GVCA Presidents Message July

Simply Unforgiveable

The situation in Waterloo Region is, in the eyes of many—if not most—members of the Grand Valley Construction Association and the broader construction industry, simply unforgivable.

Concerns about water capacity and long-term supply are not new. As far back as 2015, industry stakeholders were raising questions about whether the Region was adequately preparing to ensure both a safe and sufficient water supply to support future growth. This challenge did not emerge overnight. Waterloo Region has long been identified by the Province as a key growth area. Through initiatives such as Vision 1 Million and a sustained focus on intensification, we have collectively acknowledged that our population is on a path toward one million residents. While there may be debate about the timing of those projections, there is no debate about the direction. Growth is coming, and we have known it for years.

Yet in December, Regional staff halted the issuance of water permits within the Mannheim Service Area.

The consequences have been significant. The construction industry has repeatedly warned that restricting access to water servicing threatens industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) development, housing supply, economic growth, and job creation. Water servicing is a fundamental requirement for residential, commercial, and industrial projects. Without permits, developments have been delayed, scaled back, or cancelled altogether. These restrictions have compounded existing housing challenges, increased construction costs, will contribute to rising home prices, and undermined the Region’s ability to accommodate projected population growth.

Perhaps even more concerning is the widespread perception—and for many, the reality—that this situation has been poorly managed. Builders, developers, and industry leaders have expressed growing frustration over what they view as inadequate long-term planning, insufficient investment in critical infrastructure, inconsistent communication, and, at times, a misrepresentation of the challenges facing the Region. Capacity concerns were known years ago and should have been addressed proactively. Instead, uncertainty has become the defining characteristic of the Region’s response, eroding investor confidence, disrupting project timelines, and imposing unnecessary costs on businesses, workers, and future residents.

To the industry's credit, we did not wait for government to solve the problem. We brought our concerns directly to Regional Council, staff, and elected officials with urgency and persistence. What began as a one-hour monthly meeting quickly evolved into countless hours of engagement every week. Industry coalitions were formed to amplify our voice and demand action.

ReOpen Waterloo was created as a collaborative effort between the Grand Valley Construction Association, Waterloo Region Home Builders’ Association, Cornerstone Association of REALTORS®, Conestoga Heavy Construction Association, and Build Urban. Together, these organizations worked to drive accountability, education, transparency, and change. We challenged assumptions, examined the data, and identified what many of us believed was not a water supply crisis, but a mathematical and planning problem that had been allowed to escalate through years of inaction. As a coalition, we often wonder where this issue would stand today had we not continued to push, advocate, and refuse to accept “soon” as an answer when asking for solutions.

Unfortunately, the damage has already been done. Hundreds of construction-related jobs have been lost. Some businesses have closed their doors. Others have been forced to send employees outside the Region in search of work. Investment has stalled or disappeared altogether. Waterloo Region, once viewed as a leader in growth, economic development, and prosperity, has become an example of what happens when infrastructure planning fails to keep pace with community needs.

The actions—and in many cases the slow reactions—of the Region will not soon be forgotten.

The construction industry is resilient. We will recover, adapt, and continue building the communities that people need. But the frustration remains. Waterloo Region has the talent, resources, and expertise to be a model for Ontario and Canada—a place that demonstrates how aligned leadership, strategic infrastructure investment, and collaborative planning can support sustainable growth. Instead, we continue to pause, reset, and start over while the costs mount and opportunities are lost.

Our industry is not asking for special treatment. We are asking for accountability, foresight, and the leadership required to ensure that critical infrastructure keeps pace with the growth everyone knew was coming.