This function involves the processing and review of development applications submitted under the Planning Act or initiated in response to Regional Official Policies Plan (ROPP) policy. In this function the Region plays three distinct roles:

Regional Corporate Interest
The first role is to comment on how the proposed development affects Regional corporate interests such as Environmentally Sensitive Policy Areas , municipal water supplies, Regional Roads and wastewater treatment. In these circumstances, the Region has a direct corporate interest in, and liability for, Planning Act approvals which impact on Regionally owned and operated facilities. These interests are defined by policies in the Regional Official Policies Plan as well as other corporate protocols and guidelines.

Approval/Delegated Authority
The Region's second role is as an approval authority for official plans, official plan amendments, plans of subdivision, plans of condominium, and part-lot control by-laws within the Cities of Cambridge and Waterloo and the Townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. This role has been assigned to the Region through the Planning Act or for old applications has been delegated to the Region by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH). As either an approval authority or a delegate of MMAH, the Region has the responsibility to ensure that the provisions of the Planning Act and other related legislation are appropriately dealt with during the approval of development applications.

Responsibility for approval of the above noted applications in the City of Kitchener has been delegated to the City.

Delegate of the Province Relating to Plan Review
The third role played by the Region is to provide comments on behalf of five Provincial Ministries: Ministry of the Environment, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH), Ministry of Citizenship, Culture (MCI) and Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). The delegation of its responsibility from the Province to the Region occurred through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entered into by the Province and the Region in the summer of 1996. The Region is bound by this agreement to fulfil specific responsibilities on behalf of the Province.

Schedule of Fees

Application for Plan of Subdivision

Application for Plan of Condominium

Pre-Consultation By-law for Plans of Subdivision and Condominium

Digital Submission Standards:
All applications for plans of subdivision or condominium must be accompanied by the plan in a digital drawing file format (.dwg), as well as a .pdf and hard copy formats. Updated digital plans are required at several stages in the review process (draft submission, draft approval and registration) as described in the Application for Plan of Subdivision or the Application for Plan of Condominium. The required contents of the drawing file (.dwg) are described in the technical standards document below entitled: Digital Plan Submission Standards for Subdivisions and Condominiums".

Region of Waterloo Digital Plan Submission Standards

Status of Plans - Tri-City Map
Status of Plans - Township Map

Dwg Templates

As described in the technical specifications, digital plans must be geo-referenced in UTM coordinates. Applicants can request a copy of the Teranet parcel fabric for the subject and surrounding properties from the Region to assist in the geo-referencing of the plans. The Teranet parcel fabric will be supplied for this purpose, at no cost to the applicant, under the terms of the attached agreement.

Data Licence for Teranet Data for Digital Plans Submissions

For information regarding Plans of Subdivision and Plans of Condominium please contact:

Brenna MacKinnon, Manager, Development Planning for the Townships 519-575-4060

Amanda Kutler, Manager Development Planning for the Cities 519-575-4818

For general inquiries, please contact Andrea Banks, Program Assistant at 519-575-4533