City of Waterloo council summary February 23, 2026

** 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.

Waterloo purchases land next to Lexington Park for expansion and upgrade

Council approved the purchase of 279 Lexington Road, beside Lexington Park, to formally make the space part of the park. Since 1999, the City of Waterloo has operated the sports field and parking lot at 279 Lexington Road for public use under an agreement with Waterloo Mennonite Brethren Church. The existing park and newly acquired area will be upgraded and improved to become a “community level park”, with additional amenities that could include public washrooms, spray pad, and multi-use courts.

Waterloo modernizes Dangerous Dog bylaw

Council approved updates to the City’s Dangerous Dog bylaw, making it easier to understand and enforce. Under the bylaw, the humane society can designate a dog as dangerous if it has attacked, bitten or caused injury, and owners can appeal the designation. The updated bylaw will change the appeal model from a panel of Council members and citizens to the City’s independent Hearing Officer framework under the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS). Independent Hearing Officers have strong administrative law expertise and an understanding of equity, fairness, and accessibility considerations, balancing regulatory goals with individual circumstances.

Additional updates to the bylaw also include an option, where appropriate, to remove a potentially dangerous or dangerous dog designation if certain criteria are met. Penalties under the bylaw were also updated to $1,000 for a first offence and $2,000 for second and subsequent offences.

Development Charges Background Study approved as framework for new DC bylaw

Council approved the Development Charges (DC) Background Study, prepared to support the adoption of a new Development Charge bylaw. The Background Study incorporates growth forecasts for residential and non-residential development, and the infrastructure required to service this growth. It contains changes to align with legislation passed since the City’s last DC bylaw was approved, as well recent amendments to the DC Act through Bill 17, Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025 and Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025. 

Proposed DC rates the City could impose as a result of the new DC Background Study are higher than current rates for residential development, and lower than current rates for non-residential development. Staff will return to Council on March 23, 2026 to recommend adoption of the new Development Charge bylaw, with a proposed effective date of April 1, 2026.

Council requests opportunity to engage with Ontario ministry on plans to consolidate conservation authorities

Mayor McCabe brought forward a motion regarding the provincial plan in Bill 68 for consolidation of Ontario’s conservation authorities. 

Council unanimously supported the motion, requesting that municipalities be allowed opportunity to review the full financial, reserves and operational impacts that could affect local control and management of the floodplain areas watersheds and natural resources which Conservation Authorities were established to manage. 

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Media contact:

Cari Van Niekerk
Director, Corporate Communications
cari.vanniekerk@waterloo.ca