City of Waterloo Council Summary October 5, 2026
City of Waterloo council summary
October 5, 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.
Accessible design standards will remove barriers at the design stage for all City of Waterloo facilities
Council approved the adoption of the City's new Facility Accessibility Design Standards, establishing a consistent approach to accessible facility design by considering barriers before they are built into a space. The standards provide enhanced accessibility requirements for City buildings, facilities and outdoor spaces, meeting legislative requirements while advancing the City's commitment to creating inclusive and universally accessible spaces. The new standards represent a shift in design for public spaces, from correcting barriers after construction to preventing them through design.
The standards, based on an initial document from the City of London, were developed over a three-year period through collaboration with the City’s Facility Design and Management Services team, the City’s Accessibility Advocate, and the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC). They incorporate the accessibility requirements of the Ontario Building Code together with recognized best practices and enhanced design measures that exceed minimum legislative requirements where they improve accessibility and usability. Accessible design in buildings benefits everyone, creating safer, more usable, and inclusive spaces for people of all abilities and stages of life.
Additional grant funding expands scope of AMCC renovation project
Council approved funding to support Phase B of the Albert McCormick Community Centre (AMCC) and Waterloo Public Library McCormick Branch renovation and expansion. Since the initial design and construction cost estimates for Phase B were presented in May 2025, staff were successful in securing funding through the Ontario government's Community Sports and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF), allowing the project to expand beyond the original scope. The original scope of the project includes:
• Expanded and renovated McCormick Branch Library, including programming space, makerspace, study areas and expanded collections.
• New accessible entrance connecting the arena, library and community room.
• Expanded community room designed for flexible recreation, community and leisure programming.
• New commercial kitchen to support community programs and partnerships.
• Dedicated spiritual space and other accessibility improvements.
Thanks to the additional funding (a $775,000 provincial grant and a matching $775,000 City contribution) the project will now also include:
• Accessibility improvements were added, including a new sensory room, improved entrances and circulation, and other accessibility upgrades.
• Customer service space added to create a more visible City presence within the facility and better support community centre users.
• Facility improvements added, including upgrades to the concession, new flooring and painting, and new exterior siding.
Construction on this second phase of the project will begin later this year with expected completion in early 2028.
Waterloo advances significant complete community development
City of Waterloo Council approved amendments to support a complete community development at 170 to 200 Northfield Dr W and 570-655 Weber St N. The proposed development includes 3,084 units with 6,553 bedrooms, 2,467 vehicle parking spaces (primarily underground), 2,205 bicycle parking spaces and 22,239 sq.m. of employment space and 342 sq.m. of commercial space, and park space.
The amendment includes a site-specific Holding (H) provision requiring sufficient municipal servicing capacity (water, sanitary and storm) and to protect for a potential future school site for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. This approval supports creation of a complete community with residential (standalone and mixed-use), commercial, employment, and community uses.
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