News roundup: June 21, 2026
Encampment ruling appeal, no-right-on-red pilot approved, and new Kitchener transportation plan
Here’s the latest in walking, biking, and transit news for Waterloo Region from the last week or so.
What's happening
- ELMIRA SIDEWALKS: A staff report to Woolwich Township proposes ending municipal contracted snow clearing of sidewalks in Elmira following complaints about service (The Record). The cost of the program is $133.68 per household per year. The report does not consider the impacts on walking and transit accessibility. Township residents who want to weigh in can sign up to speak at council Tuesday evening and/or contact Woolwich Township Council.
- KITCHENER MOBILITY: The City of Kitchener is putting together a new Transportation and Mobility Plan, and the city has a draft plan questionnaire open until July 3.
Walking, biking, and streets
- Regional Council approved its new Street Design Guide, with an amendment by Wilmot Township Mayor Salonen to include an additional principle for streets to respect rural context (Region of Waterloo livestream)
- Regional Council unanimously ratified the pilot for prohibiting right-turns-on-red at a dozen intersections (Region of Waterloo livestream)
- TriTAG submitted a letter in support of the pilot (Region of Waterloo agenda)
- CityNews: Kitchener set to double roadwork budget for 2027 to address potholes
- Guelph Today: Province begins expropriating more land for new Hwy. 7 extension connecting Guelph and Kitchener
- CBC: 'Pressing crisis of road safety' in rural Ontario needs to be addressed, provincial group says
- CTV News: North Dumfries man hit and killed while riding his lawn mower
- Cambridge Today: Stunt driving charge laid after speeding stop near site of fatal Clyde Road crash
- CTV News: Crash in Waterloo leaves pedestrian with life-threatening injuries
Transit
- Kitchener Central Station
- CBC: Province, Region of Waterloo to appeal court decision on whether it can evict people from Kitchener encampment. Council heard from more than two dozen delegates who called the region to pass a tenting protocol
- CBC: Protesters disrupt regional council meeting over Kitchener encampment decision. About 50 people gathered outside regional headquarters to protest council's decision to appeal court decision
- GRT
- Summer service schedule starts on Monday, June 22 (GRT)
- Starting with July, monthly passes can now be purchased through GRT Pay or Transit App (GRT)
- Starting July 1, older adults can ride GRT for free one day each week using the GRT Pay app (Region of Waterloo)
The shape of our cities
- CTV News: City of Waterloo moves forward with plan that could reduce development fees
- The Record: Upset residents are ‘all in opposition’ to Waterloo’s church housing plan
- On Wednesday, June 24th, Regional Council will vote on whether to help stabilize A Better Tent City (ABTC), and support their transition into the formal Housing Stability System (Region of Waterloo Agenda)
- CityNews: Conservation authorities commit to ‘transparency’ during amalgamation
Elsewhere
- Infrastory: There Was Once a Scheme to Bury Toronto's Railway Tracks
- TVO Analysis: Bike Share Toronto is a huge success. Imagine if we tried harder
- CBC (video): City makes stretch of Church Street pedestrian-friendly for part of summer
- CBC: Cross-border coalition lays out vision for passenger rail between Southwestern Ontario and Michigan
- Sushil Tailor: The Purpose of the System is to Destroy Sneaky Dee’s Toronto's Anti-Punk Land Use Planning System
- Oh The Urbanity! (YouTube): Did France Change My Mind About Trams?
