Council Summary May 5, 2025

Posted On Monday May 05, 2025

** The council summary below provides a snapshot of the major items presented at Monday’s council meeting. The council meeting webcast is available on the City of Waterloo YouTube page. Please refer to the minutes for an official record of the meeting.

City of Waterloo to amend fireworks bylaw to address ongoing concerns

Council approved updating the City’s fireworks bylaw in agreement with the recommendations of the area municipality fireworks working group. The amendments to the Waterloo bylaw include:

  • reducing the number of days and times fireworks are permitted to only the day of the holiday (with two days for Diwali/Deepavali);
    • Lunar New Year from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
    • Victoria Day from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
    • Canada Day from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
    • Diwali/Deepavali from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
    • prohibiting the sale of fireworks in Waterloo starting January 2026; and
    • increasing the administrative penalties for fireworks related infractions, from the current $400 per violation with $800 for a second offence, to $1000 for the first offence and $2000 for subsequent offences.

Staff will return to Council at a later date with the updated fireworks bylaw for Council approval.

Thirty-four acres of city-owned lands sold for development into vibrant, mixed-use community

City of Waterloo Council confirmed the sale of the City-owned Former Kraus Lands along University Avenue East. This 34-acre greenfield property, located near University Avenue and Woolwich Street, will be transformed into a residential and commercial community that includes approximately 1,800 new homes, a grocery store, retail promenade, event space, public trails, green space and unique sustainability features.

More information on this exciting development is available in the City of Waterloo news release from earlier this evening.

City of Waterloo Council continues to approve applications to support housing development

As part of the City’s commitment to advance housing, City of Waterloo Council continues to approve applications and support development. Council approved the zone change application and official plan of subdivision that will permit the creation of between 195 to 342 residential units, including single detached, semi-detached and townhouse dwellings, and multiple / mixed-use dwellings at Roy Schmidt Road and Conservation Drive (an extension of the existing Conservation Meadows subdivision).

This approval aligns with the City’s Complete Community strategic priority: to advance community vibrancy through strategic density and support the provincial Housing Pledge commitment to plan for 16,000 new residential units by 2031.


Waterloo calls for municipal stimulus strategies from federal and provincial governments

Mayor McCabe brought forward a motion calling on the federal and provincial governments to introduce comprehensive municipal stimulus strategies to fast-track large-scale investments in infrastructure, housing, transit, state-of-good-repair projects and to help safeguard local economies against the destabilizing effects of US tariffs and Canadian counter-tariffs.

The motion, approved by Council, urges the federal and provincial governments to work in partnership with municipal associations to identify and accelerate key projects, such as the City of Waterloo’s Beaver Creek Road and Conservation Drive Pumping Station, Albert McCormick Community Centre Renovation and Expansion, and RIM Park GHG and Accessibility Retrofit Project. Support for projects like these will serve as stimulus initiatives and ensure that economic growth remains centred on protecting the livelihoods and well-being of the people of Waterloo. The full motion is available online (PDF, beginning on page 5).


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Cari Van Niekerk

Director, Corporate Communications
City of Waterloo
519-635-6954