Rental fees for Indigenous cultural events waived at Kitchener city facilities

Kitchener city council voted Monday to suspend rental fees for city spaces used for Indigenous cultural and ceremonial events.

The decision came after Waterloo city council approved a similar policy Monday afternoon.

"While the city acknowledges there is still much work to do, this decision complements other efforts to begin addressing systemic barriers faced by local First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities underway at the city," the city said in a news release.

In a release, the city said it also introduced Indigenous cultural competency training for city staff this year, and used a donation from the Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation to make the Huron Natural Area a more welcoming place for local Indigenous communities.

The decision supports the Region of Waterloo and area municipalities' announcement of a Reconciliation Action Plan, which was announced last week. The region is in the process of hiring a consultant to guide the development of the plan.