News roundup: December 21, 2025

Transit hub is a GO, and advocacy gets results

This week the Region of Waterloo passed its 2026 budget. In a tough budget year for GRT, many people presented at Council in support of transit and many more contacted councillors. Thanks in part to the show of support, councillors rolled back several of the proposed cuts. Unfortunately, the motion to avoid frequency cuts on several routes in Waterloo lost – but on a tie vote. People made their voices heard in a big way, and it helped make transit operations one of the biggest topics in council deliberations. Thank you to everyone who spoke up!

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

Walking, biking, and streets

• CBC News: Guelph bike lanes to be cleared of snow again after protest and public outcry
• The Record: ‘We’re lost’: Cambridge family devastated after death of 3-year-old daughter
• CBC News: Cambridge council votes for safety review of Cedar Street after fatal crash

Transit

• A major funding announcement was made by the Federal, Provincial, and Regional governments this week for local transit capital projects, with a funding split of 40% Federal, 33% Provincial, and 27% Regional. Projects include the Kitchener Central Transit Hub, hybrid bus purchases, and improved pedestrian connections. (News release, backgrounder, CBC, The Record)
• The Region of Waterloo has a public meeting on January 7 to update the by-law for the Victoria Street property currently used as an encampment, which is slated for transit hub construction staging. (Region of Waterloo, The Record, CityNews)
• Budget
  • Region of Waterloo release
  • GRT summary of 2026 budget impacts
  • The Record’s coverage details the transit-related motions including fare inspections, subsidies, and frequency
  • City News: Waterloo Region to launch pilot offering free transit for seniors
• GRT winter service changes include two additional late night northbound ION trains to meet new late GO trains (Reddit)

The shape of our cities

• EngageWR: City of Kitchener releases Long-Term Parking Strategy study results
• The Narwhal: In Ontario, Enbridge Gas gets to build pipelines on public land for free. Waterloo Region and Guelph want to change that
• The Record: Sales of new condos plunge 94% in ‘market correction’
• The Record: Cambridge housing shakeup on hold amid public concerns
• Local councils got an update about the new Waterloo hospital (The Record, CTV News)
• The Record: ‘We need this’: Affordable units to be required in some Kitchener projects despite builders’ protests. The city’s inclusionary zoning policy will be implemented in January.

Elsewhere

• Alto High Speed Rail:
  • CBC News: Ottawa-Montreal chosen as 1st segment of promised high-speed rail line
  • CBC Creator Network: What Canada can learn from Spain about high-speed rail by Paige Saunders
• Toronto Finch West LRT
  • CBC News: Finch LRT could see signal priority, increased speeds, as criticism continues to roll in
  • CBC News: Toronto City council approves plan meant to speed up Toronto LRT lines
• Global News: TTC and Metrolinx battle over Eglinton Crosstown LRT date at tense private meeting
• CBC News: Toronto axes traffic camera pilot to fight gridlock after Ford government’s speed camera ban
• Cycling Magazine: Toronto says ‘sorry not sorry’ in clever bike lane workaround
• CBC News: Via Rail CEO stepping down as Crown corporation faces increasing scrutiny
• Marco Chitti: Build trams. But build them well.