Minor Variance application A 2026-020 - a variance to permit an individual non-residential use, 'a Day Care Facility', to have a maximum Gross Floor Area of 850 sq.m. rather than the maximum permitted 600 sq.m. to facilitate the new use of Day Care Facility.

Minor Variance application A2022-131 - a variance to Zoning By-law 85-1 to permit 0.68 parking spaces per dwelling unit, inclusive of visitor parking, rather than the minimum required 1.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit with a minimum of 20% of the required parking allocated for visitor parking; and, a variance to Zoning By-law 2019-051 to permit 0.68 parking spaces per dwelling unit, inclusive of visitor parking, rather than the minimum required 1 parking spaces per dwelling units with 0.1 parking spaces per dwelling unit allocated for visitor parking, to facilitate the construction of a multiple residential building.

A public Request for Proposal (RFP) for the development of affordable housing units was open to private and non-profit developers from February 7 to March 22, 2024. A selection committee comprised of Regional staff from Planning, Development, and Legislative Services, Housing, Facilities, Children's Services and Procurement evaluated the submissions based on an established evaluation framework, which included weighted measures, focused on but not limited to:

• Regional Guidelines: Submission of specific deliverables that address things like built form, context-sensitivity, open space, amenity provisions, and leading-edge innovation in social and environmental sustainability;

• Number of Affordable Units: Percentage of affordable housing units above a minimum of 30% and depth of affordability (affordable is defined as rents at or below 80% of Median Market Rent);

• Duration of Affordability: Target a minimum 40-year duration of affordability;

• Child Care: Consideration for the inclusion of child care space on-site;

• Public Art: Consideration of the inclusion of public art in the building façade;

• Fit: Integration into the community (e.g. through design excellence and use of high-quality materials);

• Accessibility: Accessibility features above minimum building code requirements, achieve VisAbility or universal design standards;

• Sustainability: Promote net-zero operational carbon targets;

• Community Benefit: Consider a community space and/or community service where specified through the RFP;

• Commit to providing a smoke-free building;

• Consider community benefit agreement through a commitment to providing training of skilled labour to apprentices and/or un/underemployed individuals, and/or to incorporate youth employment opportunities during construction; and,

• Other Criteria as established.

1. Affordable Housing Framework
CSD-HOU-21-05/PDL-ECD-21-05

2. Direction to Proceed with Consideration of Proposed Surplus Designation Re:
a. 1388 Highland Road West, Kitchener; and

b. 30 Lauris Avenue, Cambridge
PDL-LEG-21-39/CSD-HOU-21-17

3. Building Better Futures, Update and Roadmap to 2,500 Affordable Homes
CSD-HOU-23-019

4. Region of Waterloo Surplus Land For Affordable Housing 1388 Highland Road West, Kitchener
COR-TRY-24-017

Did you miss the public information sessions? Not to worry, a recording of the virtual session is available on this page as is a link to the presentation slide show. Community information meetings were also hosted to introduce the development partner selected through the RFP process. Input gathered from the community was included in the RFP to help inform submissions for development.

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Previous Public Meetings

• In-person Information Session (drop-in): Thursday, December 12, 2024, 4:00PM - 6:00PM at Forest Heights Community Library, 251 Fischer-Hallman Road, Kitchener, Ontario Learn more
• Virtual Information Session: Tuesday, July 18, 2023, 7:00PM - 8:00PM
• In-person Information Session (drop-in): Tuesday, July 11, 2023, 5:30PM - 7:30PM at Forest Heights Community Library, 251 Fischer-Hallman Road, Kitchener, Ontario
• Virtual Committee of Adjustment Meeting: Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 10:00AM - Committee review and approval of Minor Variance application A 2023-131
• In-person Information Session (drop-in): Wednesday, October 5, 2022, 6:00PM - 8:30PM at Forest Heights Community Centre, 1700 Queen's Boulevard, Kitchener, Ontario
• Virtual Information Session: Tuesday, September 27, 2022, 7:00PM - 8:00PM

Building Better Futures is the Region of Waterloo’s affordable housing strategy.

The Region of Waterloo is committed to making housing affordable for all because we believe communities thrive when everyone has a place to call home. With the need for affordable housing growing, the Region is dedicated to increasing the number of affordable homes. The plan includes the use of lands, funding and resources, community engagement, and cross departmental staff support to increase the development of affordable homes.

Providing Regional lands in exchange for affordable housing units is one of a number of approaches the Region is utilizing in an effort to support the creation of affordable housing units.

Learn more about the Affordable Housing Plan.