Tell Me More: the City of Kingston Podcast

Kingston, like cities across the country, is in a housing and affordability crisis that is compounded by insufficient addiction and mental health supports. These realities continue to put strain on the emergency shelter, transitional and supportive housing systems. These systems are part of the housing continuum, a conceptual framework that spans everything from emergency shelters to market housing. And to help us understand how the continuum guides supports and programs in the community, Jayne Hartley, Director of Housing and Social Services joins the podcast in the first of a series of conversations about municipal housing initiatives.  To learn more about how the City of Kingston is expanding housing options and working to improve service to people who are unhoused or precariously housed, visit our Strategic Priorities page. To find a list of housing programs, visit CityofKingston.ca/Housing.  Home Base Housing's Street Outreach team monitors homeless individuals. If you're homeless, or know someone in need, call 613-542-6672 ext.130 or email streetoutreach@kingstonhomebase.ca. If you or someone you know is in a crisis, please reach out to the Addictions and Mental Health - KFLA 24/7 Crisis Line at 613-544-4229 or 1-866-616-6005. In case of an emergency, call 911.

Check out our links below to learn more about the topics from this week's episode of Inside Kingston! Kingston Transit updates: https://www.kingstontransit.ca/schedules-and-maps/ Emergency preparedness: cityofkingston.ca/emergency-services-and-public-health/preparing-for-an-emergency/ Council meeting: https://www.CityofKingston.ca/Council-Meetings Kingston Community Climate Action Fund: https://www.CityofKingston.ca/climate-change-and-environment/climate-change/kingston-community-climate-action-fund/ Extend-a-Family Kingston: https://www.eafkingston.com Lasalle Causeway lift schedule: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/services/infrastructure-buildings/bridges-docks-dams/lasalle-causeway.html Inclusion toolkit: https://www.possiblemadehere.org/employer-toolkit/

We're excited to share something new with our podcast listeners -- Heritage Hour! The quarterly sessions feature speakers from across the community who speak about Kingston's past and living heritage. Over the next few months, we will release our Heritage Hour archives for you to learn more about Kingston's built and cultural heritage. First in this re-release is the firest Heritage Hour of 2025, featuring Cassandra Giarrusso and the illiegal fur trade at Fort Frontance.  They will discuss the foundational history of the Fort, the colourful personalities who were part of its history and why it served not only as a strategically important fort but also as the epicentre of an illicit trade in New France. Cassandra is a master's student at University of Toronto. She is also a former museum worker and previous guard at Fort Henry. 

In this episode of Tell Me More, we're going to talk about a topic that has drivers gripping their steering wheels a little tighter and cyclists checking their tire repair kits at this time of year….potholes. While potholes might seem like they appear over night, we'll learn from Adam McDonald and Amy Dimock, two members of the City of Kingston Public Works team, why it seems like there more pot holes in the spring, how climate change and Kingston's beautiful lakeside location create challenges for road maintenance and opportunities for innovation and with the help of AI and residents, potholes are being detected and more importantly repaired faster than ever.    Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by The Meringues – courtesy of The Meringues. TheMeringues.com   Podcast production by City of Kingston Communications & Public Engagement.

Want to keep up with City Council but can't make it to meetings, whether in person or virtual? Tune into Council Catch-up with Mayor Paterson every Wednesday after a Council meeting! He shares the key takeaways on big topics. Find links to the meeting agenda and reports below so you can dig deeper into what matters to you. Agenda Addendum

The Municipal Fee Assistance Program, what's often referred to as MFAP, is an income-based program that provides certain City services for free or at a lower cost: 

Customer service at an organization like the City of Kingston is vital; it's what connects community members with the many municipal services and programs. These frontline staff provide answers to questions and can help solve problems. We invited Emily Caird, Manager of Customer Experience, to tell us more about work that is underway to update our Customer Service Strategy and how you can contribute your thoughts and ideas!  Visit GetInvolved.CityofKingston.ca to share your input as we update the Customer Service Strategy starting November 2024.  Send us your questions or suggestions for future episodes at Podcasts@CityofKingston.ca.  Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by The Meringues – courtesy of The Meringues. TheMeringues.com   Podcast production by City of Kingston Communications & Public Engagement.

Want to keep up with City Council but can't make it to meetings, whether in person or virtual? Tune into Council Catch-up with Mayor Paterson every Wednesday after a Council meeting! He shares the key takeaways on big topics. Find links to the meeting agenda and reports below so you can dig deeper into what matters to you. View the agenda View the addendum

Want to keep up with City Council but can't make it to meetings, whether in person or virtual? Tune into Council Catch-up with Mayor Paterson every Wednesday after a Council meeting! He shares the key takeaways on big topics. Find links to the meeting agenda and reports below so you can dig deeper into what matters to you. View the agenda View the addendum

Those who work in land-use planning aim to create healthy, livable and sustainable communities using policies around how city spaces are used and developed. Heritage planners support these goals by recognizing the value heritage properties and landscapes add to a community.  So, how do we identify, protect and manage heritage assets – and why? Tune in as Joel Konrad, Manager of Heritage Planning, walks us through the essential know-how of heritage planning in Kingston.  Subscribe to Heritage Digest for unique heritage stories and important project updates. Delivered twice a year during spring and fall: www.cityofkingston.ca/subscribe   Please send us your questions or suggestions for future episodes at Podcasts@CityofKingston.ca.  Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by The Meringues – courtesy of The Meringues. TheMeringues.com   Podcast production by City of Kingston Communications & Public Engagement.

Want to keep up with City Council but can't make it to meetings, whether in person or virtual? Tune into Council Catch-up with Mayor Paterson every Wednesday after a Council meeting! He shares the key takeaways on big topics. Find links to the meeting agenda and reports below so you can dig deeper into what matters to you. View the agenda View the addendum

Can you remember the last time you tested your smoke alarm or replaced the battery in your carbon monoxide alarm?  Testing your smoke or carbon monoxide alarms regularly could save your life. In this episode, Ted Posadowski, Chief Fire Prevention Officer and Richard Vasko, Fire Inspector from Kingston Fire & Rescue (KFR) joined us to talk about all things fire safety. Tune in to learn about Fire Prevention Week in October, the most common causes of fires and how KFR's proactive inspections are helping reduce the number of incidents.  Visit our website to review our fire safety tips and to complete your own home fire safety checklist. Send us your questions or suggestions for future episodes at Podcasts@CityofKingston.ca.  Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by The Meringues – courtesy of The Meringues. TheMeringues.com   Podcast production by City of Kingston Communications & Public Engagement.

Want to keep up with City Council but can't make it to meetings, whether in person or virtual? Tune into Council Catch-up with Mayor Paterson every Wednesday after a Council meeting! He shares the key takeaways on big topics. Find links to the meeting agenda and reports below so you can dig deeper into what matters to you. View the agenda View the addendum View the revised agenda

Want to keep up with City Council but can't make it to meetings, whether in person or virtual? Tune into Council Catch-up with Mayor Paterson every Wednesday after a Council meeting! He shares the key takeaways on big topics. Find links to the meeting agenda and reports below so you can dig deeper into what matters to you. View Agenda View Addendum View Revised Agenda

Despite being home to a medical school, many Kingstonians struggle to find primary care physicians. The shortage of family doctors is a critical issue impacting many residents and the City of Kingston is working to alleviate it. In this episode, we speak with Craig Desjardins, Director of Strategy, Innovation, and Partnerships, about the City's efforts to recruit and retain family physicians. He leads us through the Physician Recruitment Incentives Program, initiatives like the Clinic Grant, Health Care Connect Campaign and collaboration with Queen's University. As well as, innovative programs that are making a difference such as community-led initiatives like Well Baby Clinic. It's a big topic and Kingston is taking steps to address this pressing issue, so listen in to find out what's being done and how you can help support these efforts.   Opening Track:  Tell Me Twice by the Meringues – courtesy of the Meringues. TheMeringues.com  Find our closing track on YGK Music.

On June 7, the City of Kingston launched a new website. Fully rebuilt from the ground up, the new site puts the services community members need front and centre. In our first-ever bonus episode of Tell Me More, the City of Kingston Podcast, we hear from Scott Tulk who managed the team behind the City's website overhaul.  This short bonus episode focuses on the launch of the new site; if you'd like to dig into more background, check out our previous conversation with Scott in 2023 about the project.  And if you haven't yet, visit CityofKingston.ca and let us know what you think!

The City of Kingston is committed to fostering an inclusive and vibrant community that reflects its diverse population. As the city grows, so does its cultural fabric, making it essential to support and nurture this diversity.  In this episode, we speak with Vanessa Mensah, Manager of Indigenization, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility, about the city's initiatives to support diverse communities and why these efforts are crucial for Kingston's future.  Learn more about the programs and initiatives that are making a difference, from the Anti-Racism Taskforce, the Intercultural Arts Festival presented by Empire Life to Newcomers Day and the Anti-Hate Toolkit. Discover how the City is actively working to create an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.  For information on the City's anti-hate toolkit visit the City's website. For more information and to stay updated, visit Get Involved Kingston.    Opening Track:  Tell Me Twice by the Meringues – courtesy of the Meringues. TheMeringues.com  Find our closing track on YGK Music.

The City of Kingston will be kicking off a new Official Plan and Integrated Mobility Plan. The city is growing and expected to reach 220,000 people in the next 25 years and these two plans will set the foundation for how the City will plan for future land use and transportation. How we plan today will shape how Kingston is in 2051  In this episode we speak with Laura Flaherty and Matt Kussin, who are leading development of these two plans about what they are and why they matter to everyone.   There will be much more to come, to learn more and sign up for updates visit Get Involved Kingston.     Opening Track:  Tell Me Twice by the Meringues – courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com  Find our closing track on YGK Music. 

Over the last 15 years Kingston Transit has evolved with improvements like the addition of Express Routes or real time tracking but what comes next?   Join us for a conversation about what the future hold with Ian Semple, Director of Transportation and Transit, and Christopher Norris, General Manager of Kingston Transit. From improvements to the customer experience making it easier to ride or pay, to routes that adapt to our changing City, future infrastructure improvements and more!  Want more info on Kingston Transit's future? Check out this Council education session From February 2024 .   For more information and career opportunities with Kingston Transit, visit City of Kingston | Bus Operator.    Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues – courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

It's no secret that Kingston is steeped in history. Just visit any of the 24 museums and historic sites in the community, including two City-owned museums, and you'll get a sense of how deep our respect for and commitment to the preservation of heritage is. But who takes care of all the stories our city tells? In this episode we sit down with Melanie Banks, manager of Heritage Programming, to talk about her team's role in maintaining the City of Kingston's historical artifact collection and public art pieces, as well as the programs and exhibits coming to Kingston in 2024. Get excited about the future of history! Want to learn more? Visit the History page on our website.   Opening Track:  Tell Me Twice by the Meringues – courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com  Find our closing track on YGK Music. 

On our first episode of 2024, we meet with Committee Clerks, Iain Sullivan and Christine O'Connor. Their job is to help provide residents with the chance to directly advise City Council and make a difference in our community. Sit back and relax as we tell you more about Advisory Committees. Want to learn even more about The City of Kingston's committees and boards? Visit our Committees & Boards page. Have an idea for our next episode? Email us at Podcasts@CityofKingston.ca   Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

Innovation requires collaboration, ideation, implementation and value creation – how you do that though, well that's the challenge. What is the Mayor's Innovation Challenge? Why should I participate? Will the construction work taking place outside our podcast studio ruin the season finale? These questions - and more - will be answered. Joining us for the occasion is Amber Bryant-Peller who works on Special Projects for the Strategy, Innovation & Partnerships Office. Interested? Learn more about the Mayor's Innovation Challenge and how to participate on our about page. Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

Starting in 2025, Kingston will begin transitioning garbage and green bins to an automated cart system. Between now and then there is a lot of work that has to happen. This month Adam Mueller joins us to chat about this switch, why now and how province-wide changes to recycling collection may impact Kingston. Want to stay up-to-date on the waste cart rollout? Sign up for updates at Get Involved Kingston Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

Applying the academic with the Queen's University PhD Community Initiative. It matches students pursuing advanced degrees and Kingston organizations who need an academic edge. It's a program that the City of Kingston has benefited from, by leaning on the research skills in the Queen's community. In this episode of Tell Me More, Craig Desjardins, Director of Strategy, Innovation and Partnerships at the City of Kingston, joins us to talk about the Queen's University Community PhD Initiative and how the City and community have benefitted from this program. Looking to learn more? Check out this miniseries podcast produced by students in the Initiative. They speak with Civic and University leaders about the Sustainable Development Goals. Find out more about the Queen's University PhD Community Initiative. Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

Public engagement is more than a survey. It's a promise and a commitment to use public feedback to constructively improve things. It's not always an easy process and it frequently brings together divergent opinions, beliefs and visions.  This month on Tell Me More, the City of Kingston podcast, Jen Pinarski, Manager of Communications and Public Engagement at the City of Kingston joins us to talk about the review of the City's public engagement process, which is currently underway. Learn about how the City is using your feedback to improve how we conduct public engagement across the entire organization. Visit Get Involved Kingston, the City's online engagement hub.

Every year thousands of students pour into Kingston to pursue higher education. This month we dive into what the City and community have to offer to students. You'll hear from Queens University and St. Lawrence College grads who now work at the City, Lauren Desroches, a Communications Officer, and Soren Christianson, a Project Manager in Climate Leadership. They'll delve into what motivated them to choose Kingston for their studies and why they decided to stay here after graduating.  Looking for some more student support? Check out vital City services from transit, utility account setup, parking info and more at CityofKingston.ca/Students Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

Have you ever wondered how the creative murals or inspiring sculptures that populate Kingston came to be? Or what's next? In this month's episode, we have Danika Lochhead, Manager of Arts and Sector Development and Taylor Norris, Public Art Coordinator at the City of Kingston at the mic. They'll share some insights into the process behind delivering captivating public art, fostering creativity, and enriching the community experience.   As we all know, podcasts are primarily an audio experience but you can see images of the works in the full description. This way, you can see what we'll be discussing and follow along with us during this episode.  Want to see the art in person? Check out the City's Arts Walk, a self-guided tour of the City's Public Art. Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music. Photos by Chris Miner 168 Division St. Mural Horse and Cart Manidoo Ogitigan Renewal Wilds of Kingston Skeleton Parks Arts Festival Crosswalk Murals

What kind of place will Kingston be in 2026? That's the question City Council wrestled with in drafting their strategic plan. This key document lays out the City's goals and priorities for the next four years. Mayor Bryan Paterson joins us once again to share insights on the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. We delve into the plan's main pillars: including Supporting House Affordability, Leading Environmental Stewardship, Building an Active and Connected Community, Fostering a Caring and Inclusive Community, and Driving Economic Growth. Learn more about the Council Strategic Priorities 2023-2026 and Implementation Plan. Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

Need to cool down this summer? Let us walk you through one of the City's best summertime destinations, the Culligan Water Park. Darek Osostowicz, the City's Aquatics Supervisor, tells us more about the park as his team prepares to open the park for weekends starting on June 3 and then daily for the rest of the summer starting June 19. Want to find information about the Culligan Water Park? Visit our website: Culligan Water Park - City of Kingston Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

Trees. They shade us, they clean the air, they provide food and they look pretty. For as long as there have been humans we have been writing poetry, stories, myths and more all centred on trees. In the era of a changing climate, trees have taken on new importance as an easy way to absorb greenhouse gases and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Kingston has a department within our Public Works focused on trees and in this episode, Marty Mayberry joins us to tell us more about what forestry does and how the city is working to expand the tree canopy. Want to see more? Check out the city's tree canopy, open the map viewer and search for the “Trees” layer, it will show you the location of every tree catalogued in the city:  The City's Neighbourhood Tree Planting Program returns this July. Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

Amidst an ongoing labour shortage, it's becoming clear that equitable, diverse and inclusive workplaces are essential to organizational success. They create a welcoming environment for all employees, which attracts new workers, leads to higher retention levels, and fosters innovation leading to better business outcomes.  Dajana Turkovic, a workforce development analyst at the City of Kingston, discusses how the city is using our experience with the Workplace Inclusion Charter to attract and retain talent and help neighbouring communities to do so as well. If you have any ideas for future Tell Me More episodes, please reach out to podcasts@cityofkinsgton.ca and let us know! Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

This year we're embarking on the task of building a brand new CityOfKingston.ca. Not just a fresh coat of paint, but levelling it and rebuilding from the ground up. It's been a decade since the City last undertook this work on our most significant community-facing communications tool. Scott Tulk, Manager of Digital Transformation Architecture and Planning, is at the mic to talk about what's changed in ten years (a lot!), what a website redesign at this scale involves, and how we're centring the user experience. If you have any ideas for future Tell Me More episodes, please reach out to podcasts@cityofkinsgton.ca and let us know! Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

It takes a community to meaningfully address the climate crisis. That's the idea behind the Kingston Community Climate Action Fund and Neighbourhood Champions programs. Two initiatives intended to support and empower community members as we all work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this episode, Julie Salter-Keane, manager of the Climate Leadership Division, tells us more about these programs, how they support a low-carbon future for Kingston, how the city is supporting this work and how you can contribute. Donate to Kingston Community Climate Action Fund Learn more about Kingston Community Climate Action Fund Learn more about the City's Climate Leadership Plan Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

Every year the City of Kingston's Public Works Department prepares for whatever winter has in store. Whether it's snow or ice, crews are ready to tackle the challenges of each winter. Join us for a discussion with Adam McDonald, Operations Manager as he tells us more about what goes into preparing for the winter season, how we tackle the roadways and sidewalks after a storm and what the community can do to help. Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music.

Working in long-term care takes a special type of person. Dedication, teamwork and compassion are just a few of the skills required in this dynamic role. In our penultimate season two episode we chat with Casie Keyes, Administrator at Rideacrest Long Term Care Home about what it takes to run a long-term care home successfully and how they have navigated the challenges of an ongoing pandemic. Interested in working for Rideaucrest? We're hiring! Find job postings at cityofkingston.ca/careers or contact Maeve Larkin, Recruitment and Selection Advisor at mlarkin@cityofkingston.ca. Interested in volunteering at Rideaucrest? Contact Patricia McDonald, Supervisor of Resident Programs and Services at pmcdonald@cityofkingston.ca for more details. Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music. 

Whether you're an established business owner looking to expand, or a dreamer with the next big idea looking to get started, the City of Kingston's Business Support Office is here to help. Join Mark Nardi, Business Support Analyst, for a chat about this exciting new support offered by the City of Kingston. Looking to learn more or connect with the Business Support Office? Join us for an online engagement session and ask questions of the Business Support Office. This event will take place Nov. 23 at 6 p.m. on Zoom. Register today. Contact us with your questions: BusinessSupport@CityofKingston.ca 613-546-4291 ext. 3000 CityofKingston.ca/BusinessSupport Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music. 

It takes a village to keep children safe on their way to school with many community members and partners doing their part. This includes the City of Kingston, schools, bus companies, police, parents and drivers. But what specifically is the City's role in school safety? In this episode of Tell Me More, we dive deep into the City of Kingston's school safety initiatives. From crossing guards to community safety zones and all points in between. To learn more about some of the programs talked about in this episode please check out these links: Community Safety Zones City of Kingston School Crossing Guard Program The School Streets program is operated by Kingston Coalition for Active Transportation, for more information please email: schoolstreetygk@gmail.com Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music. 

Tune in to this special episode to learn all you need to know about getting out and voting! Join Acting Deputy Clerk Derek Ochej as he tells us more about where and how you can vote, new online voting options, and how you can make your voting experience as seamless as possible. 2022 Municipal Elections: CityofKingston.ca/Vote Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music. 

On any given day the City receives hundreds of inquiries from community members. Through the MyCity App, email and the phone, the questions come in rapid fire. On the receiving end of those inquiries is the City's Customer Experience Department, a dedicated team that ensures your question or concern gets to the right people. Join us as we take a peek behind the curtain at how the City strives for customer service excellence. Get Involved! https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music. 

Summer is here and TMM is going to the park! Neal Unsworth, Manager of the City's Parks and Shoreline division in Engineering Services tells us more about what parks mean to different people, how they're built and refreshed and shares an exciting engagement opportunity. We also get the scoop everybody's been waiting for – Neal's favourite Kingston park! Explore our parks! https://www.cityofkingston.ca/residents/recreation/parks-trails Get Involved! https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music. 

One in four people in Ontario face accessibility challenges in their daily lives. In this special episode of Tell Me More, we speak with Colin Wiginton, Director of Arts and Cultural Services and Andrew Ashby, the Chair of the City's Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee, to bring more voices into this important conversation about accessibility, and the City's work on the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.  Multi-Year Accessibility Plan on Get Involved Kingston https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/multi-year-accessibility-plan Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music. 

Building a building. Simple right? Not when what you're building needs to seamlessly mesh with its surroundings, be energy efficient, last an extremely long time...and at the end of the day, it needs to be a place people want to be. Luckily we have the Manager of Facilities Construction Services at the City of Kingston, Jeff Rempel, to passionately explain the thousands of variables, considerations and tough choices that go into our energy efficient municipal construction as the City chases its Net Zero building goals.   Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music. 

Ever thought about running for City Council or even Mayor? Your opportunity is coming soon as we embark on election season here at the City of Kingston. Committee Clerk Derek Ochej lends his expertise on the role of an elected municipal official, the realties of being a City Councillor and most importantly the steps involved in running for the various positions coming up soon.   Episode Resources To learn more about the 2022 Kingston Municipal Election, including key dates, visit the Candidate Information page. People interested in running for office may also consult the Association of Municipalities Ontario website. If you have questions about the information session or the 2022 municipal elections, please email elections@cityofkingston.ca.  Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Find our closing track on YGK Music. 

Host Rob Hosier connects with Tracey Snow, the City's new Rural Economic and Community Development Manager, to talk about rubber boots, building trust and an economic strategy that will benefit the entire community.   Rural Kingston Strategy Tracey Snow: tsnow@cityofkingston.ca Get Involved Kingston   Opening Track: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues - courtesy of the Meringues. themeringues.com Closing YGK Music Track:  Needless Love - Bandits 

In this kick-off episode to Season 2, Host Rob Hosier sits down with fellow podcast producers, Julielee Stitt and Paul Whittingham, to talk about what's on tap for the year. We tell you more about how the podcast was launched, topics that will be explored in the coming months, and how to get involved. Get involved Kingston: https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/ Opening Track Tell Me Twice courtesy of the Meringues: Themeringues.com

Who better to help us wrap up 2021 and Season 1 than our own City of Kingston CAO Lanie Hurdle? She tells us more about some of the most interesting and impactful topics from 2021 including pandemic response, systemic barriers, affordable housing, climate change and much more. Get involved Kingston: https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/ Opening Track from YGK Music: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues: https://soundcloud.com/visitkingston/sets/ygk-music-contemporary  

In this episode of Tell Me More: The City of Kingston Podcast, we introduce you to our very own public engagement champion, Debbi Miller. As the Manager of Communications and Public Engagement, Debbi played a key role in the establishment and growth of the City of Kingston's internationally recognized Public Engagement Framework. But after seven years working for the City, Debbi is moving on to new adventures in Frontenac County. Before she leaves, we couldn't resist sitting her down behind the mic to reflect on her work in public engagement, how consistency is key and why everyone should get involved. Get involved Kingston: https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/ Opening Track from YGK Music: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues: https://soundcloud.com/visitkingston/sets/ygk-music-contemporary

In this episode we discuss the realities and remedies of systemic barriers with the City of Kingston's first ever Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Manager Muhammad Ahsan. We chat about the origins of the City's EDI initiatives, the newly formed EDI Committee, and most importantly the huge benefits Equity, Diversity and Inclusion practices can provide any organization or individual! Get involved Kingston: https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/ Opening Track from YGK Music: Tell Me Twice by the Meringues: https://soundcloud.com/visitkingston/sets/ygk-music-contemporary