News roundup: July 26, 2026

By Tri-Cities Transport Action Group

Here's the latest in Waterloo Region walking, biking, and transit news from the last week.

What's happening

• KING STREET: The City of Kitchener's King Street Unplugged will see several blocks temporarily pedestrianized starting today until Friday (CityNews, CTVNews)
• WATERLOO TREES: The City of Waterloo is seeking feedback on its Draft Urban Forest Management Strategy. A survey is open until August 24.
• BROWNFIELD REMEDIATION: Wilmot Township is initiating a Community Improvement Plan for brownfield remediation. A public meeting will be held on July 27.
• BUILDING CODE: Ontario is looking for feedback on updating its building code, with comments open until August 14. (via Gil Meslin)
• KITCHENER MOBILITY: This is the last week for resident feedback on the City of Kitchener's Transportation and Mobility Plan. The survey is open through July 31st.

Walking, biking, and streets

• Cambridge council passed a motion asking the Region of Waterloo to improve safety along Franklin Boulevard (The Record, CityNews Kitchener)
• The Conversation: Access to cycling is unfair across Canadian cities. Researchers found that neighbourhoods with more children, older adults and racialized people were usually further away from bike infrastructure.

Transit

• TriTAG: Why GRT needs a Frequent Transit Network. The role of frequency in making transit more useful and competitive
• The Record: Region faces $110-million lawsuit over Ion train delays. A partnership between the region and a group of contractors has turned sour, resulting in a $110-million lawsuit.
• Building Beautifully (YouTube): The English-world is TERRIBLE at building transit. This is why

The shape of our cities

• A reduced-size residential proposal in the Preston ION station area was still rejected by Cambridge council (The Record, CKWR)
• The Record: Opposition mounts against proposed Woolwich industrial park. Local residents say it isn’t necessary and could set the precedent for further countryside encroachment.
• The Record: Livability in Waterloo Region gets poor marks on Vision 1 Million Scorecard. Progress on infrastructure, health care and jobs for one million residents in Waterloo Region shows in Vision scorecard, but placemaking and liveability aspects are lacking.
• University of Toronto School of Cities: Northfield Station. How can we transform industrial land into a vibrant community that attracts – and keeps – jobs and talent?
• Official plans
  • The Record: New Kitchener plan prepares for 25 years of growth, up to 450,000 residents. Kitchener has approved a new official plan that prepares for 25 years of growth and up to 450,000 residents by 2051.
  • Wellesley Township Council approved its new official plan, including amendments to expand some settlement area boundaries. (EngageWR, The Record)
  • Wilmot Township (EngageWR): The final version of the New Official Plan will be presented to Council for adoption on July 27, 2026.
• Water crisis
  • The Globe and Mail: Drying times. The Waterloo Region is short on water. Its recent crisis is a cautionary tale for other cities
  • CBC: Kitchener to allocate new water capacity to affordable housing and 'priority community' projects. Additional water supply found by region means some stalled development is moving forward ahead of schedule

Elsewhere

• Toronto Star: Federal government grounds Billy Bishop airport expansion. The just-concluded public survey suggested strong public opposition to the project, according to a federal government official.
• Sean Marshall: Where’s the outrage when pedestrians are killed?
• Streetsblog Chicago: The crash deaths of transportation planners Riley O’Neil and Louisa Gag should be a turning point for Safe Streets