Plans

In addition to the official plan and strategic plan, the city is guided by other long-range plans in key areas.

Accessibility Plan

The City of Waterloo works with advice from the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee to develop and update a corporate accessibility plan. 

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act requires municipalities to develop an accessibility plan to remove of barriers for people with disabilities. Municipalities must also seek advice from an accessibility advisory committee on the contents of their plans.

Supporting documents (PDFs)

Asset Management Plan

Updated in 2020, the plan is an inventory of the city’s assets, their condition and monitoring and prioritizing their rehabilitation. It is linked to our Long-term Financial Plan. 

Visit our asset management page to download the plan and learn more.

Beaver Creek Meadows District Plan

The district plan is a guide that outlines where and how the community will grow and develop. The plan was developed through public meetings, engagement with stakeholders and an advisory committee. Council approved the plan in January 2016.

The district plan outlines future land use and includes policies regarding natural and cultural heritage, urban design, transportation and infrastructure.

Beaver Creek Meadows District Plan

Maps

Cemetery Services Bechtel Park Master Plan

Finalized in 2009, this plan establishes land use for Parkview Cemetery and Bechtel Park over the next 15 years.

Cemetery Services Bechtel Park Master Plan (PDF)

Community, Culture and Recreation Services Master Plan

Finalized in 2008, this plan is in force until 2028 and identifies strategies in parks, sports, heritage, community and arts and culture. It includes service delivery policy, placing priority on a working community organization.

Community, Culture and Recreation Services Master Plan (PDF)

Corporate Climate Adaptation Plan

Projected changes in the city's climate are expected to result in more freezing rain events, wind storms, heavy rainfalls and volatile temperatures. This impacts the city’s infrastructure and ability to deliver municipal services.

Completed in 2019, the Corporate Climate Adaptation Plan includes actions that help the city adapt our assets, operations and services to address the impacts of a changing climate.

Goals of the plan
  • minimize health and safety risks to outdoor workers and community members
  • generate awareness of changing climate conditions with staff and the public
  • ensure a coordinated response to extreme weather events
  • consider climate change impacts in infrastructure design, construction and maintenance
  • foster resiliency within the urban forest and natural landscape
  • reduce risk associated with heavy rainfall and flooding
  • minimize the disruption of city services
  • integrate climate adaptation into the city planning and operations
Supporting documents (PDF)

If you require this information in an alternate format, call 519-741-8531, TTY (for deaf) 1-866-786-3941 or robyn.mcmullen@waterloo.ca

Culture Plan

The plan spans from 2014 to 2024 and works to define what culture means to Waterloo, how we are going to support culture and what support means to our community.

Supporting documents

Emergency Management Master Plan

Finalized in 2017, this plan establishes guidelines for a coordinated response to a number of risks the city could face. 

Emergency Management Master Plan

Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan

Finalized in 2019, this plan establishes guidelines for lowering the city's contributions to greenhouse gases. These greenhouse gases are emitted by city-owned assets and through functions which include community and staff use of buildings, fleet, equipment, wastewater management treatment, outdoor lighting, solid waste and business travel. 

Energy Conservation and Demand include community Plan

Light Rail Transit Station Planning

Station area planning is the process of understanding how the land around station areas can take advantage of rapid transit. During the Region of Waterloo's construction of light rail transit system, the city led the planning of the station areas in Waterloo. The area generally includes anything within a 10-minute walk from the station or about 800 metres.

Following extensive public consultation, council approved station area plans in 2017. The plans officially came into force in February 2018, and have been incorporated into the city and region's official plans.

Approved rapid transit station plans

Long-term Financial Plan

Initiated in 2017, the Long-Term Financial Plan (LFTP) is a 25-year strategy to manage operating costs and plan for future infrastructure funding which is linked to our Asset Management Plan (AMP).

On December 9, 2019 staff provided an updated long-term financial plan to council as part of the 2020 - 2022 budget release. This assisted council as part of the 2020 - 2022 budget deliberations and delivering on the strategic plan goal of responding to infrastructure needs today and into the future. This ensures the city maintains existing infrastructure, while planning for new growth and development.


Supporting documents (PDFs)
Next steps

Staff intend on updating the LTFP with each three year budget cycle. This timeline will allow staff to align the LTFP updates with updates to the city’s AMP and Development Charges ByLaw providing council with another tool for budget decision making along with other inputs such as council’s approved Strategic Plan.

As staff continue to update the LTFP model to reflect current information and decisions by council, staff will also continue to look for ongoing updates and improvements that can be made and to refine the LTFP model.

Sanitary Master Plan

This plan for Waterloo’s sanitary system ensures that we're able to meet the needs of an increasing population and workforce. It covers from 2015 to 2031.

The City is considering new planning policies, growth projections, and the current needs and issues that exist in our community. The Integrated Sanitary Master Plan will review improvements to serve the needs of our community through to the year 2051.

Visit our Engage Waterloo page for more on this project

Sanitary Master Plan 

Appendices

Stormwater Master Plan

Following public engagement in 2017 and 2018, this plan is complete. It provides the city with a stormwater management strategy to identify, protect and enhance natural features, ecological function and biophysical integrity. The ultimate goal is to protect our rivers, streams and ground water. 

Stormwater Management Master Plan

Appendices

If you require this information in an alternate format, contact Jessica Kellerman, jessica.kellerman@waterloo.ca, 519-886-2310, ext. 78243.

Transportation Master Plan

Updated in 2020, the plan provides direction for transportation planning and decision making with four guiding principles: accessibility, choice, sustainability and fiscally responsibility.

The Transportation Master Plan 2020 document is a large file that has been broken up as follows for ease of download and reading. 

Executive Summary

A summary of the entire project contents, including recommendations.

Executive Summary (PDF)

Introduction and table of contents

Chapter 1 of the report Introduces the project, including Purpose and Objectives. The table of contents provides information on where to find areas of interest within the larger report.

Introduction and Table of Contents (PDF)

Volume 1 Foundations

A list of the chapters and what is in each chapter:

  • Chapter 2 – Stakeholder Engagement summarizes the engagement activities carried out in developing the WTMP with details of the program content, communication methods and feedback received.
  • Chapter 3 – Planning Context details the policy framework for the TMP.
  • Chapter 4 – Existing Environment describes the natural, cultural and socioeconomic environments.
  • Chapter 5 – Transportation System documents current transportation networks and travel characteristics at the time of preparing the plan.
  • Chapter 6 – Future Outlook identifies anticipated transportation opportunities and challenges, the alternative planning solutions considered to address expected needs, and the City’s transportation vision and objectives.
  • Chapter 7 – Implementation explains the process and tools for implementing the TMP, highlights operating and maintenance considerations, and proposes monitoring strategies and a process of continual review and updates to the plan.

Volume 1 Foundations (PDF)

Volume 2 Active Transportation Strategy

Chapter 8 – Active Transportation presents the proposed cycling and pedestrian networks and supporting policies, guidelines, and end-of-trip facilities, with a description of the process followed to develop this component of the plan.

Volume 2 Active Transportation Strategy (PDF)

Volume 3 Roads, Transit and Future Mobility Strategies

Chapter 9 – Roads, outlines the transportation policies, programs and actions to help guide and support the safer use of the City’s road network. This section includes work on complete streets and vision zero principles along with roadway classification guidance and future road projects planned in Waterloo.

Chapter 10 – Transit and Future Mobility, outlines new and developing transportation considerations including measures to support transit, emerging mobility options, mobility as a service and mobility on demand, and connected and autonomous vehicles.

Volume 3 Roads, Transit and Future Mobility Strategies (PDF)

Appendices

Water Distribution Master Plan

This plan models the performance of Waterloo’s water distribution network from 2017 to 2031. It builds on the Region of Waterloo’s water supply distribution and operation master plan.

Water Distribution Master Plan

Appendices

Waterloo Park Master Plan 

Finalized in 2009, the plan is used to guide the development of Waterloo Park over the next 20 years. 

Waterloo Park Master Plan

Appendices