Council Priorities 2019-2022 Refresh

Incorporate climate change reduction/mitigation strategies in the development process

Convert many minor streets into two cul-de-sacs to block through-traffic while allowing walkers, bicycles, and emergency services through.

Ban single use plastics in Kingston immediately.

We now know that plastic is in everything and everyone. We still do not know how harmful this is to us. We do know it is killing our birds and the whales. We live on a waterway that goes to the Ocean. We are in a position to make a big difference. The federal government may postpone there 2021 ban on single use plastics. We could still go ahead in Kingston.

Build more biking trails to avoid high traffic zones and provide commuter options

The trail from Third St Park to John Counter is a great addition. Having more North-south trails that could link to John Counter would be helpful. Neither Division St nor Sir John A Blvd are safe cycling options.

Ban single-use plastic retail bags and polystyrene take-out containers

Complete City-wide Zoning Update

Despite many advances in city planning, we're still stuck with zoning bylaws from the '90s. The City-wide Zoning Update process has been ongoing since 2013, with the Central Kingston Growth and Infill Strategy leading to further delays. Until our zoning bylaws are updated, new housing will continue to be held back due to lengthy zoning bylaw amendment processes. Our planning department is more than likely overworked and understaffed, so greater funding to planning may help move past our current housing crisis.

Require new developments to include dedicated RGI units

Planning Policy for the inclusion of RGI social housing units by developers in cases of zoning exemptions: Where exemptions to zoning by-laws and height restrictions are granted, developers and property managers should be required to dedicate a percentage of units built to RGI social housing. For example, where building height exceeds the by-law requirement by y%, x% of units must be dedicated to RGI social housing.

Immediately develop flexible, as of right zoning provisions in areas with high development potential

Allow a broader range of permitted uses (e.g, residential, retail, office, etc.) that allow buildings to adapt to changing market demands without requiring rezoning

Diversify Shelter Options

Go back to a diversified shelter system, not a one-provider system HBH has proven itself unable to provide the kinds of shelter that respect the dignity of all, and to facilitate healing and wellness. Some people don't mind HBH/IFTC, but many really can't be there. City should be more careful about their service provider relationships in the future. The Housing and Homelessness Plan is done. DIdn't work the way you thought it would. Try something Different.

Specialized supported housing for people whose addictions and mental health challenge their participation in shelter system or housing

Transitional and supported housing is needed to avoid evictions, support people who have significant needs

Walking overpass for hwy 15 and rose abbey

I have both witnessed on countless occasions and been a affected myself of pedestrians almost being hit by cars at the intersection of Rose Abbey and Hwy 15. It is unsafe and is a occurs multiple times a day. Even when pedestrians have the walk signal and are mid crossing cars seem to not notice. With so many kids and adults using this intersection daily it is only a matter of time until someone is hit. A pedestrian overpass would help provide individuals with a safe route to cross.

Make downtown a REAL pedestrian zone instead of mucking about with bits & pieces of it.

We lived in Europe for many years and where European and British cities created significant pedestrian-only areas in their downtown cores we saw a big increase in small business success, etc. Kingstonians could park on the outskirts and walk or bus in to a wonderful pedestrian-only downtown core alive and vital if we stopped kowtowing to vehicles instead of people.

Fill gaps in sidewalk coverage

There are many streets in the city where one side does not have a sidewalk, work should be put in to filling these gaps and ensuring all city streets have sidewalks on both sides and rural road have aqaquate shoulders.

I applaud addition of bike lanes to main E-W arteries. Must be continuous for safety. example:Bath Rd @Gardiners, @Queen Mary are dangerous!

Continuity of bike lanes

Better snow removal in bike lanes and sides of roads without bike lanes.

It is dangerous to bike in the winter with snow on the roads. I realize this can't be fine for all roads, so prioritize major routes with and without bike lanes and communicate to the public so they know which ones to take.

Help local business thrive so they can hire more people.

Developer/financier incentives/subsidy for affordable commercial/industrial spaces for creative boutique businesses and craft manufacturers

Examples of businesses might include soap making, pottery, jewellery making, fine art painting, metalworks, cabinet making, coffee roasting, microbrewery or winemaking, handcrafted clothing manufacture, custom shoe manufacture, hat and accessory manufacture, printmaking, papermaking, screenprinting, video and filmmaking, photography, furniture restoration, sound studio recording, musical rehearsal spaces, writing hubs, dance/yoga/martial arts studios, leather tooling, saddle making, art framing, art restoration, bookbinding, musical instrument making, etc.

Clamp down on parasitic businesses.

We need more regulation of parasitic businesses that take money out of the economy such as landlords, loan agencies, and brokers of all types. These businesses add no value to the economy or to the good & service that they manage. There's a reason we call their income "rent" and not "profit".

Offer support to provide more short term leases and/or reduced rents for space in downtown core: encourage pop-up/trial businesses.

Bring in commercial variety and give newbies a chance.

Coordinate/cooperate with Queen's to help spark activity in fields that produce high-paying jobs

It would be a win-win for the city and the university to cooperate more on advancing more favourable conditions for startup activity, in economically relevant fields. It's clear from the start that Queen's students coming from away, do not settle here in large numbers despite longstanding efforts to encourage that. We need to create conditions under which locals can deepen knowledge that is economically valuable, in fields like engineering. Working engineers are shut out of graduate courses that require attendance during the day, which is mainly the case at Queen's right now. City should encourage Queen's to teach courses in areas that produce saleable skills, in an asynchronous way or in the evenings. In Ottawa, many telecom and software companies have been founded by people in industry who met in graduate courses taught at night, at Carleton and Ottawa U - they have been doing this since the 1990s and the Ottawa economy is much more balanced between the public and private sectors in terms of six figure jobs. There are night courses in economically hot fields like drones and the students are thinking about how they can capture the economic opportunities by starting businesses. The universities there are demonstrating a strong interest in contributing to their community. Another missed opportunity is that there is no way for a working St. Lawrence grad to upgrade to an engineering degree because the courses are taught during the day. Part-time is not allowed because the six year time limit the faculty sets, totally blocks part time study by working people. St. Lawrence grads are very close to practical problems that industry faces, have great ideas, but are being held back from developing further insight and credibility that can lead to startup companies. Queen's' offers to promising professors are quite often declined because nonacademic spouses have little economic opportunity in Kingston. Even when the offer is accepted, there are retention problems when the spouse is unable to find a job commensurate with his/her education. One of the drivers of the family doctor shortage is that nobody is going to open a practice here if the husband or wife has no chance of getting a good job. The city and the university should work together to give Kingston the best chance to develop a more resilient economy, one less dependent on the public sector for six figure jobs.

Stronger efforts to deal with student parties, noise and garbage needs to come from City Counsellors. Neighbourhoods are changing badly.

Build Food Security and Production into all city public spaces

This past year Kingston residents planted its first two food forests. They aren't producing much yet but everyone who has seen them has been excited to see them grow especially after this springs potential food shortage scare. All city parks and green spaces should have edible plant species mandated as a certain percentage of what is planted. Many options are as low maintenance as other plantings currently in place. Think of the benefit to the food security of our most vulnerable and all citizens that this could add to the city.

Require merchants to offer actual contactless payment

Even when you pay with a contactless credit card, too many merchants add a mandatory tipping step to their terminals, requiring you to touch the keypad even if you don't want to tip. Given the lessons of COVID-19, we should require that merchants configure their POS terminals to allow truly contactless payment. Tipping should be voluntary and I shouldn't have to touch a common keypad even to say no. The same goes for gas-station "contactless" payment that requires you to push a button to admit you don't have a Points Card. Make these absurdities go away through law!

Public Art

Would just really like to see something engaging on a wall somewhere.

Buskers and winter activities