The City of Waterloo has no plans to develop past the countryside line

Last year, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing announced a plan to allow municipalities to develop parcels of land outside their urban boundaries.

Many accepted the offer of up to 7,000 acres but the City of Waterloo declined.

The western urban boundary of the city is Wilmot Line, also known as the countryside line. At the edge is the Vista Hills neighbourhood, beyond lies rolling farmland and the Waterloo Moraine, a pristine rural landscape.

Ward 2 Coun. Royce Bodaly told The Mike Farwell Show the reason the City chose not to open the area to development is fairly straightforward.

“The City of Waterloo has a long-standing commitment to the countryside line and the principles behind the Regional Official Plan therein.” He added, “We respected the fact there was extensive public consultation that went into the Official Plan. We didn’t think it was appropriate to circumvent that public consultation.”

Bodaly believes there exists enough land within the boundary to meet development targets without violating the countryside line.

“You develop Vista Hills right out to the line, then there’s going to be pressure to push the line a little bit further. I think the entire concept of having that hard line is to resist that urge.”

Waterloo wasn’t the only regional municipality to reject the province’s land offer, Wellesley Township did as well. Kitchener, Cambridge, Wilmot and North Dumfries all accepted.

It’s expected the province will make the Official Plan Adjustment Act 2024 law before summer.