News roundup: July 11, 2025

Here’s the latest in walking, biking, and transit news for Waterloo Region for the last several weeks. Subscribe to get updates delivered directly to your inbox! You can also follow us on Bluesky and Instagram.

What’s happening

• BUILD: We (TriTAG) are working on a campaign to push for ION phase 2 and beyond. If you are interested in helping, and especially if you have the capacity to help with the website and graphic design in the coming weeks, please contact us at volunteer@tritag.ca.
• REPRESENT: Apply to fill a vacant Region of Waterloo Council seat for Kitchener, with application deadline of August 1 (Region of Waterloo, The Record)
• PARTICIPATE: The City of Waterloo is developing a Community Planning Permit System for development in Uptown and Erb Street, and is seeking comments and participants for public engagement sessions (EngageWR)

Walking, biking, and streets

• Region of Waterloo formally opens pedestrian bridge over Highway 7/8 from Strasburg to Avalon in Kitchener (Region of Waterloo, CityNews)
• Region of Waterloo starting construction later this month on its roundabout pedestrian safety measure pilots (Region of Waterloo, The Record)
• CBC: Court rejects Ford government’s appeal of injunction stopping it from removing bike lanes
• North Dumfries township council asked to approve bringing its contracted-out winter sidewalk maintenance program in house (North Dumfries council agenda, page 454)
• CTV News: Heat wave caused sidewalks in Waterloo Region to buckle
• CityNews: Nurses angered over changes to parking at Kitchener hospital
• CTV News: The Waterloo Regional Police Service has recovered more than $25,000 in bicycles and parts after they said they found a ‘chop shop’ in Kitchener
• The Record: Third of trucks pulled over in Cambridge deemed unsafe
• The Record: Council approves rehabilitation of West Montrose Covered Bridge
• CityNews: Ford government to allow alcohol on ‘pedal pubs’

Transit

• Cambridge Today (letter): Cambridge helped fund LRT success in KW, now it’s our turn to benefit
• The Record (column): Cambridge residents should be refunded the money they gave to light rail
• Climate and Transit (YouTube): We Need Overnight Transit!

The shape of our cities

• University of Waterloo News: Waterloo partnership aims to build 10,000 ‘missing middle homes’ by 2030
• The Record: Nearly a third of all downtown office space in Waterloo Region is empty: CBRE report
• The Record: Housing prices drop as listings increase in June across region
• The Record: Highrise eyed for congested corner in Cambridge
• The Record: Cambridge considering zoning overhaul, but feedback shows mixed reactions
• The Record: Industrial subdivision proposed for Elmira would accommodate future bypass
• The Record: Wilmot executes final OLT zoning order for Hallman gravel pit
• Ontario appoints a Chief Conversation Officer to “enhance the effectiveness of the province’s conservation authorities” (Ontario Newsroom)

Waterloo

• The Record: Developer plans 24-storey tower beside 24-hour McDonald’s in Waterloo
• Development proposal at Columbia by the ION line for five 37-41 storey residential towers would include 2,438 homes with 587 car parking spots and 1,605 bike parking spots. It will have an informal public meeting at City of Waterloo Council on July 14 (EngageWR)
• A subdivision on Conservation Drive will be considered for approval with a formal public meeting on July 14. The development on 28 hectares will include 478 homes, park space, and space for a school. The homes are a mix of single detached houses, townhouses, and stacked townhouses – with the latter facing Conservation Drive (EngageWR)

Kitchener

• The city is publishing several technical studies prepared in the development of its next official plan, Kitchener 2051 (City of Kitchener, EngageWR)
• The Record: The decline and fall of Kitchener’s Market Square: The owners of the former downtown mall and failed college campus are focused on the future of the property, and its eventual demolition
• The Record: Developer wants to add 10 storeys, dozens of units to Kitchener tower
• CityNews: Developer behind proposal for Kitchener towers near Highway 401 withdraws OLT appeal
• The Record: Massive 9-tower, 2,600-unit development proposed in Kitchener

Elsewhere

• Hamilton Spectator: How close are we to the big dig for Hamilton’s LRT? Civil works contract expected to be awarded early next year
• Toronto Star: Why the battles over bus and bike lanes have grown so fierce — and what it says about Toronto’s streets
• Global News: Alberta transportation minister, Calgary mayor trade letters over bike lanes
• Ray Delahanty | CityNerd (YouTube): I’m Not Saying Traffic Engineering Is Junk Science But
• Reece Martin:
  • Toronto: Three Fascinating Tales from Woodbine (Substack)
  • Canada: The State of Urban Rail, 2025. A roundup of the networks and expansion projects (Substack)
  • World: A Challenger to the Tram Arrives. Bi-Articulated Trolleybuses offer True Competition to Street Railways (Substack)