Demonstrators rally at Region of Waterloo public input budget meeting
As councillors worked to determine the Region of Waterloo’s 2024 budget, demonstrators gathered outside and inside regional headquarters to weigh in on how they want to see taxpayer dollars spent.
Around 10 people took part in a rally Wednesday ahead of the final public input budget meeting at 6 p.m.
Organized by a number of groups including Ground Up Waterloo Region and The Unsheltered Campaign, funding for police services and the region’s plan to end chronic homelessness were among their top concerns.
Acer Bonaparte with Ground Up Waterloo believes some of the more than $200 million allocated to police annually could be better spent elsewhere.
“They [police] do have a rainy day fund. They do have the ability to operate on the budget they have, which is clearly evident with them running a surplus and instead put that money towards organizations like One Roof, which helps at-risk youth, like the John Howard Society, and the social development centre and the House of Friendship, which helps people who are experiencing mental health troubles,” said Bonaparte.
MARATHON MEETING FOR REGION
More than 30 people signed up to speak on a variety of issues at the Wednesday meeting.
Topics discussed ranged from affodability, to homelessness, to housing, to public transit, to funding for the humane society and the now-defunct K-W Symphony.
"You and the municipalities and cities you represent are in a unique position to restore our orchestra to its former prominence," a delegate said.
The region is proposing a $1.5 billion operating budget for next year, up from $1.4 billion last year.
"One of the numbers that keeps coming back over and over to us is that our region currently is estimating that we pay approximately $170 million from our property tax system that goes into things, particularly housing and homelessness, that are things that really should be paid for by the provincial government," said Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe.
The budget includes a plan to end chronic homelessness.
"Something that outreach workers are very concerned about this year is that we are dealing with an unsheltered population that is less experienced than ever before when it comes to surviving winter," another delegate said.
The budget and next year’s property tax increase are expected to be finalized on Dec. 13.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.