Mayor Paterson Issues Fall 2023 Updates

October 4, 2023

Kingston Community Update Fall 2023 Edition

Fall is in the air! There is so much to look forward to at this time of year, but life has certainly become busier with the return to school. That's why I am happy to provide you with the highlights of what has been going on in Kingston over the past couple of months so you don't have to worry about missing a thing!

In this edition, I talk about accelerating the construction of housing, changes to the budget process for 2024, a new and improved garbage collection system, and our new partnership with Loyalist Township to increase pool options for residents. Hear about my advocacy with provincial ministers to get more support for our community and check out some of the incredible events that have taken place across the city.

Share your opinion with me on these topics and more by email at mayor@cityofkingston.ca.

Bryan

The Scoop...

Building Housing Faster in Kingston

We know there’s a critical need for more housing in Kingston. That’s why City Council has already approved the construction of several thousand new housing units. The challenge is high inflation, high interest rates and labour shortages in building trades all threatening to slow housing construction when we need it the most. To help, Council has approved a range of new initiatives focused on building housing faster.

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Getting Your Input on the Next City Budget

This year’s budget process will be different following the introduction of strong mayor powers in cities like Kingston. Starting with the 2024 budget, it is now my responsibility as mayor to oversee the City budget and present it to City Council – and I take this new responsibility very seriously. I know there are several critical needs for our community, but it is also important to keep life affordable for residents by limiting property tax increases.

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Garbage Collection in Kingston is Getting an Upgrade

Big changes are coming to how your garbage gets collected! In the near future, your garbage bin will be swapped with a City-supplied standardized garbage cart that can be picked up and emptied by an automated truck.

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Making a Bigger Splash in Kingston

Anyone trying to book swimming lessons right now knows that available spots are often filled in minutes, leaving many kids and families on long waiting lists. It is clear that we need more pool facilities in our region. That’s why the City is looking at several different solutions to address this shortage of pool space—including partnering with other municipalities for more pool space.

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Council Catch-Up

Council Catch-Up is the easiest way to stay caught up on the key decisions of Council. After each Council meeting, I break down Council decisions in three minutes or less so you can easily stay connected. Here are the latest videos in one convenient spot in case you missed them.

July 11, 2023

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Application for brownfield financial benefits
Textile recycling pilot project
Advanced compressed air storage project

August 8, 2023

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Housing Accelerator Fund
Discounted property tax and vacant home tax
Adequate temperature by-law

September 5, 2023

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Loyalist Township aquatics centre partnership
Automated solid waste collection
Affordable housing and homelessness funding

September 19, 2023

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275 Queen Street tribunal settlement
Textile recycling pilot project
Community-led accessible playground project

Advocating For Kingston!

Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference

In August I joined municipal colleagues from across Ontario, including several members of Council, to participate in the 2023 AMO conference. As a member of the Board, I had the opportunity to chair a panel on municipal digital security and also co-chaired a session on housing and homelessness with the Mayor of London. This session particularly focused on what our city is doing to tackle mental health and addictions and homelessness in the city. I also met with several Ontario Government Ministers about issues of significance in our city and that of the Ontario Big City Mayors including mental health and addictions, housing, student housing, energy and economic development.

Celebrating Good News

We celebrated the grand opening of Gerard Hunt Memorial Park to honour the exceptional life and contributions of Gerard Hunt and provide an incredible new community park for a growing neighbourhood. The park embodies Gerard's vision for a connected community. Read the news release to learn more about this new space.

MacDonald Park will be home to the future National Wall of Remembrance, a single place of remembrance for all of Canada's fallen heroes. Construction officially started on August 14 with a sod turning event. Follow construction progress on the National Wall of Remembrance Association webpage.

Congratulations to Lynda Colgan, Janice Barling, Marci McMullen, Etienne Bougie, Sekai Chikodzi and Ravnoor Kang, this year's Civic Award winners! Each recipient has made significant contributions to the community through their outstanding volunteer efforts. Read more about their contributions here.

Fun around the city...

Have a great fall season, Kingston!

Mayor Paterson | City of Kingston | 613-546-4291 ext. 1400 | mayor@cityofkingston.ca