Trudy Beaulne’s Values and Priorities in Community Building, in her own words.
"Our work is guided by values, generally social justice, participatory democracy, community knowledge, diversity and building relationships—social capital—because that is the foundation of society and solid communities.”
1999 ED Report
“It has become apparent that social planning councils and community information centres play an important role in the community.”
Trudy Beaulne Lives in All that We Do
Letter from the Board, Staff and Members
I will remember her as a fierce advocate for change in the political systems to help underprivileged people.
Hazel Courtney
Trudy was a dedicated and tireless community builder. I will always remember her for her generosity, kindness and ironclad commitment to making the community a better place.
Dave Thomas
As of November 15th, hydro customers cannot be disconnected and the winter disconnection ban extends until April 30, 2018.
May Changes to the Ontario Electricity Support Program: credits are increasing by 50% and the maximum income threshold has been raised.
Contact the Social Development Centre 519-579-3800 to make an appointment and we can help you with your application. Our intake workers can answer your questions, check your eligibility, do the manual income verification and help you fill out an application.
Read more at the Ontario Energy Board website and in our local announcement.
The City of Kitchener and Region of Waterloo joint project team has presented an at-grade gated pedestrian crossing as a preferred solution during the open house on December 2. Due to the safety concerns and the most direct access to the essential commercial area, the preferred crossing would require a new formal fenced walkway north of the LRT and a new walkway access the commercial area to the south of the tracks leading to the crossing with the traffic lights. Residents can review other alternative crossings presented and give their feedback before December 22, 2017.
Neighbours reach out, connect and belong at Kitchener’s Festival of Neighbourhoods celebration! KITCHENER— On Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, Kitchener’s Festival of Neighbourhoods hosted its annual celebration marking the festival’s 24th season. More than 17,000 people from across Kitchener participated in the 130 gatherings registered with Festival of Neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood gatherings ranged in size from four to 1,000 participants.
The Schneider’s Creek and Settlers Grove neighbourhoods took home the Festival’s main prize, two $20,000 capital grants provided by the City of Kitchener.
The Pillar Award, sponsored by Steed and Evans, for a neighbourhood who has registered an event for five or more years, was presented to Bridgeport neighbourhood. The Newcomer Award (for a first-time registered activity), sponsored by the Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association, was presented to the Doon South neighbourhood.
We celebrated the 2017 Living Wage Week in the region and recognized a fantastic group of 44 employers in our community! Documented employer case studies strengthen the Living Wage message and rationale. A must read, the first Waterloo Region Employer Case Studies: Mennonite Central Committee Ontario, Leis Pet Distributing Inc. and Kindred Credit Union. Proud to be a part of the Evaluation Committee for the Living Wage Waterloo Region and to participate in the Social Planning Network Ontario supporting changes to Bill 148 regarding the increase of minimum wage and improvement of employment standards.
We have been supporting neighbours in Kitchener for 24 years now! We invite everyone to this year's Celebration to mark the finale of another successful year and to recognizes everyone who hosted inclusive neighbourhood gatherings. We will welcome eleven neighbourhoods who registered this year for the first time and learn from those who have been registering for the five last years or longer! Join us on November 19th, at Kitchener City Hall from 1pm-3pm. Together, we will REACH! into the new year and bring our neighbours closer together. 
This October, the residents in Traynor-Vanier woke up seeing the Fairway side of the tracks completely fenced off. The fence opening on the Traynor side will be closed as well as the LRT testing starts in November. After the consultation in January, the residents did not receive any follow up information about the joint city-region plan to install a pedestrian crossing.
Together with the Fair Vote Wateloo Region, we are calling on citizen/volunteer led groups interested in networking and mutual support to come together on November 1st: civic, neighbourhood, environmental, professional, social justice, ethnocultural groups!
Social Planning Network of Ontario is opening up a discussion about equity and inclusion in education across 14 communities. In Waterloo Region, we invite students, parents and community members as equity advocates to join teachers, administrators and researchers to create strategies and share resources to improve student well-being. We would like to hear from you as we move towards a unique response that resonates with our community. If you wish to join the exploration and action, get in touch with us sdcwr@waterlooregion.org / 519-579-3800.
