Draft Regional Intensification Strategy and New Interactive Mapping Activity

We are pleased to release the draft Intensification Strategy for feedback, as well as launch a new interactive mapping activity based on the six proposed Regional Intensification Corridors. For access to the draft strategy, please click on the term "Intensification Strategy" throughout this update. We'd be happy to accept any feedback through the email address Regionalofficialplanreview@regionofwaterloo.ca or by mail at Community Planning Division (ROPR),150 Frederick Street, 8th Floor, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 4J3, until December 13, 2020.

We will use any comments or feedback to help finalize the Intensification Strategy and the Regional Intensification Corridors, in conjunction with the feedback we received on the Proposed Boundaries for Major Transit Station Areas interactive mapping activity that was posted earlier this year.

What is an Intensification Strategy?

The purpose of this Intensification Strategy is to identify the amount of growth that can be accommodated within the Built-Up Area of the Region and to assess historic trends and current market conditions to guide the identification of an appropriate intensification target for the Region. For interest, this draft Intensification Strategy uses population and employment forecasts to the year 2041, however, we are currently working on incorporating the new Provincial forecasts to the year 2051 in our work.

Why are we doing an Intensification Strategy?

One of the overarching reasons why we're doing an Intensification Strategy is because we have been directed by the Province to take a more active role in determining how much growth can occur and where. In order to be able to figure out where to direct growth and how much in certain areas, we need to take a step back and look at how we've been doing over the past decade so that we can then plan for future growth that aligns with having a sustainable and transit-supportive community.

Proposed Regional Intensification Corridors - Interactive Mapping

Six Regional Major Intensification Corridors (shown in yellow on the map) have been proposed through the draft Intensification Strategy. The goal of Regional Major Intensification Corridors is to increase densities in close proximity to existing and planned transit. For these corridors to be effective, they should occur where there is infrastructure to support density, and where intensification can contribute to the development of transit-supportive/pedestrian-friendly areas. Please click here to take a look at the interactive mapping and provide us with your thoughts on:

a) if there are any other regional intensification corridors we should be considering and why, and,

b) are there any other factors we should be considering when identifying regional intensification corridors and why.