It was a packed house in Trenton on Friday afternoon, as the City of Quinte West, the QW Chamber of Commerce, and the Centre for Workforce Development hosted the 2025 State of the City.
The municipality provided highlights of 2024 and looked at the year to come.
The presentation looked at the capital work, events from last year, physician recruitment, e-billing, the housing action plan, the fire master plan, and industrial land development, along with the digitizing of city records.
FULL PRESENTATION IS AT BOTTOM OF ARTICLE
Director of Finance/Treasurer Caleb Denouden says they are also working on an Asset Management Plan.
Audio Player“In 2025, we have a combined capital spend of over $70,000,000 between both the water and sewer and the city departments.”
Acting CAO and Director of Public Works Chris Angelo says they need to strike a balance between being good stewards and making strides.
Audio Player“We’re also looking at sustainability for our waste management systems, across all the city facilities. We as a municipality should be leaders in environmental and sustainability and we’re looking at improvements across all city facilities to improve our waste habits.”
Clerk Josh Machesney also mentioned that next year is a municipal election year and there will be a goal to increase voter turnout and engagement.
A selection of the City’s 2025 projects include:
Highway 2 and 2nd Dug Hill Road urbanization: Construction is expected to begin this summer on lane widening, intersection improvements, and active transportation features to support community growth and enable housing in Quinte West. Earlier this month, the City was awarded $11 million in provincial infrastructure money to help fund these projects.
New Community Improvement Plan (CIP) program: The City will provide financial assistance to local businesses and tourism operators for property improvements that support product development, business revitalization, and economic growth efforts. The program’s spring application intake will open in mid-February.
New electronic building permit system: A new e-permit system will launch this spring allowing residents, contractors and developers to submit and track building permit applications online, improving efficiency and approval times for construction projects.
New trunk sewer from Fraser Park to Wooler Road: Construction is expected to begin this summer to install and upgrade five kilometres of sewer infrastructure between Fraser Park and Wooler Road supporting the future development of 5,000+ new homes.
Ongoing enhancements to the City’s technology infrastructure: New fiber-optics and network infrastructure will improve connectivity and efficiency throughout City facilities. Services such as online payments, permit applications, and emergency communications will also be enhanced.
Speakers at the event included:
Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison
Acting CAO and Director of Public Works Chris Angelo
Director of Finance/Treasurer Caleb Denouden
Director of Human Resources Lori Coxwell-Duncan
Clerk Josh Machesney
Director of Planning + Development Services Brian Jardine
Fire Chief John Whalen
Director of Community Services & Strategic Partnerships Jaclyn Grimmon
The full presentation can be heard below
Audio Player