We are changing North Strasburg Creek to restore its natural flow and reduce erosion. The creek is currently lined with concrete between McIntyre Place and Strasburg Road. We will remove the concrete lining and replace it with natural materials.
The City of Kitchener has hired Aquafor Beech Limited, an engineering consulting firm, to restore this section of the creek. We are designing a solution that:
- Reduces future flood risks,
- Protects and improves water quality,
- Addresses erosion,
- Restores habitat for fish, amphibians, and birds, and
- Protects infrastructure near the creek
These changes will support the brook trout and other diverse species in North Strasburg Creek. Brook trout is a species of fish found in more sensitive cold-water creek systems. They are rare in Kitchener. Though North Strasburg is not a cold-water creek, we manage it as if it is to protect the cold-water species that live there. We have already improved three stormwater ponds along this creek’s path to help with cooling, water quality and flood risk. This project will further our work to protect and restore this important creek.
Construction is expected to take place in 2025.
For more information on this project, please read the FAQ.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at StrasburgCreek@kitchener.ca.
In 2016, the City of Kitchener Council approved a stormwater master plan. This plan created a strategy to manage stormwater for the next 15 years. This plan showed us that only 25 percent of runoff in the city is managed through stormwater facilities. This means that 75 percent of runoff from heavy rainfall and snow melt flows into storm sewers, contaminating local creeks.
The master plan identified initial concepts for the installation of projects across Kitchener. We consulted city-wide on the stormwater master plan. That consultation met the needs of the master plan. But as we look closer at specific projects, we need to consult further with the community.
The Government of Canada awarded us nearly $50 million through the Disaster Mitigation Adaptation Fund. Access to this funding means we can make stormwater improvements at a reduced cost to the community. And we can do this much sooner than possible without the funding. We need to comply with funding requirements, which places an extra constraint on these projects.
