Ontario Construction News staff writer
Kitchener council has approved itsย 2023 budget withย $1 million for parks, trails and playgrounds.
โCouncil worked hard to balanceย various community priorities while completing their first budget of the 2023-2026 term,โ said Mayor BerryโฏVrbanovic. โIt reflects the community priorities identified through staffโs extensive consultation with residents and councillorsโ conversations with their constituents.โ
$1.5 million was earmarked for traffic calming, parks and playgrounds, free recreational programming, paving of trails and arts and culture.
Council also allocated capital funding forย Love My Hood and RISE (Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Equity) community grants, and funding to advance the review of the Cityโs lodging house by-law.
โThrough this budget, council has considered affordability for our residents while building upon our historic 2022 investments towards affordable housing via the Economic Development Investment Fundย andย Housing for Allย strategy,โ Vrbanovic said.
The $1.6 billion capital budget is focused on infrastructure renewal and the cityโs10-year forecast includes 400 projects.
Because supply chain and inflationary factors are increasing costs for some projects by up to 30 per cent, departments have had to adjust timing of projects in the forecast to work within available funding.
Kitchener expects the infrastructure gap (available vs required funding) was estimated to be about $442 million in 2020.
For more information about the 2023 budget, visitโฏwww.kitchener.ca/budget.