Cambridge mayor looks to grow city's film industry in 2020

Growing Cambridge's film industry and ongoing work on the city's transportation, consumption and treatmentsiteas well as breaking ground on the multiplexwill be top of mind for mayor Kathryn McGarry heading into 2020.

She said the film industry is expected tobe a major economic driver for the city going forward. Cambridge has served as the backdrop for the popular shows The Handmaid's Taleand Murdoch Mysteries.

"We do have the making of an ecosystem here in Cambridge and in Waterloo region for increasing and advancing the television industry," McGarry said.

She alsomet with film producers during a mayor's trip to California in late 2019 to lay the ground work forpotential projects in the future.

Cambridge also hopes to make a business case to possibly establish a studio in the city, McGarry said.

Cambridge LRTand CTS site

McGarry said the city will also continue itswork with the region on phase two of the LRT. The project's route was finalized in 2019 and 2020 will be the year of preliminary design workand funding applications.

"Estimation about when shovels will hit the ground and closer to a train actually running would be eight to 10 years," she said.

Staff will also continue their work with the region on the city's proposed consumption and treatment services site (CTS) this coming year.

The city is in the midst of a planning study that could update the city's zoning by-laws toallow a CTS to operate, McGarry said.

Right now, the city also has a bylaw in place that bars consumption sites from operatingwithin 500 metres of the three downtown cores. McGarry said a teamis exploringpotential locations for a site that would follow this bylaw.

Cambridge Multiplex

Cambridge moved forward in 2019 to build part of the city's multiplex on city-owned lands in southeast Galt.

The facilitywould house aswimming pool, gymnasiums, fitness track and multi-purpose rooms.

"We'll be looking at ground breaking and getting that prepared," she said.