The Region of Waterloo (ROW)…

The Region of Waterloo (ROW) Official Plan Amendment was thoughtfully created by staff with community input and received unanimous support from all City and Township mayors in the region. It was passed by the ROW Council on August 18th, 2022. It is designed to provide a variety of housing options that are accessible to services while protecting farmland and natural areas. The Region of Waterloo gets the majority of its water from ground water via wells and it is critical that source water areas are not compromised because of poorly planned development. The Region of Waterloo has a long history of progressive planning that addresses growth while preserving farmlands and natural areas. It is my understanding that the provincial government is threatening to override the ROW Official Plan along with those of other regions in the interest of giving developers more say in where they can build. Regional governments have the best perspective for deciding how development should occur in their areas of responsibility. The Region of Waterloo Official Plan Amendment should be left as is and not altered.