FAQ

Waterloo has many EV charging stations across main campus. Charging is currently free, but you must pay for parking using a valid permit or pay-and-display to access the stations. Find out more on our EV Charging page.

Yes, parking passes can be put on hold at any time for a minimum period of four to six months.  This includes a summer suspension for those who want to bike or walk. Find out more on the Staff/Faculty permit page. 

More information can be found on our Reservations page. 

Yes, please log into ePark to be added to a waitlist or to review your waitlist standings.

Free weekend parking is available in lot X from Friday at 4:30 p.m. to Monday at 6:00 a.m.

If using a physical parking hangtag, please hang it from the rear-view mirror with the lot designation facing outward. Failure to properly display your hangtag could result in a ticket.

We provide 15-minute parking in service spaces.  Vehicles will be timed and if found parked longer than 15 minutes, you could receive a ticket or be towed at the owner’s expense. Service spaces are also located close to buildings to allow individuals short-term access for repair work or deliveries.

There is no overnight parking from 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. anywhere on campus besides weekend parking in lot X from Friday at 4:30 p.m. to Monday at 6:00 a.m. Students living in residence have overnight parking in their designated lots, and guests of residents can purchase an overnight pass in lots J, S, T, V, UWP, and CLV-North and -South.  Outside of these times and locations, you need to contact Sustainable Transportation for an exemption. 

You will be ticketed and towed if you are not displaying your Ministry of Ontario Accessible Parking permit, together with a University of Waterloo parking permit.

Pay through e-park or in person. Persons parked illegally with three tickets outstanding or a balance of $120 or higher will be towed at the owner’s expense.  For students, unpaid fees will be transferred to Student Accounts as a service indicator and can result in their degree being withheld. Payment can also be made by email and sent to Sustainable Transportation. 

There is no parking or stopping permitted on fire routes at any time. This includes any roadways or laneways because they are considered fire routes, whether displaying a sign or not.  If you park in these areas, you will receive a ticket and risk having the vehicle towed at the owner’s expense.

24-hour parking is available for residence visitors in lots J, S, V, T, UWP, and CLV (see our Lots and rates page for more information). Visitors can purchase parking through the AMP mobile pay app.

The Sustainability Office and the Sustainable Transportation team have been engaging with students, employees, and campus partners across all campuses to help shape Waterloo's first institutional Sustainable Transportation Plan (STP). The STP outlines recommendations to support transit, biking, carpooling, and electric vehicle use. Approval is anticipated in summer 2025.

If you’re new to public transit, especially as a student, there are a lot of resources to help. Everyone can learn how to plan a trip, ride the bus or ION light rail, and even access travel training for people with disabilities, older adults, or anyone new to the GRT system.

Students can enjoy unlimited rides on GRT buses and the ION light rail train using your U-Pass, which is conveniently loaded onto your WatCard. 

University of Waterloo employees receive access to the GRT Corporate Fare Rate, which is 15% lower than the regular Adult Fare. This applies to both Monthly Passes and Stored Value. To get your Corporate Pass EasyGO card, complete GRT’s Corporate Pass Request Form. 

Once you receive your card, you can either create an account and load your card online or you can load your card at an in-person location, including the fare vending machine located on the ION light rail platform at University of Waterloo Station.

Yes. GRT’s Route 30 Ring Road bus makes six stops around the main Waterloo campus. There are also five stops on north campus as part of Route 9. These two routes are directly connected at University of Waterloo Station, so you can travel between main and north campus without needing to transfer, and buses run every 20 minutes during the day.* 

*Service may vary late at night, on weekends, and on holidays for those coming from north campus. 

Yes. Grand River Transit (GRT) serves the Waterloo, Kitchener, and Cambridge campuses.

Stratford Transit provides local service within the City of Stratford. If you're coming from out of town, PC Connect offers affordable and accessible bus service between Stratford, Waterloo, and other nearby communities. You can catch PC Connect from the Stratford Transit Terminal, just a 5-minute walk from the Stratford campus. Another option is the ONEXBUS, which also connects Stratford to Waterloo and other destinations across Ontario. Visit the Stratford School website for various travel options specific to Stratford campus students.

GO Transit, operated by Metrolinx, provides inter-city travel options in southern Ontario, including buses that arrive and depart conveniently at UW Station on east campus, and trains out of downtown Kitchener. You can buy a PRESTO card at the Turnkey Desk or at the PRESTO fare machine at the UW Station GO platform 6 or visit the GO website. Students are eligible for a 40% discount on GO fares.

VIA Rail offers travel across Canada, with the nearest station to UWaterloo being located in Kitchener. Employees and alumni can receive a 10% discount on VIA fares. 

For students travelling to the GTA area and London on weekends, check out the WUSA FedBus. 

Absolutely! Employees are encouraged to travel between campuses, buildings, or to off-site meetings in the Region by GRT where possible. Departments can launch a Transit Fare Card Loan Program through GRT, using a shared EasyGO fare card (or multiple cards). Contact GRT to get started or purchase an EasyGO fare card at the ION station fare card vending machine or at the UW Turnkey Desk. Regular GRT fare rates apply to this program. 

All Grand River Transit buses and ION light rail trains are fully accessible, and GRT also provides specialized accessible services. For further questions about accessible transportation around campus, please contact AccessAbility Services.

Sustainable Transportation is working closely with UW Special Constables Services to improve bike security on campus. Find out more on the Cycling web page.

These are part of the Neuron Mobility shared e-scooter and e-bike program, available throughout Waterloo Region. To ride, download the Neuron app and follow local rules: scooters and bikes must not be used on sidewalks or inside Ring Road, and helmets are required. For more info, visit Neuron Mobility – Waterloo Region.

Run by WUSA, the Bike Centre is located in SLC 0101 and provides bike rentals, an annual bike auction, access to tools, parts, and volunteer support for minor bike repairs and tune-ups.  

Sustainable Transportation and Campus Housing offer several bike repair stations across campus to support active commuting and help keep your bike in good working order.  

If you're an employee, you can register a carpooling group to gain access to preferential parking spaces. For information on a carpool partner near you, join the TravelWise group for employees, or TravelWise group for students to match with other people from campus.

Contractors are required to park in designated contractor parking lots or spaces as outlined in their permit conditions. Unauthorized parking in staff, faculty, student lots or UW fleet spaces will result in a ticket or towing. 

Loading docks are not designated parking stalls. Vehicles may remain at a dock without time restrictions only while actively loading or unloading. Once work is complete, vehicles must be relocated to ensure access for others. Large vehicles may move to the gravel lot, while smaller vehicles should use standard or commercial parking spaces. Payment for parking is required.  This protocol applies to all campus loading docks — including QNC, MC, EIT, and others — and includes food deliveries. 

Service providers, vendors, and contractors do not require a commercial parking permit for visits lasting 15 minutes or less. During this time, commercial vehicles must be parked in designated commercial stalls. For stays exceeding 15 minutes, a valid commercial parking permit is required to avoid ticketing. 

Yes. All contractors must display a valid Contractor Parking Permit issued by Sustainable Transportation. This ensures access to designated areas and helps avoid penalties. 

Permits must be arranged through the University of Waterloo project manager or department sponsoring the work. Once approved, Sustainable Transportation will issue the permit directly to the contractor.  

Yes. Permits may be purchased for short-term (daily) or long-term (monthly/annual) needs depending on the project duration. 

Two contractor permit options are available, with rates varying by duration and type of access, and more information is available on our Contractors web page. Rates are posted annually and remain in effect from May 1 to April 30. All rates are subject to change. 

One hour loading and unloading is permitted at designated Commercial parking spaces. Vehicles must be moved immediately after loading/unloading is complete. Extended parking is not permitted. 

Yes, but oversized vehicles (trucks, trailers, equipment haulers) must park in designated areas (gravel lots or authorized Hoarding areas). If oversized parking is required, please coordinate in advance with Sustainable Transportation. 

Vehicles parked without a valid permit or outside of designated contractor spaces are subject to ticketing, fines, and possible towing. 

Yes, permits may be transferred between company vehicles. A maximum of 2 vehicles can be tied to a permit at any time. However, only one vehicle may use the permit at a time. 

The Commercial permit is a multi-site permit, enabling the authorised user access to areas across campus.  

Standard food deliveries do not require a commercial parking permit. A University of Waterloo employee must meet the delivery driver to receive the order. Parking is limited to 15 minutes in designated commercial or short-term stalls. 

Food trucks require prior approval from all relevant University parties. Once approved, a commercial parking permit ($14) will be issued, and parking instructions will be provided by Sustainable Transportation. 

Yes. Contractors working at the Kitchener, Cambridge, or Stratford campuses are required to pay for parking.  

All parking-related questions should be directed to Sustainable Transportation, 519-888-4567 ext. 33100. 

We’re open Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. We’re located on the ground floor of the General Services Complex (GSC). 

The UW Business Permit allows approved employees and departments to park in any ungated parking lot (excluding Lot-M) and Lot D while using a vehicle for official university business. It is not intended for personal or daily commuting use. 

Department heads may apply on behalf of employees who regularly use a vehicle for work-related duties (e.g., site visits, meetings, transporting materials). 

Employees are not eligible to apply directly for a UWB permit. Instead, department heads may nominate or support an employee’s assignment by submitting a request through the online form. 

Once approved, Sustainable Transportation will issue the permit. UWB permits are valid for up to three years. 

With the exception of Lot M, UWB permit holders may park in any unreserved space within UW ungated parking lots. In addition, the UWB permit grants access to Lot D; however, parking in Lot D is limited and may not always be available.  

Parking in reserved, accessible, or restricted areas (e.g., fire routes, loading zones) is not permitted. 

A parking permit for visits lasting 15 minutes or less is not required. During this time, the vehicles must be parked in a designated commercial stall. For stays exceeding 15 minutes, a valid commercial parking permit is required to avoid ticketing. 

Loading docks are not designated parking stalls. Vehicles may remain at a dock without time restrictions only while actively loading or unloading. Once work is complete, vehicles must be relocated to ensure access for others. Payment for parking is required.  This protocol applies to all campus loading docks — including QNC, MC, EIT, and others — and includes food deliveries. 

Employee assigned UWB permits CANNOT be shared as these are linked to the employee.  

UWB department permits are transferable, and departments are responsible for coordinating permit release and usage. 

Yes. The permit is charged at the established monthly employee permit rate to the department.  

For individuals who park infrequently across campus locations daily paid parking is available as an alternative to a UWB permit. Payment can be made through the AMP app or by using scratch cards. Please contact Sustainable Transportation for more information.  

Yes. The employee is required to hold a valid ‘home’ lot permit at all times while in possession of the UWB permit.  

All parking-related questions should be directed to Sustainable Transportation, 519-888-4567 ext. 33100.