Council Summary September 8, 2025
City of Waterloo council summary
September 8, 2025
** 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 pioneers Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) pilot program
City of Waterloo council approved the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) pilot program. The MURA program, which will help not-for-profit housing providers purchase market rental buildings and/or units for affordable housing, is only the second of its kind in Ontario.
Through the MURA pilot program, the City of Waterloo will make up to $2.5 million in grants available to protect long term affordable rental housing in the city. The grants (fully funded by the Housing Accelerator Fund) will assist eligible not-for-profit housing providers with a portion of the cost to acquire eligible existing market based rental housing.
Applicants must have not-for-profit status, and eligible properties must be market-based rentals containing six units or more (it may be a townhouse, stacked townhouse, apartment, multi-unit residential building or lodging house). MURA program information will be shared on the City’s website once available, with a formal call for applications expected in early 2026.
Proposed planning framework supports missing middle housing in Sugarbush South
Staff provided an update on the proposed Sugarbush South Land Use Plan. This project, part of the City of Waterloo's Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) actions, will help enable much needed missing middle, transit-supported housing near the universities, college, and two light rail transit stations. This HAF initiative will help address housing supply challenges by supporting an estimated 4,800 additional bedrooms in the neighbourhood.
The proposed planning framework for Sugarbush South includes:
- opportunities for mixed-use development;
- medium-rise built form, with a maximum of eight storeys along the minor corridors, and six storeys in the neighbourhood interior;
- preservation and enhancement of trees and the natural environment;
- flexible sites for parkettes;
- connectivity to the City's active transportation network; and;
- a holding provision to help protect existing affordable rental housing from being lost to redevelopment.
Next steps include additional public engagement in October, with a return to Council with a final plan in spring 2026.
Waterloo approves amendments to support new hotel and additional housing units
City of Waterloo Council approved zoning and official plan amendments to support the following developments:
A new nine-storey hotel containing 216 guest rooms and a one-storey conference/banquet facility at 380 Hagey Boulevard. The development will include an accessory restaurant, lounge and fitness amenities.
A 30-storey development with 231 units at 177-179 Albert Street. The building design includes a wide unit mix in the total of 425 bedrooms (91 studio and one-bedroom units, 86 two-bedroom units, and 54 three-bedroom units). At least four per cent of the residential density on the lands will be designated for affordable units.
Two new townhouse buildings with a total of 11 units at 137 and 141 Woolwich Street. The three-storey freehold townhouse units will be three-bedroom units, or two-bedroom units with den.
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Media contact:
Cari Van Niekerk
Director, Corporate Communications
cari.vanniekerk@waterloo.ca