Development could restart in Waterloo Region this fall

Developers may be feeling more hopeful after a report from the Region of Waterloo suggested some builds might be able to move forward. CTV’s Jeff Pickel reports

An update on Waterloo Region’s water capacity issue could provide some hope for developers.

According to a staff report, the region will soon have 20 litres per second available to put toward new builds. The Mannheim Service Area currently provides water at 1,455 litres per second.

Although, in the grand scheme of things, 20 litres per second feels like a drop in the bucket, it is enough to get some projects moving.

Staff recommended the region wait until the end of September before moving ahead with approved projects.

“The goal here, really, is to try to move forward with what all of us have been speaking about for some time, but to do it in a thoughtful way,” Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said.

Developers said it’s a good first step.

“The most important thing was a clear, definitive timeline to when to start to release capacity,” Joseph Puopolo of Polocorp Inc., a development company, said.

Puopolo said the industry is still looking for answers.

“We’re looking for more clarity from the region on a quarter-by-quarter basis. They’ve released a forecast, but we’re looking for more certainty on exactly how much water will be released,” he said.

Meanwhile, Councillor Jim Erb supported the move, but acknowledged they are still trying to find a balance.

“One of the things that we want to make sure that we don’t overcommit ourselves. That, at the end of the day, we find ourselves not being able to deliver,” Erb said.