News roundup: December 9, 2025

By Tri-Cities Transport Action Group

Here’s the latest in walking, biking, and transit news for Waterloo Region for the last month or so. Subscribe to get updates delivered directly to your inbox – note there’s a new option to get all our blog posts. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

What's happening

• ELMIRA: The Region of Waterloo is looking to rebuild Arthur Street through downtown Elmira, including protected bike lanes at the expense of some on-street parking.
• Fill out the Region’s survey, open until December 19 at EngageWR.
• Elmira residents and visitors should consider writing letters to the editor or engaging on social media
• PARKING: The City of Kitchener is putting together a long-term parking strategy for downtown Kitchener.
• Register for a virtual open house December 10 from 6 to 7:30pm at EngageWR.
• PATHS: The City of Cambridge is planning to extend a multi-use path along Dunbar Road, and looking for input (EngageWR):
• Public Information Centre December 9 from 5:30 to 8:30pm at the Islamic Centre of Cambridge - Hall B (Basement Level)
• GRT BUDGET: Write to your councillors to support expanding a frequent transit network, not cutting service. See our post for context.
• Contact Regional Councillors here
• WELLESLEY: Wellesley Township is putting together a Transportation and Mobility Master Plan, with a survey open at EngageWR.
• KITCHENER: Share your feedback on the Kitchener draft Official Plan on EngageWR until December 12, 2025

Walking, biking, and streets

• An in-depth look at connecting Lester St and Philip St for pedestrians in Waterloo (Jackie Y)
• Arthur Street reconstruction in Elmira:
• Region of Waterloo EngageWR project page and staff presentation
• The Record: Region’s designs for Elmira’s Arthur Street would remove parking for cycling
• The Record: Cycling lanes not wanted on Elmira’s main drag
• CTV News: Major improvements coming to Arthur Street in downtown Elmira
• Bill 60:
• The Record: Future bike lanes banned by provincial legislation
• Guelph Today: Bill 60 is about a lot more than just bike lanes
• City of Waterloo Road Safety enhancements:
• City of Waterloo: City staff identify locations for road safety enhancements
• CityNews Kitchener: Waterloo sees over 2800 collisions over 5-year period
• Speed Cameras
• CityNews Kitchener: Speed camera check-in: 7 days since programs were shut down
• Region of Waterloo program update (Instagram)
• The Record: Waterloo Region to receive piece of $42 million in funding for traffic calming measures in school zones as part of a provincial announcement with the removal of speed cameras.
• CBC: Coroner’s office calls for clearer definition of e-bikes in Ontario
• TVO: Analysis: I love my e-bike. But Ontario needs new rules

Transit

2025 Region of Waterloo Budget/Transit Cuts

• The Record: Proposed GRT cuts are short-sighted, residents say
• The Record: Residents oppose reduced frequency on GRT routes, pitch ideas to grow ridership
• The Record: Opinion | Free transit for seniors long overdue
• The Record: Opinion | Region of Waterloo having fun with budget numbers
• CityNews: Region considering bus fare inspectors to recoup lost revenue

Weekend GO Service Starts

• CBC The Morning Edition K-W with Craig Norris: Transit users excited for new weekend GO train service
• Toronto Star: ‘It’s about time’: GO transit launches Kitchener-Toronto weekend train service
• The Record: Opinion | I thought taking the GO train to Toronto would be easy. These are all the reasons I was wrong
• TriTAG: Waiting for the train: Why Kitchener still lacks all-day GO service

ION Phase 2 Approved by Regional Council

• IONizeWR (TriTAG): Onwards to Cambridge!
• CTV News: Cambridge city councillor wants region to reimburse taxpayers for LRT
• CambridgeToday: Fast-tracking LRT to Cambridge in 2026 to cost $12M
• The Record: Region of Waterloo’s debt load could restrict future spending

Expanded transit service coming to the Townships

• The Record: Bus service to be expanded on Elmira, Breslau routes
• The Record: Bus service between Ayr and Kitchener to start next fall
• Sustainability, Infrastructure, and Development Committee Agenda: GRT Township Transit Strategy Submission to the Ontario Transit Investment Fund

CambridgeToday: FlixBus adds Cambridge stop to expand Ontario network

Metrolinx (via YouTube): Why service was paused along the Kitchener and Barrie lines

Ontario Newsroom: Ontario extending One Fare to keep transit costs down for riders

The Record: Hearing on Charter rights of encampment residents delayed until February

Metrolinx: What’s in the GO bus fleet

The shape of our cities

• The Region of Waterloo has identified a water capacity issue for Kitchener and Waterloo that may affect development (Region of Waterloo)
• The Record: Opinion | News of a water shortage in Waterloo Region is a warning
• Galt Heritage Plan
• Citizens for Cambridge: serious concerns regarding proposed galt core heritage conservation district
• The Record: Long-running Galt heritage plan stalls amid council concerns
• The Record: Cambridge brings back major plan to protect historic Galt
• The Record: A provincial conservation agency funded by municipalities is a ‘dangerous, slippery slope’
• The Record: There’s much chatter about Ford changing local government structure. What does it mean for Waterloo?

Elsewhere

• The Highway 413 draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) is now available for comment until January 6, 2026. The new proposal includes a multi-use trail along the corridor due to public feedback.
• Alto HSR fast-tracked
• iPolitics: Liberals’ budget implementation bill paves the way for expropriation of properties for high-speed rail line
• BlogTO: 300km/h train through Ontario will happen years earlier than expected
• Montréal’s REM light metro opens next phase to Deux-Montagnes
• Macleans: Montreal’s New Rail Line Is the Future: Canada has forgotten how to build fast, cheap transit. A new megaproject has the fix.
• Globe and Mail: Why a transit megaproject in Montreal should be a model for Canada
• CTV News: Brampton councilor says speeding has increased since speed camera ticketing stopped
• Two-Wheeled Politics: Impact of Bill 60 on Toronto’s bike plans
• Global News: Ford government refuses to release completed work on Highway 401 tunnel idea
• Elora-Fergus Today: Wellington County Staff recommend paying to keep speed cameras running