2024 Reflections & Insights about Waterloo Region
A Message from Eric Avner, President &
CEO
About On the Table
About This Report
Setting the Stage
Theme 1. Ready to Connect: Pent-up Demand for Community Involvement
Theme 2. Harnessing Community Assets: Celebrating What’s Already Here
Theme 3. Enriching Our Existing Social Infrastructure
Theme 4. Filling the Social Infrastructure Gaps Amid Rapid Growth
Theme 5. Overcoming Information Gaps in Social Infrastructure
Theme 6. Ensuring Equitable Access to Social Infrastructure
Theme 7. Creating and Maintaining Thriving Neighbourhoods
Want to Learn More About Social Infrastructure?
And, It’s More Than Social Infrastructure
Thank You
Endnotes and References
Territorial Acknowledgement
Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) is situated on the lands within the Haldimand Treaty of 1784, a formally ratified agreement acknowledging six miles on either side of the Grand River as treaty territory belonging to Six Nations of the Grand River. WRCF serves a region that is located within the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe, Chonnonton, and Haudenosaunee peoples. This territory is within the lands protected by the Dish with One Spoon wampum. We acknowledge the enduring presence, knowledges, and philosophies of Indigenous Peoples. We acknowledge the continuing accomplishments and contributions Indigenous Peoples make in shaping Waterloo Region. We are committed to understanding the impact of settler colonialism on the Indigenous experience in order to envision and co-create collaborative, respectful paths together in mutuality and reciprocity.
When residents step up and organize 54 different conversations, they reveal a pent-up demand for community involvement and for opportunities to reconnect with others in all corners of our region.
Eric Avner, President & CEO, Waterloo Region Community Foundation
A message from Eric Avner, President & CEO
The report you are reading could not come from any other community. It is the unique result of 1,300 of our residents coming together over one weekend in June to talk with their friends, neighbours, co-workers, and fellow community members. It was a remarkable weekend; and in the pages that follow, you will find some remarkable observations.
Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) recently adopted Social Infrastructure as our strategic area of focus, and we intend to help build on a system of organizations, spaces, and experiences that connect people and communities across our three cities and four townships. The enthusiastic support of On the Table reinforced the need for – and our commitment to - this type of social investment and this type of social engagement. When residents step up and organize 54 different conversations, they reveal a pent-up demand for community involvement and for opportunities to reconnect with others in all corners of our region.
While we view WRCF’s work as serving the entire region, we often invest in programs or services delivered at a local level. Understanding that balance between regional scale and local distinctions becomes even more crucial as we think about what social infrastructure means to our communities. What does it mean to urban, suburban, and rural communities? Further, what does it mean to young people and older adults? What does it mean to newcomers and long-timers? What does it mean to those who are racialized, or face physical or financial barriers? What can we learn from generations of Indigenous teachings? The chance to hear from so many voices through a weekend of conversations has given us a taste of the numerous opportunities and complexities ahead.
As you read this report, you will find seven themes that emerged across conversations related specifically to social infrastructure. When I read this report, I also saw three categories for the myriad of ideas and suggestions. First, residents pointed out that major parts of our social infrastructure are best-in-class, listing many things that we do exceptionally well. We should not be afraid to celebrate these and build upon these as strengths. Second, residents noted that important parts of our social infrastructure may have faded or become fragile. We have a chance to rethink, redesign, revitalize, and reinvest in these. Lastly, residents noticed some key parts of an equitable social infrastructure system do not yet exist and are sorely lacking. We should come together to learn more about these and fill the critical gaps to ensure we have a system of organizations, spaces, and experiences that helps us become even more connected with all those who call this place home.
We hope this report is instructive and inspires you to have more conversations with your friends, neighbours, and fellow residents of the community. We also hope it leads you to work with others to take action. And please, share any ideas you have about building our system of social infrastructure. I can be reached at eric@wrcf.ca and look forward to hearing your thoughts about how we can grow community as our community grows.
Eric Avner, President & CEO
About On the Table
Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) led On the Table Waterloo Region in June 2024 with a goal of encouraging community members across our region to participate in hosted discussions. We invited people to bring together their friends, colleagues, neighbours, or people in the community over some food and drink to talk about what matters most to them.
Part of the value of the On the Table discussions is the conversations themselves. Great things happen when people come together, share food, and talk. Connections are made that could develop further, build momentum –and help grow community as our community grows.
We also hoped that these conversations would show linkages to social infrastructure which WRCF defines as ”the system of organizations, spaces and experiences
54 different events were organized, up 28% since 2019
that enable people to connect with each other, the bridges necessary to build trust and civic participation, to create a sense of belonging and wellbeing. It’s the system that enables sustainable community development.” It’s WRCF’s strategic area of focus between 2024 and 2027, and you can learn more about social infrastructure here
This is the second time WRCF has led On the Table, with the previous event happening in 2019. Despite the pandemic in the intervening years, were pleased to see an increased interest in On the Table, showing the value our community sees in connecting with each other face-toface.
Approximately
1,300 people attended events, up 64% since 2019
WRCF provided background material in both years to help facilitate conversations, but how the events were structured was up to the hosts and the people who showed up to participate. Each host chose their venue, recruited participants, arranged food and drink, and talked about the issues and ideas they found most important to discuss with others.
94% would recommend the event to another host
77% of the conversations included discussions about social infrastructure
2 people attended the smallest conversation
Where did conversations happen?
This map shows that conversations spanned almost every corner of the region.
2
13
29
200 people attended the largest conversation
7
2 1
What did people talk about?
We asked hosts what their groups talked about so we could share the topics with you:
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Access to music creation spaces and resources in Waterloo Region
Age Friendly and its connection to social infrastructure
Aging well in Waterloo Region
Art and culture spaces for social infrastructure
Belonging through the lens of newcomers and immigrants
Bettering our community
Bringing the community together and connecting neighbours
Child and youth well-being
Climate change – collective and individual climate action
Community connections and building belonging in the developmental services sector
Community dreams – what would you like the Cambridge of 2044 to look like?
Community engagement
Community traditions
Complexities of art in public spaces
Downtown Kitchener arts, culture, heritage, neighbourhoods, connecting Emergency preparedness and 72-hour emergency kits
Engage Rural families in strengthening communities
Engage Rural in strengthening connections
community conversation
Engage Rural Young at Heart strengthening connections
Engage Rural youth – our future
Filmmaking in the region
Food assistance as a bridge to other services and social infrastructure
Growing with care – the importance of nurturing social infrastructure and circles of support
Healing and transformative justice for Indigenous folks, their caregivers and allies
Housing affordability – what can citizens do?
Human Rights based healthcare as it relates to the housing and homelessness crisis
Inclusion and diversity in Waterloo Region
Leisure and culture
Mental health
Older adults and belonging
Our communities and neighbourhoods, and the opportunities to connect with one another
Social infrastructure
Social infrastructure for youth
Social infrastructure through the lens of internationally trained professionals with African backgrounds living in the region
Social infrastructure through the lens of new Canadians
Social involvement
Supports for families, access to services, impact of growth on community services, mobility (cycling, trails), cost of living and the impact that it is having on community, and opportunities to work on crime prevention to help create a safer community
Sustainability in business
The effect of parenting in the dynamics of social infrastructure
The importance of having a sense of belonging Volunteer engagement in Waterloo Region
Volunteerism and community engagement in Waterloo Region
Ways to build community
What does Uptown Waterloo mean to people? What matters to you the most? How can we help?
People told us they attended our On the Table event because they were invited. During the event - there was fun, connection, and a great turn out. From the kraft paper table-cloth responses written on during the event, themes emerged that there’s a willingness and excitement around opportunities to connect in the neighbourhood WALES is apart of/situated in. -- Participant at Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region Conversation
About This Report
How we used the conversations to drive this report
• This report represents our attempt to synthesize community members’ diverse views and insights during the On the Table conversations.
• These discussions highlighted residents’ concerns, hopes, and aspirations across the region, providing a vivid snapshot of the communal spirit and the challenges faced.
• Hosts of each On the Table conversation were asked to complete a questionnaire detailing the event’s location, attendance, what they talked about, emergent themes, community strengths, and potential actions for improvement. Some direct quotes were edited for clarity and grammar and approved by the original submitter where possible.
We thank our hosts and participants for their incredible interest in bettering our community.
Limitations
Despite more than 1,300 participants, the questionnaire was exclusively distributed to the 54 hosts, limiting the scope of direct feedback. We wanted to make this easy for the hosts, and the participants – so didn’t include an additional survey element. Our team was also not present at every event.
While we have endeavoured to capture the breadth and depth of the discussions, we acknowledge that this report will not fully encompass the richness of the dialogues. We encouraged hosts and participants that were interested in the topics they discussed to keep the momentum going with their group and beyond.
Our Focus
Our analysis primarily focuses on identifying and enhancing social infrastructure within the region. Within that topic, we were able to pull out seven key themes and have included in this report opportunities
LEAD AUTHOR AND RESEARCHER
Steven Ayer, Common Good Strategies
KEY ADVISOR
Eric Avner
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Lynne Short
DESIGNERS
Rochelle Benoit
Dani Siddique
How to read this report
• We’ve organized the content into seven themes related to social infrastructure, reflecting the recurrent topics from the discussions.
• You may notice some information appears in more than one theme—this repetition is intentional. It allows you to either read the report from start to finish or to focus on specific themes. Throughout the report, you’ll find cross-references indicating links between themes to see where you can find more context.
• Each theme provides insights gathered during the conversations as well as opportunities for action identified by participants. We hope this offers a clear view of the challenges we face and the steps we can take together.
• As we all know, there are numerous issues of importance to talk about that could potentially impact people in our region. Several hosts focused on topics that weren’t specifically linked to social infrastructure, and we didn’t want to lose sight of those. So, we’ve included a separate section at the end of the report to provide a snapshot of those topics as well.
• • We’ve also included a brief listing of some external resources you might want to refer to about social infrastructure. In some instances we have highlighted communities that are doing unique things that may give you ideas. Other references are tools that might be useful as we work together to strengthen bridges between people and communities across Waterloo Region.
We encourage you to engage with this report in a way that best suits your interests and needs—whether that’s diving into a single theme or exploring the broader narrative by reading through each section. Your engagement is crucial in turning these insights into action and fostering a stronger, more connected community.
Setting The Stage
• Population has boomed: An estimated 675,000 people live in Waterloo Region as of 2023, an increase of 133,000 from the 542,000 who lived here in 2015.1
• The region grew by almost 50,000 more people than estimated by the 2015 Official Growth Plan: The plan forecasted that the region’s population would grow by an average of 1.9% annually to reach 729,000 in 2031, implying a population of approximately 629,000 by 2023, an underestimate of about 46,000.2
Chart Title
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• Unexpected growth in Waterloo Region is outpacing physical and social infrastructure plans
The growth rate has tripled in recent years: From 2015 to 2023, annual compound growth in Waterloo Region was 2.8%, three times higher than the compound growth rate from 2006 to 2015 (0.9%).
Waterloo Region Annual Compound Growth Rates Versus Planned Growth Rates
1.6%: Planned growth rate 2001 to 2031 1.3%: Planned growth rate 2022 to 2051
Sources: Region of Waterloo’s 2010 Growth Plan3 and 2022 Growth Plan Update4, and Statistics Canada’s Population Estimates5, with author’s calculations.
The 2022 and 2023 growth rates are more than double the annual planned growth of our revised 2022 growth plan: The 2022 growth forecast assumed growth would be an average of 1.3% from 2022 to 2051, while so far into the plan, actual growth was 3.9% in 2022 and 5.8% in 2023.
Recent trends suggest we could we hit 1 million people in 2038, 12 years ahead of even a revised 2024 target: The Region of Waterloo recently announced that it aims to be ‘1 Million Ready’ by 2050: However, if the population continues to grow at the average compound growth rate from 2015 to 2023 (2.8%), we’ll hit one million in 2038, 12 years ahead of schedule.6
How do we catch up and future proof our social infrastructure? How do we ensure that people have a sense of belonging and feel connected to the community?
• The need for social infrastructure: Each new resident brings with them not just dreams and aspirations but tangible needs that press upon the fabric of our social infrastructure. Needs such as healthcare, childcare, employment, parkland, housing, transit, and leisure spaces and programs for all ages and stages.
• Wateroo Region has a lower sense of belonging than the rest of the country: Waterloo Region Community Foundation’s 2023 Vital Signs report highlighted how residents in Waterloo Region had a lower sense of belonging than the rest of the country in 2021.7
• Need for connection was high early in the pandemic: 2021 data from YMCA WorkWell highlighted how community members widely felt the need for more connection with friends, family, and their community.8
Chart Title
• The dire need for social infrastructure amid many challenges
Rarely or none of the time (less than 1 day)
Some or little of the time (1-2 days)
Occasionally or moderate amount of time (3-4 days)
Series1
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Loneliness remains common in Waterloo Region in more recent data: 48% of the population of Waterloo Region reported feeling lonely at least some of the time across 2022 and 2023, and 30% reported feeling lonely on at least 3 days in the last week, according to data provided from the Survey on Employment and Skills.9
Most or all of the time (5-7 days)
Source: The Survey on Employment and Skills, conducted by the Environics Institute in partnership with the Future Skills Centre and the Diversity Institute. Note: This represents only 229 respondents from the region and should be interpreted with caution. The patterns shown here are consistent with national averages.
Social infrastructure and the On the Table conversations: The purpose of On the Table is for hosts to tailor their discussions around their personal and organizational priorities, though we encouraged them to chat about issues linked to social infrastructure. 77% of hosts reported that social infrastructure was a major area of focus for the conversations.
Why social infrastructure matters
• Growing evidence for the central role of social infrastructure in health and wellbeing: While this report focuses on the perspectives of community members who strongly believe in the value of social infrastructure, there’s growing evidence that social infrastructure is associated with more social cohesion, higher belonging, and higher wellbeing.10, 11
• Take the example of parks: A national U.S. study found that living near parks – a form of physical infrastructure, was associated with higher wellbeing, while another found that the more people use them the higher their wellbeing.12, 13
• Additional social infrastructure makes parks more effective: A random control trial showed that social infrastructure, like park programming, increased wellbeing versus the physical infrastructure alone14, while a separate random control trial found that community engagement can significantly increase park usage.15
• The literature on parks shows a common theme we see across social infrastructure: More social and better infrastructure improves health, community belonging, and wellbeing, but it needs to have the right spaces and by extension – the opportunity for experiences that people value to maximize the benefits to community members.
On the Table: A focus on local enthusiasm and opportunities
• On the Table and improving social infrastructure: On the Table participants identified many ways to create, improve, and maintain our social infrastructure to get as many benefits as possible and improve wellbeing and belonging.
• Enthusiasm to drive change: Despite the challenges, our conversation hosts also spoke of a profound desire among participants to get involved, contribute, and help solve problems that can be addressed locally.
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• Rapid growth has lead to knowledge gaps about what already exists: An additional challenge with rapid growth is not only that social infrastructure doesn’t keep up, but that thousands of new residents, especially in underserved areas, have no idea about the already existing programs that they might be interested in or how they can get involved. There was a lot of enthusiasm among participants, but the next step to get involved was not often clear.
A focus on local outcomes: In compiling this report, we have deliberately concentrated on areas where local efforts can contribute to tangible outcomes. Some intiatives could be done with next to no resources, while others will require many partners working together to move the needle.
Theme 1 Ready to Connect: Pent-up Demand
for Community Involvement
We need more of this – open but focused conversations. Bringing people together to dream and connect.
-- Participant at a conversation led by an Individual Community Member
INSIGHTS
The demand for community interaction has significantly increased, highlighting a widespread desire to reconnect after the disruptions caused by the pandemic. On the Table demonstrated this, with more than 1,300 people from across the region participating in 54 discussions. Attendance saw a 64% increase compared to when it was run in 2019, underscoring the growing need for such community engagement platforms.
National data suggest that volunteering and civic participation is down in the wake of the pandemic,16 but our conversation hosts highlighted that many who made the effort to attend the conversations wanted opportunities but were struggling to find them. Some wanted traditional volunteer opportunities, some wanted different types of opportunities, but there were many who were looking to be engaged but haven’t had the chance to do so.
NEEDS
Belonging: People have a strong desire to deepen their connection to their community.
Need for Opportunities: There is a strong demand for more structured events that facilitate easy participation and meaningful connections.
We feel belonging in spaces where we know others (and where others explicitly welcome us in), but the process of getting to know others can be difficult, inaccessible, or uncomfortable.
-- Participant at Grand River Unitarian Conversation
Knowing our neighbours and staying engaged in our community through groups, entertainment, and volunteering is essential. It’s about creating meaningful connections that strengthen our social fabric.
-- Participant at Heart of the Region Conversation
People are eager to help. The not-for-profit sector in Waterloo Region needs support to figure out how to engage them.
More structured opportunities to help people connect OPPORTUNITIES
-- Participant at KWCG Asian Culture Club Conversation
• For On the Table, most conversations were spurred by the event and wouldn’t have happened otherwise: Only 36% of hosts indicated they would have had a similar conversation if not for the On the Table event.
• Programs to encourage connection are very well received: 96% of hosts said they would recommend On the Table to other hosts.
• The benefits of formal structures to engage community was a common theme in conversations: “[People] want to be part of bettering their community - they just need that extra step or support.” -- Participant at Kinbridge Community Association Conversation
More volunteer opportunities
• We have many people who want to get more involved, but we don’t have the right structures in place: “We have the expertise and the people in Waterloo Region who value volunteerism and care about [our] future. There are huge opportunities for systems change to make volunteerism something accessible for the broader community.” -- Participant at Volunteer Waterloo Region Conversation
• Current opportunities aren’t leveraging everyone’s talent: “I don’t feel like organizations value what I can offer… I may not be able to lift lots of heavy things anymore, but I can talk to people and help them; I can offer friendship.” -- Participant at Luther Village on the Park Conversation
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• There are many types of structured engagements we can build as a community: “There is a need to create opportunities for newcomers and immigrants to build social connections and engage with the broader community. Initiatives such as community events, cultural exchanges, and mentorship programs could facilitate this.” -- Participant at Muslim Social Services Conversation
One-off conversations are not enough: “…[we need to] cultivate lifelong relationships as opposed to single connections” -- Participant at Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery Conversation
My major takeaway I was surprised by was how easy it was for people to strike up and continue a conversation about community throughout the time we had put aside. There was passion and interest and energy.
-- Participant at Equitable Conversation
Theme 2 Harnessing Community Assets: Celebrating What’s Already Here
So much is happening in Waterloo Region. How do we celebrate that and focus on awareness?
-- Participant at Communitech Conversation
INSIGHTS
This theme delves into the diverse system of organizations, spaces, and experiences that support our community’s vitality. From vibrant public spaces, to dynamic nonprofit organizations, to a thriving economy, each element contributes significantly to strengthening the fabric of our community. The broad recognition of these assets in the community is a testament to why Waterloo Region is an incredible place to live, but it also serves as the foundation that we can build upon as we also see the many gaps across the community.
Key community strengths and assets
While dozens of strengths were flagged across our more than 50 conversations, several key strengths are highlighted below with quotes from conversations on the next page illustrating a fraction of the many things that make our region thrive.
COMMUNITY STRENGTHS
Waterloo Region has fantastic public spaces that can be used for connecting people.
-- Participant at Social Venture Partners Waterloo Region Conversation
The major strength in the community is first and foremost the people. The diversity of the city and region makes it big enough to have the cosmopolitan feel, yet small enough to still feel connected, and come in contact with different backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives.
-- Participant at Afriwat Conversation
The abundance of nonprofit organizations in the region [is] a valuable resource. These organizations provide essential support and services to community members in need, further strengthening social networks and support systems.
-- Participant at Muslim Social Services Conversation
The Community Centre is the heart of the community – and parks and outdoor spaces and [places of worship] are doing a lot in the community too.
-- Participant at Engage Rural, Wilmot Family Resource Centre, and Interfaith Counselling Centre Conversation
Busking hasn’t rebounded from COVID-19, and many buskers are musicians in our community. It would be interesting for people to know what buskers do, who they are, and why they are important. They could play downtown or at the market for free. Also, Busking helps in creating a space. Imagine you are at a street corner, and someone pulls up with a trumpet or a saxophone. All of a sudden, they have created a new space with the music. As a musician, your audience is walking by and you’re making that little world.
-- Participant at Kitchener Public Library Conversation
Members of the arts community identify the ease of access to our local political leaders, noting that municipal Councillors, MPPs, and our MP are within arm’s reach.
-- Participant at Contemporary Art Forum Kitchener + Area (CAFKA) Conversation
Ten different types of locations hosted On the Table events
...reflecting a breadth of local community infrastructure, ranging from offices and spaces of local not-for-profit organizations, to workplaces, to community centres, libraries, coffee shops, and places of worship, to people’s own backyards.
The fact that we are able to host so many conversations is just one of the countless examples of our social infrastructure in action.
On the Table Conversation Locations
Mirror the Strength of Social Infrastructure
We need the restoration of festivals and other major events. Our table agreed that these are important to community connectivity; yet some key ones have disappeared in Cambridge, notably Riverfest and the Tour de Grand cycling day.
-- Participant at Cambridge Public Library (formerly Idea Exchange) Conversation
Local not-for-profit’s office or community space (14)
Company office or workspace (10)
Community centre or recreation centre (7)
Library (4)
Home or backyard (2) Place of worship (2)
Park or outdoor public space (2)
Arts or cultural centre (2)
Social space in other facility (2)
Coffee shop (2)
Unique community strengths mentioned by conversation hosts
• Cambridge Neighbourhood Table
• ClimateActionWR and TransformWR
• Community gardens
• Conestoga College, The University of Waterloo, and Wilfrid Laurier University
• Downtown Kitchener and Uptown Waterloo
• The Kitchener Market and the St. Jacobs Farmer’s Market
• Neighbourhood associations and community centres
• Neighbourhood grants offered through municipalities
• Our libraries – and the Heffner Studio and Jam Space at Kitchener Public Library
• Our urban forests
• Our waterfronts: the Grand River and the Speed River
• Registry Theatre, Princess Cinemas, Apollo Cinema, Globe Studios, Centre in the Square, Kirkwood Wagner Gallery, pop up venues in DTK
• The Wilmot Family Resource Centre
• Volunteer Waterloo Region
• Waterloo Region Family Network
• Young at Heart lunches at Knox United Church
OPPORTUNITIES
Start from what we’re good at
Build on our strengths: Identify and amplify existing successful initiatives. There are great examples of community news being shared, like through TL;WR – visit tlwr.ca to subscribe.
Revitalize our strengths: We need to reinvigorate areas where past successes have diminished over time, especially during COVID-19. For example; volunteering in community declined – visit volunteerwr.ca to learn more if you have time to get involved.
Awareness is foundational
Existence is not enough: If a program, place, or organization exists, but no one knows, it’s not achieving its goals. See also Theme 3: Enriching Our Existing Social Infrastructure.
Collaborate across sectors
Public/Private/Nonprofit Partnerships: Emphasize the need for collaborative solutions to community problems, advocating for a multi-sector approach that includes public, private, and nonprofit entities. For example; check out the Laurier Wellbeing in Film Forum that hosts free films and discussions at the Princess Cinema, in partnership with local nonprofit organizations, to raise awareness of issues affecting the health and wellbeing of communities.
Collaborate within the nonprofit sector
Information sharing: Nonprofits discussed the importance of avoiding duplication of efforts by sharing information about their services. Community centres and bulletin boards were highlighted as potential information hubs.
Service integration: Explore ways to integrate services across nonprofits to streamline support for community members.
We spoke about how we can work collaboratively to fill gaps in support. How can we cross-promote/ leverage each other’s strengths? How can we build better relationships with each other as
-- Participant at KW Habilitation Conversation
agencies?
Theme 3
Enriching Our Existing Social Infrastructure
We don’t need more. [We need to] do more with the infrastructure, programs, and spaces that are already here. We need more connection and use, and then more communication.
-- Participant at a conversation led by an Individual Community Member
INSIGHTS
When individual community members led discussions focused on social infrastructure in Waterloo Region, the most frequent topic of conversation was the need to improve accessibility to and utilization of our current facilities.
The rapid growth of Waterloo Region and the strain it puts on our infrastructure was widely discussed. Some noted that while many local organizations are already doing great work with the resources at hand, they could achieve even more with enhanced support and resources.
But many noted in addition to resources, sometimes we needed to approach our problems differently to further develop the connections we want in our community.
As people sought to connect after the long isolation of the pandemic, our hosts conveyed an urgent need to re-evaluate and adapt our social infrastructure to better meet our residents’ demands. People are not only looking for places to belong but are also ready to actively participate in reshaping these spaces. This eagerness to get involved offers a unique opportunity to drive community-led improvements, making our social infrastructure more inclusive and accessible.
There was also profound recognition that the social infrastructure is often already there, but many are unaware of what they could access, a topic explored more deeply in Theme 5: Overcoming Information Gaps in Social Infrastructure, while the unequal access to social infrastructure is explored more deeply in Theme 6: Ensuring Equitable Access to Social Infrastructure.
OPPORTUNITIES
Our hosts submitted dozens of ideas about how to do more with our community infrastructure. We’ve done our best to categorize them below, which ultimately highlights the need for strong organizations that help build relationships between people, that are accessible to all, and that are leveraging their spaces the best they can.
Strengthen organization foundations
Expand existing facilities: Prioritize renovations and expansions of existing facilities to accommodate growth, enhancing functionality and capacity without needing new sites.
Invest in organizations: Support nonprofits by addressing financial constraints to enable them to expand their activities and programming in spaces.
Promote interaction
Creating welcoming environments: Have staff or volunteers serve as greeters to make spaces more inviting and who can help share information about activities.
When asked–what makes you feel welcome in a space: “The people there recognize me. They take the time to talk to me. I am not a box to check–they treat me as a person.” -- Particiant at Lutherwood Luther Village on the Park Conversation
Foster connections: Implement buddy programs, networking events, meet-each-other events, mentorship initiatives, weekly dinners, monthly meetups, book clubs, and other things that encourage ongoing interaction between people.
Design for conversation: Ensure public spaces are set up so people can connect. From seating arrangements, to conversation starters, to adding connection opportunities to existing programs.
Listen and engage the community: Offer forums for community feedback on infrastructure use and ensure the feedback is acted upon.
Decentralized and get outside your walls: Organizations typically confined to specific locations are encouraged to host events in parks and other communal spaces or to organize broader community events. This initiative aims to decentralize activities beyond downtown hubs to include local branches or parks, thus engaging more of the community.
Use space better
Empower community use of social infrastructure: Communicate opportunities for community programming and encourage public submissions.
Open space reclamation: Identify and repurpose underused urban areas into accessible community spaces like mini-parks or outdoor meeting spots.
Enhance public spaces: Enhance public spaces with seating, shade, and diverse programming and events such as picnics, exercise classes, walking tours, music festivals, and more. Make sure there is space available also for informal gatherings.
Shared spaces: Numerous examples were given to build upon: churches for book clubs, curling clubs for prayer groups, libraries for meetups, food programs run by nonprofits out of a community centre, and schools for community sports events.
Folks are having trouble finding out about what is going on in our community and finding ways to ‘feel’ community. As we move from suburban to a more urban life in the next couple decades, we need to create these pathways to connection.
-- Participant at Cambridge Public Library (formerly Idea Exchange) Conversation
People want a place and space to meet in person… Having an ambassador or someone who makes you feel welcome is important to people who don’t know anyone. They want someone to go with.
-- Participant at Engage Rural and Woolwich Community Services, WCHC, Woolwich Counselling Centre, and Community Care Concepts Conversation
There is a need for cultivating lifelong relationships as opposed to single connections. In practice, that means lunch and learns, conversation groups, live music, and opportunities to create art inspired by clay and glass. The Gallery should increase seating availability in the gallery and emphasized that the gallery doesn’t need to be a silent space but a space for conversation.
-- Participant at Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery Conversation
$70,000 awarded to Waterloo Region youth pitching local solutions
From an inclusive book club to a basketball court, youth projects will build the Waterloo Region of the future.
On Saturday, June 8, the Children and Youth Planning Table of Waterloo Region (CYPT) and Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab (SWRIL) hosted a unique On the Table Conversation – the Youth Impact Project Pitch Party!
Through the Youth Impact Project, young people pitched their ideas, then received funding to build out solutions that address local challenges. Their ideas and projects address issues they identified in the 2023 Youth Impact Survey results. Then, CYPT and SWRIL awarded $70,000 directly toward youth ideas. Generous funding from the Region of Waterloo and United Way Waterloo Region Communities made this possible.
At the Pitch Party, over 100 youth from 15 local organizations pitched their ideas to a panel of nine youth. A Youth Decision-Making Panel (“The Dragons”) decided which projects would receive funding to make their idea a reality.
After two weeks of deliberation, the Youth DecisionMaking Panel awarded funding to 12 projects that support social infrastructure. Some of the projects that received funding include:
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•
•
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renovating a Cambridge basketball court, an inclusive book club focusing on authors who self-identify as being Indigenous, Black, or a person of colour, employment workshops for newcomers, and a youth fun fair.
CYPT and SWRIL will showcase each of these youth groups and their projects on social media. Follow them on Instagram and X at @cyptwr and @smartwatregion to see how the projects come to life. You can also learn more about the youth projects at swril.ca/yip
Having youth-led projects really separates this from other things that are out there. We’re giving a lot of under-served youth the opportunities to pursue the things they’re passionate about, and I think that’s really great.
-- Nolan, member of the Youth Decision-Making Panel
Being youth-led, and the judges are mostly youth, we know that youth are hearing our ideas. Our ideas are for the betterment of youth and their lives within the community. It’s really nice knowing that they will understand the struggles we’re talking about and the issues we’re addressing.
-- Wal, a youth from Adventure4Change who pitched and received funding
Theme 4 Filling the Social Infrastructure Gaps Amid Rapid Growth
As the Region of Waterloo is preparing to be one million ready… [we need] growth and improvement of social infrastructures in the region.
-- Participant at a conversation led by an Individual Community Member
INSIGHTS
With the rapid growth of Waterloo Region, there is a palpable strain on both physical and social infrastructures. Comments from community members reflect a pressing concern that while physical infrastructure—such as housing, parks, roads, and public transit—may have expanded with the population, though often not sufficiently, the corresponding social infrastructure often has lagged even further behind or is entirely absent. This gap significantly impacts the ability to foster community connections and civic engagement.
In addition to the needs for more social infrastructure of all kinds, a primary focus of the conversation was on the interconnected nature of physical and social infrastructures. Gaps in physical infrastructure often lead to a lack of corresponding social infrastructure. However, the mere presence of physical infrastructure does not automatically ensure the development of the system of organizations, places, and experiences; frequently, growth in physical infrastructure occurs without the necessary social infrastructure framework to activate and utilize these spaces effectively.
Examples of social and physical infrastructure gaps in the community:
Childcare: The waitlist for childcare grew by 115% from 2022 to 2024 to more than 9,000 children.17
Mental health care: Approximately 4,000 people are currently waiting for mental health care in Waterloo Region and Wellington County.18
Community housing: The number of households waiting for community housing has risen from 3,100 in 2008 to 7,645 in 2022.19
Community gardening: There were approximately 1,000 people on wait lists for community gardening in Waterloo Region in 2023.20
Gaps in physical infrastructure to support social infrastructure
Areas of Infrastructure Examples given
Culture and Recreation Arts spaces, community centres, multicultural centres, built-up parks, festivals, places to play.
Education Childcare, before and after school care, supports for students.
Health care Doctors, mental health supports, addictions support.
Housing Supply of housing, supply of affordable housing, shelters, comunity housing, supportive housing.
Social services Emergency food supports, supports for newcomers, waitlists, supports to navigate social services system, supports to find employment.
Third spaces Coffee shops, parks, neighbourhood associations and/or community centres in all neighbourhoods, land and spaces for Indigenous members of our community.
Transportation From hours to safety concerns, to accessible options for those with disabilities.
Volunteer opportunities Local festivals, community clean-ups, volunteer support at libraries, youth mentorship programs.
Having a physical space suitable/large enough for neighbourhood programs and events would draw more people in and would increase relationship building opportunties. This builds capacity for families to support one another. Relationships are the key to building social infrastructure.
-- Particpant at Fiddlesticks Community Centre Conversation
OPPORTUNITIES
Strategies people would like to see around social infrastructure
New developments need more social infrastructure
In new developments, traditional investments in neighbourhood amenities are often limited due to high land costs and rapid growth. The influx of residents at once can bypass the gradual buildup of social infrastructure, affecting community cohesion.
Cultivation of third spaces
It’s essential to cultivate places where people feel comfortable spending time regularly outside their homes, creating environments that attract regular visits.
And, there are places for building belonging like the libraries, community centres, or recreation centres, but there is still a need for informal gathering spaces for people to come together – at low or no cost. See also a discussion in Theme 7: Creating and Maintaining Thriving Neighbourhoods.
Resource allocation for social infrastructure
Critical resources are frequently allocated to basic emergency needs, leaving other types of social infrastructure underfunded and deteriorating.
Co-development of physical and social infrastructure
There’s a need to simultaneously develop both physical and social infrastructure to ensure balanced community growth.
Perhaps there are opportunities in newer neighbourhoods to develop multifunctional community centres that combine health services, recreational facilities, and social spaces.
Additionally, as the transit plan continues to evolve, it is critical to provide access to under-served communities so they can engage in activities that are programmed across the region.
Lots of housing is being built, but the infrastructure (both physical and social) isn’t keeping up… If a tall building is built… What is the community centre plan nearby? How will people connect with one another?
-- Participant at Social Venture Partners Waterloo Region Conversation
We need affordable spaces to make and present art (i.e. studio spaces, Arts Community Centre, galleries, and exhibition partnerships with private/public spaces).
There is lack of space for community gardens. Abandoned spaces or alternative spaces could be turned into community gardens. Also consider roof top gardens or container gardens. With community engagement, you could bring together local organizations, gardeners, social groups, and other people.
-- Participant at Sustainable Waterloo Region and City of Kitchener Conversation
We need third places for people to connect and belong (such as cultural centres, neighbourhood associations, and community centres). Our existing places need to be better equipped and better maintained and expanded to allow more people. They need to be places people can just hang out and be free for all to use.
-- A combination of quotes about third spaces from three different conversations
Theme 5 Overcoming Information Gaps in Social Infrastructure
We can all help build community, but people need to know what it is they can do to help. It is overwhelming sometimes and having direction or one place to go would be great.
-- Participant at a conversation led by an Individual Community Member
INSIGHTS
The conversations highlighted various challenges community members face when attempting to participate in local activities, volunteer, or find services. These ranged from lack of centralized information to lack of promotional efforts to the need for offline information for some and online information for others. A common theme was that people were excited about being more engaged in the community but lacked obvious ways to get started, or once they sought out information, they quickly hit barriers they couldn’t overcome.
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Unclear paths to involvement: Trying to get involved in community activities can feel like walking through a maze blindfolded. We need clearer paths and signposts and need to know where to start.
Lack of targeted information: Sometimes it feels like the information available is meant for someone else, somewhere else.
Language and accessibility barriers: Information is only useful if it’s understandable and accessible. Right now, there is sometimes a lot of information available, but you have to know where to look, most of it is in English, and it may not be written in a way that is easily understood by those not already involved.
“If you are new to the country or the community, it is hard to know what to do. You may have language barriers. You need supports around how to find out about different things going on for young people/ youth… and, it’s difficult to attend events/programs if there is a cost associated.” -- Participant at YMCA of Three Rivers Conversation
Technological hurdles: We’re missing out because not all of us can or want to log in to find out what’s happening. For example: people asked – what’s happened to sharing information on a community centre bulletin board or at the entrances of parks or on printed newsletters?
Capacity constraints in nonprofits: Our local nonprofits do great work, but you might not know it unless you’re already involved. And, many don’t have adequate resources to expand once the programs are full.
Decline of local media and a fragmented information landscape: The decline of local media makes it harder for people to find out about events as these used to provide deep coverage of local activities and be relatively easy to access. Newer media sources are fragmented and reach specific audiences, so it is hard to keep track of all of them, and difficult to share news – that means it is hard for community members to know what’s going on in the community.
People don’t always know what is going on or what is available.
People still find out about things through word of mouth.
-- Participant at Engage Rural and Porchlight Conversation
Older adults feel there is information out there (about programs and services they could take advantage of) that they are not finding, either because they don’t know where to look/there is no central repository for information, or because they are challenged by navigating it online.
-- Participant at The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging Conversation
News media used to play the lead role in keeping the public informed of news and events. Fractured as it is in serving various interests, social media has not adequately filled that useful bulletin-board service now lost with the demise of local newspapers, radio stations, and television broadcasters.
-- Participant at Cambridge Public Library (formerly Idea Exchange) Conversation
In answer to “what can Cambridge do to be more welcoming and inclusive”, folks said: “(1) print copies of the Activities Guide (2) find ways to reach those without computers – for example use church bulletin boards or the libraries (3) promote activities like the Older Adult Fair (4) connect ethnic groups to neighbourhood associations (5)improve the city website.
-- Participant at City of Cambridge Conversation
OPPORTUNITIES
Ideas for specific initiatives
• Develop a community information hub: Establish a physical and/or virtual hub where people can find comprehensive listings of events, volunteer opportunities, and local resources.
• Develop easy starting points: Clearly define how individuals can get involved in community activities, from formal registration, to volunteer opportunities, to training programs for those interested in being more deeply involved in communities, to designated neighbourhood connectors.
• Build community welcome initiatives: Design initiatives targeting new community members, providing them with information packets and welcoming them through community events. Build in regular events that allow people to meet each other.
• Do local well: Maximize the potential of local neighbourhoods by disseminating information effectively within the community. Work on engaging more residents in event creation and information sharing, enhancing local participation and connectivity.
• Investment in, or better understanding of, local media: Some see opportunities for different kinds of media, different initiatives from existing media, or a mapping of what media exists in the region and who is their audience. Ultimately, there is a need to better fill information gaps in the community.
General things people would like to see more of
• Enhance use of existing facilities for information dissemination: Use libraries, community centres, recreation centres, and schools as key points for information distribution and community engagement. There is also an opportunity to engage residences for older adults as hubs for the broader neighbourhood communities.
• Improve marketing and outreach: Provide resources and training for local organizations to improve their marketing strategies, including social media strategies and traditional advertising methods.
• Event promotion at major community gatherings: At major events and cultural festivals, provide information booths and materials that detail other community activities available throughout the year, including organizations that may not have the resources to attend.
• Feedback opportunities about gaps: Provide clear feedback opportunities to enhance programming. If people see a gap now, they are often unclear on who, if anyone, they can tell.
Where can we find information about opportunities to join and connect?
• Libraries
• YMCA
• City websites
• TL;WR
But there is a lack of a central location for information -opportunities exist but you have to know where to go looking for the information - we need a HUB in Waterloo Region for this information - capitalize on technology.
-- Participant at a conversation led by an Individual Community Member
Theme 6 Ensuring Equitable Access to Social Infrastructure
As organizations who provide emergency assistance, our communities are largely made up of people who are not accessing social infrastructure in the same way that many might have the privilege to do. We see a lot of challenges and barriers for folks we are serving, but also a lot of potential to connect neighbours, or to create programs and services that lift people out of their emergency situation.
-- Participant at The Food Bank of Waterloo Region Conversation
INSIGHTS
Access to social infrastructure is not uniform across our community, with significant disparities in participation due to various barriers. Financial constraints are a primary obstacle, affecting everything from housing and transportation to food accessibility. For newcomers, challenges such as language barriers, racism, and cultural differences further complicate access to necessary services. Geographic disparities within the region mean that service access can vary dramatically, from the downtown cores to the suburbs, and within each city and the townships.
Emergency situations, whether financial or other crisis-related, often make it exceedingly difficult to access services. Community event participation frequently depends on sufficient time, resources, and knowledge—assets not equally available to everyone. This particularly affects those juggling multiple jobs, parents with evening commitments, older adults, racialized members of our community, and newcomers striving to integrate into the community. Despite population growth, social infrastructure development has lagged, continuing to serve primarily those it has historically reached without fully expanding to meet increasingly diverse populations.
With this in mind, many of our conversations focused on different members of the community who are facing barriers and what we can do to ensure that everyone has access to the social infrastructure that makes up our community.
We discussed how language barriers, systemic racism, and social isolation affect newcomers and immigrants’ sense of belonging. However, we were also inspired by the community’s resilience and the wealth of resources available, such as language programs, anti-racism initiatives, and supportive nonprofit organizations. It reinforced the importance of collective action and inclusive policies to create a more welcoming and equitable environment for all residents in Waterloo Region.
-- Participant at Muslim Social Services Conversation
Increase the number of local lending libraries so people have access to items without needing to own them. We can share resources.
-- Participant at a conversation led by an Individual Community Member
OPPORTUNITIES
Here are examples of actions identified in conversations based on different groups in the community:
Children / Youth / Young Adults / Older Adults
• Address unique needs with continuous development of age-appropriate programs.
• Acknowledge and address specific gaps for children, youth, young adults, and older adults. Each group has a different ability and interest in using technology to access information.
• Include children, youth, and older adults in discussions about how they want to be engaged in the community, and what belonging means to them.
Indigenous Peoples
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Conduct training on cultural differences and the consequences of intergenerational responses to trauma.
Provide land and spaces for critical Indigenous infrastructure from healing lodges to housing. Develop peer support teams to provide culturally relevant crisis response alternatives.
New arrivals to the region
• Develop programs for people new to Waterloo Region distinct from those for newcomers to the country.
Those facing transportation barriers
• Reduce fees for buses, especially for students and older adults facing financial barriers.
• Provide more free transportation passes to community organizations to provide to community members.
• Improve night lighting for safety.
• Implement community safety measures to enhance nighttime transit use.
• Provide easier access to driving education.
• Expand education sessions for newcomers, youth, older adults, and others interested in learning about local public transportation.
Families
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Develop family participation opportunities. Ensure programs and spaces are welcoming to children.
Recognize and accommodate the unique scheduling challenges faced by families.
Understand that families come in many forms, so ensure programming is open, flexible, and accessible.
Newcomers to Canada
• Create events tailored for newcomers.
• Consider cultural differences in program design and promotion.
• Provide options in multiple languages wherever possible.
• Provide training programs on cultural differences to staff and volunteers.
• Offer assistance in navigating Canadian systems.
Those in crisis
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Address stigmas around people in crisis in the community and among service providers. Reduce police responses to crises and respond where possible with community supports.
Train staff to interact effectively with individuals facing mental health challenges. Implement programs and policies that allow continuity of service despite behavioural challenges.
Those facing geographic barriers (townships, suburbs, condos and high rise apartments, new developments)
• Increase free neighbourhood events and programs.
• Identify and expand high-impact public facilities and programs, ensuring equitable access across the region.
• Expand public transit scheduling.
• Develop strategies to foster community in condominium and high rise apartment settings.
People with physical disabilities
• Ensure facilities and information are accessible.
• Communicate available accommodations.
• Host events and run programming in locations that are easily accessible by public transit.
• Increase transportation options and reduce waiting lists for accessible services.
• When sharing information about available events, consider a range of communication tools so people with physical disabilities can access the details.
People with financial challenges
• Offer affordable and free programming.
• Implement sliding scale fees for programs, activities and events, and gathering space rentals.
• Enhance programs providing financial assistance.
ASPIRATIONS
Some aspirations for equitable social infrastructure mentioned in the conversations
Universal: Design spaces, products, and services that everyone can use to the greatest extent possible without needing adaptation or specialized design.
Targeted: Develop specific programs and/or services tailored to meet the unique needs of diverse groups, including, but not limited to: Indigenous peoples, Black members of our community, other individuals who self-identify as being racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, a person with a disability, children & youth, older adults.
Affordable: Realize that all types of social infrastructure are essential and must be affordable.
Accessible: Programs need to exist, be easy to access, and not have excessive wait times. We must remove barriers that prevent interaction or access to services, including physical, informational, and technological barriers.
Local: Ensure that critical services, programs, and events are taking place in all corners of our region.
Inclusive: Actively involve all parts of a community in developing and implementing services and products to ensure they meet the diverse needs of that community.
We need more supports for parents, especially single parents, to better help them navigate parenting in the community while building careers and earning sufficient income. And more friendly programming hours…
-- Participant at Afriwat Conversation
We need services in the townships for seniors – regional agencies are not reaching the townships, and people are having to seek other services at a cost.
-- Participant at Engage Rural and Porchlight Conversation
The region’s multiculturalism was identified as a significant strength, providing opportunities for individuals to connect with others who share similar backgrounds and experiences. [But needs include] 1. Addressing language barriers through language classes and translation services. 2. Addressing systemic racism including in education, employment, and social interactions through anti-racism training and policies. 3. Facilitating Social Connections and Community Engagement to allow newcomers and immigration to build social connections and engagement.
-- Participant at Muslim Social Services Conversation
[Some gaps for our community that were identified in the discussion include] 1.Inadequate elementary and high schools for the new immigrant communities. Too many portables. Does not feel like the schools we are used to. 2. Inadequate medical professionals including family physicians as well as specialists. 3. A sense of being otherized (racialized, equity-seeking, equity-deserving, etc.). 4. Lack of communal living, very individualized. 5. No equity in the delivery of healthcare to immigrant families. 6. Language barriers that often prevent people from accessing what is already available in the community.
-- Participant at a conversation led by an Individual Community Member
When basic needs can’t be met, it’s difficult to think about higher needs being addressed. Right now, the cost of living is a heavy burden for people across the region and our conversations questioned how that may be impacting people’s access to social infrastructure.
-- Participant at Equitable Conversation
A Womb With a View Conversation
A Womb With a View facilitated an Eagle Visioning to help shape the build and service delivery of a peer-led social prescription for wellness, and an emerging grassroots crisis response alternative, that is rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing and doing with a leaning toward 2 Eyed Seeing for the future.
A Womb With a View functions from a place of including all Nations in visioning, service delivery, programming, etc., provided there is demonstrated respect for Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing - as they believe that is the way for truth telling, reconciliation, healing and transformative justice to happen. Representation from 2SLGBTQIA+ and Neurodivergent Communities that understand de-colonizing and intersectionality is critical.
Their On the Table discussion included four questions, each one representing a direction of the Medicine Wheel, with many ideas generated to support folks across community. Ideas like:
• Land Back to provide spaces for critical Indigenous infrastructure from healing lodges and respite tipis, to medicine gardens and therapeutic crafting social enterprise
• Peer support teams to provide individualized and culturally relevant crisis response alternatives, such as social prescribing
• Working on creating a sense of belonging to community as a whole, everyday – and not just on key days of the year
• Developing and implementing upstream preventative measures, and other ways to change the mental health and justice system to support Indigenous folks who are in crisis due to intergenerational trauma
You can’t fix a system that is functioning exactly as it was designed to operate. Embracing the Indigenous way of knowing, being, doing is a good starting place and trusting those with lived/living experiences to lead the implementation of a culturally relevant crisis response alternative is walking the talk of healing, reconciliation, and transformative justice.
Theme 7
Creating and Maintaining Thriving Neighbourhoods
We would like to see more neighbourhood-based initiatives so you can get to know your neighbours. We need to invest in local – from farms and local markets, to support and services in our community and not having to leave the township.
-- Participant at Engage Rural and Porchlight Conversation
INSIGHTS
Community and belonging are foundational to human connection, and our discussions highlighted that neighbourhoods are one of the most effective venues for fostering these ties. True belonging emerges from repeatedly interacting with familiar faces, making neighbourhoods critical arenas for relationship building.
At the neighbourhood level, social infrastructure challenges serve as a microcosm for broader
community-wide issues. Some neighbourhoods benefit from well-thought-out parks designed for diverse users, robust neighbourhood associations or community groups, and active community centres led by strong community organizations, whereas others lack these critical elements. Issues often range from insufficient spaces for connection, underutilization of existing spaces, and resource shortages to difficulties in discovering local events.
The interplay between social and physical infrastructure is pronounced here; it’s difficult to cultivate community without the necessary physical structures. However, these structures alone are insufficient without strategic organization and planning. As our region grows and changes on our way to having one million residents, this becomes even more challenging. New developments, some as large as our existing townships but lacking equivalent planning and infrastructure, unless properly planned and resourced, could struggle to foster connections.
Ultimately, the consensus among our respondents was consistent: creating neighbourhoods where connection is not only possible but likely is essential for nurturing a healthy community – and a healthy and vibrant region where every resident is thriving.
We need to create the third space - a place for people to gather outside of work or school and home.
-- Participant at Equitable Conversation
We talked about the importance of getting to know your neighbours and local businesses so you can build a community where you are… [through things like] community centres, neighbourhood associations, libraries, and community gardens – especially community gardens!
-- Participant at a conversation led by an Individual Community Member
We need greater – and sustained –investment in neighbourhoods through neighbourhood associations, especially for newcomer families. Cambridge’s neighbourhood associations provide a means to connect socially and get information. In the future, neighbourhood programs must do more to build a greater sense of belonging…
-- Participant at Cambridge Public Library (formerly Idea Exchange) Conversation
OPPORTUNITIES
One core underlying theme was that communities require “third spaces”—safe, welcoming, affordable areas where people can regularly gather to foster a sense of belonging. These included community centres, libraries, parks, and neighbourhood associations that organize street parties, barbecues, and park events - but also privately owned spaces like coffee shops, bars, bookstores, theatres, and restaurants. It is crucial that these spaces are easily accessible and discoverable so that people know what’s happening and how to participate. They must be designed so that everyone feels welcome and can address many different needs in the community.
Social Infrastructure Investment
• Develop new spaces: Some communities severely lack essential infrastructure that facilitates social connections.
• Invest in neighbourhoods: Enhance neighbourhood associations, community centers, or condo associations, empowering them to offer more community-focused activities.
• Enhance existing spaces: Improve public spaces with amenities such as benches and shade in parks.
• Maximize current infrastructure: Utilize existing facilities like community centres, libraries, schools, and parks more effectively for community programming. Even parking lots and streets can be transformed into vibrant community spaces with the right programming.
Community Engagement
• Welcome events: Regularly host welcome events for new residents, whether they’re from another part of the city, the country, or overseas.
• Support groups: Foster the creation of supportive groups ranging from newcomers and single parents to youth, older adults, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
• Information hubs: Establish clear, accessible information points like signs in parks or digital displays to guide residents.
• Volunteer opportunities: Encourage community volunteerism by making opportunities more visible and accessible, helping residents feel connected and engaged.
• Local events: Organize community-driven events such as street parties, BBQs, clean-ups, or sports events to foster local engagement.
• Structured guidance: Provide resources and tools that enable residents to organize and execute their own community events easily.
• Invest in connections: Help develop the systems to build bridges between people, and between communities. Develop a program for older adults to help newcomers with language skills. Invest in the growth of neighbourhood associations that aren’t currently thriving or haven’t been established in newer neighbourhoods. Set up programs at community centres to bring different cultural groups together for fun and to build relationships.
There was a strong emphasis on organizing more community events and activities that cater to various age groups and interests, such as outdoor activities, sports, festivals, bake sales, spa days, and concerts… The importance of feeling invited and welcomed was repeatedly mentioned.
-- Participant at Kinbridge Community Association and Cambridge Neighbourhood Table Conversation
Different communities require tailored approaches to develop and enhance their social infrastructure
Townships and Older Neighbourhoods
Revitalization Initiatives: Implement projects that rejuvenate aging infrastructure to meet current community needs.
Community Enhancement: Preserve cultural and historical elements while introducing modern amenities.
High-rise Complexes
Integrated Community: Promote the establishment of condo boards as neighbourhood associations or invest in associations for clusters of new (and existing) builds.
Resource Accessibility: Ensure amenities and community services have the resources to plan and scale to meet population growth.
Aging Neighbourhoods
Aging-in-Place Infrastructure: Adapt public spaces to be more accessible for older adults.
Older-Adult Programs: Develop community programs that cater to the interests and needs of older adults.
New(er) Subdivisions
Scalable Options: Develop infrastructure and community programs that can scale quickly to match population growth.
Multigenerational Supports: Many of these communities have all ages, sometimes living together. Build community infrastructure with this in mind.
Community Building Initiatives: Establish foundational community events and facilities from the start. Neighbourhoods with Significant Social Infrastructure Gaps
Comprehensive Needs Assessment: Conduct thorough evaluations to identify and address critical infrastructure gaps across the region from a neighbourhood perspective.
Targeted Investment: Direct resources and programming to areas lacking social infrastructure or physical infrastructure that supports its development.
The Region’s Rapidly Growing Neighbourhoods Were Severely Underrepresented in On the Table Conversations
We conducted 54 community conversations across the region, yet only one conversation took place across five of the six fastest-growing areas, representing nearly 38% of the total regional population growth between 2016 and 2021.
These areas with hardly any On the Table conversations taking place—represented by the first three digits of their postal codes - N2R, N2P, N2M, N2A, and N2V—span southern Kitchener and western Waterloo.
These areas hosted less than 2% of our conversations despite having 23% of the region’s population and accounting for 38% of its population growth over five years.
This example underscores the urgency of enhancing social infrastructure in these rapidly growing neighbourhoods to ensure they have the right resources in place to build strong neighbourhoods.
Want to learn more about social infrastructure?
… and get involved in creating or improving the system of organizations, spaces and experiences that enable people to connect with each other?
• WRCF has a page on our website focused on social infrastructure that will continue to be updated with stories, recorded webinars, blog posts, and other information on an ongoing basis. You can also register for our e-news, and get information in your inbox, including updates about things we are doing to advance social infrastructure in Waterloo Region.
• The City of Waterloo has created a guide to help people welcoming new neighbours into the neighbourhood, and they’ve also created a gathering spaces map that folks can use to find details on spaces to host meetings, events, and other social gatherings.
• This article written by Joe Pavia for CBC News, highlights the importance of neighbourhood associations in Waterloo Region, and the role they play in creating joy and a sense of community.
• Between 2019 and 2024, the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, located in Waterloo Region, is hosting the Supporting Inclusion through Intergenerational Partnerships project. Examples of community-led initiatives are stored here. And they have created a Community Conversation Guide: Supporting Your Neighbours, to help people know what to do if they thought an older adult they know might be socially isolated.
• People can get together and have a bit of exercise while exploring public art across Waterloo Region. You can easily download the art walk guides for Cambridge’s River Walk, the City of Kitchener’s DTK Art Walk Guide, Waterloo’s Public Art Maps or explore where the Region of Waterloo public art is located.
• Project for Public Spaces (Brooklyn, New York) brings public spaces to life by planning and designing them with the people who use them every day. Here are two examples of placemaking projects that received grants: Project for Public Spaces – Place making in a Box.
• Learn more about Weave: The Social Fabric Project, that connects, supports, and invests in local leaders stepping up to weave a new, inclusive social fabric where they live.
• The Spaces of Sociability Report, written by the University of Guelph (funded by Social Sciences and Research Council of Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada) synthesizes expert knowledge from 29 Canadian and international researchers on approaches to studying copresence in public spaces with a view to strengthening communal life in Canadian society.
WRCF, in partnership with the University of Waterloo’s School of Planning, created a Community Engagement Toolkit to engage those with lived experience in designing affordable housing. The goal was to provide a toolkit so people could make decisions incorporating the views of people who are affected. The engagement groups and consultation process can be applied to issues beyond affordable housing.
Reimagining the Civic Commons was a three year, national US-based initiative with projects in five US cities (Akron, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, and Philadelphia), focused on revitalizing and connecting civic assets. As part of that project, a community engagement card deck was created, “the cards identify common misconceptions that often get in the way of impactful outreach – and share practical ideas for transforming your practice.”
• • • • Canada’s Placemaking Community (an initiative organized and curated by the Healthy Communities Initiative team at the Canadian Urban Institute along with their partners, and with funding through the Government of Canada) hosts webinars, shares stories and case studies, and provides resources like the Power of Placemaking – Engagement Summary Report
In partnership, Volunteer Toronto and Toronto Foundation developed a number of tools to help people figure out how they are best placed to build community. These tools include the Continuum of Civic Engagement, which is relevant to communities outside Toronto.
...And, it’s more than social infrastructure
Many topics were discussed during On the Table conversations that were broader than social infrastructure. We wanted to highlight these briefly because they are important areas to focus on, with their own challenges and opportunities that community members care about.
Hosts relayed accounts of community members struggling with issues ranging from the lack of available childcare and difficulty in securing a family doctor, to the prolonged wait times at emergency rooms. They spoke of a burgeoning food insecurity crisis, compelling nonprofits throughout the city to step in as food providers. Discussions also revolved around the urgent need for affordable housing, adequate shelter, and community housing solutions accessible to the average person. They highlighted the pervasive mental health challenges impacting individuals and their families across Waterloo Region.
… And more.
We’ve gathered topics discussed into several themes, provided a brief description, and some quotes to give you a taste of the conversations. We’ve also included a pull-out example of parts of a compelling discussion linked to affordable housing. This is only a taste of the richness of the conversations. We hope these also lead to actions taken by members of our community to tackle issues we all care about.
Other community issues
Affordability crisis
Arts and culture
Employment
Environmental sustainability
Healthcare access
Housing
Indigenous systems
Mental health
People in different groups in our communnity experience Waterloo Region differently
Safety
Social services
Many people across our community can’t afford to live here. Affordability issues are impacting the functionality of various services.
Enhance support and opportunities within the arts sector in our region.
Improve the employment system to better serve diverse community needs.
Emphasis on the importance of natural infrastructure, climate action, and local sustainability initiatives.
Calls for improved access to healthcare services.
The need for affordable housing and related support services.
Improve systems for Indigenous communities, including healthcare, policing, and social services.
Enhance mental health support systems, as well as addictions and crisis responses.
Improve conditions for specific groups such as older adults, youth, children, parents, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, and racialized individuals.
Diverse views on policing and safety measures, including the need for more or less policing and other safety aspects.
Enhance social services to better meet community needs.
Affordable housing isn’t even attainable for the senior population on CPP & OAS. Those with lower incomes are struggling. It’s important to be able to provide more resources to seniors living in long term care and/or retirement to be able to maintain their independence. Losing one’s skills and declining health is not easy to cope with.
-- Participant at Trinity Village Conversation
Question posed at Digimillenials conference during session on Building Trust, Belonging and Wellbeing in Waterloo Region – What are some opportunities that you’ve seen in other communities that you’d love to see here? (1) Neighbourhood events outside of downtown (2)Platforms to bring people together and accelerate growth (3) More collaborations (4) Job fairs focused on diversity (5) Black businesses conventions (6) More community events for African/Black individuals (7) Politics of Black love – that was held at the University of Toronto (8) Community-led discussions where people pitch their opinions about controversial or important topics.
Gaps: Concerns about safety, including break-ins, lack of police presence at night, and overall community security. Actions/Needs: Increased policing, especially at night, reinstatement of a safety person in the community, and better street lighting. Gaps: Challenges finding qualified work, especially for newcomers and teenagers. Actions/Needs: Job placement programs, more networking opportunities, and support for small businesses to create local employment opportunities.
-- Participant at Kinbridge Community Association and Cambridge Neighbourhood Table Conversation
Create a monthly newsletter, combining the news of all local arts & culture organizations.
-- Participant at Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery Conversation
There is a need for broader understanding around the complex health issues and mental health issues that are often faced by our folks who are living precariously housed or facing chronic homelessness.
-- Participant at Sanguen Health Centre Conversation
Conversation hosted by Libro Credit Union and The Working Centre
Topic: Housing Affordability – how can citizens make a difference?
Here is an example of a discussion that focused on affordability, and the importance of understanding the landscape in Waterloo Region – so we can work together to make a difference. Important questions and ideas were suggested that could lead to increased understanding and action. Things like:
• Let’s create a map of where all the affordable housing is located across the region. Let’s also create a map of all the new builds within the last 10 years; who owns those properties, what percentage of those developers are local, and what percentage of the new builds are affordable? Or have these maps already been created, and can they be shared?
• What percentage of our apartments and condos are owner occupied?
• Where does the money for our housing go? So, is there financialization of housing happening in Waterloo Region? Can we start to tax vacant properties for being vacant and not rented?
• Is there an easier way to build a second home on your property? So, cut through the red tape. You go to these builders, they have 2-3 models available, they handle permits, the cost is clear, the timing is short.
• Is there a new way to have rent to own as an option for more people?
• Some financial institutions now have mortgage set ups for folks who want to purchase homes together to manage the expenses – how do we learn more?
• • How can more co-ops be created? How do we collectively advocate for housing at all levels of government – and really get appropriate levels of support at all levels of government?
We discussed the importance of creating more collective experiences of wonder; allowing people to inhabit certain spaces in public that invite them to reflect more on what it means to be human. As an arts organization (that invited artists to the shared conversation), these spaces of rest often involved a form of art.
-- Participant at Inter Arts Matrix Conversation
Thank you
On the Table Waterloo Region would not have been possible without our supporters:
We also want to thank our many hosts, including those listed here, for participating in our 2024 On the Table Waterloo Region.
Endnotes and references
1. Statistics Canada. Table 17-10-0152-01 Population estimates, July 1, by census division, 2021 boundaries
2. The 2015 Growth Plan only mentions the expected population for 2031, so the 2023 expected population is estimated here based on a linear growth rate. We use the population estimates from the annual Statistics Canada estimates, which put 2015 population at 542,000, and not the Census estimates since they are available only every five years, and put the population about 7000 lower). Growing from 542,000 in 2015 to 729,000 in 2031 implies an annual compound growth rate of 1.9% between 2015 and 2031, which would put the expected population at 629,000 in 2023.
3. Region of Waterloo (2015). Regional Official Plan 2031 Chapter 1. https://simcoecountygreenbelt. ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Place-To-GrowPlan-2006.pdf
4. Region of Waterloo (2022). Amendment to the Regional Official Plan. https://pub-regionofwaterloo. escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=799
5. Statistics Canada. Table 17-10-0152-01 Population estimates, July 1, by census division, 2021 boundaries.
6. CBC News. (May 29, 2024 ). Waterloo region preparing for 1 million residents by 2050 — Redman. https:// www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/water-region-1-million-residents-1.7217487
7. Ayer, S. (2023). Waterloo Regions Vital Signs: 2023 Report | Affordable Housing. Waterloo Region Community Foundation. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/629f5ec7c1e9382dc5ce72b9/t/6565e5e86747eb106fda5241/1701176818686/2023+Vital+Signs+-+Final.pdf
8. The Loneliness Epidemic How the Silent Loss of Social Connection has Impacted Our Communities During COVID-19 2021 YMCA WorkWell Special Issue Report. (2021). https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/ hubfs/8737295/The%20Loneliness%20Epidemic_%20 2021%20YMCA%20WorkWell%20Special%20Issue%20 Report.pdf
9. An additional 4% indicated they could not say (not shown). This was broadly similar to rates across the rest of the country, though the percentage of people reporting feel lonely most of the time was statistically significantly higher. Full question text: “In the past 7 days, how often have you experienced each of the following: Felt lonely.”
10. Cattell, V., Dines, N., Gesler, W., & Curtis, S. (2008). Mingling, observing, and lingering: Everyday public spaces and their implications for well-being and social relations. Health & place, 14(3), 544-561.
11. Davern, M., Gunn, L., Whitzman, C., Higgs, C., Giles-Corti, B., Simons, K., ... & Badland, H. (2017). Using spatial measures to test a conceptual model of social infrastructure that supports health and wellbeing. Cities & health, 1(2), 194-209.
12. Larson, L. R., Jennings, V., & Cloutier, S. A. (2016). Public parks and wellbeing in urban areas of the United States. PLoS one, 11(4), e0153211.
13. Petrunoff, N. A., Yi, N. X., Dickens, B., Sia, A., Koo, J., Cook, A. R., ... & Müller-Riemenschneider, F. (2021). Associations of park access, park use and physical activity in parks with wellbeing in an Asian urban environment: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 18, 1-15.
14. Müller-Riemenschneider, F., Petrunoff, N., Yao, J., Ng, A., Sia, A., Ramiah, A., ... & Uijtdewilligen, L. (2020). Effectiveness of prescribing physical activity in parks to improve health and wellbeing-the park prescription randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 17, 1-14.
15. Cohen, D. A., Han, B., Derose, K. P., Williamson, S., Marsh, T., & McKenzie, T. L. (2013). Physical activity in parks: a randomized controlled trial using community engagement. American journal of preventive medicine, 45(5), 590-597.
16. Parkin, A., & Ayer, S. (2023). RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES BELONGING, ENGAGEMENT AND WELL-BEING 2023 NATIONAL VITAL SIGNS REPORT. Community Foundations of Canada.
17. More than 9,000 kids on child care waitlist in Waterloo region | CBC News. (2024, February 6). CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/child-care-waitlist-waterloo-region-1.7105021
18. Almost 4,000 people on mental health care waitlist in Waterloo-Wellington - Guelph News. (2023, October 28). GuelphToday.Com. https://www.guelphtoday. com/local-news/almost-4000-people-on-mentalhealth-care-waitlist-in-waterloo-wellington-7742920
19. Ayer, S. (2023). Waterloo Regions Vital Signs: 2023 Report | Affordable Housing. Waterloo Region Community Foundation. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/629f5ec7c1e9382dc5ce72b9/t/6565e5e86747eb106fda5241/1701176818686/2023+Vital+Signs+-+Final.pdf
20. 1,000 people on wait lists for community gardening in Waterloo Region. (2023, May 1). Waterloo Chronicle. https://www.waterloochronicle.ca/news/1-000-people-on-wait-lists-for-community-gardening-in-waterloo-region/article_c25fcad3-0a9f-53b9-ad1b-21edc672a085.html
About Waterloo Region Community Foundation
Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) collaborates with partners to ensure our communities are equitable, connected, and sustainable; and people are thriving. We strengthen local organizations, spaces, and experiences to increase connection with communities across the three cities and four townships of Waterloo Region. We make philanthropy easy for individuals and companies to support organizations and issues they care about.
WRCF is focused on Granting, Investing, and Mobilizing to make measurable and sustainable impacts. Gifts are directed to WRCF’s endowed funds, with the income generated being distributed in partnership with Fundholders through grants and investments that support a wide range of charitable causes that drive positive change within our community. We are growing our assets in a socially-responsible way without compromising financial returns, and transitioning to a 100% mission-aligned portfolio. These investments include directing at least 10% of our portfolio to impact investments.
As a leading community-building organization, we also work to amplify voices and issues of importance by mobilizing conversations and sharing information, which leads people to action, while approaching our work with an equity mindset. In 2024, WRCF is focused on improving social infrastructure in Waterloo Region. www.wrcf.ca