Waterloo city council gave the green light to a major housing development at 143 Columbia Street West during its June 22, 2026 meeting, while also moving ahead with a series of community-focused projects including park improvements and protecting public water services.
The approved zoning change allows for three towers of 28, 27, and 26 storeys. Together they bring 632 new residential units and 709 bedrooms, along with 395.6 square metres of ground-floor commercial space. The development also includes 122 vehicle parking spots and 182 spaces for bikes. However, construction cannot begin until water servicing capacity is confirmed, due to a holding provision attached to the approval.
Waterloo Park is also getting attention this year. Council heard that a new playground will replace the aging one off Father David Bauer Drive, while wayfinding signs are going up across the park to help visitors find their way. A study of the park’s east side will kick off improvements to the Young Street entrance, including better access, lighting, and walkways. The popular Wonders of Winter festival will also benefit from upgrades to its infrastructure. The free, volunteer-run event lights up the park each December with more than 120 displays and over 100,000 bulbs. Council also started the process to update the park’s long-term guiding plan, last revised in 2009, with a new version expected to be approved by council in 2027.
Council is looking at new uses for the William Street Pumping Station, a heritage building dating back to 1899. The property, designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, will now undergo a constraints assessment and community engagement before the city seeks expressions of interest for its adaptive reuse.
In a move to protect public services, council threw its support behind a motion from Ward 2 Councillor Royce Bodaly urging the province to strengthen rules that keep drinking water and wastewater services in public hands. The motion calls for a review of Schedule 16 of Bill 60, the Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act, 2025, which critics say opens the door to privatizing water services by allowing corporations to operate under the Business Corporations Act. Bodaly, who has served for eight years, recently announced he will not run in this fall’s municipal election.
