The Region of Waterloo is currently updating its Official Plan, which defines our countryside line and policies for urban growth.
April 24, 2022: The Region is looking for feedback on proposed growth options.
Read Hold The Line’s response to the draft Land Needs Assessment, then fill out the 4-question survey by May 27, 2022.
Read our response to the proposed growth options [PDF]
Three options for Community Area land expansion
The report states, “Option 1 would yield the largest urban area expansion of the three options, beyond the existing Countryside Line”. Option 1 is clearly not a viable option for Waterloo Region, as it would breach the Countryside Line. The Countryside Line must be held intact if we are to build sustainable, connected communities that protect our groundwater and our farms.
When considering any urban expansion, we must remember that there is a finite amount of land within the Countryside Line. The report states that Community Area Option 2 “can be accommodated within the existing Countryside Line”, but that doesn’t mean it is desirable. Our goal should not be to use up land within the countryside line, just because we can — we should use only what’s necessary to accommodate growth, and preserve the countryside line for as long as possible. We shouldn’t create any new land for urban areas unless we absolutely have to.
Community Area Option 3 would result in no urban expansion, and would accomplish this by a relatively modest increase in overall density: 66 people and jobs per hectare (compared to 60 p+j/ha in Option 2).
Read Hold The Line’s response to the Land Needs Assessment and new housing policies
The Haldimand tract runs 6 miles on either side of the Grand River, from the headwaters to Lake Erie.
Respect the moratorium on development
Much of Waterloo Region sits on the Haldimand tract: land that was granted to the Haudenosaunee, in a treaty which colonial governments have failed to uphold. The Haudenosaunee council of Chiefs, as well as the Six Nations band council, have declared that no development can proceed along the Haldimand Tract without the consent of the Haudenosaunee.
Six Nations chief Mark Hill has said: "It would not be responsible to allow continued development in an uncertain legal environment."
The Region of Waterloo’s Official Plan must honour the Haldimand Treaty and respect Haudenosaunee jurisdiction over the lands and waters in our region.
This industrial area on Strasburg Road in Kitchener has parking lots and empty land that could be redeveloped without expanding the urban boundary.
Encourage smarter development of industrial areas
Draft plans include an expansion of the urban area for major industrial uses (“Employment Areas”). They don’t chart a path toward innovative and efficient use of the land we have.
The Region of Waterloo should include strategies for intensification of Employment Areas [PDF], such as building rooftop employee parking to avoid the need for surface parking lots. This in turn reduces the amount of land needed for industrial parks.
We can do better than this. We can continue to bring jobs to the region without sacrificing hundreds of hectares of rural land.
Denser neighbourhoods give people a choice in their transportation options.
Increase density targets for new development
All the growth scenarios proposed so far are unambitious. The highest-density scenario would require new development to be built at 73 people & jobs per hectare. But to support frequent transit, we need to build at a minimum of 80 people & jobs per hectare!
The Region’s most ambitious scenario misses the mark for building transit-supportive communities that avoid the huge maintenance costs of sprawling infrastructure.
We need to aim higher if we have any hope of taking the climate emergency seriously, of building neighbourhoods where people of all ages and abilities can live, work, and play.
Productive farms in our rural areas are a crucial part of life in Waterloo Region.
Protect the countryside
Some land owners in the Protected Countryside have applied for their properties to be included in the urban area. This would expand the countryside line and undo decades of smart growth policy.
Our values only matter when they are being tested. Politicians and staff must firmly reject these applications, and show that the countryside line is here to stay.