Waterloo Region is one of Canada’s fastest growing communities, expected to reach 729,000 people by 2031. The growth rate of the Region is twice that of the National average. The median population age is one of the lowest in Canada.

Read Current News from the Region...

Waterloo Region operates under a two-tier system of local government. The regional tier being the Region of Waterloo and the local tier being comprised of the seven area municipalities, of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich, and North Dumfries. The Region of Waterloo is generally responsible for sevices and programs that cross municipal boundaries while the local tier was is responsible for the services and programs that are community specific and local in nature.

Waterloo Region is situated astride Canada’s most important transportation corridor (Highway 401) and is an hour west of Toronto and less than two hours from two major Canada-US border crossing-Niagara and Detroit/Port Huron. Waterloo Region provides exceptional access to numerous markets and has access to 130 million cutomers within a day's drive. National railroads also serve the region. The Region of Waterloo International Airport affords convenient access to domestic and international destinations via scheduled service through the Detroit gateway. Toronto’s Pearson International Airport is located 45 minutes away, providing direct services to 60% of the US market with a flight time of less than two hours.

Waterloo Region is distinguished by exceptional access to quality post-secondary education institutions and world-class skills and talent. The University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning host up to 50,000 post-secondary students annually, including 10,000 graduate and 11,000 cooperative education students. Wilfrid Laurier University has one of the largest business school in Canada and is also renowned for its science and music faculties. The University of Waterloo is home to the largest cooperative education program in the world and is consistently ranked first in its role as the nation’s most innovative university.

Waterloo Region has been ranked as one of the most competitive areas in the KPMG Competitive Alternatives study of international business costs. The Government of Canada's Invest in Canada website ranks Waterloo Region one of the top 35 municipalities in Canada to invest in.

The Region's best kept secret is the area's highly diverse and internationally oriented economic base. It provides its citizens with the relaxed pace of a smaller community within a vibrant, big city atmosphere, giving the best of both worlds!

Doing Business in Waterloo Region

Located just one hour west of Toronto off Highway 401, Waterloo region is a major industrial centre, with an extensive high-tech sector. It supports a diversified economy, with a high-technology flavour that reflects the world-wide reputation of the University of Waterloo. A number of middle-sized companies make their head offices in Waterloo Region. It boasts one of the fastest-growing regional economies in Canada, with an unemployment rate and a poverty rate that are among the lowest in the country.

• Where is the Region of Waterloo?
• Region Fast Facts
• Education
• Business Links
• Economic Profile
• Population Profile

The Region of Waterloo also offers a Small Business Centre. This unique private-public sector partnership provides a wide variety of services including: workshops, Young Entrepreneur Programs, networking, mentoring, one-on-one consultation, on-line training, business plan consultations and reviews and an Ontario Business Connects Terminal for Business registration and/or name searches.

Living in Waterloo Region

Residents of the Region of Waterloo have access to services that the Region offers including Water, garbage and recycling, public transit, Public Health, Emergency Management, employment and income support, community housing and the Region of Waterloo International Airport.

The Region of Waterloo is committed to the idea that its residents will enjoy the highest possible quality of life and equal opportunity. For more information on regional services please click here.

Contact Waterloo Region

Region of Waterloo
150 Frederick Street
P.O. Box 9051 Station 'C'
Kitchener, Ontario
Canada N2G 4J3
Phone: 519-575-4400
www.region.waterloo.on.ca