clerk’s Office, 519-575-4400