T. Donegani, Senior Planner with the City of Kitchener, presented on the Kitchener 2051 Official Plan, focusing on the physical changes anticipated in the community as the city prepares to grow by approximately 150,000 people. The presentation emphasized the importance of aligning this growth with community values and incorporating those values at the policy level in the Official Plan update. The current plan from 2014 is being refreshed, with integration across the Region’s seven municipalities. P. Boot asked about alignment with other city plans and supporting documents, to which T. Donegani emphasized regular updates and reference to strategies such as the Strategic Plan 2023–26 and TransformWR.
The discussion focused on “big ideas” and 18 priorities related to neighbourhoods, economy, and environment. K. Charlesworth expressed concern about the traditional structuring of priorities into social, economic, and environmental categories, suggesting that this approach reinforces silos and may hinder integrated thinking. V. Nhio-son agreed and recommended using system maps to identify overlaps, also stressing the importance of genuine engagement with Indigenous communities in the spirit of truth and reconciliation.
A. Di Battista noted that the environment is not adequately reflected in the current themes and emphasized the need for integration across categories like economy and environment. She stressed that all elements should be connected, with sustainable and green neighbourhoods serving as a foundation for broader integration. V. Nhio-son added that working alongside Indigenous communities is essential to incorporate Indigenous worldviews and cultural perspectives into the planning process.
Following the discussion, P. Boot offered a different perspective, recognizing the complexity and challenge of creating such a comprehensive plan. V. Nhio-son suggested using color-coding to improve visual accessibility, and K. Charlesworth noted that while there are linkages between themes, they are not clearly shown in the document. J. Phan emphasized the value of visuals or diagrams to better understand how elements connect within the Official Plan 2051. C. Corcoran supported the idea of a unified diagram, and S. Baer added that visuals should better reflect broader environmental concepts beyond just trees. P. Boot encouraged viewing the plan through multiple lenses. K. Charlesworth concluded by suggesting a focus on areas with the most connections and critiqued the current wording of the document.
N. Goss noted the importance of making challenging decisions due to the impossibility of addressing all priorities simultaneously and introduced the Emerging Directions exercise to initiate committee discussion. K. Charlesworth started the discussion by sharing her concerns about the lack of focus on climate and affordable housing, and suggested ensuring all priorities reflect social, economic, and environmental lenses. Others agreed on making linkages explicit to ensure broader understanding and proposed grouping related themes for clarity.
A. Di Battista emphasized the need for integrated approaches, noting that projects like affordable housing should also consider environmental standards. K. Charlesworth reiterated that all key aspects must be made explicit to be effective. N. Goss acknowledged that some actions were intentionally left vague to allow for open discussion and noted the importance of an accessible process and materials to support the Official Plan. P. Boot highlighted a recent report indicating high local emissions, particularly from transportation, homes, and businesses, suggesting this may warrant prioritization.
V. Nhio-son raised the importance of housing, with A. Di Battista emphasizing collaboration across government levels to prioritize affordable and sustainable homes, which K. Charlesworth supported. S. Baer noted the need for accessibility and good location to enhance mobility. N. Goss reminded the committee about the limited funding and the difficulty of prioritization. C. Corocan questioned what can realistically be influenced at the City level, N. Goss clarified that while some changes require higher-level support, the City can still set targets and guide direction. J. Phan then suggested phasing the strategy to ease prioritization, proposing mapping as a helpful tool.
At the end of the discussion, committee members voted and nominated actions to prioritize.
On motion -
It was resolved:
That the comments provided by the Climate Change and Environment Committee as part of the discussion through the Kitchener 2051 Community Conversation Kit be provided to staff for consideration as part of the Official Plan update process.
Carried