Long-awaited Kitchener Central Transit Hub to break ground in 2025

Construction on the long-awaited Kitchener Central Transit Hub is expected to finally begin in 2025, regional staff say.

The region has long planned this new transit hub at the corner of King Street West and Victoria Street North. It would link walking and cycling trails, GRT, ION, Via, and GO Transit. After receiving $43M from the province for the project in 2016, work was initially supposed to begin in 2020, it was then pushed to 2021, again to 2023, and now is expected to begin next year.

The site will include the main hub building, loops for GRT and GO buses, a pedestrian bridge over King Street, a parking lot, and anticipated developments nearby, according to a new staff report being presented to the Sustainability, Infrastructure, and Development Committee Tuesday.

"As this community grows to 1 million residents, we have to lead transformational projects and this is one of them," said the committee chair and regional Coun. Colleen James in an interview with CBC News. 

Of the delays, James said that it comes down to the number of stakeholders. That includes "the city of Kitchener, we've also got Metrolinx, the province, and the region," she said.

James also said funding was something that needed to be ironed out. 

According to the report, back in February of 2023 the region submitted an application for funding through the Public Transit stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program for which they still have not received a decision.

Despite delays, James said the region's made headway in the necessary land acquisitions. With the purchase of 70-84 Victoria Street North in March, the site's footprint is expanded to enable more development.

"I think there's opportunity here for housing and also for commercial [development]," said James.

"I do feel confident that it will start next year."

Region working with Metrolinx

The report states that the region and Metrolinx meet biweekly to compare design plans, ensuring they're compatible.

The sequencing of the region's construction is important in order to fit within Metrolinx's construction schedule, the report says. Due to the complex nature of the project and adjacent construction sites close to one another, that sequencing will be critical to successfully delivering the transit hub.

The region is working to sign a memorandum of understanding, which Metrolinx is currently drawing up.

100 Victoria homeless encampment

In February 2023, Ellen McGaghey, who was then the region's director of facilities and fleet management, told councillors that Metrolinx would need access to the regionally owned land at 100 Victoria Street North, at Weber Street West to begin construction work.

Currently, that land is being occupied by an homeless encampment and a Waterloo region judge ruled that the encampment cannot be removed without adequate shelter space for the residents to relocate to.

"It's a sensitive and delicate situation there," said James.

She said this land is still important to construction efforts, and in order for work to begin the encampment will need to be removed.

James said that regional staff and outreach workers are working with encampment residents to provide support and ensure their safety.

"We're continuing to work with those residents there to ensure that when the time comes, there is a transition."