City of Kitchener moves to remove red paint from Queen Victoria statue

The City of Kitchener has provided an update after the Queen Victoria statue in Victoria Park was doused in red paint nearly two weeks ago. 

On Monday, the city confirmed it has arranged for the paint to be cleared.

The city has faced repeated calls to either keep the paint on or remove the statue from the park entirely, as it has been hit with red paint three times since last Canada Day. 

The city previously installed two plaques around the statue, acknowledging the harms of colonialism and stating that the statue “may contribute” to that ongoing harm.

The latest vandalism incident was discovered on the morning of May 5, which was National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People. 

Police believe it occurred sometime overnight, and both the statue and the plaques were splattered with paint. 

Initially on May 5, the City of Kitchener stated it had no current plans to remove the red paint. A statement said, “We continue to work with municipal partners and local Indigenous, racialized, and marginalized communities to move towards reconciliation and a more equitable city. This includes making decisions about our statues, place names, and more.”

On Monday, a statement from the city said it recognizes there is a need to emphasize the voices of those who have been harmed by colonialism in decision-making processes moving forward. 

An e-mail statement from the city said, “City staff will be bringing forward a report to council in June looking to begin a community dialogue about the Queen Victoria statue which emphasizes voices of the local Indigenous communities. This community conversation will include education as a foundational component.”

The statue was doused in red paint twice in 2021: once on Canada Day, and again in mid-August.

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic spoke with CityNews 570 on Tuesday — a day after the paint was cleaned up. 

He said the city allotted time after the latest vandalism incident due to the significance of May 5. 

“It's normally city practice to clean any graffiti or damage to public property, and that was the case in this particular instance. So staff simply proceeded after considering the timing of when the paint was originally applied to the statue, that it was a day of commemoration. Staff waited a few days in order to acknowledge that.”

Vrbanovic said the city is committed to Indigenous reconciliation and ensuring public spaces are welcoming to everyone in the community. 

He noted this is an issue with varying viewpoints. 

“[There's] those who feel a strong link to the historical past of our city, and obviously the fact that Canada continues to be a constitutional monarchy — to those who do feel that public art, such as this, does not create a welcoming environment for members of our community,” said Vrbanovic. “As a city, we want to make sure that we take actions that find the appropriate balance for everyone in the community, while ensuring that we create welcoming spaces in that process.”

City staff are expected to provide a report to council next month regarding the statue.