Kitchener’s Housing Plan Receives Municipal Innovation Award
Toronto, Ontario, August 17, 2021 – The Peter J. Marshall Innovation Award Jury presented its highest award to the City of Kitchener for its Housing for All project – a visionary plan with more than 40 actions to help support the right to housing in Kitchener. The Plaque Award was presented at the 2021 AMO Conference, held entirely online.
Kitchener’s plan boldly declares that housing is a human right and sets out tools that the City can use to help make housing a reality for all. While still in the early stages of implementation, Housing for All is already responsible for the development of over 100 units of new supportive housing. Half of these will be occupied by the end of 2021.
To create the plan, Kitchener brought together a diverse group of advisory committee members, including people with lived experience, the non-profit community, the development community, and members of Council. Through this model, the City has pioneered providing people with lived experience a voice in influencing the planning decisions that affect them the most.
“Kitchener’s innovative approach to housing is an excellent example of how municipal decision making can help contribute to a more equal society,” said Brian Rosborough, AMO Executive Director. “Other municipalities can adapt Kitchener’s approach, expanding the benefits of Housing for All to more people and communities. Congratulations to the City of Kitchener on your PJ Marshall Innovation Award.”
"We all deserve the right to housing and our Housing For All strategy ensures that we’re building a caring community where people feel a sense of belonging, are connected and have access to basic needs such as affordable housing,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “We’re thrilled about this recognition but there is still work to be done. Aligned with our strategic plan, the strategy includes actionable priorities, including working alongside people with lived experiences of homelessness and housing challenges. It’s work we’re proud of and work that will help ensure safe and affordable housing is available for all residents.”
The P.J. Marshall Award is an annual competitive process to acknowledge municipalities who have had creativity and success in implementing new, innovative ways of serving the public. It is sponsored by AMO, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks & Treasurers of Ontario, the Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships, the Municipal Finance Officers’ Association, and the Ontario Municipal Administrators’ Association.
In addition to the City of Kitchener, three other municipalities received plaque awards: The Township of Archipelago for its Tale of a Thousand Turtles project; The City of Markham for its Single-use Plastics Reduction Plan; and Renfrew County for its Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre.
AMO is a non-profit organization representing almost all of Ontario’s 444 municipal governments. AMO supports strong and effective municipal government in Ontario and promotes the value of municipal government as a vital and essential component of Ontario and Canada’s political system.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION: Brian Lambie, AMO Media Contact, 416-729-5425, lambie@redbrick.ca