Latest news with #ColleenJames
CTV News
7 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Regional staff to look at implementing ban on right turns at red lights in some areas
The Region of Waterloo is considering a proposal that might have drivers seeing red. CTV's Heather Senoran explains. Region of Waterloo staff have been tasked with doing a feasibility study on potentially banning right turns on red lights in some areas. Regional councillor Colleen James came forward with the motion after she said a report from staff was alarming. Some of the data stated 89 per cent of pedestrian collisions happen at intersections. 'One in three pedestrian collisions are caused by turning vehicles. Fifty-six per cent of pedestrians struck had the right of way. It's concerning,' she said during a committee meeting Tuesday. She believes it could be beneficial to ban right turns at red lights, especially in certain areas that are developing quickly. 'This is important because the community is growing. We know that it's growing, and it's not just in the core, but it's outside of the core,' she told CTV News. Some councillors were concerned the move could lead to a blanket ban. Councillor James said if approved, the change wouldn't be implemented at all intersections. Instead they would focus on areas staff flag as high-traffic and accident-prone outside of the core. 'This is not every single intersection there's no rights on reds. That would not make sense. That is not logical. We need the flow of traffic,' she said. Some drivers said they weren't sold on the concept. 'We're not going across traffic impeding the other lanes that are going anywhere. It's going from the same lane pretty much to the same lane,' said a Waterloo driver. Some said the idea doesn't hurt and could make roads safer. 'I think it might be a good thing to do. It might slow traffic up, but it might be safer for pedestrians,' said another Waterloo driver. Staff will also consider if leading pedestrian intervals, a method where pedestrians can start crossing before vehicles get the green light, could improve safety in some places. The study will also look at potential financial impacts and would include an analysis of collision data. James is hoping the study will be brought back to council by the end of the year.
CTV News
10-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Waterloo Region testing new pedestrian safety measures at roundabouts
The roundabout at Homer Watson Boulevard and Block Line Road in Kitchener is pictured on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. (Brian Dunseith / CTV Kitchener) Pedestrians will soon see new safety enhancements at select roundabouts in Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo. The Region of Waterloo said the pilot program aims to protect people crossing through the busy traffic circles, whether they are on foot or on a bicycle. New button-activated flashing lights will added to the roundabout at Franklin Boulevard and Bishop Street in Cambridge, while raised crosswalks will be installed at Homer Watson Boulevard and Block Line Road in Kitchener. In Waterloo, button-activated flashing lights and raised crosswalks will be placed at the Erb Street West and Ira Needles Boulevard roundabout. The region said the three locations were chosen based on pedestrian volumes, collision history, presence of multiple lanes and geographic distribution. 'These enhancements are designed to safeguard our most vulnerable road users while aligning with our climate and growth goals,' Colleen James, regional councillor and chair of the Sustainability, Infrastructure and Development Committee, in a media release. 'We look forward to receiving feedback from the community on these initiatives, as it will be crucial in guiding future decisions about roundabout construction and retrofits.' Once construction is complete, a survey will be available through EngageWR. That feedback will then be presented to regional council in 2026. Construction of the new safety features is expected to begin later this month. More to come.
CBC
08-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Regional councillors ask staff to cap any tax levy increase in 2026 to 5%
Regional councillors are starting to prepare for 2026 budget talks and as part of that they debated whether they should direct staff to cap any property tax increases to five per cent. Ultimately, they opted to pass a motion brought forward by Coun. Michael Harris during the administration and finance committee on Wednesday. Harris said he wanted to ask staff to keep to a five per cent cap because people across the region are facing significant financial pressures, including the rising cost of housing, food and other essentials. He said the region "has a responsibility" to be fiscally prudent while delivering services people need. "I think that this sends clarity to staff to obviously get to work over the course of the summer leading into budget with that number in mind," Harris said during the meeting. He said ultimately, it would be up to council during the budget process to go over that threshold if necessary. "I hope that we can deliver a budget to our community that's in and around that range at the very least. But ultimately, we know that come budget day, it's in all of our hands," Harris said. Coun. Colleen James said she supported the move because it would offer staff "a starting point" for preparing budget documents. "I'm also extremely conscious of the economy and the state that we are in with a significant amount of layoffs and potential job losses," James said. "I think that there are a lot of people in this region that are just staying above water … and our actions ahead of time will show the residents and those taxpayers that we're mindful of the situation." Council tried capping 2025 budget at 8% Coun. Chantal Huinink noted regional council passed a similar motion in 2024 to put an eight per cent cap on the budget "and we didn't make that." In December, regional council passed the 2025 budget that saw a 9.48 per cent increase to the regional portion of property taxes. "Economic times haven't gotten any easier for service providers than they've gotten for residents and so I'm just curious as to if you've had conversations with staff regarding how feasible this is," Huinink said. Wayne Steffler, the region's commissioner of corporate services and chief financial officer, said a five per cent cap would be "challenging but achievable." "Just to clarify a bit further, this is directing staff to prepare and present it, but that doesn't prohibit council from approving a higher rate for the budget or the levy increase if they wanted," he said. Coun. Doug Craig said he wants to see the budget increase remain at five per cent or lower and "that's where I'm going to stay during the budget discussion." "I think we've got to get tough on this," Craig said. Councillors Pam Wolf and Huinink were opposed to the motion and Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic was absent for the vote. Budget discussions are set to begin in October with community consultations in November. If all goes according to plan, the 2026 budget would be approved on Dec. 10.
CBC
19-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Homelessness is a top issue for Kitchener Centre voters. Here's what candidates say they'll do
After participating in a panel discussion on CBC K-W's The Morning Edition, Kitchener Centre candidates were asked to lay out their government's plans to address the homelessness crisis. The three candidates who took part in the panel were Aislinn Clancy of the Green Party, Liberal Colleen James and NDP's Brooklin Wallis. Ontario PC candidate Rob Elliot, declined to participate in the panel. There are seven candidates in total in this riding. The other candidates are: Sebastian Butnar-Stoica of the Ontario Party, independent candidate Christopher Nuhn and Paul Simoes of the New Blue Party.
