Amendments proposed to Region of Waterloo’s controversial bylaw about encampment

The region plans to clear an encampment at Victoria and Weber Streets to make room for a new transit hub. CTV’s Colton Wiens explains.

The Region of Waterloo is proposing changes to a site-specific bylaw meant to clear the way for a future transit hub.

The bylaw, approved by regional councillors in April, covers Victoria Street between King Street and Weber Street. When regional councillors approved it, the bylaw was intended to force anyone living at a large encampment at 100 Victoria Street North off the land by the end of November.

However, those plans ground to a halt when a legal challenge arose. That challenge is still underway, with a Superior Court hearing adjourned until February 2026.

Now, the region has announced proposed amendments to that site-specific bylaw.

The changes include requiring all residents to vacate the land by April 1, 2026 and defining a resident as anyone who was living at the site as of April 16, 2025.

According to the region, as of Dec. 15 there were still two people at 100 Victoria Street who are considered to be residents and 24 of the people who had been living there in April have found alternative accommodations. However, there are more people who have moved to the encampment since the region tried to pass the bylaw.

A transition process is also listed among the amendments. That process includes offering an Individual Housing Plan to each resident which may involve a stay at an emergency shelter, transitional housing, affordable housing and motels. Any resident who accepts the Individual Housing Plan and is placed in a motel or emergency shelter is expected to stay there until a space opens up at a transitional housing space or affordable housing option.

The region would also help the encampment resident move their belongings and give them free storage for up to 6 months for anything that cannot be taken with them to their new home.

“I think it was really a demonstration of good faith,” Regional Chair Karen Redman said. “From the very beginning, we have worked with individuals to have housing plans so they can have stable housing. We’ve always been a housing first community. Our outreach workers talk to individuals and try to get them the services they need and get them into a more permanent housing position. We’ve done that all along, we’ve just formalized that right now.”

In an email to CTV News, Waterloo Region Community Legal Services said it doesn’t feel the amendments are enough to make the bylaw Charter compliant.

“We would like to see a plan that recognizes the reality that people will need to set up tents outdoors due to the significant gap in number between those experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the Region and the number of indoor spaces available. The proposed amendments continue to ignore that reality,” Ashley Schuitema, a lawyer with Waterloo Region Community Legal Services, said in an email.

Feedback on the bylaw amendments will be collected during a public meeting at council chambers (150 Frederick Street, Kitchener) on Jan. 7. The meeting will also be available electronically for anyone who cannot make it in person.

Regional council will consider the proposed amendments at a special meeting two days later.