Williamsville Renewal

Newest updates:

Princess Street will be closed from Division to Frontenac, beginning April 20.

Background

The City of Kingston and Utilities Kingston will reconstruct Princess Street (from Division Street to Albert Street) and Garrett Street in 2026. This substantial infrastructure renewal project will upgrade utilities both above and below ground while enhancing safety and comfort for pedestrians and cyclists.

Street and roadway highlights include:

Installation of new cycle tracks along Princess Street.
Upgrade accessibility at road crossings.
Upgrade transit stops and infrastructure.
Separate combined sewers and replace sanitary services.
Install new watermain with service replacements.
Upgrade Kingston Hydro infrastructure.
Reconstruct sidewalks and curbs.
Repave the roadway.
Review and recommend options for side street parking areas to compensate for some of the parking spaces removed from Princess Street.
Consider areas for street trees, planter boxes and other street furniture, such as benches.
Construction of the Frontenac Street Parkette.

The reconstruction of Princess Street in this area is driven by the need to upgrade the infrastructure and is guided by the Williamsville Main Street Transportation Study, completed in 2024 following extensive public consultation. For more details on that study, please visit the archived project pages on Get Involved Kingston.

This major infrastructure project is being delivered in partnership with Utilities Kingston and is supported in part through funding contributions from multiple sources, including:

The Government of Canada’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), which is providing partial funding from a $10.4‑million DMAF grant.
The Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which is contributing partial funding from ~$3.1 million in federal grant dollars and partial funding from ~$2.3 million in provincial grant dollars.
The Province of Ontario’s Housing‑Enabling Water Systems Fund with an investment of ~$7 million.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Government of Canada’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), which is providing partial funding from a $27.6‑million HAF grant.
Green Streets, which is contributing partial funding from $229,000 in grant dollars.

Stay informed

Keep updated on this exciting project by using the Follow Project feature on this page. Submit your email, and any project updates posted here will be sent to your inbox.

Newest updates:

Princess Street will be closed from Division to Frontenac, beginning April 20.

Background

The City of Kingston and Utilities Kingston will reconstruct Princess Street (from Division Street to Albert Street) and Garrett Street in 2026. This substantial infrastructure renewal project will upgrade utilities both above and below ground while enhancing safety and comfort for pedestrians and cyclists.

Street and roadway highlights include:

Installation of new cycle tracks along Princess Street.
Upgrade accessibility at road crossings.
Upgrade transit stops and infrastructure.
Separate combined sewers and replace sanitary services.
Install new watermain with service replacements.
Upgrade Kingston Hydro infrastructure.
Reconstruct sidewalks and curbs.
Repave the roadway.
Review and recommend options for side street parking areas to compensate for some of the parking spaces removed from Princess Street.
Consider areas for street trees, planter boxes and other street furniture, such as benches.
Construction of the Frontenac Street Parkette.

The reconstruction of Princess Street in this area is driven by the need to upgrade the infrastructure and is guided by the Williamsville Main Street Transportation Study, completed in 2024 following extensive public consultation. For more details on that study, please visit the archived project pages on Get Involved Kingston.

This major infrastructure project is being delivered in partnership with Utilities Kingston and is supported in part through funding contributions from multiple sources, including:

The Government of Canada’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), which is providing partial funding from a $10.4‑million DMAF grant.
The Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which is contributing partial funding from ~$3.1 million in federal grant dollars and partial funding from ~$2.3 million in provincial grant dollars.
The Province of Ontario’s Housing‑Enabling Water Systems Fund with an investment of ~$7 million.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Government of Canada’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), which is providing partial funding from a $27.6‑million HAF grant.
Green Streets, which is contributing partial funding from $229,000 in grant dollars.

Stay informed

Keep updated on this exciting project by using the Follow Project feature on this page. Submit your email, and any project updates posted here will be sent to your inbox.

News feed

Williamsville construction begins April 20
We are set to begin work on the Williamsville Renewal, a significant infrastructure project to create a vibrant, active and connected corridor in the community!
R.W. Tomlinson Ltd. has been contracted to complete this major project.

Construction will begin on Princess Street between Division Street and Frontenac Street on April 20, 2026. On-street parking will not be available within the closure boundaries.

Communications have begun in the past few weeks, with a mailout campaign reaching more than 6,300 addresses in the area and a Curbex sign located at Princess and University to inform pedestrians and other commuters.

This work will renew Princess Street from Division to Albert and Garrett Street, as well as build the Frontenac Street Parkette. Construction will take place over two years. Phase one will begin in Spring 2026, with roadways expected to open in Winter 2026 for seasonal construction shutdowns. Phase two work will start again in early Spring 2027.

Once completed, this stretch of Princess Street will include: 

New cycle tracks along Princess Street 

Improved accessibility at road crossings 

Upgraded transit stops and shelters

Separation of combined sewers and replacement sanitary services 

New watermain with service replacements 

Upgraded Kingston Hydro infrastructure 

Reconstructed sidewalks and curbs 

Repaved roadways 

This is a major milestone for this project and the community. We look forward to working together to create a renewed, refreshed area in which to live, work, and play.

This Get Involved Kingston project page will be the hub for updates along with ongoing social media and signage in the areas around the project. Specific information about navigating in the area while work is underway are available as follows:

Road closures and traffic disruptions will be communicated through Municipal511 and physical signage. This information is automatically pushed to Waze, Google Maps, Apple Maps, and other navigation platforms that are commonly used.

Kingston Transit service changes, including detours or stop relocations, are updated through the Transit App and at Kingston Transit. These updates are dynamic and reflect current conditions as they change.

We are committed to keeping Williamsville and the greater Kingston community informed every step of the way.
We are set to begin work on the Williamsville Renewal, a significant infrastructure project to create a vibrant, active and connected corridor in the community!
R.W. Tomlinson Ltd. has been contracted to complete this major project.

Construction will begin on Princess Street between Division Street and Frontenac Street on April 20, 2026. On-street parking will not be available within the closure boundaries.

Communications have begun in the past few weeks, with a mailout campaign reaching more than 6,300 addresses in the area and a Curbex sign located at Princess and University to inform pedestrians and other commuters.

This work will renew Princess Street from Division to Albert and Garrett Street, as well as build the Frontenac Street Parkette. Construction will take place over two years. Phase one will begin in Spring 2026, with roadways expected to open in Winter 2026 for seasonal construction shutdowns. Phase two work will start again in early Spring 2027.

Once completed, this stretch of Princess Street will include: 

New cycle tracks along Princess Street 

Improved accessibility at road crossings 

Upgraded transit stops and shelters

Separation of combined sewers and replacement sanitary services 

New watermain with service replacements 

Upgraded Kingston Hydro infrastructure 

Reconstructed sidewalks and curbs 

Repaved roadways 

This is a major milestone for this project and the community. We look forward to working together to create a renewed, refreshed area in which to live, work, and play.

This Get Involved Kingston project page will be the hub for updates along with ongoing social media and signage in the areas around the project. Specific information about navigating in the area while work is underway are available as follows:

Road closures and traffic disruptions will be communicated through Municipal511 and physical signage. This information is automatically pushed to Waze, Google Maps, Apple Maps, and other navigation platforms that are commonly used.

Kingston Transit service changes, including detours or stop relocations, are updated through the Transit App and at Kingston Transit. These updates are dynamic and reflect current conditions as they change.

We are committed to keeping Williamsville and the greater Kingston community informed every step of the way.
Williamsville construction to get underway!

It’s almost time! We’re getting ready to get our boots on the ground in Williamsville!
We are in the final stages of awarding the contract for this exciting project and we are scheduled to begin construction on Princess Street between Division Street and University Avenue in the coming weeks.
Follow this page to get more updates as the project progress. We are committed to keeping the community informed and engaged every step of the way.

This is a major milestone for this project and the community, and we look forward to working together to give Williamsville a refreshed, renewed space in which to live, work and play.

- Williamsville Renewal Project Team

It’s almost time! We’re getting ready to get our boots on the ground in Williamsville!
We are in the final stages of awarding the contract for this exciting project and we are scheduled to begin construction on Princess Street between Division Street and University Avenue in the coming weeks.
Follow this page to get more updates as the project progress. We are committed to keeping the community informed and engaged every step of the way.

This is a major milestone for this project and the community, and we look forward to working together to give Williamsville a refreshed, renewed space in which to live, work and play.

- Williamsville Renewal Project Team
2026 is Williamsville's Year

We’re excited to announce that we’ve taken the next major step in the plan to renew Princess Street from Division to Alfred and Garret Street, as well as build the Frontenac Street Parkette.
Earlier this week, we published a request for proposals (RFP) for contractors to bid for the construction of the project. This is an important milestone because it means we’re getting closer to construction. Once the RFP process wraps up and contracts are signed, we’ll have plenty of details to share.
What’s next?
Construction is planned to start this spring and wrap up the major work in late 2027.
This past fall, we hosted two public information sessions in September and November at the Memorial Centre and shared information on the Williamsville Renewal Get Involved webpage. If you missed those sessions, materials from those events, including designs and summaries of the comments and questions we received, can be found there.
During that period of engagement with the community, we heard a lot of specific questions about what the impact on the Williamsville neighbourhood will be during construction. Once we bring a construction contractor on board, we promise to keep you informed and work closely with them to address the concerns and ideas we’ve heard from you.
We would like to thank everyone for your interest and input so far! This is an exciting project for our community, and we look forward to sharing more updates later this winter as plans take shape.
- Williamsville Renewal Project Team
We’re excited to announce that we’ve taken the next major step in the plan to renew Princess Street from Division to Alfred and Garret Street, as well as build the Frontenac Street Parkette.
Earlier this week, we published a request for proposals (RFP) for contractors to bid for the construction of the project. This is an important milestone because it means we’re getting closer to construction. Once the RFP process wraps up and contracts are signed, we’ll have plenty of details to share.
What’s next?
Construction is planned to start this spring and wrap up the major work in late 2027.
This past fall, we hosted two public information sessions in September and November at the Memorial Centre and shared information on the Williamsville Renewal Get Involved webpage. If you missed those sessions, materials from those events, including designs and summaries of the comments and questions we received, can be found there.
During that period of engagement with the community, we heard a lot of specific questions about what the impact on the Williamsville neighbourhood will be during construction. Once we bring a construction contractor on board, we promise to keep you informed and work closely with them to address the concerns and ideas we’ve heard from you.
We would like to thank everyone for your interest and input so far! This is an exciting project for our community, and we look forward to sharing more updates later this winter as plans take shape.
- Williamsville Renewal Project Team
Second Public Information Centre

On Nov. 20, 2025 the second of two Public Information Sessions was held to share project details with the community. Presentation materials from the event are available to view on this page.
What we heard
Parking: ensuring access to driveways during construction was highlighted. Another commenter was disappointed to see parking on both sides of Frontenac Street.
Active transportation: A concern was raised about a lack of active transportation options available on Frontenac Street, as well as concerns that the pathway through the Frontenac Street Parkette would encourage conflict between micromobility and people enjoying the parkette.
Stormwater: Questions were asked about the age of the stormwater system on Frontenac Street and whether that would be replaced. Concerns were expressed about street elevation, curb bump-outs and how that would impact stormwater flow.

On Nov. 20, 2025 the second of two Public Information Sessions was held to share project details with the community. Presentation materials from the event are available to view on this page.
What we heard
Parking: ensuring access to driveways during construction was highlighted. Another commenter was disappointed to see parking on both sides of Frontenac Street.
Active transportation: A concern was raised about a lack of active transportation options available on Frontenac Street, as well as concerns that the pathway through the Frontenac Street Parkette would encourage conflict between micromobility and people enjoying the parkette.
Stormwater: Questions were asked about the age of the stormwater system on Frontenac Street and whether that would be replaced. Concerns were expressed about street elevation, curb bump-outs and how that would impact stormwater flow.
First Public Information Centre

On Sept. 25 the first of two Public Information Sessions was held to share project details with the community. Presentation materials from the event are available to view on this page.
What we heard
Participants at the information session were encouraged to leave comments on the design. A summary of what we heard is below. Comments and feedback are reviewed and carefully considered by the project team.
Construction management and impact: There was some focus on the construction phase of the project, suggesting lessons could be learned from the previous big dig along Princess by engaging the construction industry. As well as concerns about impacts during construction, specifically access to services located along Princess Street.

Design comments: Comments pointed out that some buildings in the area already have bus stops and benches. While others focused on signal timing, requesting longer pedestrian crossing times and consideration of a two-stage pedestrian crossing at Frontenac Street.

Parking: Reducing parking was suggested to support active travel options.

On Sept. 25 the first of two Public Information Sessions was held to share project details with the community. Presentation materials from the event are available to view on this page.
What we heard
Participants at the information session were encouraged to leave comments on the design. A summary of what we heard is below. Comments and feedback are reviewed and carefully considered by the project team.
Construction management and impact: There was some focus on the construction phase of the project, suggesting lessons could be learned from the previous big dig along Princess by engaging the construction industry. As well as concerns about impacts during construction, specifically access to services located along Princess Street.

Design comments: Comments pointed out that some buildings in the area already have bus stops and benches. While others focused on signal timing, requesting longer pedestrian crossing times and consideration of a two-stage pedestrian crossing at Frontenac Street.

Parking: Reducing parking was suggested to support active travel options.
Learn about the upcoming Williamsville Renewal
In 2026 a portion of Princess Street in Williamsville from Division to Albert Street as well as Garrett Street will be completely rebuilt. Ahead of that work the City will be hosting two drop-in information sessions this fall to share project details and impacts, present the conceptual design for the Frontenac Street Green Street Initiative, and give community members the opportunity to learn more and ask questions.
Both Information Sessions will be drop-in from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Memorial Centre in the southeast hallway (near Culligan Water Park). The first one willContinue reading
In 2026 a portion of Princess Street in Williamsville from Division to Albert Street as well as Garrett Street will be completely rebuilt. Ahead of that work the City will be hosting two drop-in information sessions this fall to share project details and impacts, present the conceptual design for the Frontenac Street Green Street Initiative, and give community members the opportunity to learn more and ask questions.
Both Information Sessions will be drop-in from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Memorial Centre in the southeast hallway (near Culligan Water Park). The first one will take place on Sept. 25 and the second one will take place on Nov. 20. For those unable to attend in person, information and project updates will also be shared on Get Involved Kingston.
“This stretch of Princess Street is scheduled for reconstruction to support the City’s ongoing growth and to renew infrastructure,” said Melanie Knowles, Project Manager with Engineering Services at the City of Kingston. “Once completed, it will help create a vibrant, active, and connected corridor through Williamsville.”
The reconstruction is being driven by underground infrastructure upgrades, needed to support growth in the area and separate sanitary and storm water sewers into separate systems. Since this underground work will involve digging up the corridor, the City will use this opportunity to implement portions of the Williamsville Main Street Transportation Plan. Once completed, this stretch of Princess Street will include:

Installation of new cycle tracks along Princess Street.

Upgrade accessibility at road crossings.

Upgrade transit stops and infrastructure.

Separate combined sewers and replace sanitary services.

Install new watermain with service replacements.

Upgrade Kingston Hydro infrastructure.

Reconstruct sidewalks and curbs.

Repave the roadway.

Review and recommend options for side street parking areas to compensate for some of the parking spaces removed from Princess Street.

Consider areas for street trees, planter boxes and other street furniture, such as benches.

Construction of the Frontenac Street Parkette.

This will be an exciting upgrade for the Williamsville Neighbourhood and we look forward to sharing updates throughout the project and construction. To learn more about the project and stay connected with all future updates please visit the project’s homepage on Get Involved Kingston and subscribe for updates.

Page last updated: 17 Apr 2026, 03:00 PM