There are many reasons why Waterloo Region remains in the grip of a housing crisis. Some are surprisingly simple: our population is growing faster than we can build homes.
The Vital Signs report from the Waterloo Region Community Foundation captured this reality in stark numbers. In 2022 and 2023, the gap between population growth and housing starts reached crisis levels. The region was short by an estimated 14,000 homes—just to keep pace with growth. That’s not about catching up; that’s just to break even.
Other factors are more complex. Zoning bylaws, market forces, rising construction costs, the ripple effects of our unpredictable neighbour to the south, and the longstanding belief that for-profit development will somehow meet the full range of housing needs all play a role.
The result of all this is a kind of quiet resignation that’s growing in our community. People are giving up—not just on the idea of owning a home, but on the belief that anything can or will change. There’s a sense of helplessness that creeps in when the challenge feels too big, too complicated, and too entrenched to solve.
That feeling is understandable—but it isn’t the full story.
Because there is hope. And more than that, there is action.
Here in Waterloo Region, local charities are doing vital, creative work to respond to this crisis. Whether it’s supporting those living on the street, helping recent grads find their first place, or ensuring vulnerable seniors can age in place, organizations across the region are tackling the complexities of housing with dedication and innovation.
But they can’t do it alone. The community must stand beside them—and not in a symbolic way, but through real, tangible support.
At Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region, as with many others, we’re working hard to do our part. From the launch of the BUILD NOW: Waterloo Region initiative that plans to bring 10,000 new homes to the region to our ongoing build projects in Kitchener and Cambridge, we are doing all we can to solve this.
In the end, community support is the engine behind our impact. We simply cannot do this work alone. We need volunteers, donors, and local businesses to all play a part. Financial contributions are a key part of what helps us build—from personal donations to corporate sponsorships, construction takes money. But that’s not all. Donations of goods and services also help keep our costs down and our builds going.
And support isn’t just about materials or money. We need voices. When we go before council seeking approvals, we need our community to speak out with us. We can’t take on NIMBYism alone.
The good news? Everyone in this community can do something. It might be a small monthly donation. A discounted rate on building supplies. A letter to the editor in support of new housing. An email to a local councillor urging them to act with urgency.
The causes of this crisis are both simple and complex. Our solutions will need to be too. But the path forward is clear: it starts with each of us.
Philip Mills, CEO Habitat Waterloo Region
