Quinte West has held their annual State of the City event, outlining last year’s accomplishments and the big plans going into 2026.
Before a gathered crowd of local figures and businessmen, Mayor Jim Harrison and senior municipal staff laid out the details on how things are going for the city.
Looking back at 2025’s accomplishments, Mayor Harrison said their biggest accomplishments were in infrastructure expansion.
“We improved our water lines, and we’ve improved our wastewater system,” said Mayor Harrison. “We’ve got more work to spend on our sewage facility, but we’re working on that. So the support we’ve gotten, both federal and provincial, are a big plus.”
A total of 68 capital projects were completed in the year. The city also managed to build 12 kilometres of active transportation lanes, such as bike lanes.
Then came a look to the future, with big plans for road enhancements and housing expansion. Mayor Harrison put emphasis on housing expansion as a critical project.
“What we can do to increase and improve the affordability of housing, is looking at the price of the land and the development charge,” said Mayor Harrison. “Development charges are hitting, unfortunately, affordable housing big time.”
Quinte West’s Community Improvement Plan is focused on a addressing housing needs that are currently underserved in the community, including affordable housing, supportive housing, and rental units.
There is a plan to increase those housing stocks by speeding up the planning and permit process, along with a series of grants to reduce costs on property tax, development charges, and construction permits for qualifying developments.
Regarding roads, a major road-widening project is planned along Division Street downtown, including the introduction of a new roundabout.
