Water allocation policy moving ahead in Cambridge
Posted Jul 23, 2026 07:30:14 AM.
Last Updated Jul 23, 2026 07:30:19 AM.
The City of Cambridge is the latest of the municipalities across the Mannheim service area to move forward with a water allocation policy.
Kitchener and Waterloo passed their policies earlier this summer, with a focus on affordable and supportive housing projects.
The City of Kitchener just this week announced the first projects to benefit from its policy.
It all comes as Regional Council passed a ‘bucket’ system of water that local municipalities impacted by the water capacity issue, could dip into.
Earlier this month, Cambridge councillors were at odds with the policy first proposed by staff, citing concerns about whether or not it should be council’s or staff’s responsibility to allocate water to developers.
In an amended version of the policy presented Tuesday, many of those concerns were addressed.
The updates put a focus on keeping council informed of major decisions, denials, and progress with the policy.
“This recognizes, in a collaborative fashion, the need for staff as our experts to make the decisions based on technical expertise, unfettered from politics, while also recognizing the need for transparency with the public and the role of council to examine and adjust our policies, such as this, if they do go astray,” said Councillor Scott Hamilton at a council meeting Tuesday.
The first report back to councillors will come six months from now, including a full review of the program, which council can update and change at anytime.
The policy as amended was passed unanimously.
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