Waterloo, Ontario

Waterloo is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is one of three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo (formerly Waterloo County). Waterloo is situated about 94 km (58 mi) southwest of Toronto. Due to the close proximity of the city of Kitchener to Waterloo, the two together are often referred to as "Kitchener–Waterloo" or the "Twin Cities".

"Waterloo, Canada" redirects here. For other places, see Waterloo (disambiguation) § Canada.

Waterloo
City (lower-tier)
City of Waterloo
Uptown Waterloo, looking south down King Street.
Motto(s): 
Stability
Waterloo
Location of Waterloo in Ontario
Coordinates: 43°28′N 80°31′W
Country Canada
Province Ontario
RegionWaterloo
IncorporatedMay 27, 1857
Government
 • MayorDave Jaworsky
 • Governing BodyWaterloo City Council
 • City CAOTim Anderson
 • MPBardish Chagger (Liberal)
 • MPPCatherine Fife (ONDP)
Area
 • Land64.02 km2 (24.72 sq mi)
Elevation
329 m (1,079 ft)
Population
 (2016)[1]
 • City (lower-tier)104,986 (51st)
 • Density1,520.7/km2 (3,939/sq mi)
 • Metro
523,894 (10th)
Demonym(s)Waterluvian[2]
Time zoneUTC−5
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4
Forward sortation area
N2J to N2L, N2T to N2V
Area code(s)519 and 226
Websitewww.waterloo.ca

While several unsuccessful attempts to combine the municipalities of Kitchener and Waterloo have been made, following the 1973 establishment of the Region of Waterloo, less motivation to do so existed, and as a result, Waterloo remains an independent city. At the time of the 2016 census, the population of Waterloo was 104,986.[1]

History

The "Haldimand Proclamation" was a land grant to the Iroquois to compensate for their wartime alliance with the British during the American Revolution.[3] Block Number 2 (aka Block 2) was purchased by Richard Beasley from Joseph Brant (on behalf of the Six Nations in 1796) with a mortgage held by the Six Nations. Block 2, 94,012 acres in size, was situated in the District of Gore. To meet his mortgage obligations, Beasley had to sell portions of the land to settlers.[4] This was counter to the original mortgage agreement, but subsequent changes to the agreement were made to permit land sales.

Mennonites from Pennsylvania counties Lancaster and Montgomery were the first wave of immigrants to the area.[5] In the year 1800 alone Beasley sold over 14,000 acres to Mennonite settlers.

A group of 26 Mennonites from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, pooled their resources into the "German Company of Pennsylvania", which was then represented by Daniel Erb and Samuel Bricker.[6] The company purchased all the unsold land from Beasley in 1803, resulting in a discharge of the mortgage held by the Six Nations. This discharge allowed Beasley to clear his obligation with the Six Nations, and allowed the settlers to have deeds to their purchased land.[7] The payment to Beasley, in cash, arrived from Pennsylvania in kegs, carried in a wagon surrounded by armed guards.[8]

Many of the pioneers who arrived from Pennsylvania after November 1803 bought land in a 60,000-acre tract of Block 2 from the German Company of Pennsylvania. The tract included almost two-thirds of Block 2. Many of the first farms were least 400 acres in size.[9]

The Mennonites divided the land into smaller lots; two lots owned by Abraham Erb became the central core of Waterloo. Erb, often called the founder of Waterloo, had come to the area in 1806 from Franklin County, Pennsylvania. He bought 900 acres of bushland in 1806 from the German company and founded a sawmill (1808) and grist mill (1816); these became the focal point of the area. The grist mill operated continuously for 111 years. Other early settlers of what would become Waterloo included Samuel and Elia Schneider, who arrived in 1816. Until about 1820, settlements such as this were quite small.[9][10]

In 1816, the new Waterloo Township was officially incorporated while being named after Waterloo, Belgium, the site of the Battle of Waterloo (1815), which had ended the Napoleonic Wars in Europe.[11] After that war, the new township became a popular destination for German immigrants. By the 1840s, German settlers had overtaken the Mennonites as the dominant segment of the population. Many Germans settled in the small hamlet to the southeast of Waterloo. In their honour, the village was named Berlin in 1833 (renamed to Kitchener in 1916).

By 1831, Waterloo had a small post office in the King and Erb Street area, operated by Daniel Snyder, some 11 years before one would open in neighbouring Berlin.[12] The Smith's Canadian Gazetteer of 1846 states that the Township of Waterloo (smaller than Waterloo County) consisted primarily of Pennsylvanian Mennonites and immigrants directly from Germany who had brought money with them. At the time, many did not speak English. There were eight grist and twenty sawmills in the township. In 1841, the population count was 4424. In 1846 the village of Waterloo had a population of 200, "mostly Germans". There was a grist mill and a sawmill and some tradesmen.[13] By comparison, Berlin (Kitchener) had a population of about 400, also "mostly German", and more tradesmen than the village of Waterloo.[14]

Berlin was chosen as the site of the seat for the County of Waterloo in 1853. By 1869, the population was 2000.[15] Waterloo was incorporated as a village in 1857 and became the Town of Waterloo in 1876 and the City of Waterloo in 1948.

In 2016, a corduroy road was unearthed in the King St. area of the business district; a second section was discovered near the Conestoga Mall. The road was probably built by Mennonites using technology acquired in Lancaster County Pennsylvania, between the late 1790s and 1816. The log road was buried in about 1840 and a new road built on top of it.[16][17]

Geography
King Street South in Uptown Waterloo.

Waterloo's city centre is near the intersection of King and Erb streets. Since 1961, the centrepiece has been the Waterloo Town Square shopping centre, which underwent a thorough renovation in 2006. Much of the mall was torn down and has been replaced by buildings that emphasize street-facing storefronts.

Residents refer to the Waterloo city centre as "uptown" (often capitalized), while "downtown" is reserved for the Kitchener city centre, as Kitchener had been the dominant centre, and Waterloo was a small town on the Kitchener's north side. Waterloo surged into a significant City in the third quarter of the 20th Century, due in large part to its role as a university city. It has also benefited from the growth of insurance companies. Waterloo has prospered with the relationship between the Tech Sector, which has blossomed, and the University of Waterloo whose technology graduates have excelled. Blackberry, formerly Research In Motion, is the best example.

The city centre was once along Albert Street, near the Marsland Centre and the Waterloo Public Library. The town hall, fire hall, and farmers' market were located there. Amidst some controversy, all were demolished between 1965 and 1969.

Parks

There are five main parks in the city:

  1. RIM Park occupies 200 hectares (490 acres) and is home to a variety of indoor and outdoor sporting facilities, including an eighteen-hole golf course, and the heritage Martin Farm House.
  2. Waterloo Park is in Uptown Waterloo and contains historical buildings, a bandshell, and animal displays in its 45 hectares (110 acres).
  3. Bechtel Park occupies 44 hectares (110 acres) and has many outdoor sporting facilities along with wetlands, meadows and hardwood forest. The park also includes an off-leash dog park and adjacent city-operated cemetery. Hillside Park covers 25 hectares (62 acres) and includes two lighted ball diamonds.
  4. Lexington Park includes a ball diamond and a soccer pitch on the former site of the K-W Municipal Airport.
  5. Laurel Creek Conservation Area, at 300 hectares (740 acres), lies in the northwest of the city.

Waterways

The Grand River flows southward along the city's east side. Its most significant tributary within the city is Laurel Creek, whose source lies just to the west of the city limits and its mouth just to the east, and crosses much of the city's central areas, including the University of Waterloo lands and Waterloo Park; it flows under the uptown area in a culvert. In the city's west end, the Waterloo Moraine provides over 300,000 people in the region with drinking water. Much of the gently hilly Waterloo Moraine underlies existing developed areas. Ongoing urban growth, mostly low-density residential suburbs (in accordance with requests by land developers), will cover increasing amounts of the remaining undeveloped portions of the Waterloo Moraine.

Uptown looking Northwest from the Uptown Parkade. Landmarks visible include the Marsland Centre on the extreme left and Waterloo City Hall on the extreme right.

Climate

The Climate of Waterloo is Humid continental (Köppen) (Dfb)

Climate data for Waterloo Regional Airport (1981−2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high humidex 13.4 13.0 28.0 33.7 39.6 43.2 47.7 48.3 41.2 34.5 24.4 22.1 48.3
Record high °C (°F) 14.2
(57.6)		 13.7
(56.7)		 27.0
(80.6)		 29.2
(84.6)		 32.0
(89.6)		 36.1
(97.0)		 36.0
(96.8)		 36.5
(97.7)		 33.3
(91.9)		 29.4
(84.9)		 21.7
(71.1)		 18.7
(65.7)		 36.5
(97.7)
Average high °C (°F) −2.6
(27.3)		 −1.2
(29.8)		 3.6
(38.5)		 11.5
(52.7)		 18.5
(65.3)		 23.6
(74.5)		 26.0
(78.8)		 24.8
(76.6)		 20.4
(68.7)		 13.5
(56.3)		 6.3
(43.3)		 0.2
(32.4)		 12.0
(53.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) −6.5
(20.3)		 −5.5
(22.1)		 −1
(30)		 6.2
(43.2)		 12.5
(54.5)		 17.6
(63.7)		 20.0
(68.0)		 18.9
(66.0)		 14.5
(58.1)		 8.2
(46.8)		 2.5
(36.5)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 7.0
(44.6)
Average low °C (°F) −10.3
(13.5)		 −9.7
(14.5)		 −5.6
(21.9)		 0.8
(33.4)		 6.4
(43.5)		 11.5
(52.7)		 14.0
(57.2)		 12.9
(55.2)		 8.6
(47.5)		 2.9
(37.2)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 −6.8
(19.8)		 2.0
(35.6)
Record low °C (°F) −31.9
(−25.4)		 −29.2
(−20.6)		 −25.4
(−13.7)		 −16.1
(3.0)		 −3.9
(25.0)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 5.0
(41.0)		 1.1
(34.0)		 −3.7
(25.3)		 −8.3
(17.1)		 −15.4
(4.3)		 −27.2
(−17.0)		 −31.9
(−25.4)
Record low wind chill −40.5 −37.1 −30.2 −20.6 −8.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 −4.1 −11.9 −22.2 −31.2 −40.5
Average precipitation mm (inches) 65.2
(2.57)		 54.9
(2.16)		 61.0
(2.40)		 74.5
(2.93)		 82.3
(3.24)		 82.4
(3.24)		 98.6
(3.88)		 83.9
(3.30)		 87.8
(3.46)		 67.4
(2.65)		 87.1
(3.43)		 71.2
(2.80)		 916.5
(36.08)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 28.7
(1.13)		 29.7
(1.17)		 36.8
(1.45)		 68.0
(2.68)		 81.8
(3.22)		 82.4
(3.24)		 98.6
(3.88)		 83.9
(3.30)		 87.8
(3.46)		 66.1
(2.60)		 75.0
(2.95)		 38.0
(1.50)		 776.8
(30.58)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 43.7
(17.2)		 30.3
(11.9)		 26.5
(10.4)		 7.3
(2.9)		 0.38
(0.15)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 1.4
(0.6)		 13.0
(5.1)		 37.2
(14.6)		 159.7
(62.9)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 18.2 14.2 13.8 13.7 12.4 12.0 10.6 10.7 12.2 13.9 16.4 18.1 166.0
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 5.6 5.0 6.9 11.5 12.4 12.0 10.6 10.7 12.2 13.7 11.6 6.9 118.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 16.1 11.9 9.0 3.3 0.18 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.91 6.5 14.4 62.2
Average relative humidity (%) (at 6am) 86.4 83.4 84.8 84.4 84.7 87.0 90.1 93.6 94.3 90.6 87.6 87.1 87.8
Source: Environment Canada[18]

Waterloo has a humid continental climate of the warm summer subtype (Dfb under the Köppen climate classification); this means that there are large seasonal differences, usually very warm to hot (and humid) summers and cold (to very cold) winters. Compared to the rest of Canada, it has moderate weather. Winter temperatures generally last from the middle of December until the middle of March, while summer temperatures generally occur between the middle of May to close to the end of September. Temperatures can exceed 30℃ (86℉) several times a year. Waterloo has approximately 140 frost-free days per year.

Demographics
Historical population
YearPop.
1841200
18711,594
18812,066
18912,941
19013,537
19114,359
19215,883
19318,095
19418,968
195111,991
196121,366
197136,677
198149,428
199171,181
200186,543[19]
200697,475[20]
201198,780[21]
2016104,986[1]
Source: Census of Population

Many locals are of ethnic German descent. There is also a strong Mennonite presence. The universities and colleges along with its thriving technology and electronics presence attract a large number of individuals from elsewhere in Canada and the world.

The population according to the 2016 Canadian Census is 104,986[22] (Sources other than the census may indicate higher numbers due to treatment of the student population.)

According to the Canada 2011 Census,[21] the population of Waterloo was 98,780, a 1.3% increase from 2006. The population density was 1,542.9 people per square km. The median age was 37.6 years old, lower than the national median age at 40.6 years old. There are 42,984 private dwellings with an occupancy rate of 87.3%.

Canada 2016 Census[1] Population % of Total
Visible minority group South Asian 6,650 6.4%
Chinese 9,565 9.3%
Black 1,990 1.9%
Filipino 545 0.5%
Latin American 1,405 1.4%
Arab 1,870 1.8%
Southeast Asian 1,185 1.1%
West Asian 1,150 1.1%
Korean 1,170 1.1%
Japanese 225 0.2%
Visible Minority n.i.e 610 0.6%
Multiple Visible Minorities 905 0.9%
Total visible minority population 27,265 26.4%
Aboriginal group First Nations 1,595 1.5%
Métis 655 0.6%
Inuit 25 0.0%
Total Aboriginal population 2,205 2.1%
White 73,920 71.5%
Total - 25% sample data 103,390 100%

The most common ethnic origins in Waterloo according to the 2016 Census are German (23.3%), English (23.1%), Canadian (21.2%), Scottish (18.3%), Irish (17.4%), Chinese (9.9%), French (8.4%), Dutch (5.0%), Polish (5.0%) and East Indian (4.7%).[1]

From the 2001 census data, excluding post-secondary students temporarily residing in Waterloo, residents are predominately Chrisitan, with 43.1% affiliated with Protestantism and 27.8% affiliated with Catholicism. No affiliation is the third largest group with 17.5% of the population. Other religion minorities include 2.8% Muslim, and 1.6% Hindu.[19]

Economy
The Sun Life Financial building is currently the tallest building in Waterloo.
The Marsland Centre in Uptown Waterloo
View from the parkade in Uptown Waterloo

According to the 2016 Canadian Census, The City of Waterloo has a median household income (after tax) of $72,239. This is significantly higher than the national median of $61,348. The unemployment rate in Waterloo (6.9%) is lower than the national rate of 7.7%. The median value of a dwelling in Waterloo ($399,997) is higher than the national median of $341,556.[23]

Waterloo has a strong knowledge- and service-based economy with significant insurance and high-tech sectors as well as two universities.[24] The city's largest employers are Sun Life Financial, the University of Waterloo, Manulife Financial, BlackBerry, Sandvine and Wilfrid Laurier University.[25]

The city is also home to three well-known think tanks – the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, an advanced centre for the study of foundational, theoretical physics and award-winning educational outreach in science; the Institute for Quantum Computing, based at the University of Waterloo, which carries out innovative research in the computer, engineering, mathematical and physical sciences; and the Centre for International Governance Innovation, an independent, nonpartisan think tank that addresses international governance challenges.

The city is part of Canada's Technology Triangle (CTT), a joint economic development initiative of Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge and the Region of Waterloo that markets the region internationally. Despite its name, CTT does not focus exclusively on promoting technology industries, but on all aspects of economic development.

Waterloo has a strong technology sector with hundreds of high-tech firms.[24] The dominant technology company in the city is BlackBerry, makers of the BlackBerry, which has its headquarters in the city and owns several office buildings near the University of Waterloo's main campus.

Notable Waterloo-based high-tech companies include:

Many other high-tech companies, with headquarters elsewhere, take advantage of the concentration of high-tech employees in the Waterloo area, and have research and development centres there. Shopify, SAP, Google, Oracle, Intel, McAfee, NCR Corporation, Electronic Arts and Agfa are among the large, international technology companies with development offices in Waterloo.

Before it became known for technology, Waterloo was sometimes[26] referred to as "the Hartford of Canada" because of the many insurance companies based in the area.[5] Manulife, Sun Life Financial, Equitable Life of Canada and Economical Insurance have a large presence in the city.

Breweries and distilleries had been a significant industry in the Waterloo area until 1993 when a Labatt-owned brewery was shut down. The Brick Brewing Company operated in Waterloo but is now based in Kitchener. Waterloo was the original home of distiller Seagram (also the home town of many descendants of J.P. Seagram), which closed its Waterloo plant in 1992. Of the remaining Seagram buildings, one became home of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), while others were converted into condominiums.

The city encourages location filming of movies and TV series and many have taken advantage of Waterloo locations. Recent titles include Downsizing (released in 2017), The Demolisher (2015) and Degrassi: The Next Generation (2015).[27]

Largest employers in the city of Waterloo

The largest employers in the city of Waterloo are:[28]

Arts and culture

Events and festivals

Attractions

Waterloo is home to several notable tourist attractions and areas of interest. These include:

Perimeter Institute in Uptown

Sports
Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex

There are two lawn bowling clubs serving Waterloo: Heritage Greens LBC and Kitchener LBC, which both function as part of District 7 of the Ontario Lawn Bowling Association. Both clubs offer programs for all ages.

There are three sports teams and two university varsity teams.

Both play at Ontario University Athletics of Canadian Interuniversity Sport.

Government
Waterloo City Hall

Waterloo City Council consists of seven councillors, each representing a ward, and a mayor. The number of wards expanded from five to seven in the November 2006 elections. The current mayor of Waterloo is Dave Jaworsky, who was elected in October 2014.[36] The current Waterloo City Council is constituted as follows:

  • Ward 1 (Southwest): Sandra Hanmer
  • Ward 2 (Northwest): Royce Bodaly
  • Ward 3 (Lakeshore): Angela Vieth
  • Ward 4 (Northeast): Diane Freeman
  • Ward 5 (Southeast): Jen Vasic
  • Ward 6 (Central-Columbia): Jeff Henry
  • Ward 7 (Uptown): Tenille Bonoguore
Region of Waterloo Headquarters

Past and present city councils have been committed to providing for the explosive population growth that is coming with the local economic boom. Rapidly developing subdivisions are often described by their critics as urban sprawl that threatens environmentally sensitive areas and valuable agricultural land.

Waterloo was part of Waterloo County, Ontario until 1973 when a restructuring created the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, (often referred to as Waterloo Region or the Region of Waterloo), which consists of the cities of Waterloo, Kitchener, and Cambridge, and the townships of Woolwich, Wilmot, Wellesley, and North Dumfries. The Region handles many services, including paramedic services, policing, waste management, recreation, planning, roads and social services.[37]

In federal politics, the city of Waterloo is entirely within the electoral district of the same name. In provincial politics, the city is also within the Waterloo electoral district.

The Waterloo Award

The Waterloo Award, established in 1997, is the highest civic honour a person can receive from the City of Waterloo.[38]

Infrastructure

Transportation
Waterloo as seen from Kitchener

Roads

The Conestoga Parkway, numbered as Highway 85 within Waterloo, connects Waterloo with Kitchener, Highway 7/8 (the continuation of the Conestoga Parkway), Ontario Highway 8, Highway 401 and Cambridge south of Highway 401.

Waterloo shares several of its north-south arterial roads with neighbouring Kitchener. They include (from east to west) Bridge Street, Weber Street, King Street, Westmount Road, Fischer-Hallman Road, and Ira Needles Boulevard. Regina Street (between Weber and King Streets) and Albert Street (between King Street and Westmount Road) are north-south collector roads entirely within Waterloo.

The city's east-west thoroughfares are almost entirely within city limits, with the exception of Union Street, which has a small section in Kitchener, and Bridgeport Road which has its eastern end in the Bridgeport area of Kitchener. Waterloo's major east-west arterial roads are (from south to north) Union Street, Erb Street, Bridgeport Road, University Avenue, Columbia Street, and Northfield Drive.

There are numerous bicycle pathways. The Iron Horse Trail, which originates in Kitchener, enters Uptown Waterloo and links with the Laurel Trail that extends into the northern part of the city.

Public transport
GRT iXpress bus (to be adapted for the ION bus service)

Public transit was provided by the PUC from 1888 to 1973, and included street cars (1888-1947) and trolley coaches (1947-1973).[39]

Public transport throughout Waterloo Region is provided by Grand River Transit, created by a merger of Kitchener Transit (which served Waterloo) and Cambridge Transit in January 2000. As of 2020, GRT operates a number of local and express bus routes in Waterloo, with several running into Kitchener. The Kitchener Public Utilities Commission operated electric streetcars serving Kitchener and Waterloo until 1946. Electric trolley coaches replaced the streetcars, operating from January 1, 1947 to March 26, 1973. In September 2005 an express bus route called iXpress was added for runs from downtown Cambridge to Conestoga Mall in north Waterloo via Fairview Park Mall in south Kitchener. The ION light rail system travels between Conestoga station in Waterloo and Fairway station in Kitchener, with a total of 19 stations along the route. At Fairway station, ION light rail connects to the ION bus (Route 302) and travels to the Ainslie Street Terminal in Cambridge. Stage 2 will see the ION bus converted to light rail allowing for a full integration of the Waterloo Region.[40]

Light rapid transit
See also: Rapid transit in Waterloo Region

The Galt, Preston and Hespeler electric railway (later called the Grand River Railway) began to operate in 1894 connecting Preston and Galt. In 1911, the line reached Hespeler, Kitchener (then called Berlin) and Waterloo; by 1916 it had been extended to Brantford/Port Dover.[41][42] The electric rail system ended passenger services in April, 1955, leaving the city and region with no local rail services for more than 60 years.

In June 2011, Waterloo Region council confirmed approval of the plan for a light rail transit line between Conestoga Mall in north Waterloo and Fairview Park Mall in south Kitchener, with rapid buses through to the "downtown Galt" area of Cambridge.[43] Service began June 21, 2019. In the current Stage 1, the Ion rapid transit trains run through the downtown/uptown areas of Kitchener and Waterloo.

Railways

Waterloo is not currently served by any regularly scheduled passenger rail service. Via Rail trains between Sarnia and Toronto stop at the nearby Kitchener railway station southeast of uptown Waterloo at the corner of Victoria Street and Weber Street. The station is accessible by local buses via Kitchener's downtown Charles Street transit terminal. A tourist train that previously ran out of Waterloo Station was moved to depart from St. Jacobs Farmers' Market when construction began on the ION Light Rail line.

The nearest GO Transit railway station is Kitchener GO Station, as the Kitchener Line (formerly the Georgetown Line) has extended to Kitchener on December 19, 2011. In addition, Waterloo is served by GO buses which stop at the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, with destinations of Square One City Centre Terminal, Milton GO Station, and York University.

In May 2007, city council gave approval for a non-profit tourist train to run between Waterloo Station[44] and St. Jacobs, reviving the route of the Waterloo-St. Jacobs Railway from the late 1990s. In 2015, the railway lost regular running rights south of Northfield Drive to make way for the Ion rapid transit project. All Market Train service now departs from the St. Jacobs Farmers Market. The Waterloo Central Railway is run on trains at 10 am, 12 pm, and 2 pm from April to November. The Waterloo Station continues to operate as a Visitor & Heritage Information Centre[44] and is at 10 Father David Bauer Drive.

Intercity transport

In addition, to GO bus services mentioned above, Coach Canada offers service from the Charles St. Terminal in Kitchener to McMaster University and Hamilton, Ontario, with various stops, including Sheffield, Rockton and Dundas in between.[45] Greyhound buses to Toronto Bus Terminal also service Waterloo at a stop on the University of Waterloo campus, with some trips operating via Guelph.

Airport

The closest airport to Waterloo is the Region of Waterloo International Airport in nearby Breslau, but while it is a thriving general-aviation field, it is not heavily served by scheduled airlines. Most air travellers use Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport or John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. WestJet has scheduled daily non-stop service to Calgary from Waterloo International Airport using Boeing 737-700 aircraft in the winter season and larger Boeing 737-800 aircraft in spring and summer season. They started service out of Region of Waterloo International Airport on May 14, 2007, for the summer season and then decided to fly year-round due to strong passenger demand. During the winter months Sunwing Airlines offers service to Dominican Republic. Recent upgrades to the runways, approach lighting and terminal building have permitted larger aircraft to use this airport. Airlines that no longer serve the airport include Trillium and Bearskin (to Ottawa), Mesaba (Northwest Airlines' feeder to Detroit), American Airlines (to Chicago) and Sky Service (to sun destinations).

Health care
St. Mary's General Hospital

Hospital services in the region are provided by Grand River Hospital which includes a Freeport Campus and St. Mary's General Hospital, both in Kitchener, as well as Cambridge Memorial Hospital.[46] All three were highly ranked for safety in a national comparison study in 2017–2018, particularly the two in Kitchener, but all would benefit from reduced wait times.[47] Long-term care beds are provided at numerous facilities.[48]

Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services and Waterloo Fire Rescue respond to medical emergencies within the city of Waterloo. Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services may transport patients to either Grand River Hospital or St. Mary's General Hospital emergency departments, depending on proximity, anticipated wait times and the type of emergency.

Grand River Hospital has a capacity of 574-beds; the Freeport location was merged into it in April 1995.[49] That secondary campus provides complex continuing care, rehabilitation, longer-term specialized mental health and other services.[50] The King St. location is also the home of the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre which opened in 2003.[51] St. Mary's General Hospital is a 150-bed adult acute-care facility and includes the Regional Cardiac Care Centre with two cardiovascular operating rooms, an eight-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit and 45 inpatient beds.[52][53] As of late 2018, Cambridge Memorial had 143 beds but was in the midst of a major expansion expected to be completed in 2021.[54]

Family doctors are often in short supply and a source of great concern among residents. Recruiting efforts over the previous 15 years certainly achieved some success as of September 2018, but needed to be continued.[55]

Announced January 2006, as a new School of Medicine, the Waterloo Regional Campus of McMaster University was completed in 2009. In 2018, the Waterloo campus included "a complete on-site clinical skills laboratory with 4 skills rooms and 2 observation rooms, classrooms with video-conferencing capabilities and a state-of-the-art anatomy lab that was built in 2013 with a high definition video system", according to the University. Its Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine building includes the Centre for Family Medicine and the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science.[56]

Libraries

As of 2019, the city maintained three public library branches and late in the year, announced plans to construct a fourth branch, to commence in April 2020. The new University Avenue location was to be attached to RIM Park, a recreational facility. The 1,440 square meter facility was expected to stock about 35,000 books, as well as DVDs and print publications.[57]

Fire Protection

Fire protection and rescue services are provided by Waterloo Fire Rescue, a service of the City of Waterloo. As of 2020, there are four active fire stations in Waterloo. Waterloo Fire Rescue responds to fires, medical emergencies, car accidents and chemical incidents.[58] (Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services also responds to medical emergencies.) When the two-tier regional government system was implemented in the early 1970s, police service was moved to the regional government, but fire service remained at the local municipality (city or township) level. From time to time, the media and interested parties raise the question of whether this service should remain at the city level, or whether there might be cost savings or service improvements if the various fire services were merged into regional fire service. A 2019 newspaper article stated that "there would likely be no cost savings, but service would improve under [a] regionalized system," in the view of some former fire chiefs.[59]

Policing

Waterloo Regional Police Service, the seventh-largest police service in the province of Ontario, provides general police service in the city of Waterloo.[60] The Waterloo Regional Police North Division is located at 45 Columbia Street East, Waterloo. Waterloo Regional Police also serve the municipalities of Kitchener and Cambridge and the Townships of Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich and North Dumfries. City of Waterloo bylaws controlling matters such as parking, weeds and noise are enforced by city bylaw enforcement officers.[61] The two universities each have special constables who are first responders to all emergencies at their respective university campuses. Special Constables may lay charges and/or make arrests under the same legal authority as police officers.[62] As of 2019, University of Waterloo Police Service had twenty-four Special Constables.[63][64] Wilfrid Laurier University also has a Special Constable Service. The Ontario Provincial Police patrols provincial highways.[65]

Education

The Intelligent Community Forum named Waterloo the Top Intelligent Community of 2007.[66]

Secondary

Until the 1960s, with a few minor exceptions, Waterloo students would attend high school in Berlin/Kitchener. In 1914, Waterloo Lutheran Seminary added a high school department, named the College School, primarily to provide secondary education for prospective seminary students. The College School was discontinued in 1929. Between 1940 and 1950, due to overcrowding in Kitchener–Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School, some grade nine classes were housed in Elizabeth Ziegler Public School.

Starting in the 1960s, several high schools opened in Waterloo. In 1958 it was announced that Waterloo would have its own secondary school. A $1,247,268 school was built on a 20-acre (81,000 m2) site on Hazel Street. Waterloo Collegiate Institute opened on September 6, 1960. In 1968, Laurel Vocational School (later University Heights Secondary School) opened, and in 1972 Waterloo's third public high school, Bluevale Collegiate Institute, opened. In 1965, St. David Senior School, which served grades 7–10, opened in the north of the city. St. David was turned into a high school in 1985 and was renamed St. David Catholic Secondary School. University Heights Secondary School closed in 2004 and Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School opened that same year.

As of 2007, there were five high schools based in Waterloo. Three are operated by the Waterloo Region District School Board: Bluevale Collegiate Institute (east), Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School (west), and Waterloo Collegiate Institute (central). two are operated by the Waterloo Catholic District School Board: St. David Catholic Secondary School and Resurrection Catholic Secondary School.

Post-secondary

The main campuses of the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University are in Waterloo. This includes the many associated universities and colleges, including St. Jerome's University, St. Paul's University College, Conrad Grebel University College, Renison University College and the Balsillie School of International Affairs. Kitchener-based Conestoga College also has a Waterloo campus, at the former University Heights Secondary School on University Avenue near Weber Street. Conestoga purchased the building in January 2006 for nearly $6 million from the Waterloo Region District School Board. It is double the size of its previous Waterloo campus on King Street, which was sold after the University Heights building was acquired.

Media
Main article: Media in Waterloo Region

References
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