Waterloo City Council Approves Northfield Equities Mixed-Use Redevelopment

Waterloo City Council approved planning and zoning changes for Northfield Equities Inc.'s proposed mixed-use redevelopment at 170–200 Northfield Drive West and 570–655 Weber Street North. The revised plan includes 3,484 residential units in 11 towers of up to 36 storeys, commercial and employment uses, two public parks and land reserved for a potential school. Construction remains subject to site-plan approvals, servicing plans, transportation studies and other holding provisions.

Topics Discussed

NORTHFIELD REDEVELOPMENT

Council approved Official Plan Amendment 56 and Zoning By-law Amendment Z-24-08 for the 16.2-hectare site near the Northfield ION station. The revised proposal reduced the number of towers from 13 to 11, lowered the maximum height from 40 to 36 storeys and reduced the number of residential units to 3,484.

Councillor Roach supported the application, saying the site was "in the heart of my ward" and an appropriate location for "significant intensification" because it is near transit and trails. He noted that the proposal has substantially changed, with towers reduced from 13 to 11, units from over 4,000 to 3,484, and heights from 40 to 36 storeys, while park space has tripled. The proposal includes assisted living, long-term care, commercial space and business-employment uses.

Developer representative Trevor said the project could be built in stages as market conditions change, with more modest-sized buildings built initially before it progresses as the market recovers and taller buildings are more desirable.

TRAFFIC, PARKING AND TRANSIT

The development would provide 0.88 vehicle parking spaces per residential unit, including visitor parking, and 2,205 bicycle spaces. A new internal road would extend Parkside Drive.

Further transportation impact studies will assess local intersections, transit access, freight movement and the nearby highway interchange. Councillor Wright asked how logistics activity would affect traffic near a school and dense residential areas, and how the site could become "a truly pedestrian friendly environment where families feel safe" travelling to school and the ION.

PARKS AND POTENTIAL SCHOOL

The proposal includes two parks measuring 0.49 hectares and 0.57 hectares, for a combined 1.06 hectares of open space. Staff said the parkland dedication bylaw could require up to 1.51 hectares.

A 2.2-hectare parcel is protected by a holding provision for a possible school. Staff said site plans could be reconfigured if the school board exercises its option to acquire the land.

EMPLOYMENT AND LOGISTICS USES

Council discussed the transition from primarily light-industrial and commercial zoning to business-employment and mixed-use zoning. Proposed employment uses include small-scale warehousing, logistics, self-storage and other lower-impact facilities.

Trevor described the proposed logistics component as "much smaller local serving logistics for businesses in the area," rather than a large distribution centre.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PHASING

The property is within a Major Transit Station Area, so municipal inclusionary-zoning requirements will apply. The applicant said development would proceed in phases and could include market housing, affordable units, assisted living and long-term care.

Mayor McCabe described the location as "an ideal location for growth in Waterloo," citing its mix of employment, a potential school and green space.

Motions

• Passed: Approval of Report IPW2026-034, recommending planning approvals for Northfield Equities Inc.
• Passed: Approval of Official Plan Amendment 56, including an amendment allowing standalone residential uses alongside mixed-use development.
• Passed: Approval of Zoning By-law Amendment Z-24-08, with site-specific modifications, including reducing an Appendix D setback metric from 18 metres to 15 metres.
• Passed: Application of holding provisions requiring further work on servicing, transportation, parks and open-space planning, water capacity and the potential school site before construction proceeds.
• Rejected or deferred: No rejected or deferred motions were identified in the meeting material.

Attendees

Councillors identified as participating or speaking:

• Mayor Dorothy McCabe
• Councillor Bodley
• Councillor Hanmer
• Councillor Roe
• Councillor Royce Roach
• Councillor Vieth
• Councillor Wright

Councillor Freeman declared a pecuniary conflict of interest and did not participate in the application discussion.