New fire station and affordable housing coming to downtown Kitchener

450 and 470 King Street East in Kitchener in July 2024. (Google Maps)

The City of Kitchener is looking to build a new fire station combined with a mixed-use housing development in downtown Kitchener.

The fire station would be built on at 450 and 470 King Street East. On the same site, the city is planning to build at least 150 affordable housing units.

“Thanks to meaningful and productive partnerships built in recent years with both our federal and provincial government partners, Kitchener is taking significant steps to address the public safety needs of our community with the affordable housing so desperately needed by our residents,” said Mayor Berry Vrbanovic in a news release.

Vrbanovic made the announcement during his 2024 State of the City speech on Thursday at Kitchener Fire Headquarters.

According to the city, the project is made possible after the city exceeded housing targets in 2023 and received $14 million from Ontario’s Building Faster Fund.

The city said a portion of this fund has been allocated to the project but it is unclear how much of it is will be used. The Federal Housing Accelerator Fund will be supporting studies needed to prepare the site.

“Kitchener’s partnership with all orders of government, community partners and the development sector to enable more housing across the housing continuum is what truly embodies the vision of Building Kitchener Together,” said Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, “We are grateful to all of our partners for creating opportunities for innovative housing solutions that directly benefit those who need it most.”

Construction for the project could begin as soon as 2027.