City of Waterloo Council Summary November 2, 2026

** The council summary provides a snapshot of the major items presented at the November 2, 2026 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 presented with Ontario's first ever 'platinum' level bicycle friendly community status

Representatives from Share the Road Cycling Coalition were in chambers to present Council with the City of Waterloo’s Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community status, the highest designation awarded through the program. The Cities of Waterloo and Ottawa both received this milestone award at the 2026 Ontario Bike Summit. It is the first time since the program was launched in 2010 that any municipality in Ontario has achieved platinum status. 

The Bicycle Friendly program, administered in Ontario by the Share the Road Coalition, evaluates, ranks and awards communities on how well they support cycling as a safe, accessible and attractive mode of transportation for people of all ages and abilities. More information is available in the City’s news release from September.

City of Waterloo receives two Canada’s Clean50 sustainability awards

The City of Waterloo was recognized with two Canada’s Clean50 Awards at the Clean50 Summit on October 15, 2026: the Clean50 Net Zero Action Plan award, and the Clean50 Community Resilience award. The awards are announced annually by Delta Management Group to recognize those who have done the most to contribute to the clean economy in Canada over the past two years.

The Clean50 Net Zero Action Plan award recognizes the net-zero plan with the best short-term objectives, with action underway and an achievable plan to make serious progress by 2030. Waterloo’s actions include: 

• A formal commitment to net-zero corporate emissions by 2050, with the City of Waterloo the first municipality in Waterloo Region to adopt that goal.
• Measured progress: the City reported that corporate emissions were 40% below its 2010 baseline by 2022, supporting its interim goal of a 50% reduction by 2030.
• Practical emissions-reduction work across operations: including low-carbon retrofits of recreation facilities, more electric vehicles and equipment, reduced-energy ice-making practices, and operational improvements across City divisions.
• Embedding climate action into core municipal decisions: through climate-informed asset management, procurement, budgeting, green-building standards, and long-term capital planning.
• A replicable municipal model: Waterloo’s approach connects facility renewals, fleet replacement, infrastructure investment, and day-to-day service delivery with its climate objectives, rather than treating climate action as a separate initiative. 

The Clean50 Community Resilience award recognizes those whose efforts are helping to reduce the impacts of climate change by taking action to help Canadian communities build resilience in the face of the rising risks posed by a rapidly changing climate. Waterloo’s work stands out for connecting policy, infrastructure, land-use planning, municipal finance, and on-the-ground improvements into a practical resilience approach, including:

• Climate-resilient stormwater and asset management: Waterloo incorporated climate risk into how it plans, designs, maintains, and replaces municipal infrastructure, helping ensure investments account for more frequent and severe weather.
• Natural and neighbourhood-based resilience: Expanding tree canopy and shade features helps reduce heat exposure and improves comfort and health in public spaces.
  Investments in low-carbon, resilient growth: Projects such as Generation Park apply LEED Silver and Zero Carbon Building standards, supporting development that is better prepared for a changing climate.
• Integrated planning and funding: The City’s Climate Action Reserve Fund supports formal climate action plans, while carbon and climate considerations are being incorporated into budgeting, procurement, and long-term decision-making.
• Mobility and community resilience: Investment in trails, active transportation, and e-mobility gives residents more transportation choices while reducing emissions and dependence on private vehicles.

Mayor Dorothy McCabe presented staff with the awards she received on behalf of the City at the Clean50 Summit. Mayor McCabe was also recognized at the summit with a Clean16 award as a leader in sustainability in Canada.

Work continues towards City of Waterloo Net Zero climate action goal

Staff presented the 2026 Sustainability and Climate Change update report on the City’s climate action plans and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets. Approximately 90% of actions in the Corporate Climate Action Plan (CorCAP), more than 85% in the Community Climate Change Adaptation Plan (CCCAP), and 88% of the City’s actions under TransformWR are either underway or complete.

The City’s corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were an estimated 5,613 tonnes in 2025; a 34% reduction from 2010 levels and a further 4% reduction since 2023. The City of Waterloo remains committed to our target of reducing corporate emissions by 50% by 2030.

The City has made significant investments in municipal facilities, fleet and operations to reduce energy consumption and transition away from fossil fuels toward lower carbon energy sources such as electricity. However, the impact of these investments on the City’s GHG emissions has been tempered by the changing emissions intensity of the Provincial electricity grid. Fluctuations in the emissions intensity of the Provincial electrical grid are dependent on factors outside of the City’s control and are currently being impacted by a greater reliance on natural gas generation as the Province works to refurbish its nuclear power stations.

Over the next year, City staff will continue to advance additional initiatives to support further GHG reductions while enhancing the resilience of municipal assets, operations, and the community, including:

• Continued work towards capital projects that include City facility retrofits and upgrades that reduce corporate GHG emissions. 
• Continued efforts to secure provincial and federal government funding that reduces GHG emissions and supports municipal climate adaptation, additional sustainable standard design principles, and advocacy that supports the decarbonizing of the Provincial electricity grid.
• Continued expansion of the active transportation network, retrofitting of corporate buildings, and conversion of fleet vehicles to zero emission.
  
  

Waterloo to pilot free space access in return for free/low-cost community programming 

City of Waterloo council approved the Free Use of Community Space Pilot Policy, in support of a pilot program where eligible organizations would get free space access in return for providing free or low-cost programs and activities to the community.

Staff have identified a cost-effective opportunity to offer free space by using city spaces, typically rooms, that are seldom booked. Some of the rooms that would be available through this pilot program are typically used less than 15% of the available booking hours. Making these spaces available for free to community groups would not significantly impact rental revenue or displace paid bookings. 

Under the pilot program, in return for free space access, eligible organizations would be expected to provide free or low-cost programs and activities to the community. This pilot approach would allow the city to measure community benefit and usage rates and to then adjust the program to better meet community needs going forward.

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