Committees
Find out how to volunteer on committees, how committees work and about different types of committees. Meeting schedules, agendas and minutes are posted on our calendar.
On this page
- Volunteering on a committee
- Current committee opportunities
- Apply to be on a committee
- How committees work and codes of conduct
- Advisory committees to council
- Statutory committees
- Advisory committees to staff
- Inter-agency committees
- Boards
Volunteering on a committee
Volunteering on a City of Waterloo committee of council or local board is one of the ways you can get involved and make a difference. Committees of council provide advice to Council and staff on issues important to the public. The City looks for members that can assist Council in strengthening Waterloo as a diverse and inclusive community.
To sign up to be contacted about when our next recruitment opens, please email committees@waterloo.ca.
Current committee opportunities
Serving on a City of Waterloo committee of council or local board is one of the ways you can get involved and make a difference. Committees of council provide advice to Council and staff on issues important to the public. The City is looking for members that can assist Council in strengthening Waterloo as a diverse and inclusive community.
Waterloo city council invites members of the public who reside, own property, own a business, or work in the City of Waterloo or attend a Waterloo campus of a post-secondary institution to apply for the Audit Committee for a term ending November 2026.
To apply for the Audit Committee, a Charter Professional Accountant (CPA) designation is required.
Apply to be on a committee
Your application can be submitted online through our application form below. Applications will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 24, 2023.
Learn more about the Audit Committee, meeting times and how it functions before submitting an application:
- the terms of reference for the committee
- the meeting dates and times
- the code of conduct for the committee
- the City of Waterloo Committee Policy
Apply Here for committee opportunities
If you would like a paper or PDF copy of the application form, or if you would like more information on the committees and how to apply, please contact our committee coordinator at committees@waterloo.ca or by telephone at 519-747-8704, TTY 1-866-786-3941.
How committees work and codes of conduct
Advisory committees hold public meetings to discuss topics within their mandate. Any person can attend a meeting or sign up to be a delegate before the committee.
To see a list of committee meetings and to find the agenda for an upcoming meeting, see the committee calendar.
Every committee elects a chair who presides over the public meetings. Committees also have non-voting staff members who provide advice to the committee, circulate agendas, and take minutes.
Committees are governed by the city’s committee policy and members are required to follow a code of conduct.
The following codes of conduct apply for committee members:
- View the Waterloo Public Library Board Code of Conduct (PDF)
- Review the Committee Policy (PDF)
- Review the Code of Conduct for Members of Council (PDF). This code applies to these committees: Audit Committee, Appeals Tribunal, Committee of Adjustment, Community Grants Committee, Dog Designation Appeal Committee, Municipal Heritage Committee, and Sign Variance Committee.
- Review the Code of Conduct for Members of Advisory Committees (PDF). This code applies to these committees: to Advisory Committee on Culture, Sustainability Advisory Committee, Waterloo Advisory Committee on Active Transportation, Waterloo Economic Development Advisory Committee, and Waterloo Park Advisory Committee.
To learn more about a specific committee or to contact the staff member for the committee, you can find more information below.
Advisory committees to council
An advisory committee advises council directly based on the mandate outlined in their terms of reference.
Advisory Committee on Culture |
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The advisory committee on culture advises council and staff on cultural growth in the city, including art, heritage, libraries, cultural industries and creative services. The advisory committee on culture meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 8 to 10 a.m. Contact 519-747-6124 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Audit Committee |
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The audit committee reviews and audits City of Waterloo's financial transactions. The audit committee meets three to four times per year, or as needed. Contact 519-747-8774 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Community Grants Committee |
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The community grants committee review applications for the City of Waterloo community grant programs. The community grants committee will meet on the following dates and times in 2023: January 17 Applicants for the Community Grants Committee must commit to being able to attend all of these meetings. Contact 519-747-8512 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Sustainability Advisory Committee |
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The sustainability advisory committee advises council on the implementation and promotion of the city's sustainability program and strategy. The sustainability advisory committee meets on the second Thursday of every month at 8:30 to 10 a.m. If you are interested in attending the committee as a delegation, please fill out this form. Contact 519-747-8064 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Waterloo Advisory Committee on Active Transportation |
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The Waterloo advisory committee on active transportation advises council on existing and proposed methods of transportation. The Waterloo advisory committee on active transportation meets at 8 to 10 a.m. on the following dates:
Contact 519-747-8744 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Waterloo Economic Development Advisory Committee |
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The Waterloo economic development advisory committee advises council on economic development programs, projects and initiatives. The Waterloo economic development advisory committee meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 8 to 10 a.m. Contact 519-747-8706 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Waterloo Park Advisory Committee |
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The Waterloo Park advisory committee advises council on the implementation of the work associated with the Waterloo Park Master Plan. The Waterloo Park advisory committee meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Contact 519-886-2310 x 30323 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Statutory committees
These committees are established by a municipal bylaw or provincial law and function according to legal requirements.
Appeals Tribunal |
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The appeals tribunal hears appeals through minor variance or applications submitted through municipal enforcement for rental housing, fence, business licensing, and property standards. Contact 519-747-8777 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Committee of Adjustment |
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The committee of adjustment considers applications for consent and applications for minor variances. It does not have terms of reference as it is guided by the Planning Act. The committee of adjustment meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 4:30 p.m. except in December. In December the committee meets on December 13 at 4:30 p.m. Visit our committee of adjustment page for more information. Contact 519-747-8773 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee. |
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Terms of reference |
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Date approved by council - June 27 2022 MandateThe Committee of Adjustment is a statutory quasi-judicial body with authority delegated to it by the Council of The Corporation of the City of Waterloo under the provisions of the Ontario Planning Act and Ontario Municipal Act to hold public hearings to make decisions on applications submitted to the City for minor variances, legal nonconforming uses, consents for severances, rights-of-way or easements, applications for validation of title, and fence variances. The Committee operates independently from Council, and its decisions may be appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT), subject to applicable law and related procedures. The Committee may:
Goals/ObjectivesThe goal of the Committee of Adjustment is to provide for, and conduct, an open, transparent, public and fair hearing by:
Reporting to CouncilA standard report provided to Council through the Annual Committee Night. Appeals of decisions made by the Committee of Adjustment under the Fence By-law will be heard by Council. Enabling Legislation, By-Law or Staff ReportThe Committee of Adjustment was formed by Council under Section 44 of the Planning Act. The committee operates under the provisions of the Planning Act and the Statutory Powers Procedure Act, in addition to the City of Waterloo Procedure By-law. Committee CompositionA minimum of six members of the public are appointed by Council for a four year term concurrent with the term of the Council appointing them. Three members shall constitute a quorum, as per Section 44(5) of the Planning Act. Skills RequestedPreference will be given to candidates who have:
Administration SectionDepartment Linkage - Planning Division |
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Dog Designation Appeal Committee |
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The dog designation appeal committee will hear appeals from dog owners to affirm or rescind a dog in question that has been designated dangerous or potentially dangerous by the pound keeper or is a restricted or prohibited breed. Contact 519-747-8777 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee |
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The municipal election compliance audit committee reviews municipal campaign finances as per the Municipal Election Act. Contact 519-747-8798 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Municipal Heritage Committee |
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The Municipal Heritage Committee advises council on matters involving conservation and preservation of both public and private cultural heritage resources within the city. The municipal heritage committee meets on the fourth Thursday of every month at noon. Contact 519-747-6068 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Sign Variance Committee |
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The sign variance committee reviews applications for signs and amendments to the sign bylaw. The sign variance committee meets at 1:00 p.m. on the following dates:
Contact 519-514-0224 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Advisory committees to staff
These committees are established by recommendation of council or city staff to carry out specific functions. They often work with other stakeholders, staff groups or committees.
Waterloo Award Committee |
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The Waterloo Award committee reviews applications and makes a recommendation to council for the Waterloo Award. Contact 519-888-6488 x 78204 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Inter-agency committees
Inter-agency committees are appointed by local agencies and generally have their terms of reference endorsed by city council.
The Age Friendly Cities Committee advises council on how best to promote active aging in Waterloo. Contact 519-747-8748 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee. Waterloo Senior of the Year Award Each year, the committee presents the Waterloo Senior of the Year Award to one local 65+ person who has made outstanding contributions to the community. Visit our civic awards webpage for applications details. Annual events The Age-Friendly Cities committee is active in hosting annual events and engaging seniors to get involved in their community. They do this through:
We look forward to what our committee can offer as we retool some of our annual events for the community. Designations, awards and reports Our commitment to age friendliness was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), which designated Waterloo among the Global Network of Age-friendly Cities in 2012 for our commitment to assessing and improving our age-friendliness. The WHO designation requires continual development. The committee created an assessment tool of the age-friendliness of our city and developed a city-wide action plan (PDF) to meet these requirements. In March 2018, the City of Waterloo received an Ontario Age-friendly Community Recognition Award. This award celebrates the work of Ontario municipalities who strive to be age-friendly. In 2018 the University of Waterloo School of Planning prepared an evaluation report (PDF) summarizing the city's challenges and areas of strength as an aspiring age-friendly community. The evaluation was based on data collected from focus group sessions held early in 2018. In 2021, University of Waterloo graduate students prepared the Alternatives to Long-Term Care & Housing: Environmental Scan report. The housing report (PDF) highlights seven approaches that a city could consider to accommodate residents as they age.
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Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee |
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The Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC) advises seven municipalities within the Region of Waterloo to fulfill the purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act by providing advice in regards to the removal of all levels of barriers. Recruitment for GRAAC typically opens in mid-September each year for the term starting January of the following year. The committee consists of a maximum of 15 members and is a four-year term. Recruitment is dependent on spaces available. Meetings and agendasView upcoming GRAAC meetings and agendas.
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Town and Gown Committee |
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The Town and Gown Committee enhances relationships, communications and policies among the universities, college, students, city, police and the community. Contact 519-747-8748 to reach the staff person responsible for this committee.
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Boards
City council has representation on the following external boards: