The Urban Boundary Deferral a Significant Win for Local Climate Activists

By Aara Macauley, CFRC's Broadcast Journalist and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter. 

As previously reported, the recent deferral of a final version of the City of Kingston’s Official Plan was predicated by a number of factors, including several reports that are not expected to be completed until Fall 2026 or later.

One of the large issues of concern for several groups has been the conversation around the Urban Boundary Expansion. Claims of misinformation, lack of concrete details, and environmental concerns have surrounded the discussions.

Kingston Climate Justice Coalition has been vocal about their concerns, issuing a media release ahead of council’s most recent meeting and hosting a petition on their website titled No Urban Boundary Expansion Decisions Without Full Fiscal and Environmental Transparency. According to the group, City Council was being asked to vote on large urban growth boundary expansions before key reports were received, and argued that proceeding without complete data is a financial and environmental risk to every Kingston resident.

CFRC spoke to Chris Gusen, co-chair of the group to discuss the decision.
Listen to the full report here.