The Problem: Misleading Claims, Double Standards, & Decisions Made in the Dark

Waterloo City Council is pushing forward with Initiative 9—a major rezoning proposal that could drastically alter our the density of established neighbourhoods across Waterloo (potentially jumping to 6 to 11 stories with capacities of up to 450 units)—without providing residents basic procedural fairness, legal transparency, or infrastructure due diligence.

Worse, the official narrative surrounding Initiative 9 completely collapses under scrutiny:

• Misrepresentation of Purpose: City staff marketed this initiative to media and residents as a mechanism to address the regional affordable housing crisis. Yet when pressed, staff admitted Initiative 9 merely grants hypothetical future development rights if churches choose to build. In reality, multiple church owners explicitly told the City they have absolutely no immediate or future plans to develop housing on their properties.
• Erasure of Active Faith Communities: City staff repeatedly painted these churches as declining, dying out, or disconnected from their surroundings to justify sweeping rezoning. This false framing directly contradicts every official report, testimony, and firsthand account from local pastors and parishioners, who have clearly demonstrated that these are active, thriving congregations deeply embedded in and serving their surrounding neighborhoods.
• False Narrative of "Unused" Land: The City has mischaracterized target properties as "unused land" belonging to "dwindling church congregations." In truth, with only a single exception, every piece of targeted land consists of active, essential church parking lots currently in full-use by congregants.
• Misleading Reassurances on Density and Unit Yield: Staff repeatedly assure neighbors that proposed RMU-20 zoning is limited to "6 storeys, full stop," framing it as a modest change. In reality, focusing strictly on height hides the massive unit yield being unlocked. Based on standard RMU-20 Floor Space Ratios across average church parcel sizes (1 to 3 acres), this zoning authorizes 80 to 160+ units per property, or 450 units per hectare —totaling an estimated 1,100 to 2,200+ units citywide across the targeted sites. That represents an unstudied influx of 2,000 to 4,500+ new residents into established single-family neighbourhoods.
• Selective Formal Notice: The City delivered formal, statutory notifications regarding holding provisions to local school boards on time (dated June 2nd), while notifications to impacted residents were delayed, postmarked as late as June 6th, or never delivered at all.
• Misleading Public Meeting Labels: The critical June 22nd public session was advertised to residents as merely "informal," downplaying its significance while administrative machinery quietly moved formal approvals forward behind the scenes.
• Missing Mandatory Provincial & Municipal Physical Signage & Zero Homework: Mandatory, highly visible Planning Act notice signs were never posted on affected properties, and no site-specific studies assessing traffic, water tables, emergency access, or sewage capacity have been published because the City preemptively applied a "holding provision" to each property in order to avoid having to undertake any studies. 
• Performative "Summer Engagement": The City's promised summer outreach was reduced to pop-up booths at Waterloo BIA Night Markets—only one date of which was actually listed on the official amendment page—with staff appearing unannounced on subsequent nights, all while failing to hold a single direct consultation session within the affected neighbourhoods themselves. These "consultations" amounted to little more than a superficial checkbox exercise—offering no formal record-keeping, site-specific infrastructure data, or structured dialogue with the residents and property owners directly impacted.

Our community supports thoughtful, honest planning, but we refuse to accept false narratives, bypassed provincial planning laws, and unvetted development.

What We Are Demanding:

We petition City Council to immediately halt all approvals, decisions, and implementation regarding Initiative 9 until the following non-negotiable standards of due process are met:

1. Full & Equal Statutory Notice: Issue direct, timely written notices to all neighboring property owners—matching the strict timelines provided to public boards—and erect physical, long-term Planning Act signage on every affected property.
2. Verified Property Owner Consent: Publicly confirm clear, opt-in consent from all affected property owners rather than imposing blanket rezoning on unwilling congregations.
3. Comprehensive Infrastructure Studies: Complete and publish all technical, environmental, traffic, water table, and municipal utility capacity assessments for public review.
4. Honest, Transparent Consultation: Conduct genuine, well-publicized community town halls rather than framing key sessions as "informal," and provide an accurate accounting of property owner feedback prior to any vote.
5. Selection Process Accountability: Disclose all internal criteria, scoring metrics, and decision-making records used to select Initiative 9 locations.

Why Your Signature Matters Today:

When a municipality misrepresents the scope of a project, invents narratives about "unused" land, and selectively applies notification rules, it sets a dangerous precedent for every neighbourhood across the city.

Sign this petition today to demand honest governance, protect local infrastructure, and ensure our community receives the transparent, legal representation it deserves. Once you sign, please share this page with your neighbours!