Regional Council Composition Review

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Regional Council Composition Review

The Region of Waterloo is required by the Municipal Act to conduct a review of Regional Council's composition by the end of 2020. We want your input on how Regional Council should be structured.

The Municipal Act requires that Regional Council be composed of a minimum of five members and that each area municipality be represented on this upper-tier council. Currently each area municipality is represented on Regional Council by the City and Township Mayors. The current structure has 16 members of Council total consisting of: the Regional Chair; the seven mayors of the area municipalities (Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich); as well as the directly elected representatives of Cambridge (2), Kitchener (4) and Waterloo (2). This composition of Council was put in place in 2000.

Please take this survey to offer your opinion on the four options being presented by staff:

  • The status quo (16 members of Council);
  • An allocation of one Regional Councillor per 25,000 residents in an area municipality, based on largest Township population (24 members of Council);
  • An overall target of 30,000 residents per Regional Councillor for all of Regional Council, based on previous representation (20 members of Council); and
  • A system of combined urban and rural representatives (19 members of Council)

Supporting reports are available in the Document Library.

Regional Council Composition Review

The Region of Waterloo is required by the Municipal Act to conduct a review of Regional Council's composition by the end of 2020. We want your input on how Regional Council should be structured.

The Municipal Act requires that Regional Council be composed of a minimum of five members and that each area municipality be represented on this upper-tier council. Currently each area municipality is represented on Regional Council by the City and Township Mayors. The current structure has 16 members of Council total consisting of: the Regional Chair; the seven mayors of the area municipalities (Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich); as well as the directly elected representatives of Cambridge (2), Kitchener (4) and Waterloo (2). This composition of Council was put in place in 2000.

Please take this survey to offer your opinion on the four options being presented by staff:

  • The status quo (16 members of Council);
  • An allocation of one Regional Councillor per 25,000 residents in an area municipality, based on largest Township population (24 members of Council);
  • An overall target of 30,000 residents per Regional Councillor for all of Regional Council, based on previous representation (20 members of Council); and
  • A system of combined urban and rural representatives (19 members of Council)

Supporting reports are available in the Document Library.

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Regional Council Composition Review

    We invite you to consider and offer your opinions on the four options about council composition which will be presented to Council. 

    The four options are:

    OPTION 1: Status quo - 16 members of Council 

    • 1 Regional Chair
    • 7 Municipal Mayors (Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich)
    • 8 Regional Councillors:
      • 2 representing Cambridge
      • 4 representing Kitchener
      • 2 representing Waterloo

    OPTION 2: One Regional Councillor per 25,000 - 30,000 residents - 24 members of Council 

    • 1 Regional Chair
    • 7 Municipal Mayors (Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich)
    • 16 Regional Councillors:
      • 4 representing Cambridge
      • 8 representing Kitchener
      • 4 representing Waterloo

    OPTION 3: One Regional Councillor per 30,000 residents - 20 members of Council 

    • 1 Regional Chair
    • 7 Municipal Mayors (Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich)
    • 12 Regional Councillors:
      • 3 representing Cambridge
      • 6 representing Kitchener
      • 3 representing Waterloo

    OPTION 4: Combined Urban and Rural Representatives - 19 members of Council 

    • 1 Regional Chair
    • 7 Municipal Mayors (Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich)
    • 11 Regional Councillors:
      • 3 representing Cambridge and North Dumfries
      • 5 representing Kitchener and Wilmot
      • 3 representing Waterloo, Woolwich, and Wellesley


    The survey responses will be brought forward to Regional Council for consideration as part of the public consultation process.

    Take Survey
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