Housing in Waterloo Region

Why does housing come up so much during municipal elections?

Housing is one of the most direct ways municipal government shapes daily life. Local councils make decisions about zoning, development approvals, and affordable housing programs that determine where homes get built, who can afford them, and what neighbourhoods look like over time.

What does the Region do on housing?

The Region of Waterloo is responsible for social housing: subsidized rental housing for low-income residents. This includes managing thousands of units directly and overseeing wait-lists that have historically stretched to a decade or more.

The Region is also the upper-tier planning authority, meaning it sets rules about how land can be developed through the Regional Official Plan. This document guides where growth goes, either outward into greenfield areas or inward through intensification of existing neighbourhoods.

What do area municipalities do on housing?

The cities (Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo) and townships handle their own zoning by-laws. These are the rules about what can be built where in their cities. When a developer wants to build a new apartment building or a homeowner wants to add a secondary suite, they are usually dealing with city approvals.

City councils also set policies on things like:

• Inclusionary zoning: requiring that new developments include some affordable units
• Accessory dwelling units and secondary suites: allowing more housing types in residential neighbourhoods
• Community improvement plans: targeting investment and incentives in specific areas

Media coverage

• Where Cambridge Ward 3 candidates stand on homelessness, Spoke Online, October 28, 2022.
• Questions on housing and homelessness posed to Region of Waterloo chair candidates, CBC, October 21, 2022.
• Waterloo mayoral candidates debate housing, strong mayors, green space, and 30 km/h speed limits, Waterloo Region Record, October 20, 2022.
• Questions on housing and homelessness posed to Region of Waterloo chair candidates, CBC, October 19, 2022.
• Here's where the candidates for Region of Waterloo chair stand on addressing homelessness, CTV Kitchener, October 18, 2022.
• Housing crisis and climate change are top of mind for these Waterloo region voters, CBC, October 17, 2022.
• Val Neekman's homeless plan, Reddit, October 13, 2022.
• Housing tops the list of issues for Waterloo candidates running for regional council, Waterloo Region Record, October 9, 2022.
• Kitchener's mayoral candidates outline their ideas on housing and homelessness , Reddit, October 7, 2022.
• Kitchener's mayoral candidates outline their ideas on housing and homelessness, CBC, October 7, 2022.
• Lack of housing options — including for students — needs to be addressed, Waterloo mayoral candidates say, CBC, October 6, 2022.
• Future of housing, transit top of mind for Woolwich Township mayoral candidates, CBC, October 5, 2022.
• Transit, climate, housing and amalgamation are key municipal issues for these voters, CBC, October 3, 2022.
• Wilmot mayoral candidates on how they'd address housing, climate change and racism in township, CBC, October 3, 2022.
• Housing — from rent to availability to homelessness — top concern for these voters, CBC, October 2, 2022.
• Address homelessness and addiction by starting at root of problem, says Ward 8 candidate (Jack Perkes), Cambridge Today, September 21, 2022.
• Candidate says we need 'compassionate but practical solutions' to issues like homelessness (Tyler Calver), Cambridge Today, September 21, 2022.
• Housing affordability a key concern for incumbent in Ward 6 (Shannon Adshade), Cambridge Today, September 19, 2022.
• Homelessness, traffic and road repairs top issues for Ward 6 candidate (Eian Campbell), Cambridge Today, September 19, 2022.
• Managed, outdoor encampment idea supported by many city council candidates in downtown Kitchener wards, CBC, September 19, 2022.
• Housing attainability one of the key goals of incumbent regional chair (Karen Redman), Cambridge Today, September 17, 2022.
• Municipal Election and The Encampment Survey by /u/nhowlett, Reddit, September 17, 2022.
• Homelessness crisis needs positive solutions says Ward 1 candidate (Donna Reid), Cambridge Today, September 16, 2022.
• Candidate for regional chair says weak leadership has led to affordability crisis (Brendon John Da Costa), Cambridge Today, September 15, 2022.
• Ward 1 candidate says affordability, homelessness are top city issues (Erick Takor), Cambridge Today, September 12, 2022.
• Tents in Kitchener’s Victoria Park point to a growing housing crisis, Waterloo Region Record, September 10, 2022.