Update (05/11/2025) JOIN US: Meeting with City Council on Nov. 10 @ 7 PM

Our team at Protect Huron Natural Area will be speaking against the proposed industrial subdivision at 1700 Strasburg Rd again, and we need your support!

City Council will hear from residents before making their final vote deciding whether to move forward with this proposed development, one that poses serious risks to the Huron Natural Area.

We need your help: let's FILL the chamber! A strong turnout adds visible pressure to Council, and strengthens our collective voice.

All are welcome to join and attend!

Meeting info:
📅 Date: Monday, November 10, 2025
🕠 Time: 7 PM
📍 Location: Council Chambers (second floor), City of Kitchener
200 King Street W, Kitchener, ON N2G 4G7 

Not able to attend in-person? You can tune in to the meeting virtually.

Want to have your voice heard?
💬 Register to delegate (speak) in person, via Zoom, or send a written submission, or call the Clerk’s Office to register: 519-783-8999

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Help Protect Huron Natural Area from Surrounding Development

Please ask the City of Kitchener to stop the spread of industrial, residential, and commercial development encroaching on the East, West, and South sides of Huron Natural Area by signing our petition. The proposed developments jeopardize not only Huron Natural Area, but also the adjacent Aster Meadow Natural Regeneration Area, both part of Kitchener’s Core Natural Heritage Features, which are supposed to receive the highest level of environmental protection.

There are other options!

Huron Natural Area (HNA) is a unique and vital conservation area that was once zoned for industrial use. Thanks to strong community advocacy, the official plans were changed, and it was re-zoned and preserved as the thriving natural area it is today. This shows that when we come together, we can protect ecosystems under threat.

Overview of Proposed and Approved Developments Surrounding Huron Natural Area

East Side: Proposed Industrial Development 

• Location: 1700 Strasburg Rd. (across from Huron Heights)
• Type: Proposed Industrial Business Park (Application 30T-23201)
• Owner: Gateman-Milloy
• Concerns: Loss of habitat and natural ecosystems (including our City's goal to grow our tree canopy by 30%), industrial noise pollution, environmental degradation, increased vehicle traffic and wildlife collision from the proposed road extension from Mcbrine Dr, and destruction of 4 unevaluated wetlands. Includes an approx. 30-metre wildlife corridor, the bare minimum required.
• City Planner Contact: Andrew Pinnell, Andrew.Pinnell@kitchener.ca | 519-741-2426

West Side: Approved Mixed-Use Development, including high-density housing

• Location: 1340 Fischer-Hallman Rd. (between Bleams and Huron Rds.)
• Type: High-density residential and commercial
• Owner: Activa
• Concerns: Adjacent land bordering HNA that should be re-zoned Natural Heritage Conservation area, at a minimum, until this land is properly allocated to the permanent protection of the HNA to ensure its' long-term protection.
• City Planner Contact: Tim Seyler, Tim.Seyler@kitchener.ca | 519-741-2426

South Side: Multiple Approved Developments

1. Approved Apartment Building requiring a planned on-site Storage Facility for residents
   • Location: 485 Huron Rd.
   • Type: Apartment building with proposed storage facility
   • Concerns: Threat to bordering Natural Heritage Conservation Land and a rare urban cold-water Brook Trout creek. This Natural Heritage area MUST remain zoned for conservation and be permanently added to Huron Natural Area, as the City of Kitchener originally planned 30 years ago. The original plan was that when the land south of HNA was sold, it would be transferred to HNA.
   • City Planner Contact: Tim Seyler, Tim.Seyler@kitchener.ca | 519-741-2426
2. Four high-density residential and commercial towers
   • Location: 490 Huron Rd. (across from Weber Supply)
   • Concerns: Additional habitat destruction, increased vehicle traffic, and risk for wildlife collisions.
   • City Planner Contact: Tim Seyler, Tim.Seyler@kitchener.ca | 519-741-2426

These developments are not isolated. They represent a pattern of urban expansion into ecologically sensitive areas. Wildlife in and around HNA rely on a mosaic of habitats: open meadows, wetlands, and forests. Each supports different species and functions that are critical to the overall ecosystem. Destroying or fragmenting these lands reduces biodiversity and threatens species already struggling to survive.

Key Environmental Concerns:

• Loss of continuous wildlife habitat, replaced by roads and development, increasing the risk of road mortality for vulnerable species like turtles.
• Encroachment on the City’s Core Natural Heritage Features, directly contradicting Kitchener’s stated conservation and tree canopy goals.

We must hold the City accountable to its own environmental commitments. If these areas are supposed to be protected, why are we allowing development right beside them?

About Huron Natural Area:

Spanning more than 250 acres of protected forest and wetland, Huron Natural Area supports a wide range of plant and animal species, playing a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance in the area, and providing critical habitat to endangered species and species at-risk.

Huron Natural Area has historical connections to Indigenous peoples. At the south end of Huron Natural Area and along the Strasburg Creek, archaeologists uncovered an indigenous village with 10 longhouses and numerous artifacts. The village is about 500 years old, and some of the artifacts are over 9000 years old. This space remains a significant place for Indigenous communities, as well as for residents who rely on it for recreation, education, and connection with nature.

What's at stake:

Wildlife such as coyotes, turkeys, hawks, owls, bats, deer, skunks, opossums, raccoons, turtles, fish, squirrels, ospreys, herons, geese, ducks, and many more species depend on the wetlands, forested spaces, and open meadows in and around Huron Natural Area for their survival.

This development puts local wildlife at risk- especially turtles, which rely on this area for migration and nesting. The trail closure and fencing cutting off access to Strasburg road prevents the turtles from accessing critical breeding grounds and wetlands, while increased road traffic raises the likelihood of fatal collisions. Habitat loss and population fragmentation threaten their long-term survival by reducing genetic diversity, making the turtles more vulnerable to disease and environmental changes.

There is also evidence of rising competition among coyotes due to habitat loss, as development continues to encroach on the land surrounding Huron Natural Area. With shrinking territory and fewer resources, coyotes are being forced into higher-density areas, leading to increased aggression, territorial disputes, and even cases of cannibalization. This is a clear sign that the local ecosystem is under immense stress, pushing wildlife to desperate measures for survival, and increasing human-animal contact.

The proposed industrial development to the East of HNA would destroy four unevaluated, anthropogenic wetlands on the site, eliminating one of Ontario’s most valuable and diverse ecosystems. Wetlands form the critical connection between land and water, providing habitat for countless species, including many at-risk plants, birds, amphibians, and insects. Beyond supporting biodiversity, wetlands offer essential ecosystem services that benefit the entire community, naturally filtering water, reducing flooding and erosion, moderating climate, and offering recreational, cultural, and spiritual value. Losing these wetlands not only threatens wildlife but also diminishes the quality of life and environmental stability for future generations.

The threat of noise pollution is also a concern for wildlife in and around Huron Natural Area. Many park-goers notice a constant hum from the nearby industrial buildings, and further development would serve to make it even worse. Industrial noise doesn’t just impact humans, it also disrupts wildlife, particularly species that rely heavily on their sense of sound for survival. For example, bats in Huron Natural Area use echolocation to navigate and hunt, but excessive background noise can interfere with their ability to find food and avoid predators. Other animals, such as birds and amphibians, rely on sound for communication, mating calls, and detecting threats.

Alternative Solutions:
With an industrial building vacancy rate of over 7% in Kitchener, which is 5% higher than the average vacancy rate for this industry in Southern Ontario, rather than continuing to push into natural areas, we should be asking why existing vacant industrial and commercial properties and parking lots are not being repurposed. There are existing spaces in Kitchener that could support commercial and industrial development without further destruction of natural habitats, such as:

• 570 Manitou Dr., Kitchener
• 699 Wabanaki Dr., Kitchener
• A vacant lot at the corner of Wabanaki Dr. & Goodrich Dr., near 190 Goodrich Dr.
• The long-abandoned Target at Laurentian Plaza, sitting empty for at least seven years
• The old Empire Theatre near Kitchener’s Costco, vacant for years

We must be wiser with the land that we have. Green space is not a blank canvas, but a living ecosystem, essential for a healthy community and healthy ecosystem.

How you can help:

• Sign this petition, and share the petition with friends, family, and on social media. Petition signatures and comments will be presented to the City of Kitchener's councillors.
• Visit our Linktree for more information & resources
• Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for updates, and share our posts with your community
• Contact all of Kitchener City Council to voice your opposition to the proposed development:
  - Mayor Berry Vrbanovic berry.vrbanovic@kitchener.ca 519-741-2300
  - Scott Davey scott.davey@kitchener.ca 519-741-2784
  - Dave Schnider dave.schnider@kitchener.ca 519-741-3424
  - Jason Deneault jason.deneault@kitchener.ca 519-741-2790
  - Christine Michaud christine.michaud@kitchener.ca 519-741-2779
  - Ayo Owodunni ayo.owodunni@kitchener.ca 519-741-2791
  - Paul Singh paul.singh@kitchener.ca 519-741-2793
  - Bil Ioannidis bil.ioannidis@kitchener.ca 519-741-2783
  - Margaret Johnston margaret.johnston@kitchener.ca 519-741-2796
  - Debbie Chapman debbie.chapman@kitchener.ca 519-741-2798 
  - Stephanie Stretch stephanie.stretch@kitchener.ca 519-741-2786
• Pass out flyers in your neighbourhood and at Huron Natural Area