City of Waterloo council summary October 16, 2023

** The council summary provides a snapshot of the major items presented at council. Please refer to the Council minutes for an official record of the meeting. The recorded meeting can also be viewed on the City of Waterloo youtube channel**

Council approves WLU Stadium “bubble” funding to support year-round community access

Council approved the release of funding to support the Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) Stadium Improvement project, collaborating with WLU on the renovation of their stadium. In exchange for financial support, the City of Waterloo can use the renovated facility for community access to support sport organizations and community groups, helping to meet the needs of our growing city. The City of Waterloo investment will fund the replacement of the stadium field and turf, scoreboard and lighting, and a new “bubble” cover which will allow for year-round use. Demand for sport facilities is high in the City of Waterloo, and the addition of year-round access to a high-quality, artificial turf field will provide much-needed field space for more local sport organizations, while supporting opportunities for sport tourism and larger events.

Council strengthens climate action commitment to Net Zero corporate emissions

Council unanimously demonstrated the City of Waterloo’s critical commitment to environmental sustainability and climate action by strengthening the City’s corporate target for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As part of the development of the Corporate Climate Action Plan, the City of Waterloo has committed to a new goal of net zero corporate emissions by 2050.

Council amended and approved the direction presented by staff for the development of the Corporate Climate Action Plan. The plan, a detailed and integrated approach to reducing the City’s corporate greenhouse gas emissions, originally included the community goal of reducing emissions to 50 per cent by 2030 and 80 per cent by 2050. Council decided to set a powerful new goal for the corporation to hit net zero emissions — the point at which the amount of greenhouse gas emitted is equal to the amount that is removed from the atmosphere — by 2050.

The Corporate Climate Action Plan will address the reduction of emissions that occur from sources owned and controlled by the City (such as buildings and vehicles), as well as all indirect emissions from purchased energy generated off-site but used by the City. Emissions from solid waste production and business travel by the City will also be targeted for reduction.  

City of Waterloo declares intimate partner violence an epidemic

The City of Waterloo declares that intimate partner violence is an epidemic for all persons, regardless of gender or sex. The City will join other Ontario municipalities calling on the Province to follow suit in acknowledging this epidemic and to provide additional funding aimed at preventing intimate partner violence. The City also supports the inclusion of intimate partner violence as a priority in the Region of Waterloo’s Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan. The declaration by Council aligns with a recommendation from the inquest into the murders of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam in 2015.

-30-

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