Breslau connector road put on hold; council balks at cost

Steve Kannon Observer Staff

THE IDEA OF SPENDING

SOME $30 million to build a road of unknown value saw Woolwich council this week put the project on hold.

The decision follows last week’s council discussion about a recently completed environmental assessment (EA) study for the so-called Breslau east connector road. The new route would run between a future Dolman Street extension at Fountain Street and Greenhouse Road to the east. An estimated $14.5 million would be needed simply for an overpass to span the rail- road tracks, an oversized project that would cover potential future expansion of the Metrolinx/GO Transit line.

When built, the road would provide access to a new mixed-use neighbourhood known as the Thomasfield Homes Hopewell Crossing, which includes residential and commer- cial development, employment lands and parks/ open space. A company representative last week said it was moving away from plans to include a GO station on its lands.

The EA study suggests the entire project would be paid for by development charges, additional fees placed on new homes to cover costs associated with growth. Thomasfield vice-president Tom McLaughlin last week estimated that would require applying the equivalent of the township’s current DC road levies, north of $4,500, on the next 5,800 homes built anywhere in the townships.

Merlihan questioning the rationale of charging Woolwich residents for a road of unknown usefulness that appears to be of larger benefit to the region and the province should a GO station be built someday.

“I really think this needs a much wider discussion

That had Coun. Patrick → BRESLAU ROAD 5

Scaled-back ask still represents extra $10.4 million, a 5.6% boost for 2022 ual components.

Steve Kannon

Observer Staff

GOING INTO WEDNESDAY’S POLICE SERVICE

Board meeting, regional police proposed trimming back a 2022 budget increase to $10.4 million, or 5.6 per cent, even as community groups such as Black Lives Matter were calling for budgetary freezes or rollbacks.

Police had been asking for a $12.4-million increase – 6.71 per cent – to their roughly $200 million budget.

The slightly lowered request came as police adjusted the timing 35 proposed new hires, along with dipping into a projected surplus from this year’s budget.

Regional council, however, is hearing from groups, including ReAllocate WR and Ground Up WR, calling for councillors to reject the budget request. Under the Police Services Act, municipalities can only approve or reject police budgets in their entirety, not individ-

Black Lives Matter Waterloo Region, for instance, is calling for a rollback of $29.3 million, representing the accumulated budget increases over the past three years.

The group argues the money would be better spent on the likes of counselling, addiction supports and youth outreach.

“The budget allocated for the Waterloo Regional Police Services this year is $200,143,000—19.9% of the total $1,003,847,000 allocated for Regional Services. This is an increase of $10 million over 2019’s budget. This is more of our money that the region has dedicated to Public Health ($40,588,000), Seniors Services ($39,981,000), Housing Services ($80,972,000), and the Library ($3,214,000) combined,” the group argues.

Those efforts received cross-party support from Kitchener-Centre MP Mike Morrice

(Green) and MPP

→ POLICE BUDGET 11