The Waterloo Impact

Canada's talent and innovation engine

The University of Waterloo power’s Canadian productivity. Waterloo’s economic and alumni impact extends far beyond its campuses, driving nearly $7 billion in GDP across Ontario through its world-renowned co-op program, alumni earnings and research efforts.

8X Every $1 invested in the University of Waterloo by the Government of Ontario returns $8.16 in economic activity
#1 university in Canada for producing unicorn founders Unicorn Report 2025
2X Employers more than double their investment when they hire a Waterloo co-op student, realizing $2.20 in economic output for every $1 spent
$405M in GDP generated by Waterloo entrepreneurs to the Ontario economy, creating 3,350+ full-time-equivalent jobs

About The Waterloo Impact

Third-party analysis conducted independently by EY affirms Waterloo’s economic impact and the impact of our alumni, grounded in rigorous modelling and validated provincial data. Read the methodology and EY's University of Waterloo Socioeconomic Impact Study and the 2025 Alumni Impact Study.