<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><div class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div><div class=""><div class="c-article-body" data-lpos="article|body" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; flex-direction: row; position: relative; justify-content: center;"><div class="c-article-body__content" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; max-width: 757px; width: 757px;"><div id="fsk_splitbox_2804_onscreen" class=" fsk-always-on-box-background sb-opened fsk_splitbox_2804_onscreen" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px auto; padding: 0px; max-width: 602px;"><div class="article-related-inline" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px -88px; padding: 0px;"><div class="c-related-articles" data-lpos="ymbii|1" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 16px 0px; padding: 12px 16px 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08) 0px 2px 8px 0px;"><div class="rec_web_ymbii c-related-articles-inline__content" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap;"><a href="https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2022/06/01/fate-of-flair-airlines-and-its-routes-to-waterloo-region-to-be-revealed-today.html?li_source=LI&li_medium=rec_web_ymbii" class="c-mediacard--small-only-row c-mediacard--large-only-row has-min-height c-mediacard--row c-mediacard c-related-articles__article c-mediacard--medium-only-row" data-test-id="mediacard" data-locked="true" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 101, 164); display: flex; position: relative; width: 727.7022094726562px; flex-direction: row; padding-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 12px; min-height: 150px;"><div class="c-mediacard-img--aspect-ratio-3x2-condensed c-mediacard-img c-mediacard-img--small-only-row c-mediacard-img--large-only-row c-mediacard-img--row c-mediacard__image-wrapper c-mediacard-img--medium-only-row" data-test-id="medicard-image-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; order: 1; width: 90px; min-width: 90px;"><div class="c-mediacard-img-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 59.39337921142578px 0px 0px; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; overflow: hidden; position: relative;"></div></div><div class="c-mediacard__content" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: flex-start; flex-direction: column; flex: 1 1 auto; width: 621.7095336914062px; order: 0;"><div class="c-mediacard-labels c-mediacard__labels" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 0; max-width: 100%;"><span class="c-mediacard-labels__label c-mediacard-labels__label--section" data-test-id="label-section" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid transparent; display: inline-block; font-size: 0.625rem; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1rem; margin-bottom: 4px; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); margin-right: 8px;">WATERLOO REGION</span></div><h3 class="c-mediacard__heading mediacard-headline__long" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 400; font-size: 1.125rem; width: 621.7095336914062px; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); font-family: TorstarDeckCondensed, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.25;"><span data-test-id="mediacard-headline" class="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Updated: Flair Airlines keeps its licence and its routes to Waterloo Region after federal ruling in its favour</span></h3><div class="c-mediacard-footer" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: center; width: 621.7095336914062px; min-height: 24px;"><div class="c-mediacard-footer__items-left" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: center;"><span class="article__published-date" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Merriweather Sans", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75rem; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); letter-spacing: 0.4px;">1 day ago</span></div></div></div></a></div></div></div><span id="contentMiddleBreakPoint" class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block;"></span><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The countryside line is meant to contain future growth within the Region’s urban areas, while protecting farmland and sensitive natural areas from development. </p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The Region is at a crossroads as it revises the regional Official Plan and sets targets on how it wants to grow and develop from now until 2051, says Kevin Thomason of Wilmot Township.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">People need to speak up and be heard as the Region “determines for at least 30 years where and how we grow, what we protect, what we destroy, how we get around and if we are likely to achieve much of our climate change targets,” said Thomason, who spoke at a recent public meeting to gather input on the Official Plan review.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">He wants to see dedicated growth in core areas and in the suburbs with a variety of homes, not just towers, and to see farmland remaining untouched.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Nearly all of the 25 delegations who spoke at the meeting, which stretched to nearly three hours, spoke in favour of greater density in core areas with less sprawl into the rural landscape.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Ian McLean, president of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, said development, housing and growth is so important, mistakes can’t be made.</p><div class="undefined seo-media-query" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></div><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“We have to get it right. It’s too important a decision,” he told councillors.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">McLean said people need and want housing choice. A mix of housing is critical and is needed all over the region as well as near transit corridors, but not at the expense of “plowing over farmland.”</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“Not everyone wants to live in a highrise. People want choice and want to live where they work,” he said.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">In their growth plans, the Region’s planners have presented three scenarios. The lowest-intensity option would see 50 per cent of new growth in built-up areas, while the other two would bump that to 60 per cent.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The main difference <a class="text-block__link" href="https://www.therecord.com/news/council/2021/11/10/waterloo-region-council-calls-for-more-intense-development-targets-in-official-plan-update.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); box-shadow: rgba(255, 142, 146, 0.45) 0px -3px inset;">between the options is the land needed</a> to accommodate growth. In one scenario, regional staff suggests 2,208 hectares would be required. Another option earmarks 376 hectares of land for development. The third would accommodate growth within existing lands.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The option with the most land for development will breach the countryside line and even Rod Regier, the Region’s commissioner of planning and development, says this option would be “regressive.”</p><span id="contentLongBreakPoint" class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block;"></span><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The Region is currently growing and developing and seeing growth that is more dense than the Region’s planning targets require. Housing has already become more compact, which makes it more affordable, he said.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“Few people can afford a 60-foot lot with a single detached home,” he said.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Regier said there is still plenty of land to develop, with more than 30,000 lots in stages of approval or draft plans for development, he said. The past three years have seen a record-breaking number of building permits issued in the region.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">And this development doesn’t go past the countryside line, which he describes as unique to the region. </p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Former regional chair Ken Seiling is credited with coming up with the idea, which became part of the regional growth strategy in 2003 and part of the Official Plan in 2009.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Developers appealed the plan to the provincial land tribunal, saying it was too restrictive and put limits on how much land could be developed. They wanted 1,000 hectares of land for development.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The land tribunal settled a few years later after appeals and legal challenges, allowing for 450 hectares of land for new development. It also allowed for the countryside line to be part of the regional Official Plan.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">In choosing an option for future growth, the Region must also work with developers, Regier said.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“We absolutely need a partnership with the development community to implement the community we want live in. We need to build complete communities to reduce the carbon footprint,” said Regier, referring to neighbourhoods with shops, professional offices and areas that are inviting for cyclists and pedestrians.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Coun. Tom Galloway, who sits on the Region’s steering committee for the Official Plan revision, said he is still reviewing which option will best serve the future growth needs of the Region.</p><div class="article-related-inline" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px -88px; padding: 0px;"><div class="c-related-articles" data-lpos="article|related-stories" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 16px 0px; padding: 12px 16px 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08) 0px 2px 8px 0px;"><h2 class="article-list-heading" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1rem; line-height: 1; display: flex; flex-direction: column; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Merriweather Sans", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif;"><div class="article-list-heading-text article-list-heading-text--small" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 8px; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 0.75rem;">RELATED STORIES</div></h2><div class="c-related-articles-inline__content" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap;"><a href="https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2021/11/22/can-waterloo-regions-countryside-line-contain-development.html" class="c-related-articles__article c-mediacard--large-only-row c-mediacard--medium-only-row c-mediacard--row c-mediacard c-mediacard--small-only-row" data-test-id="mediacard" data-locked="false" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 101, 164); display: flex; position: relative; width: 727.7022094726562px; flex-direction: row; padding-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 12px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(216, 216, 216);"><div class="c-mediacard__content" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: flex-start; flex-direction: column; flex: 1 1 auto; width: 711.7095336914062px; order: 0;"><div class="c-mediacard-labels c-mediacard__labels" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 0; max-width: 100%;"><span class="c-mediacard-labels__label c-mediacard-labels__label--section" data-test-id="label-section" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid transparent; display: inline-block; font-size: 0.625rem; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1rem; margin-bottom: 4px; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); margin-right: 8px;">WATERLOO REGION</span></div><h3 class="c-mediacard__heading mediacard-headline__long" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 400; font-size: 1.125rem; width: 711.7095336914062px; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); font-family: TorstarDeckCondensed, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.25;"><span data-test-id="mediacard-headline" class="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Can the countryside line contain the pressures of development?</span></h3><div class="c-mediacard-footer" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: center; width: 711.7095336914062px; min-height: 24px;"><div class="c-mediacard-footer__items-left" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: center;"><span class="article__published-date" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Merriweather Sans", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75rem; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Nov. 22, 2021</span></div></div></div></a><a href="https://www.therecord.com/news/council/2021/11/10/waterloo-region-council-calls-for-more-intense-development-targets-in-official-plan-update.html" class="c-related-articles__article c-mediacard--large-only-row c-mediacard--medium-only-row c-mediacard--row c-mediacard c-mediacard--small-only-row" data-test-id="mediacard" data-locked="false" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 101, 164); display: flex; position: relative; width: 727.7022094726562px; flex-direction: row; padding-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 12px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(216, 216, 216);"><div class="c-mediacard__content" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: flex-start; flex-direction: column; flex: 1 1 auto; width: 711.7095336914062px; order: 0;"><div class="c-mediacard-labels c-mediacard__labels" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 0; max-width: 100%;"><span class="c-mediacard-labels__label c-mediacard-labels__label--section" data-test-id="label-section" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid transparent; display: inline-block; font-size: 0.625rem; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1rem; margin-bottom: 4px; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); margin-right: 8px;">COUNCIL</span></div><h3 class="c-mediacard__heading mediacard-headline__long" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 400; font-size: 1.125rem; width: 711.7095336914062px; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); font-family: TorstarDeckCondensed, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.25;"><span data-test-id="mediacard-headline" class="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Waterloo Region council calls for more intense development targets in Official Plan update</span></h3><div class="c-mediacard-footer" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: center; width: 711.7095336914062px; min-height: 24px;"><div class="c-mediacard-footer__items-left" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: center;"><span class="article__published-date" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Merriweather Sans", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75rem; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Nov. 10, 2021</span></div></div></div></a><a href="https://www.therecord.com/news/provincial-election/2022/05/30/kitchener-couple-put-in-12-separate-house-offers-and-each-time-they-were-outbid-by-someone-willing-to-pay-more-than-650000.html" class="c-related-articles__article c-mediacard--large-only-row c-mediacard--medium-only-row c-mediacard--row c-mediacard c-mediacard--small-only-row" data-test-id="mediacard" data-locked="false" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 101, 164); display: flex; position: relative; width: 727.7022094726562px; flex-direction: row; padding-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 12px;"><div class="c-mediacard__content" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: flex-start; flex-direction: column; flex: 1 1 auto; width: 711.7095336914062px; order: 0;"><div class="c-mediacard-labels c-mediacard__labels" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 0; max-width: 100%;"><span class="c-mediacard-labels__label c-mediacard-labels__label--section" data-test-id="label-section" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid transparent; display: inline-block; font-size: 0.625rem; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1rem; margin-bottom: 4px; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); margin-right: 8px;">PROVINCIAL ELECTION</span></div><h3 class="c-mediacard__heading mediacard-headline__long" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 400; font-size: 1.125rem; width: 711.7095336914062px; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); font-family: TorstarDeckCondensed, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.25;"><span data-test-id="mediacard-headline" class="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Kitchener couple put in 12 separate house offers and each time they were outbid by someone willing to pay more than $650,000</span></h3><div class="c-mediacard-footer" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: center; width: 711.7095336914062px; min-height: 24px;"><div class="c-mediacard-footer__items-left" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; align-items: center;"><span class="article__published-date" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Merriweather Sans", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75rem; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); letter-spacing: 0.4px;">3 days ago </span></div></div></div></a></div></div></div><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“One of my must-haves: We are not jumping the countryside line,” he said in an interview.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Galloway said there is a lot at stake in this Official Plan review for both developers and for each of the Region’s seven municipalities. Developers want more land located within municipal boundaries to develop, while municipalities also want to expand the amount of land to be developed, because that translates into additional assessment growth and more tax dollars, he said.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“This is a tricky balance not to jump the countryside line,” he said. “All seven municipalities want a piece of the pie. We have to keep peace in the family.”</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Coun. Michael Harris said it’s all about balance when it comes regional growth projections and building housing for residents who want to live in the region.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">He wants to see a diversity of housing stock, including single family homes.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“That everyone should live in a condo in downtown Kitchener, that is not practical,” he said. “Some families want to raise children in suburbia.”</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">People shouldn’t be “forced to leapfrog to Ingersoll or Woodstock” to buy a single-family house, he said.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Harris believes adding the housing supply can still be done within the Region’s boundaries.</p><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“I don’t think we are at that point to push the countryside line,” he said.</p><span id="contentEndBreakPoint" class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block;"></span><p class="text-block-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; font-family: TorstarTextO3, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.75rem; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">A report by regional staff recommending a growth option will come before council on June 15. A public input session is planned for July and council is expected to make a decision in August. For more information, check the <a class="text-block__link" href="https://www.engagewr.ca/regional-official-plan" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); box-shadow: rgba(255, 142, 146, 0.45) 0px -3px inset;">Region’s engagement page</a>.</p><div class="border-bottom author-endnote-container" data-lpos="article|author|bottom" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 16px 0px; display: flex; align-items: center; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-family: "Merriweather Sans", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: italic; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 1.25rem; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221);"><a class="author-endnote-container__author-img-link" href="https://www.therecord.com/authors.monteiro_liz.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(197, 30, 36); border: none; margin-right: 15px; display: block; min-width: 60px;"><div class="author-endnote-container__author-img c-author-badge" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15); border-top-left-radius: 50%; border-top-right-radius: 50%; border-bottom-right-radius: 50%; border-bottom-left-radius: 50%; min-width: 60px; min-height: 60px; width: 60px; height: 60px; overflow: hidden; justify-content: center; align-items: center;"></div></a></div></div></div></div></div><div class=""><div class="c-article-body" data-lpos="article|body" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; flex-direction: row; position: relative; justify-content: center;"><div class="c-article-body__content" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; max-width: 757px; width: 757px;"><div id="fsk_splitbox_2804_onscreen" class=" fsk-always-on-box-background sb-opened fsk_splitbox_2804_onscreen" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px auto; padding: 0px; max-width: 602px;"><div class="border-bottom author-endnote-container" data-lpos="article|author|bottom" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 16px 0px; display: flex; align-items: center; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-family: "Merriweather Sans", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: italic; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 1.25rem; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221);"><a class="author-endnote-container__author-img-link" href="https://www.therecord.com/authors.monteiro_liz.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(197, 30, 36); border: none; margin-right: 15px; display: block; min-width: 60px;"><div class="author-endnote-container__author-img c-author-badge" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: flex; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15); border-top-left-radius: 50%; border-top-right-radius: 50%; border-bottom-right-radius: 50%; border-bottom-left-radius: 50%; min-width: 60px; min-height: 60px; width: 60px; height: 60px; overflow: hidden; justify-content: center; align-items: center;"></div></a><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="author-endnote-container__author-link" href="https://www.therecord.com/authors.monteiro_liz.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(197, 30, 36); font-weight: 800; font-style: normal;">Liz Monteiro</a> is a Waterloo Region-based general assignment reporter for The Record. Reach her via email: <a href="mailto:lmonteiro@therecord.com" class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(197, 30, 36);">lmonteiro@therecord.com</a></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div><div><br class=""></div><div>-------------------------------------<br class=""><br class="">Kevin Thomason<br class=""><br class="">1115 Cedar Grove Road<br class="">Waterloo, Ontario Canada N2J 3Z4<br class=""><br class="">Phone: (519) 888-0519<br class="">Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648<br class="">Twitter: @kthomason<br class=""><a href="mailto:kevinthomason@mac.com" class="">E-mail: kevinthomason@mac.com</a> or <a href="mailto:kevthomason@gmail.com" class="">kevthomason@gmail.com</a></div><div><br class="">-----------------------------------------</div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div></div></div><br class=""><br class=""><div class="">
<meta charset="UTF-8" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class="">-------------------------------------<br class=""><br class="">Kevin Thomason<br class=""><br class="">1115 Cedar Grove Road<br class="">Waterloo, Ontario Canada N2J 3Z4<br class=""><br class="">Phone: (519) 888-0519<br class="">Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648<br class="">Twitter: @kthomason<br class=""><a href="mailto:kevinthomason@mac.com" class="">E-mail: kevinthomason@mac.com</a><br class=""><br class="">-----------------------------------------</div></div></div>
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