Region of Waterloo

An Investment Plan for Today and Tomorrow

COMMUNITY BUILDING STRATEGY

CBS

Welcome to Waterloo Region!

ION rapid transit under construction Farmland protected More compact growth Strategic road investment Greater focus on urban design excellence Affordable housing a priority Higher densities of development Greater focus on arts and culture More transit ridership More co-ordinated help for people in need More natural area and groundwater protection A global high-tech cluster More focus on being a globally competitive country New Region-wide economic development strategy Greater focus on global competitiveness

Big shifts are happening now in Waterloo Region!

The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) campus in Waterloo

Plan

In 1975, the Region of Waterloo

completed its first official plan, a legal document to guide future growth in our

community. The Plan was very forward thinking for its

time, considering our future in ways that have become

standards for sustainable living today. In addition to

protecting our urban and rural communities, farmland

and environmental areas, the vision included a central

transportation spine and a greater focus on transit.

Waterloo Region has a well-defined vision for its future, a vision that was forged almost 40 years ago. Today, that vision is becoming a reality.

the Investment

Today, Waterloo Region is already the fourth largest community in Ontario and the 10th

largest in Canada. What

is new, however, is the

construction of ION, our

rapid transit system.

Set to open in 2017, ION will

join Cambridge, Kitchener

and Waterloo. Regional

Council entered into a

formal agreement with

GrandLinq in 2014 to build

ION. With a total budget of

$818 million, ION represents

the biggest capital

investment in the history of

the Region of Waterloo.

Present day

Future

The corner of Cedar and Charles Streets in Kitchener

Moving people with ION

is only part of the story.

Building a new rapid

transit system creates

major opportunities

for development and

redevelopment in the areas

around ION stops and

elsewhere along the

transit corridor.

In short, our investment in

ION opens the door to further

shaping the community in

new and exciting ways.

That’s where the Community Building Strategy comes in.

The Region of Waterloo Transit Hub site at King and Victoria Streets in Kitchener

Present day

FutureConcept only

What is the Community Building Strategy?

The Region of Waterloo, together with the

Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo, spent

three years developing one of the most important

investment plans in their history: the Community Building

Strategy. The success of the Strategy was the result of

incredible community and expert input. The

Community Building Strategy (CBS)

identifies opportunities for new

development, and for associated

public and private investment

in the ION rapid transit corridor.

It also identifies how we need to

protect and promote some of

our most valuable community

assets, like stable neighbourhoods,

heritage buildings and world-class

institutions.

The CBS is an investment plan that shows not only what is, but what could be. It will help us ensure that ION rapid transit is fully integrated with the Grand River Transit bus service and multi-purpose trails, with seamless connections to expanded GO Transit rail service, VIA rail and intercity buses. That way, we can provide sustainable transportation choices for all residents, businesses and visitors.

The CBS is founded on real economic

considerations. Our consultants, led by nationally-

renowned Urban Strategies, engaged the experts

from Colliers International to help both

define and identify market areas and investment

potential. It’s important information for investors,

and we recognize the need to understand market

dynamics in shaping our community.

A Market-Based Strategy

Investment is not just about dollars and cents. It’s about our community assets too.

The CBS is truly an investment strategy, but not just

in the traditional accounting sense. Our community

investments have included the protection of heritage

neighbourhoods, vibrant downtowns, cultural events

and attractions, cycling routes and diverse choices

for business location. These are all assets we need to

protect. At the same time, we need to attract new

investment that will build on these great community

assets.

The CBS is a Rural Strategy too!

At first glance, you may not see the CBS

as a rural strategy, but it is. With over

220,000 acres of prime farmland and over

35,000 acres of sensitive environmental

areas, the CBS directs growth away from

these features.

Given our community’s reliance on

groundwater to supply most of our local

needs, and a strong rural economy, it only

makes sense that we continue to plan our

growth by protecting these assets too.

We’re not just planning for change. It’s already happening.

In recent years, over 50 per cent of new residential

development has been constructed within already

built areas of Waterloo Region. From 2011 to 2013, over

$1 billion in residential units and non-residential square

footage was constructed along the Central Transit

Corridor where the ION route is located. What’s more,

the density of development is much more than it was

a decade ago. These new developments often offer

more choices. In many cases, this has meant a much

better mix of land uses and support systems for walking,

biking, taking transit and driving. Waterloo Region is

also home to Community Car Share, one of the largest

car co-operatives in Ontario.

What are the economic prospects for tomorrow?

A 40-year vision must be grown. Today, the realization

of our vision is being viewed by many as a sign of

continued prosperity. The Provincial Government,

for example, recognizes Waterloo Region as one of

Ontario’s most significant economies. The Province

has also committed to increase daily GO train service

to and from Toronto, which will be linked to ION,

recognizing very important economic relationships that

exist between the two communities. The Conference

Board of Canada continues to forecast positive

economic prospects for our community, consistently

citing ION rapid transit investment as a major catalyst

for growth. Furthermore, the Region of Waterloo

continues to enjoy a triple “A” rating from Moody’s

credit rating agency. All of this makes the CBS a key

investment tool to further support our prosperity.

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LEGENDION Light Rail Stage 1

ION Light Rail Stage 2

ION aBRT Stage 1

iXpress Routes

Intercity Rail Connections

Intercity Transit Hub

Map Not to ScaleiXpress routes are conceptual and subject to change.

*Future rail extension to Cambridge and intercitytransit hubs are conceptual and subject to funding.

The construction of ION is underway, and the Region

of Waterloo and the Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener

and Waterloo are now using the Community Building

Strategy to make key planning decisions.

Now is the time to plan for the future and invest in

Waterloo Region!

Please get in touch with us!

Have you just discovered Waterloo Region and want

to learn more about how you can invest here? Are you

already located here and want to build your business?

Contact our Office of Economic Development, and

let us show you how the CBS can help you, and our

community, succeed.

Region of Waterloo Office of Economic Development:

Keren Adderley

Coordinator of Communications and Marketing

kadderley@regionofwaterloo.ca

519-575-4508

Please visit our website www.regionofwaterloo.ca/cbs

to learn more about the CBS, or download

an electronic copy.

Now is the time!

Regional Chair Ken Seiling (right) and Councillor Jim Wideman (left) accept a 2014 Planning Excellence Award from the Canadian Institute of Planners for the Region of Waterloo Community Building Strategy. Professor Mark Seasons (centre) of the University of Waterloo School of Planning presented the award. The CBS was also recognized with a 2014 National Urban Design Award from the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects.

The RiverFront condominiums on Water Street in Cambridge

A Nationally Award Winning Strategy

For more information about the Region of Waterloo Community Building Strategy, please contact:

Rob Horne, MA, MCIP, RPPCommissioner of Planning, Development and Legislative Services

150 Frederick Street, 8th Floor, Kitchener ON N2G 4J3 519-575-4001rhorne@regionofwaterloo.cawww.regionofwaterloo.ca/cbs

School of Architecture – University of Waterloo Photo by Robert McNair