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We are hosting a series of casual events that explore in a hands-on way how growth and change are happening in our community. During the workshops, we will share information about the amount of growth the province has told us to accommodate within the next 10 years. You will gain a better appreciation of the factors that influence growth and development. You will also learn about the City’s obligations to accommodate for this growth.
Later in the process, you will have opportunity to comment on a draft land use and zoning framework. Your feedback will help inform the distribution of different densities of growth across the broader study area.
We want to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to take part. We especially hope to reach people who may not be aware of this project and who may have been excluded from past planning initiatives.
Background
Kitchener is growing, and a lot of that growth is around the ION LRT system.
Intensification around transit is a core fundamental principle of Ontario’s planning framework. It has been since the introduction of the Places to Grow and Greenbelt Acts in 2005. These areas have been identified as Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) by the Region of Waterloo. MTSAs have unique policies at both the provincial and regional level. Growing Together will carry out those policies by updating the City’s Official Plan and Zoning by-law.
Growing Together will create a planning framework for Kitchener’s MTSAs. This will enable and encourage responsible growth for many years to come.
Stay informed
If you would like to get email updates about this project, add your email to the Stay Informed section and click ‘Subscribe’.
An Award Winning Process
Growing Together has won two awards to date;
A Smart50 Award, an international award honouring the 50 most transformative smart projects of the year. Additionally, at the Smart Cities Connect conference in Denver in May 2023, Growing Together was announced as one of the top-3 projects overall.
A 2023 Excellence in Municipal Systems award by the Municipal Information Systems Association of Ontario.
We are hosting a series of casual events that explore in a hands-on way how growth and change are happening in our community. During the workshops, we will share information about the amount of growth the province has told us to accommodate within the next 10 years. You will gain a better appreciation of the factors that influence growth and development. You will also learn about the City’s obligations to accommodate for this growth.
Later in the process, you will have opportunity to comment on a draft land use and zoning framework. Your feedback will help inform the distribution of different densities of growth across the broader study area.
We want to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to take part. We especially hope to reach people who may not be aware of this project and who may have been excluded from past planning initiatives.
Background
Kitchener is growing, and a lot of that growth is around the ION LRT system.
Intensification around transit is a core fundamental principle of Ontario’s planning framework. It has been since the introduction of the Places to Grow and Greenbelt Acts in 2005. These areas have been identified as Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) by the Region of Waterloo. MTSAs have unique policies at both the provincial and regional level. Growing Together will carry out those policies by updating the City’s Official Plan and Zoning by-law.
Growing Together will create a planning framework for Kitchener’s MTSAs. This will enable and encourage responsible growth for many years to come.
Stay informed
If you would like to get email updates about this project, add your email to the Stay Informed section and click ‘Subscribe’.
An Award Winning Process
Growing Together has won two awards to date;
A Smart50 Award, an international award honouring the 50 most transformative smart projects of the year. Additionally, at the Smart Cities Connect conference in Denver in May 2023, Growing Together was announced as one of the top-3 projects overall.
A 2023 Excellence in Municipal Systems award by the Municipal Information Systems Association of Ontario.
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinEmail this link
The City of Kitchener is growing, and a lot of that growth is happening in the areas around the ION LRT system. The Cityhas launched the Growing Together project that will update the planning framework for these major transit station areas, enabling and encouraging responsible growth for the future.
We’re hosting a series of casual workshops that explore, in a hands-on way, how growth and change are happening in our community. During the workshops, we will be sharing information about the amount of growth we’ll need to accommodate within the next ten years.
March 25, 7a.m.-2p.m. at Kitchener Market, 300 King St. E.
March 27,2 p.m. -8p.m. at Stanley Park Community Centre, 505 Franklin St. N.
March 30, 2p.m. -8p.m. at Kitchener Public Library - Forest Heights Library, 251 Fischer-Hallman Rd.
Please feel free to drop-in any time during the above sessions and stay as briefly or as long as you like. For the March 27th and March 30th dates, staff will be giving brief presentations and leading guided workshops beginning at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.
Participating in this project will provide residents with a greater understanding of the factors that influence growth and change in our city, as well as the city's obligations to accommodate this growth.
Page last updated: 29 May 2023, 01:12 PM
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Lifecycle
Learn more
Growing Together is currently at this stage
Attend an upcoming workshop to learn more about growth and development around the ION LRT stations or share your thoughts on our interactive map
Closed for review
this is an upcoming stage for Growing Together
Contributions to this project are closed while we review your comments and prepare the draft framework
Consultation on draft framework
this is an upcoming stage for Growing Together
The draft land use and zoning framework is now available for your comments. Join us at a workshop to learn more.
Closed for review
this is an upcoming stage for Growing Together
Consultation is closed for review. We will present the final report to City Council.
Report to Council
this is an upcoming stage for Growing Together
The Council report is now available.
Project complete
this is an upcoming stage for Growing Together
This project is complete and the outcomes are documented on this page.
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Introduction to land use planning and development
This introduction shows how your community is shaped, now and in the future. It gives an overview of the topics covered throughout our video explainer series.
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Our vision for Kitchener
Kitchener is growing fast. We’re building vibrant communities, fostering new experiences and creating a more compelling and dynamic city. The vision for land use and growth is set out in our Official Plan, a policy document that lays out the roadmap for how Kitchener will grow 20 years into the future.
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Zoning bylaws and minor variances
If you think of city planning as a puzzle for a complete community, you can imagine how many pieces there could be. Zoning bylaws are pieces of that puzzle. If the Official Plan is the finished puzzle, the vision for how the city will grow, zoning bylaws are pieces of the puzzle that get us to the vision. If a property owner wants to change the zoning on their property, they can request a zoning bylaw amendment or a minor variance.
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Tall buildings
Kitchener is growing up. New tall buildings are being built in and around the downtown, near ION stations, along major roads and other strategic areas. These new buildings help us meet our growth targets while protecting our farmland from urban sprawl. It encourages public transit use and efficiently makes use of our existing infrastructure.