Updating the City of Waterloo Official Plan
About the project
The City of Waterloo’s Official Plan is an important document that guides land use decision-making for the city. It represents council's vision for growth and change within the city, guided by the public interest.
The Official Plan was approved in 2012, but under provincial requirements, the plan must be reviewed every 10 years. A review of the city’s Official Plan will ensure the plan meets updated provincial planning requirements and is an opportunity to address local issues, needs and ensure the plan is consistent with any other policy documents that may have changed since the initial approval of the plan.
Getting involved
This page will be updated regularly with project update and key dates. Feel free to ask questions using the Questions section. Sign up to get regular updates using the Follow Project feature, or provide comments and share your ideas using the Comments section on this this page.
Videos
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At the Official Plan Review Open House (held June 17, 2021) staff shared information on what the Official Plan is, why it is being reviewed, the study process, and how interested people can help identify priorities for the review.
Document Library
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(2022-09-20) Waterloo Commercial and Employment Area Review_AODA_FINAL.pdf (7.05 MB) (pdf)
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Issue Briefs
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City Growth, Structure and Form (466 KB) (pdf)
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Economic Development and Innovation (354 KB) (pdf)
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Environment and Climate Change (366 KB) (pdf)
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Housing Affordability and Equity (383 KB) (pdf)
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Neighbourhoods, Communities and Culture (324 KB) (pdf)
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Planning Processes and Public Consultation (307 KB) (pdf)
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Transportation and Mobility (302 KB) (pdf)
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Vision and Strategic Plan (378 KB) (pdf)
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Key Facts and Trends Infographic (992 KB) (pdf)
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Council Report - Key Facts and Trends - June 2021.pdf (1.33 MB) (pdf)
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Council report - Official Plan Terms of Reference - Dec 2020.pdf (231 KB) (pdf)
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2016 Census Profiles - City of Waterloo.pdf (14.2 MB) (pdf)
I hope that the region recognizes the values of the greenspaces that are frequently used in our are such as the hydrocut (there are tens of thousands of people who mountain bike there every year...it is even a destination for people out of town) and private property like Schneider's Woods that is open for cross country skiing only in the winter months and for hiking in the summer. Many residents value living here because of special places like these that allow us to engage with nature. Please try to protect areas like these at all costs. Enough money goes to developers. If the pandemic taught us anything, it is that we need outdoor spaces and natural spaces in the city and close to the city.
I would be great if development would be built to enhance & preserve Waterloo's unique character - with a strong emphasis on context and aesthetics.
I hope Waterloo will make planting native trees a priority in their future plans because this is an important component to fight climate change
Removed by moderator.
By 2050, Waterloo’s population is expected to increase by 75%, where the region will see corresponding increases in development. With respect to City’s 2019 Corporate Climate Change Action Plan , an increase in development calls attention to the issues that come with climate change, such as urban heat island effects and stormwater management. How will the Official Plan incorporate green initiatives to mitigate these impacts? How will the Official Plan address these challenges associated with development and offsetting the impacts of urbanization?
In the next few years, the automotive companies are converting to electric based vehicles which are non-polluting. I own an electric vehicle/hybrid now and 1.2 L/ 100 km. In addition, driverless vehicles are expected to come on line. What I see is bike lanes. Not the future of electric vehicles and driverless vehicles. How will the official plan address this. Also, some of us commute out of town to work where a GO train is not available. How do you address this in your official plan.