Waterloo City Council voted on March 23, 2026, to allow a major expansion of the Waterloo Commons shopping area at the corner of Erb Street West and Ira Needles Boulevard in Waterloo, Ontario. The decision will add about 4,900 square metres of new business space to the existing plaza.
A large part of this new space is intended for a new grocery store, which will take up about 3,267 square metres. The plan also includes building a new road called the Boardwalk Bypass to help drivers avoid the busy roundabout nearby. The cost of the new road will be shared between the city and the private developers.
This project follows a decision by the Region of Waterloo Council in November 2025 to expand the ION light rail system. That transit project will eventually add 17 kilometres of track and seven new stops to reach downtown Cambridge.
According to a survey on Engage Waterloo Region, 78 per cent of more than 2,500 residents supported the rail extension. Local leaders noted that earlier transit growth has already helped bring thousands of new homes to the region over the last decade.
