City of Waterloo Council Summary September 14, 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.
Council appoints Sandy van Solm as the City of Waterloo’s first female Fire Chief
Council recognized the retirement of outgoing City of Waterloo Fire Chief Richard Hepditch, and appointed Sandy van Solm the new Fire Chief for Waterloo Fire Rescue. Chief van Solm is the first female Fire Chief at the City of Waterloo and has been a Deputy Chief with Waterloo Fire Rescue since 2020. She holds a PhD from the School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo and has over 25 years of experience in public safety, including Emergency Management with the Region of Waterloo and the GTAA, and Emergency Management and Fire Services in Amsterdam-Amstelland Fire Services. Chief van Solm is a respected leader in emergency response planning and education, with a particular interest in improving the emergency response for vulnerable populations during emergencies and disasters.
Chief Hepditch’s retirement comes after over 31 years of service at the City of Waterloo, serving as City of Waterloo Fire Chief for over 12 years. Council congratulated and wished him well, thanking him for his dedication and service to the City of Waterloo and the community.
Waterloo Council supports local manufacturing with discretionary DC relief
City of Waterloo council approved a request from Novy Manufacturing Inc. to waive development charges (DCs) associated with constructing a new 5,500-square-foot expansion building on their existing site at 650 Weber Street North. In reviewing the request for DC relief, staff noted that under the provincial Act and City by-law, a 5,500 square-foot building addition would qualify for a full exemption from the charges if it were attached to the existing building. However, because the proposed expansion is a separate building, the statutory exemption does not apply, and the full development charges would be payable.
In reviewing the exemption request, City staff noted various site constraints (including flood plain setback and an easement requirement) that prevent the business from attaching the expansion to the existing building, concluding that the company had limited ability to design the expansion in a way that would qualify for DC exemptions. Council approved the discretionary exemption of the City of Waterloo's portion of the DCs based on this assessment. The expansion of Novy Manufacturing Inc. is expected to create approximately 15 new jobs over two years, supporting a strong and innovative local manufacturing workforce.
Waterloo supports Canadian Wildfire Fund with $15,000 donation to Canadian Red Cross
Councillor Wright brought forward a motion in response to the Canadian Red Cross' urgent appeal for donations to the Canadian Wildfire Fund. The fund will enhance Canada’s readiness and response to the escalating wildfire risks and bolster resilience. During the summer of 2026, wildfire smoke blanketed the City of Waterloo as southern Ontario experienced air quality conditions that ranked among the worst in the world, demonstrating that communities far from active wildfires are increasingly vulnerable to changing climate driven environmental hazards. Wildfires are a significant public health issue impacting physical and mental health - with impacts inequitably distributed and disproportionately impacting indigenous communities.
City of Waterloo Council approved a one-time donation of $15,000 to the Canadian Red Cross Canadian Wildfire Fund in support of communities across Canada that were severely impacted by 2026 wildfires.
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