Plans

In addition to the Official Plan and Strategic Plan, the city is guided by other long-range plans in key areas.

The City of Waterloo works with advice from the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee to develop and update a corporate accessibility plan. 

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act requires municipalities to develop an accessibility plan to remove of barriers for people with disabilities. Municipalities must also seek advice from an accessibility advisory committee on the contents of their plans.

To view our current accessibility plan, view the Get READI Plan below. The implementation plan will be available at the end of 2025.

The Age-Friendly Action Plan 2025–2026 (PDF) outlines the City of Waterloo’s ongoing efforts to create an inclusive, accessible, and supportive environment for older adults through initiatives aligned with global age-friendly principles. 

Learn more about the Age-Friendly Waterloo Advisory Committee and how it plays a key role in promoting healthy aging in Waterloo. 

Updated in 2024, the plan is an inventory of the city’s assets, their condition and monitoring and prioritizing their rehabilitation. It is linked to our Long-term Financial Plan. 

Visit our asset management page to download the plan and learn more.

The district plan is a guide that outlines where and how the community will grow and develop. The plan was developed through public meetings, engagement with stakeholders and an advisory committee. Council approved the plan in January 2016.

The district plan outlines future land use and includes policies regarding natural and cultural heritage, urban design, transportation and infrastructure.

Beaver Creek Meadows District Plan

Maps

Finalized in 2009, this plan establishes land use for Parkview Cemetery and Bechtel Park over the next 15 years.

Cemetery Services Bechtel Park Master Plan (PDF)

Finalized in 2008, this plan is in force until 2028 and identifies strategies in parks, sports, heritage, community and arts and culture. It includes service delivery policy, placing priority on a working community organization.

Community, Culture and Recreation Services Master Plan (PDF)

Projected changes in the city's climate are expected to result in more freezing rain events, wind storms, heavy rainfalls and volatile temperatures. This impacts the city’s infrastructure and ability to deliver municipal services.

Completed in 2019, the Corporate Climate Adaptation Plan includes actions that help the city adapt our assets, operations and services to address the impacts of a changing climate.

Goals of the plan
  • minimize health and safety risks to outdoor workers and community members
  • generate awareness of changing climate conditions with staff and the public
  • ensure a coordinated response to extreme weather events
  • consider climate change impacts in infrastructure design, construction and maintenance
  • foster resiliency within the urban forest and natural landscape
  • reduce risk associated with heavy rainfall and flooding
  • minimize the disruption of city services
  • integrate climate adaptation into the city planning and operations
Supporting documents (PDF)

If you require this information in an alternate format, call 519-741-8531 or robyn.mcmullen@waterloo.ca.

Finalized in 2024, the Corporate Climate Action Plan identifies actions for the city to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. This includes emissions from city-owned buildings, fleet, equipment, and staff activities. 

The plan helps the city meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 (compared to 2010 levels).

Corporate Climate Action Plan (PDF)

The plan spans from 2014 to 2024 and works to define what culture means to Waterloo, how we are going to support culture and what support means to our community.

Culture Plan (PDF)

Updated in 2023, this plan establishes guidelines for a coordinated response to a number of risks the city could face. 

Emergency Response Plan (PDF)

Finalized in 2019, this plan establishes guidelines for lowering the city's contributions to greenhouse gases. These greenhouse gases are emitted by city-owned assets and through functions which include community and staff use of buildings, fleet, equipment, wastewater management treatment, outdoor lighting, solid waste and business travel. 

Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan (PDF)

In 2023, we finalized the Fire Master Plan with input from the community. This evidence-based plan prioritizes public safety to meet present and future risks and will guide fire protection services over the next decade.

Fire Master Plan (PDF)

Finalized in 2023, the Laurel Greenway Master Plan outlines a vision, concept and approach to develop the Laurel Greenway, a nearly two-kilometre long linear park running through uptown Waterloo, from Waterloo Park to Weber Street.

The plan focuses on creating a continuous Greenway experience and connecting a series of spaces that provide amenities, enhance natural features, and support the function of the entire area. 

If you would like a higher resolution PDF, email emily.brown@waterloo.ca.

Laurel Greenway Master Plan (PDF)

The Get READI Plan was developed through a collaborative process involving community members, equity-denied groups, and city staff. It began with a review of key documents and reports, followed by consultations with over 40 community organizations spanning non-profits, grassroots organizations, and advocacy groups serving equity-denied members. Input was gathered through discussions, surveys, and engagement sessions to identify challenges, priorities, and solutions. Feedback was then analyzed and refined into a strategic plan that reflects the shared goals and needs of the Waterloo community.

Get READI Plan (PDF)

The plan focuses on six key areas:

Reconciliation
This focus area aims to build trust with Indigenous communities by promoting education about their histories, honoring their cultures, and creating a Reconciliation Action Plan. It emphasizes culturally respectful engagement and responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

Upgrade physical accessibility
The city is committed to making its indoor and outdoor spaces accessible and inclusive for all. This includes upgrades to buildings, trails, parking, and washrooms, as well as creating sensory-friendly and universally accessible spaces that exceed minimum accessibility standards.

Cultivate a culture of belonging
This priority focuses on reducing discrimination and harassment, increasing inclusive programming, and supporting organizations that work with equity-denied communities. It aims to create welcoming spaces where everyone feels safe and valued.

Increase diversity among staff and leadership
The city seeks to reflect the diversity of its community by addressing barriers in hiring and career advancement for equity-denied groups. Leadership training on READI principles will help ensure City staff and leaders are inclusive and representative.

Equitable resource distribution 
This area addresses gaps in affordable housing, employment opportunities, and essential services. It emphasizes fair resource allocation, advocacy for accessible housing, and expanding programs that support equity-denied groups.

Build trust through systems of accountability
We will develop frameworks to ensure meaningful engagement, compensate community representatives for their input, and regularly report progress on READI goals through clear metrics. Transparency and community involvement are key to this focus.

Station area planning is the process of understanding how the land around station areas can take advantage of rapid transit. During the Region of Waterloo's construction of light rail transit system, the city led the planning of the station areas in Waterloo. The area generally includes anything within a 10-minute walk from the station or about 800 metres.

Following extensive public consultation, council approved station area plans in 2017. The plans officially came into force in February 2018, and have been incorporated into the city and region's official plans.

Approved rapid transit station plans

Initiated in 2017, the Long-term Financial Plan (LTFP) is a 25-year strategy to manage operating costs and plan for future infrastructure funding which is linked to our Asset Management Plan (AMP).

On December 11, 2023 staff provided an updated long-term financial plan to council as part of the 2024-2026 budget release. This assisted council during the 2024-2026 budget deliberations and delivering on the strategic goal of addressing current and future infrastructure needs. It makes sure the city maintains existing infrastructure while planning for new growth and development.

Supporting documents (PDF)
Next steps

Staff aim to update the LTFP with each three-year budget cycle. This timeline allows staff to align LTFP updates with changes to the city’s AMP and Development Charges Bylaw, giving council another tool for making budget decisions along with the Strategic Plan.

As staff update the LTFP model to reflect current information and council decisions, they also look for ways to improve it.

The updated Sanitary Master plan for Waterloo ensures that we're able to meet the needs of our growing population and workforce. It covers years 2031 to 2051.

The city considered new planning policies, growth projections, and the current needs and issues that exist in our community. The Integrated Sanitary Master Plan recommended improvements to serve the needs of our community through to the year 2051.

Sanitary Master Plan (PDF)

Sanitary Master Plan Appendices (PDF)

Visit our Engage Waterloo page for more on this project

Following public engagement in 2017 and 2018, this plan is complete. It provides the city with a stormwater management strategy to identify, protect and enhance natural features, ecological function and biophysical integrity. The ultimate goal is to protect our rivers, streams and ground water. 

Stormwater Management Master Plan

Appendices

If you require this information in an alternate format, contact Jessica Kellerman, jessica.kellerman@waterloo.ca, 519-886-2310, ext. 78243.

Updated in 2020, the plan provides direction for transportation planning and decision making with four guiding principles: accessibility, choice, sustainability and fiscally responsibility.

The Transportation Master Plan 2020 document is a large file that has been broken up as follows for ease of download and reading. 

Executive Summary

A summary of the entire project contents, including recommendations.

Executive Summary (PDF)

Introduction and table of contents

Chapter 1 of the report Introduces the project, including Purpose and Objectives. The table of contents provides information on where to find areas of interest within the larger report.

Introduction and Table of Contents (PDF)

Volume 1 Foundations

A list of the chapters and what is in each chapter:

  • Chapter 2 – Stakeholder Engagement summarizes the engagement activities carried out in developing the WTMP with details of the program content, communication methods and feedback received.
  • Chapter 3 – Planning Context details the policy framework for the TMP.
  • Chapter 4 – Existing Environment describes the natural, cultural and socioeconomic environments.
  • Chapter 5 – Transportation System documents current transportation networks and travel characteristics at the time of preparing the plan.
  • Chapter 6 – Future Outlook identifies anticipated transportation opportunities and challenges, the alternative planning solutions considered to address expected needs, and the City’s transportation vision and objectives.
  • Chapter 7 – Implementation explains the process and tools for implementing the TMP, highlights operating and maintenance considerations, and proposes monitoring strategies and a process of continual review and updates to the plan.

Volume 1 Foundations (PDF)

Volume 2 Active Transportation Strategy

Chapter 8 – Active Transportation presents the proposed cycling and pedestrian networks and supporting policies, guidelines, and end-of-trip facilities, with a description of the process followed to develop this component of the plan.

Volume 2 Active Transportation Strategy (PDF)

Volume 3 Roads, Transit and Future Mobility Strategies

Chapter 9 – Roads, outlines the transportation policies, programs and actions to help guide and support the safer use of the City’s road network. This section includes work on complete streets and vision zero principles along with roadway classification guidance and future road projects planned in Waterloo.

Chapter 10 – Transit and Future Mobility, outlines new and developing transportation considerations including measures to support transit, emerging mobility options, mobility as a service and mobility on demand, and connected and autonomous vehicles.

Volume 3 Roads, Transit and Future Mobility Strategies (PDF)

Appendices

This plan models the performance of Waterloo’s water distribution network from 2017 to 2031. It builds on the Region of Waterloo’s water supply distribution and operation master plan.

Water Distribution Master Plan

Appendices

Finalized in 2009, the plan is used to guide the development of Waterloo Park over the next 20 years.

In alignment with the city’s direction towards reconciliation, equity, and inclusion, and with plans to update the current park plan in 2025, the Waterloo Park Master Plan is now referred to as the Waterloo Park Plan. 

Waterloo Park Plan

Appendices