City of Kitchener announces plans to build downtown fire station, housing

The City of Kitchener will look to bring public services and housing together through an exciting new project slated for the city’s downtown core.

On Thursday, Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic presented his annual State of the City address at Kitchener’s Fire Headquarters on Strasburg Road.

The location of the hour-long speech was significant, as Vrbanovic and the City of Kitchener had a surprise announcement that would affect the future of the fire service, as well as the local housing stock.

Vrbanovic announced the location of a new fire station in Kitchener, set to be built at 450 and 470 King St. E. in downtown Kitchener.

The site of the new firehall will also incorporate opportunities for mixed-income rental units, with plans to build 150 purpose-built units on the same site.

“The primary goal of this development will be to create a modern fire station that helps us respond to the growing needs of our community, while also maximizing the number of mixed-income residential units in the building – giving more residents in our community an affordable place to call home,” said Vrbanovic in his speech on Thursday.

The project, which has been in the works behind the scenes for some time, is being moved along with help from Ontario’s Building Faster Fund.

The City of Kitchener will spend the first few months of 2025 searching for partners in the build and design of the project, and work with local not-for-profits on addressing the housing needs on the site.

No timelines have been identified for the construction or opening of the site.

According to the mayor’s address, Kitchener has added 5,000 new residents in the last five years, and 2,500 more will move into buildings that are currently under construction.

Vrbanovic recounted the fact that he himself was at one time a new Canadian, having moved to Canada from Yugoslavia, now modern-day Croatia, in the 1960’s. He reflected on the fact that he, a first-generation Canadian, has gone on to hold office in a major Canadian city for a decade.

“This is very much the Canadian story,” said Vrbanovic. “The story of so many of us in this room.”

Building Kitchener Together was the overriding message and theme of Mayor Vrbanovic’s address. It’s a sentiment, but also the name of a project that looks to add more affordable housing to the city with help from provincial and federal funding.