Welcome to Smart Waterloo Region’s information hub!

Did you know we have a one in five chance of winning $50 million to improve child and youth well-being in Waterloo region? That's right, we've been shortlisted in the Federal Government's Smart Cities Challenge!

This Smart Waterloo Region (SWR) information hub has everything you need to know about our project.

To win, we need to become the best community in Canada for kids! Help us by: spreading the word, attending a meeting, or sharing your ideas. We plan to use them. Stay informed by subscribing to SWR updates. For a bit of background, check out our Project Updates.

Our Focus: Healthy Children and Youth

It’s official, after months of gathering public input, we’ve selected our challenge area: Healthy children and youth!

Our Challenge Statement

Narrowing our focus, our project will address child and youth well-being in Waterloo region. Our challenge statement sums up our approach:

We will become the benchmark community in Canada for child and youth well-being by using early intervention, youth engagement and a connected-community framework to create adaptive, data-driven programs and scalable learning technologies that improve early child development, mental health and high school graduation rates.

We’ll be launching new engagement activities every other week. Be sure to subscribe (along the sidebar) to receive updates and notices when new activities have been posted.

Remember to follow us on Twitter: @SmartWatRegion and Instagram: @SmartWatRegion, and to use the hashtag #SmartWR.

Did you know we have a one in five chance of winning $50 million to improve child and youth well-being in Waterloo region? That's right, we've been shortlisted in the Federal Government's Smart Cities Challenge!

This Smart Waterloo Region (SWR) information hub has everything you need to know about our project.

To win, we need to become the best community in Canada for kids! Help us by: spreading the word, attending a meeting, or sharing your ideas. We plan to use them. Stay informed by subscribing to SWR updates. For a bit of background, check out our Project Updates.

Our Focus: Healthy Children and Youth

It’s official, after months of gathering public input, we’ve selected our challenge area: Healthy children and youth!

Our Challenge Statement

Narrowing our focus, our project will address child and youth well-being in Waterloo region. Our challenge statement sums up our approach:

We will become the benchmark community in Canada for child and youth well-being by using early intervention, youth engagement and a connected-community framework to create adaptive, data-driven programs and scalable learning technologies that improve early child development, mental health and high school graduation rates.

We’ll be launching new engagement activities every other week. Be sure to subscribe (along the sidebar) to receive updates and notices when new activities have been posted.

Remember to follow us on Twitter: @SmartWatRegion and Instagram: @SmartWatRegion, and to use the hashtag #SmartWR.

  • Thank You Waterloo Region!

    10 months ago

    We would like to thank all of our partners, residents and children and youth for your support and input! While we didn't win the Smart Cities Challenge, our community has collaborated in new and lasting ways. We will be revisiting our proposal, and developing a plan to move our project forward! Please stay tuned! More information to come!

    We would like to thank all of our partners, residents and children and youth for your support and input! While we didn't win the Smart Cities Challenge, our community has collaborated in new and lasting ways. We will be revisiting our proposal, and developing a plan to move our project forward! Please stay tuned! More information to come!

  • Smart Waterloo Region Application Summary

    11 months ago

    We've created a quick and easy to read application summary! Learn how we engaged the community, developed solutions, and how we plan on transforming Waterloo Region into the best community for kids in Canada!

    The full Smart Waterloo Region application is available online.

    We've created a quick and easy to read application summary! Learn how we engaged the community, developed solutions, and how we plan on transforming Waterloo Region into the best community for kids in Canada!

    The full Smart Waterloo Region application is available online.

  • Smart Waterloo Region Finalist Video

    about 1 year ago

    We worked with countless children and youth in our community to make our project a reality! Watch how Waterloo Region will become the best community in Canada for kids!


    We worked with countless children and youth in our community to make our project a reality! Watch how Waterloo Region will become the best community in Canada for kids!

  • Smart Waterloo Region Proposal

    about 1 year ago

    After nine months of development, we're excited to share we've submitted our final proposal to Infrastructure Canada!

    We invite you to review our full Smart Waterloo Region application. Please let us know if you have any questions!

    THANK YOU to all of the children, youth, caring adults, social service, tech, education, academic and research and private sector partners who contributed to the project! We couldn't have done it without you!


    After nine months of development, we're excited to share we've submitted our final proposal to Infrastructure Canada!

    We invite you to review our full Smart Waterloo Region application. Please let us know if you have any questions!

    THANK YOU to all of the children, youth, caring adults, social service, tech, education, academic and research and private sector partners who contributed to the project! We couldn't have done it without you!


  • Help us win $50 million - sign our youth petition today!

    about 1 year ago

    We need your help to win $50 million!

    As our application deadline draws near, we're asking all young people (18 or younger) to show their support for our Smart Waterloo Region project by signing our youth petition. Together, we will improve child and youth well-being in Waterloo region!

    Lend your support in two easy steps:

    1. Sign our petition today: https://bit.ly/2Hnd0yD, and
    2. Share our petition with your friends or on social media!

    We need your help to win $50 million!

    As our application deadline draws near, we're asking all young people (18 or younger) to show their support for our Smart Waterloo Region project by signing our youth petition. Together, we will improve child and youth well-being in Waterloo region!

    Lend your support in two easy steps:

    1. Sign our petition today: https://bit.ly/2Hnd0yD, and
    2. Share our petition with your friends or on social media!

  • Smart Waterloo Region Youth Forum

    over 1 year ago

    Hey young folks in Waterloo Region - we want to hear from you!

    Waterloo Region has been shortlisted in a national Smart Cities Challenge, with a one in five chance of winning $50 million. Our project focuses on improving the well-being of children and youth. To win, we need ideas and input from youth (11-18 years of age)!

    Join us on January 12th for our Youth Forum co-designed for local youth, by youth - so you know it will be fun! The day will be filled with exciting activities, conversations and games. All of the activities are designed to...

    Hey young folks in Waterloo Region - we want to hear from you!

    Waterloo Region has been shortlisted in a national Smart Cities Challenge, with a one in five chance of winning $50 million. Our project focuses on improving the well-being of children and youth. To win, we need ideas and input from youth (11-18 years of age)!

    Join us on January 12th for our Youth Forum co-designed for local youth, by youth - so you know it will be fun! The day will be filled with exciting activities, conversations and games. All of the activities are designed to make sure your voice is heard!

    Complete with food, prizes, giveaways, and the chance to make new friends - come out and share your thoughts and feedback on how to make Waterloo Region THE BEST community in Canada for young people!

    Register here: https://bit.ly/2rRPRdb

  • Help create ideas using our Idea Toolkit

    over 1 year ago

    Ideas are found everywhere, and everyone has meaningful ideas to share! We want to hear all of the amazing ideas children and youth have to offer!

    Our new Idea Toolkit has been designed for people who work or spend time with children and youth. Made to engage children ages 4 and up, our toolkit includes instructions about how to help collect ideas, share feedback and host fun conversations!

    Not sure how to get a conversation started? We've got you covered! Check out our quick online tutorial here! Be sure to share your feedback on our website here.

    ...

    Ideas are found everywhere, and everyone has meaningful ideas to share! We want to hear all of the amazing ideas children and youth have to offer!

    Our new Idea Toolkit has been designed for people who work or spend time with children and youth. Made to engage children ages 4 and up, our toolkit includes instructions about how to help collect ideas, share feedback and host fun conversations!

    Not sure how to get a conversation started? We've got you covered! Check out our quick online tutorial here! Be sure to share your feedback on our website here.

    Help us generate ideas to make our community the best in Canada for young people!

  • Start a conversation with our Conversation Toolkit!

    over 1 year ago
    Conversations raise awareness. Awareness builds momentum. Momentum drives change.

    The goal of this conversation toolkit is to support people to have insightful, important conversations that will deepen their understanding of child and youth well-being and foster behaviour change.

    We want more people thinking and talking about child and youth well-being in our community—which we believe starts with a conversation. Use the prompts within the Conversation Toolkit to spark a conversation with friends, family, colleagues, new friends or complete strangers.

    Connect to share an interesting part of your conversation in any of these ways:

    Conversations raise awareness. Awareness builds momentum. Momentum drives change.

    The goal of this conversation toolkit is to support people to have insightful, important conversations that will deepen their understanding of child and youth well-being and foster behaviour change.

    We want more people thinking and talking about child and youth well-being in our community—which we believe starts with a conversation. Use the prompts within the Conversation Toolkit to spark a conversation with friends, family, colleagues, new friends or complete strangers.

    Connect to share an interesting part of your conversation in any of these ways:
    • Online at engagewr.ca (go to our forum to comment on our questions),
    • Through Twitter and Instagram using @SmartWatRegion, #SmartWR and #SmartCitiesCanada, or
    • Tag the Canadian Government @INCF_eng so they know what's happening in Waterloo region!

  • Thank you for attending our Smart Waterloo Region Launch!

    over 1 year ago

    A big thank you to our partners, service providers, children and youth, and families who helped us celebrate the launch of Smart Waterloo Region! It was a huge success, and we couldn't have done it without you!

    On November 20th, we hosted a community wide launch event at three locations across the region, in Kitchener, Cambridge and Elmira. We started the day with a presentation and panel discussion at Catalyst 137 in Kitchener. The panel included project partners, tech experts and youth, who were asked to reflect on how we can work together to improve child and youth well-being in...

    A big thank you to our partners, service providers, children and youth, and families who helped us celebrate the launch of Smart Waterloo Region! It was a huge success, and we couldn't have done it without you!

    On November 20th, we hosted a community wide launch event at three locations across the region, in Kitchener, Cambridge and Elmira. We started the day with a presentation and panel discussion at Catalyst 137 in Kitchener. The panel included project partners, tech experts and youth, who were asked to reflect on how we can work together to improve child and youth well-being in Waterloo region.

    Later in the afternoon, families and community members were invited to drop-in style events at the three locations. We invited attendees to take part in activities to collect their input on how we can use technology and data to improve child and youth well-being. All of the amazing feedback we collected will inform our project to improve child and youth well-being in our community and beyond.

    If you missed it, please enjoy the recorded presentation and panel below from beginning to end!


    Please let us know if you have any questions or comments.

  • Join us for the official launch of Smart Waterloo Region!

    over 1 year ago

    Help us kick-off our Smart Waterloo Region project by joining us on November 20th from 4pm-7pm! We're hosting fun drop-in style events for children, youth, families and community members across the region.

    Come and learn about our project and how we are working together to improve child and youth well-being in our community! Take part in fun and interactive activities, and enter for a chance to win an amazing door prize for guests who stop by!

    Help us become the best community in Canada for children and youth! Join us at one of our three locations from 4-7pm:

    Help us kick-off our Smart Waterloo Region project by joining us on November 20th from 4pm-7pm! We're hosting fun drop-in style events for children, youth, families and community members across the region.

    Come and learn about our project and how we are working together to improve child and youth well-being in our community! Take part in fun and interactive activities, and enter for a chance to win an amazing door prize for guests who stop by!

    Help us become the best community in Canada for children and youth! Join us at one of our three locations from 4-7pm:

    Your input matters, we hope to see you there!