October 5, 2023

Announcing the 2023 Upstream Recipients

Forty community organizations working towards building a safe and well Waterloo Region are the latest recipients of the Region’s upstream investments.

This year, grassroots community organizations received a combined $2.2 million of new funding through the Region’s 2023 Upstream Fund and Community Capacity Building Fund.

A celebration event took place on September 21 to announce the 2023 recipients and their incredible projects.

Projects include a diverse range of work focused on Reconciliation, land-based teaching, culturally safe programs and services, building skills for employment and youth leadership, and more.

VIew the full list of recipients and read about their projects here.

Photo: Upstream Community Launch and Celebration Event, September 21, 2023

Willow River Centre Open House

October 7

O:se Kenhionhata:tie Land Back Camp invites community members to attend a Willow River Centre Open House.

Date: October 7, 2023

Time: 9 am to 2 pm

Location: 243 King Street E, Kitchener

International Day of the Girl Event

October 11

Come celebrate International Day of the Girl, to embody the representation of an all inclusive space for underrepresented menstruating bodies with Changing the Flow & Rhythm & Blues Black Girl Excellence.

Date: October 11, 2023

Time: 6pm to 8pm

Location: Kinbridge Community Association, 200 Christopher Drive, Cambridge

Youth 9+ / Families Welcome!

Islamic Heritage Month Celebration

October 14

Muslim Women of Cambridge invites the community to celebrate Islamic Heritage Month.

Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023

Time: 12 pm to 4 pm

Location: Idea Exchange, Old Post Road, 12 Water Street South, Cambridge

Come experience different activities within Islamic traditions with food, crafts, and so much more.

Taking Action Towards Reconciliation

September 30 was the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.

We encourage everyone to reflect on your individual journey to reconciliation and to think about how you can have a role in making change and working towards reconciliation.

Last week, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation hosted daily lunch and learns. To continue your learning journey and to watch the recorded lunch and learns, visit Truth and Reconciliation Week 2023 - NCTR.

Local municipalities declare intimate partner violence and violence against women an epidemic

Municipalities in Waterloo Region have joined other municipalities across Canada in declaring that intimate partner violence and violence against women is an epidemic.

The Region of Waterloo, City of Kitchener, City of Cambridge, and the Township of Woolwich have all made the declaration. The City of Waterloo plans to bring the motion this month. The declaration aligns with a recommendation from the inquest into the murders of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam in 2015.

The local municipalities will call on the province to follow suit and Regional Council will support the inclusion of intimate partner violence as a priority in the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan. This was consistent with input heard from community members at the August 8th Community Safety and Wellbeing Symposium.

The prevalence of intimate partner violence in Waterloo Region has continued to increase steadily over the last decade and racialized women and Indigenous women experience disproportionately high rates of intimate partner violence.

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