Published by the Region of Waterloo Winter 2011

www.region.waterloo.on.ca

INSIDE�

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Waterloo Region Museum PAGE 3

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Waterloo Waste WaterTreatment Plant PAGE 6

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Supportive Housing ofWaterloo (SHOW) PAGE 7

Commentsor questions?Region of WaterlooCustomer Service: regionalinquiries

@region.waterloo.on.caTel: 519-575-4400

The Future of Waterloo Region in 2030

Improving service PAGE 8

Have you ever thought about whatWaterloo Region might look like 20years from now? The Region isexpected to grow by almost 200,000people by 2030. That’s likesqueezing another city withKitchener’s population into theregion. Where will these extrapeople go? Where will they live?Where will they work? How will theyget around?The Region’s planners are taking onthese challenges with a newRegional Official Plan, currently inits final phase of approval with theProvince. The plan directs growthtowards the centres of the region,rather than to build outward overour farmlands and countryside. Thiswill help avoid sprawl, whilemaintaining and enhancing thequality of life in urban, suburban andrural areas throughout the region.

This is not just a local decision.While the Region certainlyembraces the vision, the directionis mandated by the provincialgovernment in its Growth Plan forthe Greater Golden Horseshoe. The alternative to this plan paintsa very different picture. If wecontinued to build outward, wewould depend more on cars to getaround. We would have to expand

our regional road system by 25 percent, adding 500 lane kilometres –the equivalent of 25 new HespelerRoads – at a cost of $1.4 to 1.5billion (including associatedproperty costs). In everyneighbourhood, new and widerroads would also be much busier.

But the future does not have to be

Wondering what to do with the family over MarchBreak? With many interesting destinations at yourdoorstep, why not make the most of this year’s timeout from the classroom and explore the historic andcultural places of Waterloo Region.

In Waterloo Region, it’s easy to have fun with history!All of the historic and culture sites operated by theRegion of Waterloo are offering a full schedule ofMarch Break programs, so planning the mid-winterbreak has never been easier or more affordable.

At Joseph SchneiderHaus, explore howthe first pioneerslived. Kitchener’soldest landmark hasbeen restored todemonstrate whatlife was like in theearly to mid-1800s.Participate in ourScottish heritage atMcDougall Cottage,a circa 1858 stonecottage on theGrand River. Visitwww.region.waterloo.on.ca/jsh for details.

And there’s lots to do at Doon Heritage Village, wherechildren can interact with a living history village thatrecreates life in 1914. As you pass through the newWaterloo Region Museum, you’ll get your first

glimpse of theVillage through theMuseum’sbeautiful grandfoyer. And don’tforget to lookdown! That’swhere you’ll seethe crossroads ofHuron Road andthe Grand TrunkRailway that has been recreated in the Museum’sfloor. Visit www.waterlooregionmuseum.com for a fulllist of activities.The Region of WaterlooLibrary, with 10branches in the fourrural townships, offers avariety of family-friendlyactivities during MarchBreak, including musicalguests, wild critters, and zany entertainers for allages. Parents can participate or relax with a newmagazine, surf the WIFI, or browse the new DVDs forlow-cost weekend entertainment. Checkwww.rwl.library.on.ca for an event schedule andticket information.If you’re new to the region, find us online atwww.region.waterloo.on.ca for a full list of programsand services. Enjoy your Waterloo Region – there’ssomething for everybody!

March Break in Waterloo Region

400,0002001 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026 2031

450,000

500,000

550,000

600,000

650,000

700,000

750,000

Actual Population Growth Forecasted Population Growth

Continued on page 2

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one of traffic jams and sprawl. In fact, growthis already shifting to downtowns and othercentral areas. In the first half of 2010, 45 percent of the building permits issued in WaterlooRegion were for residential units in built-upareas. That compares to five per cent in 1991and 15 per cent in 2001.As a further sign of an increasing shift towardurban living, in the last five years more than2,000 residential units have been built within800 metres of proposed rapid transit stations.About $775 million in investments in other typesof development has also been realized alongthis corridor.With more homes, shops, services and officeswithin walking distance, our downtowns andother built-up areas will become more vibrantin the daytime, evenings and weekends. Peoplewill make better use of available services,especially transit. While road expansion willalways be a part of our future, rapid transit,along with an advanced and connected bussystem, can better manage these growthpressures.The prospects for Waterloo Region continuingto be a prosperous community are very bright.Now is the time to focus on shaping ourcommunity – and how people get around withinthat community – to ensure that WaterlooRegion remains a great place to live, work andinvest for generations to come.

“The future of the Region in 2030” continuedfrom page 1

The Region will provide $60 rebate incentives for water efficient toilets flushing 4.8-litres orless as of January 2011. Six-litre toilets will no longer be rebated.To make sure the Region only provides rebates on low flush toilets that perform well whilesaving water, performance testing by an independent agency is done. Toilets that pass thesetests are then included on the “WaterSense” standard used by the Region and other NorthAmerican municipalities.“The WaterSense labelling standard has been adopted by the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency. The list includes only dual flush and 4.8-litre high efficiency toilets that flush aminimum of 350 grams of waste,” said Steve Gombos, manager of water efficiency.

People who bought six-litre toilets in 2010 but don’t apply for a rebate until2011 may still be eligible for a $40-rebate if other qualifiers are met.

The Toilet Replacement Program was introduced as part of theWater Efficiency Master Plan to reduce water use by over eightmillion litres per day by the year 2015.For program information including qualifiers or to view the listof Region-approved toilets, call 519-575-4021, email

watercycle@region.waterloo.on.ca or visitwww.region.waterloo.on.ca/water.

Rebates to be given for 4.8-litre toiletsonly starting in January

The Waterloo Region Museum has launched a brand new website atwww.waterlooregionmuseum.com. The new website is fully accessibleand features a colourful easy-to-navigate home page. Learn about thenew Waterloo Region Museum and all it has to offer our community. Thewebsite also incorporates social media tools including Facebook,YouTube, Flickr and Twitter. The site features an interactive eventscalendar that allows the user to click on any day of the year to find outwhat is happening at the museum. It gives visitors all the informationthey need to plan their visit.As the Waterloo Region Museum is a multi-faceted building, the websitegives information on exhibit galleries, Doon Heritage Village, theWaterloo Region Hall of Fame, artifact collections and much more.

The website also features photos and photo galleries that showcase the community space available forrent in the new facility. Be sure to visit the new website at www.waterlooregionmuseum.com to learnall about the Waterloo Region Museum.

The Waterloo Region Museum provides theperfect setting for your next special event. Frommeetings to wedding receptions and corporategalas.• Outdoor facilities - Gazebo and Green Space• Freeport Church - available for all

ceremonies• Christie Digital Theatre - 114 seats available

adjacent to the Grand Foyer• The Grand Foyer - 250 theatre style, or up to

150 for a seated dinner• Meeting rooms available that are ideal for

business or community meetings

For more information contact: Jamie Perhamjperham@regionofwaterloo.ca519-748-191410 Huron Road,Kitchener ON N2P 2R7www.waterlooregionmuseum.com

Waterloo Region Museum launches new website

Make your next eventunique and memorable!Turning right

� Signal right as you approach the roundabout. � Maintain your signal through the roundabout.� Maintain your signal as you exit.

Going straight � Do not signal as you approach the

roundabout.� Signal right prior to your exit only.

Turning left� Signal left as you approach the roundabout.� Maintain your signal through the roundabout.� Signal right prior to your exit.

Going full circle (U-turn) � Signal left as you approach the roundabout.� Maintain your signal through the roundabout.� Signal right prior to your exit.

LET’S IMPROVE -SIGNAL YOUR

MOVE!

www.GoRoundabout.ca

How do I signal at a roundabout?

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Cyclists can now get directions on GoogleMaps to plan their route in Waterloo Region. Over a year and a half ago, the Region set outto make cycling trip-planning easier. While acycling and transit map was always availableat transit terminals, something more flexibleand easier to use would make travelling bybike much easier. In coordination with the Cities of Cambridge,Kitchener and Waterloo the Region gatheredas much bike trail, path and bike lane data aspossible in order to provide accurate, up-to-date and consistent information. With thisinformation Google Maps will now be able toprovide efficient routes, allow riders tocustomize their trips, make use of bike lanes,calculate rider-friendly routes that avoid bighills and customize the look of the map forcycling. If you’re looking to bike to work, to go for aleisure bike ride, or to give your car a break,these biking directions will help you find aconvenient and efficient route just by typingin your starting point and end destination andclicking on the bike icon to get yourdirections.

With two kids getting ready takes a lot longer. With easyGo online trip planning, I know exactly how much time I have and can plan ahead.

SMS alerts Online trip planning Next bus calling

visit www.grt.ca today for more info

makes it easy!

“Let’s do it again with the green bin,”says Father of Blue Box

Considered by many to be the Father of the Blue Box, Nyle Luldoph, aKitchener resident, recently returned to the spotlight in a commercialcongratulating residents for their terrific response and support in makingthe locally created blue box a way of life and challenging us to do thesame with the green bin.In 1981, Nyle with Total Recycling (now Laidlaw) asked 1,100 householdsaround the Kitchener auditorium neighbourhood to sort steel cans, glassand paper from their garbage and place at the curb separately ongarbage day. Out of the 1,100 households, 250 were provided with asmall blue box to store and carry items to the curb. The pilot wasa resounding success. Within several weeks, approximately75 per cent of the 1,100 households were separating andputting out recyclable items. “It became very obvious thatpeople who had the boxes participated the most,”Ludolph recalled. Two years later, in 1983, a decisionwas made to launch the all-out program acrossKitchener. Nyle’s own home study convinced him that sortingwaste in the home would offer a very largeenvironmental impact. In 1976, for one full year, Nyle’sfamily sorted all their waste. They put organicmaterials into a compost pile in the backyard and tookrecyclables to a recycling depot. At the conclusion ofthis test, the Luldoph family of five had put out only 46kilograms (102 lbs.) of garbage for the entire year. While best known for promoting Blue Box recycling, Nylealso advocated composting. In the early 1980s, Nyle distributed1,000 composters to residents. The composters were made fromJ.M. Schneider steel drums, wooden pallets from Kaufman Footwear andUniroyal, and built by volunteer teams from the Katimavik youth program.

After filming the commercial, Nyle asked to be drivenaround a few neighborhoods to see the green bins at the

curb. As of last October all single-family homes in the regionhad been introduced to the green bin. “We’re getting there,”

Nyle proudly noted.

The rest of us are just catching up to this visionary.

Nyle Luldoph, the Father of the Blue Box

In October, Region of Waterloo Public Healthlaunched the new Healthy Smiles Ontario program,which is part of the provincial government’s PovertyReduction Strategy. Healthy Smiles Ontario buildsupon and links with current public health programsand expands access to dentalservices for children and youth up to17 years. Healthy Smiles Ontario is beingimplemented through Ontario publichealth units and will providepreventive and early treatmentservices to eligible children andyouth. You must: • Have an adjusted family net income of $20,000 or

less; • Have children up to 17 years old; • Be a resident of Ontario; and • Have no access to dental insurance or other forms

of dental health coverage. Services provided by Healthy Smiles Ontario willinclude: dental treatment services provided in public

health clinics or private practices; preventive careservices provided in public heath clinics, privatepractices or community settings (e.g., CommunityHealth Centres); oral health screenings to identifyearly signs of dental disease; and health promotion

activities.The new program addresses asignificant gap that exists in dentalcare for children and youth from low-income families. Public Health willcontinue to work with communitypartners, such as local dentalproviders and Community Health

Centres, to improve access for those who cannotaccess regular dental care due to financial barriers. For more information about Healthy Smiles Ontarioand eligibility, go to www.ontario.ca/healthysmiles orcall the ServiceOntario INFOline 1-866-532-3161.For information about other dental services providedby Region of Waterloo Public Health go to www.region.waterloo.on.ca/ph or call 519-883-2222.

Healthy Smiles offers dental care for kids

Google launchescycling directions for

Waterloo Region

Looking ahead to the next four yearsAfter each municipal election, RegionalCouncil develops a new Strategic Plan tooutline priorities for the organization over thenext four years. That’s where we need yourhelp. In order to ensure that the Region'sStrategic Plan reflects the most pressingpriorities of our community we are seekingyour input to help guide and inform thepriorities and future directions. The new planwill be better if we gather information frommany sources, including individuals,businesses and community organizations.

Questions for youIn setting priorities for 2011-2014, we need toknow what matters most to residents ofWaterloo Region. In particular, we want to hear:• What you like and don’t like about living in

Waterloo Region? • What priorities you think the Region should

focus on for the next four years?• What you think about Regional services and

how can we better serve you? • What are the best ways for Regional

government to communicate and engage thepublic?

How to participateGo to www.region.waterloo.on.ca Click on the 2011-2014 Strategic Planbutton on the front page.Click on the online survey link.

For more details, or to receive a printed copyof the survey, contact Lorie Fioze, Manager ofStrategic Planning, at 519-575-4758 or emaillfioze@regionofwaterloo.ca

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The new Regional Official Plan adopted in 2009 reflects our earlierGrowth Management Strategy, new provincial policy and the GrowthPlan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Key elements of the Official Plan include: • Increasingly compact, mixed-use development• More transportation choices, encouraging use of transit, cycling

and walking• Protection of valuable farmland, core environmental features

and drinking water sourcesTwo more Environmentally Sensitive Landscapes (ESL) weredesignated, bringing the total to 15,000 hectares in four ESL areas.The ESL designation helps conserve significant natural areas bypreserving regional biodiversity. It also benefits water and air qualityand contributes to the character of the region. A $500,000 Environmental Stewardship Fund was set up to supportstewardship projects, primarily within the ESLs. To date, the Regionhas provided $182,000 for 24 projects, including trail building, forestrestoration, creek rehabilitation and schoolyard naturalization. In 2009, after more than five years of study and public consultationRegional Council endorsed a preferred rapid transit system. Long-term, it envisions a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system from Cambridge to

Waterloo, with the initial phasecombining LRT in the northern portionof the route and adapted Bus RapidTransit in the southern portion. To bolster the rapid transit plan, theProvince committed $300 million andthe Federal government pledged to payone-third of the eligible project costs to amaximum of $265 million. Regional staff areconsidering several options to ensure that the initial phase of theproject is affordable and provides best value.The Grand River Transit (GRT) business plan was updated in 2008.Over the past decade, transit use almost doubled to 16.5 million ridesin 2009 from 9.5 million in 2000. Improvements include new routes,increased frequency on existing routes, better technology andpassenger information systems, bus service to Elmira, enhancedMobilityPLUS service for people with disabilities, and expanded faresubsidies for people with low income.Support to the arts, culture and heritage increased with theconstruction of the Waterloo Region Museum, endorsement of thenew Creative Enterprise Enabling Organization and $500,000 inincreased funding to arts and culture organizations.

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Environmental Sustainability: Protect and enhance the environment

Growth Management: Manage and shape growth to ensure a livable, healthy, thriving and sustainableWaterloo Region

PROGRESS ON STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 2007-2010 Following is an update on major activity in six focus areas of the 2007-2010 Strategic Plan.

For 2007-2010, we developed our first Environmental SustainabilityStrategy. It provides a framework for dozens of environmentalinitiatives and ensures the Region will “embrace environmentalconsiderations in all decision-making.”Here are some examples:We purchased six hybrid diesel-electric transit buses. Another threewill be delivered in 2011. Fuel efficiency of our fleet of vehicles was improved. Transit and fleetoperators are trained in a Smart Driver program that saves gas andlowers greenhouse gas emissions. Geothermal systems were installed at Sunnyside Home and Regional

Library Headquarters.Solar panel systems were installed atthe operations centre and EMS fleetcentre. A commitment to add solarpanels to 37 Regional buildings willhelp feed clean energy back into theprovincial power grid.Almost all single-family homes in WaterlooRegion have received a green bin. The amount of waste divertedfrom landfill via this program will have increased from 1,700 tonnes in2008 to an estimated 8,000 tonnes by the end of 2010.

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Healthy & Safe Community : Support safe and caring communities that enhance all aspects of health

Human Services: Promote quality of life and create opportunities for residents todevelop to their full potential

Infrastructure : Provide high quality infrastructure and asset management to meet currentneeds and future growth

Service Excellence: Foster a culture of citizen / customer service that is responsiveto community needs.

The 2007 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Master Plan aims toimprove ambulance response times and prepare for a growing andaging population over the next two decades. Between 2006 and 2009, ambulance response times improved by oneminute and five seconds. A new traffic signal pre-emption system,which gives emergency vehicles the right of way, is expected toimprove response times by another 45 to 60 seconds.In 2009, the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council received $3.7million from the National Crime Prevention Strategy to implement astreet gang prevention project.More than 50 organizations helped develop the Region’s first

Community Influenza PandemicPreparedness Plan. It guided theRegion’s response to the 2009 H1N1pandemic and is being updated toreflect experience gained that year.Some 40 critical functions/serviceswere identified across the Region ofWaterloo and staff completed acomprehensive business continuity programfor each critical function in the event of an emergency.

More than 1,500 affordable housing units were built in the regionbetween 2001 and 2008. Our goal is to add another 500 units by theend of 2013.A new 30-unit supportive housing apartment connected to SunnysideHome provides daily assistance to seniors and people with mentalhealth challenges. The building features a wellness centre andexpanded K-W Seniors Day program.The Christopher Children’s Centre in Cambridge was redeveloped toaccommodate another 10 toddlers and 15 preschoolers. The buildingmeets the LEED silver designation, while the program meets thecriteria of the HighScope Curriculum Approach, a specialized style ofearly childhood education. To welcome and support immigrants, we developed a website

(www.newwr.ca) to encourage skilledimmigrants to locate in WaterlooRegion. The site also offersinformation on immigrant settlement,support and integration.With $200,000 in funding between 2006and 2010, the Region supported the WaterlooRegion Immigrant Employment Network and participated in animmigrant mentorship program with the network and the YMCA. TheRegion led the development of a Local Immigration PartnershipCouncil to integrate immigrant settlement, support and employmentactivities in Waterloo Region.

The Region updated or created new master plans in virtually allmajor infrastructure areas, including wastewater treatment, watersupply, Grand River Transit, the airport, regional transportation andan accommodation plan for Regional offices.In 2007-2010, we undertook an unprecedented amount ofinfrastructure repair, replacement and improvements, awardingsome 125 construction contracts worth more than $430 million. Anumber of the projects in 2009-2010 were co-funded by the federaland provincial governments. Work is underway on several very large projects, including theFairway Road extension and bridge across the Grand River, CPRgrade separation at the Delta in Cambridge, and expansions andupgrades to the Kitchener and Waterloo Wastewater TreatmentPlants.

In 2009, the Development Charges Bylawwas updated. It ensures adequatefunding for infrastructure expansionsthat will be needed to accommodategrowth.The Region continued to do backgroundstudies and lobby the Province to improveinter-regional transit services. GO Bus servicewas introduced in 2009; GO Train service between Toronto andKitchener will start in late 2011. We completed a studydemonstrating the feasibility of GO Train service between Torontoand Cambridge (via Milton), and continue to work with GO Transitand VIA Rail to improve their service to the region.

As part of a comprehensive service strategy, a Citizen ServiceAssociate is available to the public in the lobby of administrativeheadquarters at 150 Frederick St. in Kitchener.We are redesigning and streamlining the Region’s website,reviewing how we handle telephone calls from the public andinvestigating ways to measure public satisfaction with our services.We continue to review policies and procedures, look for ways tosave money while improving our effectiveness and accountability.

Finally, the Region is implementing anemployee engagement plan aimed atrecruiting, retaining and developingskilled, motivated employees focused onproviding excellent service. Staff opinionswere gathered through our first-evercomprehensive employee survey and thechanges underway are based in part on that response.

Progress on the 2007-2010 Strategic PlanThe Region is committed to informing residents about our progress on theStrategic Plan. The above information provides highlights of thesignificant work completed in the six focus areas. To get more details onour progress visit our an interactive web-based tool athttp://regionofwaterloo.visiblestrategies.com.It is also important to note that, in addition to carrying out the actions ofour Strategic Plan, the Region responded to unexpected events such as

the recession of 2008-2009. The weakened economy had a dramatic effecton a number of our program areas. Unemployment in the region grew to10.5 per cent in 2009 from five per cent two years earlier and as a resultwe saw our Ontario Works income-support caseload jump by more than35 per cent. To try to reduce the recession’s impact, the Federal and Provincialgovernments decided to help create jobs by subsidizing infrastructureprojects. The Region received $53.5 million under the infrastructure and$41 million under the housing stimulus programs.

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The Waterloo Wastewater Treatment Plant is inthe middle of a significant update. Theproposed plant upgrades were identified in theRegion’s 2007 Master Plan for wastewatertreatment and will:

• improve water quality in theGrand River

• improve reliability and energyefficiency by replacing agingequipment

• dewater biosolids generatedat the plant for properdisposal of the remainingwaste, as recommended inthe Biosolids Master Plan

• replace and upgrade thestandby power system and

• reduce odours generated by the treatmentprocess by installing odour control units

The current capacity of the WaterlooWastewater Treatment Plant is sufficient and isnot being increased. The estimated cost of theproject is $118.3 million. The funding comesfrom the current residents’ water bills and fromfees collected from newly constructed homes.The construction activities have been assignedto four separate construction contracts.Most of the construction contracts at variousbuildings will happen at the same time to

minimize the construction period andthe impacts on plant operations.Work on the final contract will start inthe fall of 2011.

The Waterloo Wastewater Treatment Plant is getting an update

Christopher Children’s Centre reopened its doors on Oct. 18, 2010 aftercompletion of the new child care centre in Cambridge. The originalcentre situated at 30 Christopher Dr., was built in 1971. Age andoperational challenges prompted the building of a new centre to belocated on the existing site. In 2008, Regional Council approved thedesign and reconstruction for the new centre.

The building design meets the LEED silver standard. Features such asfacilities for bicycles, solar water heating, enhanced energyperformance, water efficiency, on-site gardens, extensive use of naturalrecycled and local materials and a green bin recycling program havebeen included.

The building design also incorporates features that fit with theHighScope curriculum approach, which is the teaching method used inall of the Region’s five directly operated children’s centres. The interiorspaces make use of natural light, wood and other materials to createspaces that are warm, inviting and aesthetically pleasing for children.The centre has an enrolment capacity for up to 62 children ranging inages from 18 months to five years.

Thanks to community support Bearskin Airlines has increased servicebetween Waterloo Region and Ottawa adding a fifth daily flight eachweekday and a third daily flight each Sunday.

“Be in Ottawa before you can drive to Pearson! Bearskin flights toOttawa are about 70 minutes, which can save passengers significanttime and expense on a return trip,” said Chris Wood, General Manager ofthe Region of Waterloo International Airport. “We have no parking,baggage or security delays, and as word continues to spread aboutavailable flight options, we are proud to watch Bearskin grow here againat the Region of Waterloo International Airport.”

Let the Bear fly you there in less time than it takes to drive from WaterlooRegion to Pearson. Save time, money and collect Aeroplan points withevery flight. To book, contact your travel agent, visitwww.bearskinairlines.com or call 1-800-465-2327.

The Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF) is owned andoperated by the Region of Waterloo. Year-round service is provided by:WestJet, offering daily non-stop flights to Calgary with connections toWestern Canada; and Bearskin Airlines, offering daily flights to Ottawa.Sunwing returns Dec. 15, 2010 offering weekly non-stop flights to PuntaCana, Dominican Republic. For more information visitwww.waterlooairport.ca or call 1-866-648-2256.

FLY TO OTTAWAwithoutbumpertobumper

Four times daily fromWaterloo Region

waterlooairport.ca

Five

x

Bearskin Airlines adds a fifth dailyflight to Ottawa

Christopher Children’s CentreReopening

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The Region’s Employment Services division hasbeen transformed into a full-service destinationfor regional residents looking to find work oraccess to education and training programs. Under Employment Ontario services changesmandated by the province that took effect lastAugust, the Region of Waterloo and a numberof other organizations including the WorkingCentre, Lutherwood, the YMCA and ConestogaCollege were chosen to provide this one-stopemployment service in the region. The focus ofEmployment Ontario is to offer programmingthat adapts to the needs of the individual ratherthan forcing the individual to adapt to theprogram.

For those seeking self-directed services, theRegion continues to offer employmentresource centres at its offices in Kitchener,Waterloo and Cambridge. Open to anyone,weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., thesecentres provide computers, printers, phones,faxes, voicemail boxes, job postings, weeklyemployment coaching services and ongoingemployment workshops. The centres also offerinformation on the province’s Apprenticeship,Second Career training and the Ontario Self-Employment Benefit programs.

For those seeking more hands-on assistance,

the Region provides a full suite of programsaimed at developing an individualized plan tomeet your education, training and employmentgoals. These include:• employability assessmentsand counselling with anemployment facilitator

• career planning groups,

• help with your job searchand self-marketing

• help filling out applicationsfor provincial programs

• help with securing jobplacements includingoffering incentives foremployers and job-retention coaching and strategies

These assisted services are available to thosewho are working and/or attending school lessthan 20 hours per week. For more information on the Region’sEmployment Ontario programming, call 883-2101, ext. 5655. For information onprograms offered by other local serviceproviders, go tohttp://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/tcu/employmentontario/.

Employment Services becomes one-stop shop

Changing lives by providing homes for the homelessFred is in his early 50s and had used the Out ofthe Cold Program and lived on the street for thelast 10 years. In June 2010, he moved into oneof the new units at the Supportive Housing ofWaterloo (SHOW) building. SHOW provideshousing with 24/7 on-site support for thoseexperiencing or at-risk of persistenthomelessness. Fred has been supported toreplace his identification, pay off previousCommunity Housing arrears, receive supportfor his alcohol use and reconnect with hisfamily. In Fred’s own words, “I’m still pinchingmyself; I can’t believe I’m here.”When William was 12 years old, he left homefor the first time. For the next three years hecycled in and out of his mother’s home due toinstances involving conflict or abuse. The lasttime William returned home at 15 years old, hefound his mother had moved away and that shewanted no further contact with him. He neverknew his father. William spent years accessingthe emergency shelter system – until now.William is now in the new “Five Beds to aHome” program at Argus where he is providedwith housing and 24-hour intensive support.Recently, William received grades back on hisGrade 12 chemistry tests – 92 per cent and 100

per cent. He plans to attend university nextyear.These and many others have found places tocall home in part as a result of All Roads Leadto Home: A Homelessness to Housing StabilityStrategy for Waterloo Region, approved byRegional Council in October 2007. A total of 90per cent of the 92 actions within the Strategyhave been completed or are in progress.Further, targets set by Regional Council to endpersistent homelessness for 50 people and

prevent persistent homelessness for 100people by December 2010 have been achieved. Highlights of just a few of the completedactions include: • A Youth Housing Options report was

completed supporting Argus Residence forYoung People in Cambridge beginning “FiveBeds to a Home,” which providespermanent housing with intensive supportfor youth experiencing homelessness.Reaching Our Outdoor Friends (ROOF) willpilot “PAR” (Providing a Roof - a youth-specific emergency shelter in Kitchener).

• The Homelessness and Housing UmbrellaGroup (HHUG) completed three annualreport cards to support local education andawareness of homelessness and housingstability.

• Supportive Housing of Waterloo (SHOW)opened a 30-unit building providing housingand 24/7 supports for people who wereexperiencing or at-risk of persistenthomelessness.

A new Strategy is planned for spring 2011. Forfurther details, visit the Region’s website atwww.region.waterloo.on.ca.

Supportive Housing of Waterloo (SHOW)

You’ve experienced it. Trudging into work with salt stains on your boots. Watching your petnursing their sore paws. Repairing your salt rusted vehicle. Imagine what it can do to ourgroundwater . . . the water we drink.

Some salt is necessary to keep us safe, but sometimes there’s just too much sparkle on thesidewalks, parking lots and roads. You can help stop the overuse of salt. Learn why companiesare becoming smart about salt and then tell your building manager about the good things thathappen when you’re smart about salt.

Do you wear winter boots? Do you have pictures of sparkling sidewalks? At what temperaturesdoes salt work best? Join the conversation at www.smartaboutsalt.com.

Providing opportunities througheducation

The Region of Waterloo working withConestoga College has been providing

classes for OntarioWorks clients since April2010 to prepare them towrite the GeneralEducationalDevelopment test, aninternational testingprogram for adults whohave been unable tocomplete high school. Bywriting and passing thetest, students receive ahigh school equivalency

certificate. Arrangements were made to havethe test administered in Waterloo at 99Regina St. S. as there are no local centres towrite the test. The first group wrote the teston Oct. 4 and 5, and 18 of the 20 who wrotethe test were successful. If you are an Ontario Works client and areinterested in attending the classes, contactyour case worker.Another test is planned for June. Communitymembers can write the test as space permits.For information, call 519-883-2036.

www.region.waterloo.on.ca

COUNCIL CONTACTSREGIONAL CHAIR

Ken Seilingkseiling@regionofwaterloo.ca

519-575-4585 (R)COUNCILLORSCAMBRIDGEJane Brewer

jbrewer@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3402 (R)

519-653-3315 (H)Doug Craig

dcraig@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3404 (R)519-740-4517 Ext. 4215 (W)

Claudette Millarcmillar@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3408 (R)

519-621-7202 (H)KITCHENERTom Galloway

tgalloway@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3401 (R)

519-578-2112 (H)Jean Haalboom

jhaalboom@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3406 (R)

519-748-1508 (H) Geoff Lorentz

glorentz@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3413 (R)

519-741-1494 (H)Jim Wideman

jwideman@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3409 (R)

519-576-5150 (H)Carl Zehr

czehr@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3403 (R)

519-741-2300 (W)NORTH DUMFRIESRob Deutschmann

rdeutschmann@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3407 (R)

519-621-0340 (W)WATERLOO

Brenda Halloranbhalloran@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3400 (R)

519-747-8700 (W)Jane Mitchell

jmitchell@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3411 (R)

519-886-9626 (H)Sean Strickland

sstrickland@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3414 (R)

519-503-0613 (C)WELLESLEYRoss Kelterborn

rkelterborn@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3410 (R)

519-699-4611 (W) WILMOT

Les Armstronglesarmstrong@regionofwaterloo.ca

519-575-4404 Ext. 3412 (R)226-748-8971(C) WOOLWICHTodd Cowan

tcowan@regionofwaterloo.ca519-575-4404 Ext. 3405 (R)

519-669-0591 (H) General Fax for Council

519-575-4048W-work R-region H-home C-cell

8

As part of the actions under our 2007-2010 StrategicPlan, the Region of Waterloo developed and adopteda corporate wide Service Strategy. This strategyprovides a plan to deliver excellent services acrossthe organization with a goal to identify what peopleusing our services need and how we can best meetthose needs. The three focus areas of the plan are:• to improve access to our services through the

telephone, website and in person; • to measure the satisfaction of people who use

our services and act on that feedback; and• to support the staff and volunteers that deliver

our services. The Region will gather feedback from the publicabout what matters most to the people living inWaterloo Region. As part of this process, the Regionhas conducted a statistically valid, random telephonesurvey of 1,150 Waterloo Region residents; and runcommunity focus groups and meetings.

In addition early in 2011, the Region of Waterloo isparticipating in Citizens First 6, which is the latest in aseries of research initiatives conducted by theInstitute for Citizen Centred Service focused onoffering government insight into citizens’ views ofgovernment services, and providing trends andsuggestions on where to focus service qualityimprovements for greatest results. The researchprovides an invaluable perspective on the waysgovernment service delivery has evolved (i.e. citizens

are significantly more satisfied now than when thisresearch started), and feedback on topical issues(e.g. strategies to address customer concernsregarding privacy and security of personalinformation when using online services). Theseresults will allow us to compare ourselves with othermunicipalities and levels of government.

All of these results combined will be used to targetkey areas that the Region can focus on to improveservice delivery.

For more information about the Region’s ServiceStrategy and actions please contact Deb Bergey,Manager of Citizen Service at 519-575-4097, emailDBergey@regionofwaterloo.ca or TTY: 519-575-4608.

The Region of Waterloo has been named one ofthe Waterloo Area’s Top Employers as part ofthe Top 100 Employers annual competitionrun by Mediacorp Canada Inc. The Regionwas selected based on a list of criteriaincluding wellness programs and on-sitegyms, family-friendliness, green initiatives,physical environment and more. Considering a job at the Region? The Region hasso much to offer its employees. You will have theopportunity to establish your career, enjoy an interestingwork environment and contribute to the development ofyour community. Our employees provide innovative

leadership and a wide variety of programs andservices that are essential to creating aninclusive, thriving and sustainablecommunity. They engage in rewarding andchallenging work and are committed toliving our organizational values of service,integrity, respect, innovation and

collaboration. Our employees take pride in serving their

community. We invite you to join us in making adifference every day. For current job opportunities, visitour website at www.region.waterloo.on.ca.

Region of Waterloo named Top Waterloo Area Employer

Your Region Council for 2010 - 2014

Back Row, (L to R): Les Armstrong, Jim Wideman, Carl Zehr, Geoff Lorentz, Doug Craig, Sean Strickland,Rob Deutschmann, Ross Kelterborn, Tom GallowayFront Row, (L to R): Jean Haalboom, Jane Mitchell, Brenda Halloran, Ken Seiling, Jane Brewer,Claudette Millar, Todd Cowan

Improving Service at the Region of Waterloo

A new Citizen ServiceAssociate is

available to help at150 Frederick St.