WRHBA has been actively engaged on the Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) file in the Region of Waterloo—and specifically in the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo—since 2020. Over the past several years, our association has consistently provided technical, economic, and market-based analysis to municipal staff and elected officials; we have participated in municipal working groups and provided countless deputations to council members, including two deputations to the City of Kitchener in December 2025, where WRHBA reinforced that:
• Now is not the time to advance policies that add costs to new housing, particularly in a strained economic environment.
• The responsibility to provide below-market units is a societal one, and cannot be placed solely on the backs of new homebuyers.
• Meaningful municipal financial incentives and offsets are essential if IZ is to be implemented without undermining project viability and housing supply.
These principles have guided our engagement since 2020 and remain central to our position today.
View WRHBA's submission