During their visit, the delegates learned about the City’s community development programs and the important role customer service plays throughout each of the City’s departments.

After meeting the mayor and CAO at City Hall yesterday, the delegates have spent the remainder of their visit at St. Stanislaus School.

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), through the FCM international program, provided the funding for this learning opportunity.

CIDA provides funding to the FCM international programs to strengthen the capacity of overseas municipalities to respond to basic issues in the lives of their citizens. This includes helping the municipalities to determine, design, and implement solutions to their local governance and service-delivery needs. Public engagement in Canada is an important component: representatives of Canadian municipalities raise awareness locally about the nature and results of their partnerships.

• Mary D’alton, President of the Waterloo Motor Inn and Conference Centre

• Tim Jackson, Co-founder of Tech Capital Partners Inc.

• Mary Johnston, Educator and Author

• Alex Mustakas, Theatre administrator, director, and actor

The list of honourees is extensive, and the result of a Waterloo Public Library project known as Waterloo 150. Throughout the year, the Library has been collecting nominations, researching and then writing short biographies that capture what makes these inductees so remarkable.

For more information about the full list of inductees for the Legacy of Leaders, please visit the library’s website, where you can view a write-up about each of the individuals being recognized at this special dinner

A wealth of well-maintained, finely detailed buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s that are largely intact;

A number of unique buildings including churches and commercial buildings, which provide distinctive landmarks within and at the edges of the district;

A significant range of recognizable architectural styles and features including attic gable roofs; decorative trim; brick construction; porches and other details associated with the era in which they were developed;

The presence of an attractive and consistent streetscape linked by mature trees, grassed boulevards and laneways;

Hibner Park, Kitchener's second oldest city park, as a green jewel in the centre of the district

TORONTO - The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, and the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced $105 million to seven centres of excellence focused on priority areas in research and commercialization for Canada.

"Our government is committed to building on our important science and technology strengths by taking advantage of the excellent research capacity of facilities such as the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute," said Minister Prentice. "Through this funding, and working with our provincial and private partners, the new Centres of Excellence will help Canada achieve world-class success in the strategic areas of scientific opportunity and competitive advantage."

"In Budget 2007, we committed to improving the quality of life of Canadians by strengthening our support for science and technology," said Minister Flaherty. "We live in a highly competitive global economy, and it is imperative that we lead change in areas such as the environment, energy and health care by being more innovative and forward-looking."

The seven centres of excellence focusing on research and commercialization are as follows:

- the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael's Hospital, affiliated with the University of Toronto

- the Brain Research Centre at the University of British Columbia

- the Canada School of Energy and the Environment at the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge

- the Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery, affiliated with the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa

- the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University

- the National Optics Institute in Quebec

- the Life Sciences Research Institute in Halifax, affiliated with Dalhousie University

The end result of a new and more strategic government focus on science and technology is a better life for Canadians, our families and our communities, with cleaner and safer streets, better medicines and health care, and improved education that will lead to better jobs and better futures for our children.

Through Budget 2007, Canada's New Government committed to providing $105 million in 2007-08 to support the operation of these centres.

Seven Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research

There are seven centres of excellence in Canada that focus on priority areas in research and commercialization that are a key element of the Entrepreneurial Advantage component of Canada's new Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy. This S&T Strategy is a multi-year framework that will create a business environment that encourages the private sector to innovate and will guide the intelligent and strategic investment of public funds.

Through the Strategy, the government will promote world-class excellence, target more resources to priority areas in the national interest, create partnerships and work collaboratively with the provinces, and hold itself accountable for delivering results that matter to Canadians.

Budget 2007 provided $105 million to the seven centres. These centres are also eligible to compete under the new Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research Program ($195 million over the next two years).

The seven centres of excellence are as follows:

- The Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute aims to strengthen knowledge translation in health care by combining research, education and clinical care. Located at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto (affiliated with the University of Toronto), the Institute will combine the clinical care, research and education activities of St. Michael's Hospital with a focus on knowledge translation.

The Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute will develop new and better ways to transfer knowledge from researcher, to practitioner, to patient by combining research, education and clinical care. The Institute will initially focus on inner-city health, heart and lung disease, diabetes, nutrition, brain injury and multi-organ failure. It will build on existing research teams of scientists, research coordinators, programmers and technicians.

The Institute will be a 240 000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility comprising two nine-storey centres: the Keenan Research Centre and the Li Ka Shing International Centre in Health Care Education.

The Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute was established through a $25-million donation from Mr. Li Ka-shing to St. Michael's Hospital. The Ontario government is also investing $23 million, and St. Michael's Hospital has committed $71 million through its foundation and operating budget.

- The Brain Research Centre is a partnership between Vancouver Coastal Health and the University of British Columbia (UBC). Headquartered at Vancouver Coastal Health's UBC Hospital site, the Brain Research Centre seeks to obtain new knowledge about the functioning of the human brain in both health and disease. The Centre aims to use this knowledge to promote new treatments and diagnostics for brain diseases, improve the learning capacity of the human brain, and prevent declines that impede graceful aging. It also strives to provide education and training as well as develop industrial partnerships and new company spinoffs to generate employment and wealth in the economy.

The Brain Research Centre is built around six pillars of neuroscience research: neurodegeneration (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis); multiple sclerosis; mental health (schizophrenia and mood disorders) and addictions; stroke; neurotrauma; and vision. The Centre is committed to developing new technologies to aid diagnosis and treat these conditions. Two key technology areas at the Centre are diagnostic imaging and genomics.

Over 175 faculty members are affiliated with the Brain Research Centre, representing 20 university departments and six faculties. It is connected to each of the teaching hospitals in the Lower Mainland, as well as to Simon Fraser University, the University of Victoria and the University of Northern British Columbia.

- The Canada School of Energy and the Environment (CSEE) will facilitate the sharing of research knowledge and collaboration in the fields of energy and the environment.

The University of Alberta, the University of Calgary, and the University of Lethbridge are establishing the CSEE as a virtual institute. Aiming to be a global leader in integrated research, policy and technology for the natural resources and energy sectors, the CSEE will bring together researchers, academics and technologists. The CSEE is expected to become operational in the coming year and will focus on stimulating the development and commercialization of new processes to make current energy sources cleaner and more efficient. The CSEE will also facilitate the development and commercialization of emerging and alternative energy sources such as clean coal, fuel cells, carbon dioxide capture and storage, water management, biomass, hydrogen, and improved oil and gas recovery, including the recovery and upgrading of oil sands and heavy oil.

The CSEE will combine the academic strengths of the three universities in the fields of law, economics, engineering, chemistry, geology, environmental sciences, political and social sciences, and business management. It will also involve the Government of Alberta and the private sector.

- The Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery, affiliated with the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa, seeks to establish a brain recovery research program that will lead to effective functional improvements after a stroke.

The Centre will develop a comprehensive program of integrated, translational research that includes molecular biology, laboratory models and clinical studies that help pave the way for designing and testing novel post-stroke interventions and therapies more quickly. Research is focused on revealing the molecular and cellular cascade of events that occur following a stroke, with the aim of identifying new interventions that could potentially alter negative outcomes, using interventions proven in other diseases to improve outcomes in stroke patients, and developing and validating new interventions to improve cognitive outcomes following stroke.

The Centre, a virtual organization, is a collaborative effort involving the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, the Ottawa Health Research Institute, the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute and Kunin-Lunenfeld Applied Research Unit. The Centre was established in 2002 through a memorandum of understanding that commits each of the four organizations to fund the Centre's operations.

- The Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) is a teaching and research institute of McGill University in which multidisciplinary teams of basic and clinical scientists work to generate fundamental information about the nervous system and apply that knowledge to understanding and treating neurological diseases.

MNI was conceived in 1934 by the eminent neurosurgeon and scientist

Wilder Penfield as an integrated hospital and research institute. It has evolved into a research institute dedicated to neuroscience and has a long history of translating scientific findings into clinical practice.

MNI's research activities are centres in 12 separate yet interconnected research units focused on the full spectrum of contemporary neuroscience. Among MNI's internationally recognized strengths are its groups in epilepsy research and treatment, the McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, neuropsychology, neuroimmunology, complex neural systems, and neuromuscular disease.

- The National Optics Institute (INO) in Quebec is a centre of expertise in optics and photonics. INO's mission is to give businesses a competitive edge through innovative solutions and technology platforms using optics and photonics. These technologies are applied in areas such as aerospace, agri-food, biomedicine, life sciences, the environment, forestry, optics and lasers, security and defence, telecommunications, and transportation.

INO employs over 200 people at its 189 500-square-foot facility in Quebec that is noted for its state-of-the-art laboratories. It attributes its growth to its ability to create intellectual property and draw value from it through research and development contracts, prototype production, technology transfer, and the promotion of innovative projects that create jobs. In the last five years, INO has generated overall earnings of $141 million and has 20 new optics and photonics spinoffs to its credit and 28 transfers to industry. It also holds 62 patents.

INO works in partnership with the Quebec and federal governments, the private sector, and international project partners.

- The Life Sciences Research Institute (LSRI) at Dalhousie University in Halifax will provide a Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research by strengthening and building a life sciences cluster in Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada.

LSRI will provide open-concept research and incubator space for the Halifax region's growing life sciences and biotechnology sector. LSRI will foster research in the health and life sciences and technologies that can lead to practical and commercial applications. It aims to increase shared research activity, generate new practical and commercial applications, and benefit growth in the Atlantic region by encouraging economic activity and developing highly qualified workers. The lead tenant will be the Brain Repair Centre, which is dedicated to health research and finding treatments, cures and prevention strategies for conditions as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and spinal cord injury.

Dalhousie University is the lead institution for LSRI and has worked with Capital Health and the IWK Health Centre to develop LSRI. Other partners include the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the National Research Council Institute of Biodiagnostics, BioNova and the Province of Nova Scotia.

BRANTFORD - The Honourable John Baird, Minister of the Environment, on behalf of the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, today announced that Canada's New Government is providing $12 million to clean up a brownfield site in Brantford.

"Our government is following through on its promise to assist Brantford with cleaning up and redeveloping its brownfields," said Minister Baird. "For many years, the citizens of Brantford have called for federal action to clean up this long-standing environmental problem, and this government has heard their call."

Brownfields are abandoned or underused land, often in urban areas, that formerly housed industrial or commercial facilities. They are often environmental hazards to the community. The City of Brantford will use the federal funds to clean up its most critical brownfield site, Greenwich-Mohawk, which is located in the urban core and comprises three pieces of land totalling more than 50 acres.

"Protecting the environment and improving the health of Canadians is one of the fundamental long-term objectives of our government," said Minister Prentice. "This funding will help clean up the site in the heart of Brantford and transform the area into green space and residential and business communities."

The redevelopment of brownfield sites can have many positive benefits including improving environmental quality, health and safety; increasing tax revenues; helping create and retain employment opportunities; and revitalizing land and infrastructure in city cores.

Federal funding, along with the contributions from the Government of Ontario, will help the City of Brantford overcome the financial challenges of early-stage remediation. It also demonstrates the Government of Canada's commitment to building stronger and healthier communities and working cooperatively with other levels of government.

BACKGROUNDER

Brantford Brownfields

The Government of Canada is providing $12 million to support the clean up and redevelopment of a brownfield site in Brantford, Ontario. Brownfields are abandoned or underused land, often in urban areas, that formerly housed industrial or commercial facilities. Redevelopment of brownfield land is often complicated by environmental concerns and by liability or financing issues related to toxic contamination. A key component of redevelopment is remediation, which means corrective action to clean up an environmentally contaminated site.

The City of Brantford will use the funds for the environmental cleanup of its most critical brownfield site, Greenwich-Mohawk, which is located in the urban core and comprises three pieces of land totalling more than 50 acres. Once revitalized, this parcel of land will be redeveloped according to a community design developed in consultation with Brantford residents. This brownfield is expected to be turned into a residential area, with some light commercial and heritage components.

Funding will begin at the start of the next fiscal year (2008-09).

The remediation of old industrial sites is an essential element in urban revitalization. With the right incentives and partnerships, and the removal of barriers to development, brownfields can generate significant public benefits. These include increased economic activity, increased tax revenues, lower municipal infrastructure costs, reduced health and safety risks, preservation of outlying agricultural land through reduction in urban sprawl, improved air quality, and improved quality of life in neighbourhoods. Public investment in brownfield redevelopment can also leverage a significant amount of private investment.

This project demonstrates the government's support for building cleaner, healthier and safer communities. It also supports the government's objective of balancing environmental protection with economic development in Canadian communities.

. Submit comments directly online at www.kitchener.ca
. Email comments to kingstreet@kitchener.ca
. Pick up a brochure illustrating the Pedestrian-First model at downtown Kitchener businesses, fill out the questionnaire and return it to City Hall.

As part of the King Street Master Plan, the City of Kitchener and its consultant, the IBI Group, are developing a new design for the corner of King and Benton (Frederick) Streets known as Speakers Corner. Residents are invited to comment on the proposed concepts for Speakers Corner as part of the public consultation on the new design for King Street. The proposed concepts for Speakers Corner incorporate the elements of the selected King Street design to create a pedestrian friendly environment.

Next Steps:

Later this fall, the King Street Master Plan project steering committee and design team will review the public's comments and meet with stakeholders to identify opportunities for modifications or improvements to the plans. In addition, the steering committee will prepare a business case to support an application for capital investment in the streetscape improvements from the City's Economic Development Investment Fund (EDIF).

Recommendations on both the approval of the design and EDIF funding will be presented to City Council on November 5, 2007. If approved, the project steering committee will determine, based on the amount of capital funds available, which of the proposed features (if not all) will be included in the final design.

Subsequently, the staging of construction for streetscape improvements, including contract drawings and documents will be finalized and issued as part of a formal tendering process.

History:

Over the past several months, the City of Kitchener has been developing a Streetscape Master Plan that will result in an exciting new design for King Street and streetscape strategies for the City Centre District.

In May, we heard from residents and businesses who participated in the public consultation that the focus for King Street should be ‘Pedestrian-First', and City Council agreed. The Pedestrian-First model was selected from four potential themes presented to the public last spring.

In response, the City of Kitchener, in partnership with the IBI Group, has developed a new design for King Street that will create a LIVELY, LIVABLE AND SUSTAINABLE, BEAUTIFUL and VIBRANT environment for pedestrians and businesses alike.

OTTAWA - Minister of National Revenue Gordon O'Connor announced October 9, 2007 a series of consultations with small and rural charities. As the federal charities regulator, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) wants to better understand the unique service needs and compliance challenges of small and rural charities.

"Canada's New Government recognizes the unique needs of these organizations," stated Minister O'Connor. "I look forward to receiving the results of these consultations and reviewing the recommendations."

A series of workshops will take place in October 2007 in Toronto, Saskatoon, Lethbridge, Kelowna, Trois-Rivieres and Moncton. A panel containing six to nine individuals from small and rural charities, chaired by the CRA, will then meet in November 2007 to develop recommendations for the Minister of National Revenue. The panel is expected to deliver its recommendations by the end of December 2007.

The CRA recognizes that most small and rural charities have limited resources and rely mostly on volunteers to carry out their activities, which can limit their ability to meet their obligations and maintain their status as a federally registered charity. The CRA is committed to help these charities and enable them to meet their obligations, through a toll-free telephone enquiries service 1-800-267-2384, as well as through such initiatives as the Charities Partnership and Outreach Program and the long-running Charities Roadshows.

The new consultation process is tailored to provide recommendations aimed at improving and enhancing services and reducing the administrative burden for small and rural charities.

The CRA regularly consults with the charitable sector, as well as with other federal, provincial and territorial partners, to find new ways to enhance its services and administrative processes.

For more information about the small and rural charities consultations, or about any charities-related subject, call 1-800-267-2384 or visit the CRA's Web site at www.cra.gc.ca/charities.

Kitchener - Every year, Kitchener City Council invites applications from Kitchener residents, or those working in Kitchener, who wish to serve on its committees and boards. These appointments allow local citizens from various backgrounds to participate in local government and voluntarily give their time and expertise.

Become Involved at City Hall
Kitchener Council invites applications from Kitchener residents, or those working in Kitchener, who wish to serve on its committees and boards.

Please follow the links below for more information and a downloadable application form.

Become Involved at City Hall Advertisement
Committee Application Form

For more information on the individual committees, please click on the links below.
Aeronautical Noise Management Committee

The committee provides regular and effective communications between the Region of Waterloo International Airport, local residents, local aviation business and users, geographical business located within 'Canada's Technology Triangle', Transport Canada, Nav Canada, Canadian Business Aircraft Association and the Air Transport Association of Canada on the operation of the Airport with regards to the effects of aviation noise to the community.

Arts & Culture Advisory Committee

Advises on matters pertaining to arts and culture policy and implementation including public art purchases, the Artist in Residence Program and Rotunda Gallery exhibition programs.

Centre in the Square Board of Directors


The Centre's board of directors provides leadership for the arts and live entertainment in the community; ensures access for the widest possible audiences and attracting diversity of users; programming of a local, national and international nature reflecting a variety of interests; and maintaining and enhancing the Centre's facilities and operations at the highest possible standard.

Committee of Adjustment
The Committee of Adjustment is established under the Planning Act and considers and makes decisions relative to the following types of applications:
- Minor Variances to the Zoning By-law
- Consents (dividing land parcels to create new lots)
- Validation of Title
- Fence and Sign Variances

Compass Kitchener
Compass Kitchener reports to Council on critical community issues to assist in the establishment of Council’s four-year shared agenda at the beginning of each new term of Council.

Downtown Advisory Committee


Advises on matters that impact the downtown including physical image, heritage, arts and culture, marketing, business development, safety, housing, community development, transportation and parking.

Economic Development Advisory Committee


Advises on a board range of economic development matters including economic development strategic planning, industrial development, community wealth creation, marketing and tourism, adaptive reuse, relationships with Canada's Technology Triangle, the Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Centre.

Environmental Committee

Advises on all matters that impact the environment as well as community environmental outreach programs, the promotion of environmental awareness and community environmental stewardship.

Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee


The Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC) is the advisory committee to municipalities with respect to issues relating to the fulfillment of the purpose of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA, 2001)

Heritage Kitchener

Advises on matters involving conservation of publicly and privately owned heritage resources within Kitchener and is the City's local architectural conservation advisory committee as defined in the Ontario Heritage Act.

Kitchener Housing Inc. Board of Directors
Provides the leadership for this municipal non-profit organization committed to developing and managing innovative and affordable housing that fosters personal and community growth. To expand and diversify its rental housing portfolio by mobilizing community support and financial resources through the development of innovative partnerships.


Kitchener Public Library Board
The Kitchener Public Library Board is established under Provincial legislation and is responsible for the management and control of the Kitchener Public Libraries.

KPL/Centre Block Project Committee


This committee was established to make recommendations to City Council on the development of the City owned lands on the block bounded by King, Duke, Ontario and Young Streets known as "Centre Block".

Property Standards Committee


This committee was established under the Planning Act to hear appeals that have been filed by property owners with respect to property standards 'Orders to Comply' issued by the City's enforcement staff.

Safe & Healthy Community Advisory Committee

Advises on a broad range of matters including personal safety and crime prevention, equity in accessing services, poverty and the Opportunities 2000 Response, community mobilization and the City's role in housing.

Contact
R. Gosse, City Clerk
2nd Floor, Berlin Tower
City Hall

This Phase is intended to establish objectives and principles for the development of the lands, refine the range of uses, develop visual design concepts, and establish planning implementation tools for the area. These tools will include Official Plan policies, land use designations, and Community Energy Plan implementation opportunities, among others.

The York lands are significant due to their sheer size, at 426 hectares (1,052 acres). This is close to the total current employment land inventory elsewhere in the city, which totals 433 hectares. The lands, which are located within Guelph’s urban boundary, also have natural and cultural significance. One of the City’s most valued and treasured natural assets, the Eramosa River, flows through the lands.

Mayor Karen Farbridge explained, “When you look at five key priorities for this term of Council, you realize that they are tied in various ways to this piece of property. First, the lands will be vital to our growth management strategy and to meeting Places to Grow requirements. Second, they offer a tremendous opportunity to provide employment lands for our growing economy. Third, our Waste Resource Innovation Centre happens to be located on this property, so it will be important for the future of our organics facility. Fourth, the lands offer our best opportunity to meet our Community Energy Plan targets through integrated energy planning. And finally, the lands are important for building partnerships, because those with interests in the land include the provincial government, University of Guelph, and private companies.”

In the first two Phases of the York District planning process, the City completed background work and established an employment focus as the preferred option for the lands. The City paused before proceeding with Phase 3 in order to give the provincial government, the majority landowner on the site, time to prepare a development strategy.

The Province retained a consultant to conduct community consultation and prepare a proposed development strategy. When the consultant’s report is completed and released, it will form an important piece of input into Phase 3 of the planning process. The City will engage the Province as an active participant in Phase 3.

The Phase 3 process will include public consultation through working groups, facilitated sessions, a charette exercise, and public open houses. Visual design concepts will be developed for each area of the site, and an overall concept will be created to form the basis of land use and Official Plan policies. Details of the public consultation sessions are currently being finalized and will be announced shortly.

“I like to call this area the “Guelph Innovation District” to reflect the tremendous opportunity the lands present for innovation and progress in our community,” said Mayor Farbridge. “If we get these lands right, we will take a great leap forward in securing our future.”

“Intelligent Communities and Broadband: An Alternative to Energy Consumption” is a one-day Intelligent Waterloo conference exploring approaches to using broadband technologies that can lessen the dependency on energy, the distribution of energy and influencing energy policy. This conference is hosted by the Intelligent Waterloo Committee, the City of Waterloo, the University of Waterloo and CIGI. Conference sponsors are Cisco Systems Inc. and Atria Networks Inc.

The conference will explore several questions that include:

• How can we save energy using broadband?

• What environments can we provide to simulate person-to-person contact at a distance?

• Can we outsource work to other environments such as the home to reduce the need for office space and travel?

• What broadband technologies and pricing strategies can be used to encourage more conservative use of energy?

• What businesses might be derived from broadband support for energy conservation?

• And more…

Dr. Patricia Demers, president of the Royal Society of Canada has been invited to moderate the conference. Other notable guests invited to address the conference include: Michael Binder, assistant deputy minister, Industry Canada; Jan Carr, CEO, Ontario Power Authority; Mark Golan, vice-president, Cisco; Jeffrey Simpson, columnist, The Globe and Mail; and John Wetmore, Former CEO, IBM Canada.

TORONTO - The Toronto Forum for Global Cities, a non-profit organization created to help provide Canadian business and political leaders with an arena to discuss global issues and their effects on local economies, is hosting the first-ever Toronto conference at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel on November 5, 2007. The Conference titled, The Infrastructure Challenge has attracted a number of leading international speakers and is aimed at providing a platform to exchange issues regarding the economic role of global cities in the context of Infrastructure, Financial Services and Energy.

Toronto Mayor, David Miller, will lead the opening session accompanied by the Minister of Public Works and Government Services of Canada, the Hon. Michael Fortier, and the former Prime Minister of France and current Mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppe, to discuss how Global Cities are the new engines of economic growth. Mayor Miller, Minister Fortier and Mayor Juppe will share issues around Infrastructure in their regions as well as address how