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BB NEWS Continued from page 3 = fast, they'll move fast.” Critics say the legisla- tion threatens protected eenspace and is also ex- % pected to eliminate mil- § lions of dollars in develop- ‘ges -fees paid by id used Chronicle | Thursday, December 20, 2022 110 s for things like new recreation facili- ties to help serve a grow- ing population. @ province also passed Bill 39, the Better Municipal : ie won anion cane see ie neal ly-appointed facilitators tasked with assessing re- gional government Durham, Halton, Niagara, Peel, Waterloo and York. "I've kind of joked with my husband that I might be the last mayor of Water- loo. Like, who knows?’ said McCabe, who has a photo ontitied recent election night bar, ty on display in her new of- fice at 100 Regina St. w mayor noted that the province's previ- Region of Waterloo Public Notice All Meetings will be held at: Regional Council Chamber 2023 Regional Plan and Budget Meetings for the 2023 Plan and Budget Committee for the Regional Municipality will be held on the following dates: « Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. + Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. + Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. + Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. Public Input meetings will be held on the following dates: « Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. * Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. 150 Frederick Street, 2nd Floor, Kitchener If you wish to appear in person or electronically as a delegation during a Public Input meeting, please visit the Region’s website for more information and to complete and submit an online _form: httos:/Avww. |.aspXx at https://www. Final approval of the Region’s 2023 Operating Budget and Ten-Year Capital Program is scheduled for Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. You can watch any of the scheduled budget or Council meetings on the Region’s website For a copy of the budget schedule or for more information about the Regional budget, please visit our website: https:/Awww. William Short Regional Clerk December 20, 2022 waterloochronicle.ca and-finance-archives.aspx. Notice of these meetings is being given in accordance with the “Municipal Act’, as amended, and the Region’s Notice Policy. ous review of regional gov- ernance was conducted by special advisors Ken Seil- (who was also former regional chair) and ME ‘enn in 2019, findings of which aril re. main confidential. "I suspect they're going to take that out again and go, OK, what did we learn then? We're going to have conversations in the new year with myself, mayors, regional chairs and other community fone "It's confro! us," McCabe said. mee 're being forced to think about, you iow, maybe some other options that the province or others might have on the table." While McCabe admitt- edly sits on the fence when it comes to regional re- a @ ey 3 & w we equipped to take the city through a review. The housing crisis and regional reform are two sues that traditionally haven't been part of the overarching scope of local politic’ any enlabration with municipalities, Matabe recently threw her full support behind the region's first "outdoor shelter" that's being estab- lished fr jhomeless indi- thin the city's particularly interested in seeing more affordable housing built out in the ark area with green, Oren neutral develop- ment standards. achieve change targets we need here in Waterloo Region, we need to do something fairly transformational t those goals," said Metabe, who believes cut- ting the cost of public tran- sit rider fees is an option. She cycles to and from her new office at city hall whenever she can and rides the LRT to regional council meetings in Kitch- ener, but acknowledges it isn't cheap for most peo- ple, noting the one-way cost for a family of four is about 82 The need to stabilize municipal coffers at atime of rising inflation, with the cost of basic needs be- ing unattainable for many peop! mething Mcate said the new city is cognizant of, with a a ee operating budget hike of more than five per cent on the table. Waterloo still needs to address a hefty backlog of pelea and main- and Mocabe believes t the right mix of people are at the ta- ble to do it, with four re- turnees and four new bod- ies to add some fresh per- spective. The final budget won't be approved until Febru- ary and will coincide with the strategic planning process for the coming years. Sandy Little, executive officer to the CAO and City of Waterloo staff pro- ject lead, said there werea lot of great ideas | shared e elect "We want to. "capture ‘WE NEED TO GET THE YOUNGER GENERATION INTERESTED IN CIVICS’ Metroland file photo Reducing public transit fares could be a way forward, says Waterloo's new mayor. those thoughts and more as part of this. plan for a cent press release linking to public engagement. McCabe wants ‘0 take the time to engage more young people, given the low voter turnout in the recent municipal election. "We need to get younger generation int ested in civics," a at toeal hate up- on request, with a letter going out in the new year. McCabe entered office with the intention of serv- ing two terms and she hopes to be in it for the long haul. "T still find it really ex- citing each day to think that I'll get to make deci sions - hopefully really good decisions - about is- sues that are really impor- tant. for the community," she “lm going to continue to talk to people and listen to what they have to say." STORY BEHIND THE STORY: With a new term of council underway, the Chronicle caught up with Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe to talk about her outlook.