Wednesday, June 18, 2025

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• Is Waterloo Region ready for a million people?
• An update on travel to the United States
• CareNext Collective's next event focused on cardiovascular disease prevention
• Wednesday's notes

Is Waterloo Region ready for a million people?

By Skyler Hammond. This article was originally published on Waterloo News.

As Waterloo Region grows closer to the 2050 projection of one million people, it faces challenges shared with many growing regions and municipalities across Canada. This hopeful milestone comes with big questions about infrastructure, housing, transit, livability and the overall readiness of the region to support its residents in responsible, resilient ways.

A new partnership between the Future Cities Institute (FCI) founded by CAIVAN at the University of Waterloo, and the Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region (BestWR), a coalition of local business leaders, is working to answer the important question: are we ready?

To help answer this question, BestWR launched the first issue of the Vision 1 Million Scorecard, a public-facing tool grounded in data designed to measure how prepared the region is across five key areas of readiness: housing supply, transportation infrastructure, healthcare services, employment opportunities, placemaking and livability. The scorecard is a living tracker of not just where the region is going, but how well it is progressing. Updated every six months, the scorecard will support the region’s efforts to direct resources to where they’re most needed.

To ensure the scorecard is credible, transparent and grounded in data, BestWR has chosen the FCI as its academic partner. This collaboration brings new depth to the project, adding academic expertise and community accountability. In the lead-up to the first review cycle, the FCI is helping to confirm baseline data and align the metrics with Waterloo Region initiatives.

“Cities receive population projections from the province,” says Dr. Leia Minaker, director of the FCI. “But most don’t have comprehensive ways to actually measure preparedness. This is the gap we’re going to help close.”

Making metrics matter

The scorecard addresses that gap by bringing traditionally siloed indicators into one accessible, public-facing framework.

“It’s a scorecard with purpose,” says Ian McLean, President and CEO of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce (GKWCC). “But we need more than just good intentions. We need accurate data, academic backing and insights on how to get us to where we need to be.”

That’s where the FCI comes in. As a hub for interdisciplinary, action-orientated work and research, FCI will refine and validate the metrics and support ongoing data analysis. The FCI will also help ensure the tool evolves with community feedback and academic insights.

“We don’t want to just import a model here,” Minaker says. “This is about co-creating a regional tool that’s useful, usable and totally rooted in reality.”

Built with partners, built to last

This partnership aligns with FCI’s mission and vision of creating scalable, innovative solutions that address the most pressing challenges cities and communities face today and in the future. It also highlights the FCI’s approach to partnerships: not as one-off collaborations, but as long-term ventures that create real impact in our communities.

“The scorecard is about accountability and transparency across sectors,” Minaker says. “If we want to be a community that leads, we need to have the courage to ask the tough questions, create the tools to answer them, and then work with industry, government and civil society organizations to make sure we’re all contributing.”

Just the start

The Vision 1 Million Scorecard offers a new way to tackle those challenges head-on, with evidence, experience and shared responsibility.

For the FCI, it’s another example of how impactful academia and innovative tool-making can meet the moment. Municipal leaders, industry partners and community members are all encouraged to explore the findings and join the conversation.

Defining readiness is not just a numbers game; it’s a mindset, and Waterloo Region is ready to lead the way.

To learn more and stay updated, follow the FCI on LinkedIn, or visit our website.

An update on travel to the United States 

A message from the Office of the Vice-President, Research and International.

Given recent directives related to travel to the United States, it is important for our community to remain up dated on our Safety Abroad requirements.   Anyone participating in University-sanctioned travel to the United States should review and monitor the Waterloo guidance and frequently asked questions website.  

For example, recently, on Wednesday June 4, 2025, the White House signed a proclamation that will restrict the entry of foreign nationals from 19 listed countries into the United States. We recommend that all individuals holding a non-Canadian passport, and planning University-sanctioned travel to the United States, review this Proclamation to determine if it applies to your planned travel.  

All University of Waterloo travellers are responsible for reviewing and ensuring compliance with entry and exit requirements to any destination. For students on co-op work terms, please review the Work Abroad website.  

Please remember that all students participating in University-sanctioned international travel, including to the United States must register their travel with Safety Abroad. Please note that students on co-op work terms outside of Canada will be automatically registered once their work term is approved in WaterlooWorks, and students on group travel activities will be registered by the group trip leader.  

As a reminder, all faculty and staff are required to register their travel outside of Canada and the United States with Safety Abroad. Such registration provides travellers with important pre-departure and risk mitigation information. While registration to the United States is not required, it is recommended. 

For any questions, please contact safetyabroad@uwaterloo.ca.   

CareNext Collective's next event focused on cardiovascular disease prevention

On Friday, June 27 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., the CareNext Collective will be hosting a virtual event that shines a spotlight on the PREVENT Clinic – a pioneering initiative that challenges traditional care pathways and demonstrates what happens when practitioners coordinate across silos and intervene earlier to prevent cardiovascular disease. See how the team is rethinking care before people get sick, with bold ideas and a focus on prevention. 

The video stream will begin on Slido at 12:00 p.m. Questions can be submitted in advance. 

Learn from the visionary team at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) who brought the clinic to life including practitioners, partners and the patients whose lives have been positively impacted by this preventative approach to care:

• Danina Kapetanovic, Vice-President, Innovation and Chief Health Innovation Officer, CareNext Coalition 
• Dr. Heather Warren, Vice-President, Medical Affairs, WRHN 
• Dr. Ala Qahwash, Director, Cristical Care and Regional Cardiac Program, WRHN 
• Joanna Marcovici, Director, Community Investment Lead, Manulife Canada 

(Photo credit for banner image: ipopba/Getty Images)

Wednesday's Notes

You’re about to finish your course work or comprehensive exams and have started to think about writing your thesis or dissertation. Where do you begin? The WCC has launched a new self-paced guidebook as an accompaniment to its popular in-person Rock Your Thesis workshop series. Through four modules, the Rock Your Thesis Guidebook walks students through the thesis- or dissertation-writing process from planning to drafting to revision to convocation! Visit the WCC Workshops page on LEARN to access it.

A reminder that An Afternoon with Kai Potts is happening today from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in the Student Life Centre (SLC), Black and Gold Room. This is an exclusive event in recognition of Indigenous History Month and Pride Month, the Office of Indigenous Relations and the Keeping Well at Work (KW@W) program.