Property tax set to increase in Kitchener following council’s budget approval
The average home owner in Kitchener can expect to pay approximately $56 more in property taxes this year.
City council approved a 4.8 per cent increase for the 2023 budget, including $100,000 in capital funding for the ‘Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Equity’ and ‘Love my hood’ community grant programs.
“When I hear the multitude of work that gets done through these funds,” said Councillor Aislinn Clancy. “They’re creative, they’re hyper-localized. It again addresses our equity where everyone is welcome, they can show up as they are.”
“If we look at the numbers that are on these charts, it shows that the requested amount is three times what was allocated, so there clearly is an interest out there in the community for these funds,”
said Councillor Debbie Chapman.
Residents can also expect to pay roughly $42 more per year due to a water utility increase of 4.5 per cent.
According to a press release issued by the City of Kitchener on Thursday, throughout the budget process, council took a “people-focused approach prioritizing affordability, supporting core services, responding to growth and investing in our community.”
One of those investments includes $1 million in annual investments in parks, trails and playgrounds.
“Council worked hard to balance various community priorities while completing their first budget of the 2023-2026 term,” said Kitchener Mayor, Berry Vrbanovic. “It reflects the community priorities identified through staff’s extensive consultation with residents and councillors’ conversations with their constituents.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Budget 2023 prioritizes pocketbook help and clean economy, deficit projected at $40.1B
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
Freeland's green economy spending aimed at competing with U.S. Inflation Reduction Act
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says clean energy and green technology spending may not have been the big-ticket items of the 2023 federal budget if it weren’t for the need to compete with infrastructure spending in the United States.
Federal government capping excise tax on alcohol after outcry
The increase in excise duties on all alcoholic products is being temporarily capped at two per cent starting next month instead of a planned 6.3 per cent increase.
opinion
opinion | The gun control debate in America has been silenced
In the wake of another deadly mass shooting in America, that saw children as young as nine years old shot and killed, the gun control debate is going nowhere, writes CTV News political analyst Eric Ham.
Kids would rather learn from smart robots than less-smart humans: new study
A new study published by Canadian researchers suggests that kindergarten-age children would rather be taught by a competent robot than an incompetent human.
Was Stonehenge a giant calendar? New research suggests maybe not
Stonehenge's purpose has long been a mystery, with some researchers proposing that it may have been an ancient solar calendar. But now, new analysis suggests the calendar theory is unsubstantiated.
Hamilton family raising awareness about Strep A after sudden death of toddler
A Hamilton, Ont., family is hoping to raise awareness about Strep A after the tragic death of their two-year-old.
Budget 2023 proposes across-the-board 3 per cent spending cut for government departments
The federal budget proposes an across-the-board three per cent spending cut for all departments and agencies, a belt-tightening move after years of massive growth in the federal public service.
Young children, the head of their school and its custodian. These are the victims of the Nashville school shooting
Another American community is reeling after a shooter killed three 9-year-olds and three adults at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville. These are the three children and three adults whose lives were taken by the shooter.
London
-
WATCH
WATCH | London fire crews tackling large barn, grass fire in southeast London, Ont.
London fire crews are currently tackling a ‘large grass fire and working barn fire’ in the southeast section of the city Tuesday afternoon and are asking the public to avoid the area.
-
Child dead in Elgin County, OPP investigating
OPP are investigating after discovering a child who was vital signs absent in West Elgin on Monday. According to police, no foul play is suspected in the child’s death.
-
Cinderblock thrown through London, Ont. bedroom window, toddler injured
A London toddler is fortunate to have avoided serious injury after a giant cinderblock came through her bedroom window in the middle of the night. Around 4 a.m. on March 26, Riiver was sleeping with her head right under the front window of her home on Emerson Avenue.
Windsor
-
‘This make us more confident’: Active attacker drills appreciated by students
In the wake of school shootings in the United States, students and staff at St. Clair College in Windsor say “active attacker” drills are a good idea.
-
WATCH
WATCH | Police seek suspect in convenience store theft with knife
Windsor police are asking the public for help identifying a robbery suspect who allegedly threatened a store clerk with a knife.
-
'It’s not fair': Tecumseh seniors irate with forced club relocation
The Golden Age Club has four weeks to pack up their belongings and vacate a municipally-owned building.
Barrie
-
Police appeal for help locating missing Barrie girl
Police are hoping to locate a 12-year-old Barrie girl who went missing on Tuesday.
-
High school students rally to support Barrie teen with terminal cancer
Innisdale Secondary School in Barrie hosted a hockey game and spirit day to honour Kevin Chao, who is stuck at home due to a terminal illness.
-
Teens lying on tracks cause emergency train stop in Tottenham, Ont.
Provincial police say a group of teenagers caused a train to make an emergency stop because they were lying on the tracks as the train approached in New Tecumseth.
Northern Ontario
-
Defence accuses Crown of compromising Sudbury murder trial as deliberations begin
As the jury began deliberating Tuesday on the fate of Robert Steven Wright, several restrictions on what can be reported about the case have been lifted. Here are a few of the items that were discussed during the trial when the jury was not present.
-
One dead, one injured in MR55 crash between pickup, tanker
The driver of a pickup truck, a 47-year-old woman, has died after a crash with a tanker on MR55 in the Greater Sudbury community of Lively on Tuesday morning, police say.
-
Federal government capping excise tax on alcohol after outcry
The increase in excise duties on all alcoholic products is being temporarily capped at two per cent starting next month instead of a planned 6.3 per cent increase.
Ottawa
-
Budget 2023 proposes across-the-board 3 per cent spending cut for government departments
The federal budget proposes an across-the-board three per cent spending cut for all departments and agencies, a belt-tightening move after years of massive growth in the federal public service.
-
Witness rescues woman from fatal house fire in Kanata
One person is dead after an early morning fire in Kanata, while another person is being treated for smoke inhalation after being rescued from the burning home by a bystander who spotted the fire while driving to the gym.
-
Budget 2023 prioritizes pocketbook help and clean economy, deficit projected at $40.1B
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
Toronto
-
Man accused of killing 'adventurous' teen in Toronto subway station wanted in Newfoundland
The man who killed a 16-year-old boy remembered as an avid adventurer has been wanted on an arrest warrant issued in a Newfoundland courtroom for nearly two years.
-
Family sues Hamilton, Ont. school board after 5-year-old girl loses part of finger in alleged bullying incident
The mother of a five-year-old girl said her daughter was allegedly bullied so badly she was left with a partially amputated finger from an incident in the washroom.
-
Toronto man with stage 4 cancer pleads for return of stolen rollerblades used to get to hospital
A Toronto man diagnosed with stage 4 cancer is desperate to get the rollerblades he uses to transit with to the hospital to receive radiation treatment back after they were taken from his car.
Montreal
-
Quebec police officer stabbed and killed during arrest, second wounded
A Quebec provincial police officer was fatally stabbed Monday night while performing an arrest in Louiseville, west of Trois-Rivieres, Que. The Surete du Quebec (SQ) has confirmed the identity of the officer, Sgt. Maureen Breau, who had been on the force for over 20 years. She was assigned to the post of the MRC de Maskinonge. Another officer was injured during the incident, but their life is not in danger.
-
Police identify last two victims of Old Montreal fire, both 18 years old
Montreal police say they have identified two more victims found in the rubble of a fire in Old Montreal 12 days ago. Charlie Lacroix and Walid Belkahla, both 18, are the sixth and seventh victims of the fire.
-
McGill student with ALS will lose access to her medication when she graduates
A 22-year-old McGill student who suffers from a terminal disease could soon lose access to the medication she needs because she's graduating from university.
Atlantic
-
Senior Mounties involved in N.S. mass shooting response either retired or in new jobs
Almost three years after a man disguised as a Mountie started murdering people in Portapique, N.S., on the night of April 18, 2020, the senior RCMP officers and staff involved in the tragic case have all either retired or moved into new jobs.
-
Budget 2023 prioritizes pocketbook help and clean economy, deficit projected at $40.1B
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
-
N.B. residents suffering from mystery brain disease call for fresh investigations
New Brunswickers suffering from a mystery neurological disorder are calling for an investigation into potential environmental causes of the health problems they've been living with for more than two years.
Winnipeg
-
Winnipeg has not recorded a positive temperature since Valentine's Day. Here is how long the cold could last
Manitobans waiting for the temperature to warm up this spring will have to wait a little longer.
-
Budget 2023 prioritizes pocketbook help and clean economy, deficit projected at $40.1B
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
-
'It was my responsibility': Manitoba girl saves siblings from destructive house fire
A 12-year-old Manitoba girl is being hailed a hero after saving her two younger brothers from a house fire.
Calgary
-
Police investigate suspicious death in downtown Calgary high rise
Police are investigating the circumstances of the death of a woman in a residential tower in downtown Calgary.
-
Gas prices won't be record breaking, but they will be high this summer
The price of gas is heading upward and it's expected to remain high through the summer, thanks to a number of market forces.
-
15-year-old girl shot to death in northeast Calgary
A 15-year-old girl was shot and killed in the northeast Calgary community of Martindale on Tuesday.
Edmonton
-
Edmonton man comes home to find snake native to U.S. in apartment
An Edmonton man says he hasn't slept well since finding a metre-long snake that's native to the eastern and southern American states behind his couch.
-
'Long road ahead of him': Employee shot at Edmonton Pizza Hut enters physiotherapy
The Pizza Hut employee who was shot at his workplace earlier this month is on the long road to recovery, his sister has confirmed Tuesday to CTV News Edmonton.
-
Edmonton approves permit for 'health hub' that some in Ritchie, Strathcona are fighting
Boyle Street Community Services is one step closer to operating a community health hub, including an overdose prevention site near Whyte Avenue in Edmonton.
Vancouver
-
Sanctuary and torment: The complex history of Riverview Hospital
Overlooking the Coquitlam River, the psychiatric institution still widely known as Riverview was established to treat British Columbians with the most severe mental illnesses in a relaxing setting. In the end, it would prove to be both a sanctuary and a place of torment for its patients.
-
B.C. tribunal rules on woman's claim that neighbours' noise was 'torture'
A B.C. tribunal has ruled on a protracted dispute in which a condo owner described the noise from her upstairs neighbours as "torture" and "violence."
-
Vancouver archdiocese, Catholic school deny wrongdoing in sex abuse case; sue alleged abusers
The Archdiocese of Vancouver and a private Catholic school have denied wrongdoing over claims of sexual abuse from former students and have filed their own lawsuits against the alleged abusers.