Updating the Regional Official Plan

This map presents the draft Regional Employment Area, which was endorsed by Council on April 21^th.  For more information please see the This map presents the draft Regional Employment Area, which was endorsed by Council on April 21^th.  For more information please see the Regional Employment Area project update page.

What are regional intensification corridors?

The purpose of an intensification corridor is to increase densities in close proximity to existing and planned transit. For intensification corridors to be effective, they should occur where there is infrastructure to support density, and where intensification can contribute to the development of transit-supportive/pedestrian-friendly areas.  The six proposed regional intensification corridors are intended to work in collaboration with the local nodes and corridors identified at the area municipal level, through the official plans of Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo.

Where are the six proposed Regional Intensification Corridors (corridor in blue on the map, with a 500 metre buffer outlined in yellow)?

1. Victoria Street between Lackner Boulevard and Central Station
2. Ottawa Street between Lackner Boulevard and Borden ION Station
3. Ottawa Street between Mill Station and International Place
4. Ira Needles Boulevard between Erb Street West and Highland Road West (only if connected to an east-west connection: Erb Street with Caroline St North or Highland Road)
5. Erb Street and Caroline Street between Ira Needles Boulevard Laurier/Waterloo Park ION Station
6. Homer Watson Boulevard and Manitou Drive between Fairway Station and Highway 401

Why did we identify these six intensification corridors as regionally-significant?

• existing population and employment levels;
• built form and travel patterns;
• their opportunity to accommodate intensification;
• their opportunity to connect major destinations; 
• their ability to support the existing and planned regional rapid transit network; and, 
• their ability to serve as a future rapid transit corridor.

What would we like your feedback on? Zoom in on the map below and use the COMMENT PIN to let us know:

1. Are there any other intensification corridors, with regional significance, that we should be considering? Why?
2. Are there any other factors we should consider when identifying regionally-significant intensification corridors? Why?

To add a comment pin, simply click on the icon and then click on the map where you’d like to you place your comment.  A Comment Form will pop up and you will be asked to leave your comment and your name (it can be your screen name or initials, if you'd prefer).  You can add as many comment pins as you like! Please note that once a comment pin has been submitted, it can then be seen by anyone viewing the map. We will be closing this interactive mapping activity on December 13, 2020.

The Region is in the process of identifying Employment Areas to be protected for long-term employment opportunity and growth.  Employment in this context refers to industrial type businesses or business parks and include manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, as well as some office and retail that support the nearby businesses and their employees.  These areas are vital to the Region’s economy and accounts for approximately 100,000 jobs or a third of all jobs in the Region in 2019.

This map shows all employment lands within the Region (as of June 1, 2020).  The intent is for most/some of these lands to be protected by the Region for long-term employment opportunity and growth.

We want your help! The Region is looking for your input on:

1. What areas should be protected for employment uses, and why? Tell us with a green pin.
2. What areas may be better suited for other uses, and why? Tell us with an orange pin.
3. If the Region needs additional employment land to support growth to 2041, where should those lands be located, and why? Tell us with a red pin.
4. Anything else related to employment lands. Tell us with a blue pin.

Some things to keep in mind when completing this exercise are:

• Employment uses, in this sense, refers to industrial type businesses or business parks 
• How far is the commute to/from where people live?
• How far and along what routes do trucks need to travel to/from major good movement routes (e.g. highways, rail, and the airport)?
• How might existing or future employment uses be impacted by new non-employment uses, such as residential, institutional, or big box stores?
• How might new non-employment uses be impacted by existing or future employment uses? 

To add a comment pin, simply click theicon on the left of the screen, click and hold the type of comment pin you want, and then drop the pin on the map where have feedback or an idea.  A form will pop up where you can leave a comment and your name (it can be your screen name or initials, if you'd prefer).  You can add as many comment pins as you like! Please note that once a comment pin has been submitted, it can then be seen by anyone viewing the map. We will be closing this interactive mapping activity by August 31, 2020.

There are 24 planned ION transit station areas in Waterloo Region. The ION transit station areas are considered Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) and the lands within 500 to 800m radius of the stations are the focus of this assessment. The Region is now required to show on maps, within the Regional Official Plan, the boundaries around each ION rapid transit station area that will accommodate the density target of 160 people and jobs per hectare - this target is a Provincial requirement. Each ION rapid transit station area was analysed to assess the potential capacity for growth at full build-out.  

The proposed boundaries for each ION transit station are shown on the map below, and were identified in collaboration with staff from the Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo.

 Zoom in on the map below and use the COMMENT PIN to let us know:

• your thoughts on the proposed boundaries - should they stay the same, change, and if so, how and where?  
• to comment on the transit service, please complete GRT’s online comment form

To add a comment pin, simply click on the  icon and then click on the map where you’d like to you place your comment.  A Comment Form will pop up and you will be asked to leave your comment and your name (it can be your screen name or initials, if you'd prefer).  You can add as many comment pins as you like! Please note that once a comment pin has been submitted, it can then be seen by anyone viewing the map. We will be closing this interactive mapping activity by August 15, 2020.