General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[creative]

Sunset Sessions are continuing through the winter at the Conrad Centre.

https://goodcompanyproductions.ca/pages/...t-sessions

[Momo26]

Interesting if pans out

https://www.insauga.com/25-of-canadian-m...26-survey/

[Momo26]

I also wish there was far more of a 'pull' to downtown. More things to just do for hanging out. Social scene.

Step by step, there are more things to do and more places to hang out downtown. It's not going to happen overnight. But, in addition to many different types of cafes, there are a bunch of newish bars: Tamasha, Rangeela (with live music at times!), Don Julio's,  Grand Trunk (yes, moved from Ontario St), Volume Lounge, Republik and Roshmoh. Ice cream, cakes and bubble tea: Four All, Kinoko and Chatime. And there are places for games: AOK and Adventurers' Guild.

The direction is right, and it seems that DTK still has momentum, in spite of the condo market downturn and the persistence of hybrid/WfH work.

True

[Kodra24]

Headline is "25% of Canadian millennials say they will probably buy a home in 2026: survey"

But the most interesting statement is below:

"Gen Zs (typically defined as born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s) were less enthusiastic about buying a home. Only 15 per cent expressed interest compared to 20 per cent in 2025."

Given Canada's extremely weak economic prospects for the foreseeable future the housing market will cool off even more, the bottom is yet to come

[Kodra24]

I'm not really comparing Kitchener to Berlin, I'm just saying that downtown Kitchener doesn't really feel like a place most want to be because it just has a very cold, uninviting, dirty vibe.

But there's also nothing to really do on a day to day basis. I don't even mean stuff like a new sports stadium or whatever that can offer one-off events, but what is the draw for anyone who doesn't already live downtown to want to go downtown? There's more natural environment, more to do and less schizo drug addicts in any of the most generic suburban neighbourhoods. Downtown - for those not living there - is at best a place you go for the occasional dinner date, maybe see some random band, work or study and pass through on transit or driving. Condos that are already falling apart such as Duke Tower sure haven't done anything to improve it either.

It's objectively just a boring, yucky place with no real direction or coherent goal.

It's fascinating reading comments on here completely disregarding the pink elephant in the room - homelessness, crime and mental health/addiction issues

[plam]

Headline is "25% of Canadian millennials say they will probably buy a home in 2026: survey"

But the most interesting statement is below:

"Gen Zs (typically defined as born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s) were less enthusiastic about buying a home. Only 15 per cent expressed interest compared to 20 per cent in 2025."

Given Canada's extremely weak economic prospects for the foreseeable future the housing market will cool off even more, the bottom is yet to come

The first question I had when seeing this was: they asked last year and got a number---how did that number compare to the actual number? Otherwise it's just fantasy.

[tomh009]

"Gen Zs (typically defined as born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s) were less enthusiastic about buying a home. Only 15 per cent expressed interest compared to 20 per cent in 2025."

Given Canada's extremely weak economic prospects for the foreseeable future the housing market will cool off even more, the bottom is yet to come

Well, no, not exactly. It means that they do not want/plan to buy a home. It doesn't, however, mean that they don't need a place to live. But what it may indicate is more of a shift to renting as a long-term solution, something that is very common in Europe, rather than striving for home ownership. That still requires housing, but in rental form rather than ownership.

[tomh009]

It's fascinating reading comments on here completely disregarding the pink elephant in the room - homelessness, crime and mental health/addiction issues

(Moving this conversation to a more appropriate thread.)

Do you have a realistic solution for either homelessness or mental health issues?

[prisecaru0]

It's fascinating reading comments on here completely disregarding the pink elephant in the room - homelessness, crime and mental health/addiction issues

(Moving this conversation to a more appropriate thread.)

Do you have a realistic solution for either homelessness or mental health issues?

Very simple but its "inhumane", round them up like dogs and put them in rehab or jail for camping illegally and keep this cycle going, actually lock them up for drug use ( make it illegal), this will eliminate the problem.

[danbrotherston]

(Moving this conversation to a more appropriate thread.)

Do you have a realistic solution for either homelessness or mental health issues?

Very simple but its "inhumane", round them up like dogs and put them in rehab or jail for camping illegally and keep this cycle going, actually lock them up for drug use ( make it illegal), this will eliminate the problem.

Inhumane is right. I assume you are not advocating for this monstrous course of action?

Also, this doesn't break the cycle or anything, this doesn't fix the precariousness and fragility in our society that causes people to fall into homelessness. It would require a commitment to a permanent eugenics program. To say nothing of the cost of permanently housing prisoners that cannot be released. Or maybe those who advocate for this solution have a different solution in mind for keeping these people.

[bravado]

(Moving this conversation to a more appropriate thread.)

Do you have a realistic solution for either homelessness or mental health issues?

Very simple but its "inhumane", round them up like dogs and put them in rehab or jail for camping illegally and keep this cycle going, actually lock them up for drug use ( make it illegal), this will eliminate the problem.

It’s wild to me that people walk among us who think that homelessness and drugs are only widespread because they just aren’t illegal enough

[Kodra24]

Very simple but its "inhumane", round them up like dogs and put them in rehab or jail for camping illegally and keep this cycle going, actually lock them up for drug use ( make it illegal), this will eliminate the problem.

It’s wild to me that people walk among us who think that homelessness and drugs are only widespread because they just aren’t illegal enough

You should be ashamed of yourself for advocating illicit drug use, that is reprehensible

[prisecaru0]

It’s wild to me that people walk among us who think that homelessness and drugs are only widespread because they just aren’t illegal enough

You should be ashamed of yourself for advocating illicit drug use, that is reprehensible

If one would read our stupidly relaxed laws regarding "unhoused" bums you would see that yes they roam our streets cause their not illegal enough. I do believe theres more to it, expensive housing, lack of entry level jobs that can support a life, and relaxed drug trafficking laws making it way too accessible.

[creative]

My estranged brother is one of those so called “unhoused bums”. He is not
addicted to drugs but he does have major mental health issues. He has trouble living by others rules. He is actually very intelligent and can be very convincing when expressing his opinions. He is a survivor who has owned his own businesses as well as worked for others. He lives a life that is no bother to most other than people like yourself who are simply bothered by their presence. Locking these people up will not solve the problem. I don’t have a solution as our brother will not accept help from us.

[danbrotherston]

You should be ashamed of yourself for advocating illicit drug use, that is reprehensible

If one would read our stupidly relaxed laws regarding "unhoused" bums you would see that yes they roam our streets cause their not illegal enough. I do believe theres more to it, expensive housing, lack of entry level jobs that can support a life, and relaxed drug trafficking laws making it way too accessible.

Just so we're clear here, you think it should be a criminal offence to be unable to afford a home?

As for "relaxed drug trafficking laws"...I'm curious, which drugs am I allowed to traffic in?