Initiative 3: Corridor Expansion Study and Plan

Expand and enable “missing middle” transit supportive housing options in the Sugarbush South neighbourhood, near the City’s post secondary institutions and public transit.

The City is looking to enable more “missing middle” transit supportive housing options to be built in the Sugarbush South neighbourhood in a two-part process as shown in the map below.

Component 1 – Expansion of Columbia Street West Minor Corridor (Area A)

The first component pertains to the expansion of the Columbia Street West Minor Corridor through the City’s current Official Plan Review process. In line with the existing Official Plan, the Area A lands could be designated Mixed-Use Medium Density Residential. Similar permissions to the existing Columbia Street Minor Corridor to the south provide a starting point for the Area A review, which would permit development up to eight storeys and a maximum density of 450 bedrooms per hectare.

Component 2 – Enabling of Missing Middle Housing (Area B)

The second component pertains to enabling missing middle housing just north of the proposed Columbia Street West Minor Corridor. To facilitate public consultation and discussion, staff have proposed a planning framework that would facilitate development that is similar to what can be seen in the interior of the Northdale neighbourhood, being multi-unit buildings up to six storeys in height, while existing Medium Density Residential properties would facilitate multi-unit buildings up to eight storeys in height.

Planning staff brought information report IPPW2024-032 Corridor Expansion Study to Council on June 24.

Staff then undertook engagement with the neighbourhood, other interested persons and parties over several months. Future engagement opportunities as well as project updates will be posted on this page, and you can also request to be placed on the project email list by emailing Tanja.Curic@waterloo.ca"

Key actions:

Component 1 – Minor Corridor Expansion by way of Official Plan Review process

• Formal Public Meeting and Council consideration of Official Plan modifications by way of Official Plan Amendment (Fall 2024)
• Zoning By-law Amendment to implement the Official Plan modifications (by year-end 2025)

Component 2 – Enabling Missing Middle Housing

• Staff report including planning framework recommendations to Council to enable missing middle housing (December 2024)
• Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment process to enable missing middle housing in the neighbourhood (by year-end 2025)

HAF Grant Net new units: 50

HAF Grant Implementation timeline: December 1, 2023 to June 30, 2026

Return to City of Waterloo Housing Accelerator Fund page.