Waterloo Region - Canada's Technology Triangle

Waterloo Region – Life Lived Well

Despite how complex the choices we make in life can be, a common set of desires bring us together around the highest hopes and aspirations we have for our lives, and the lives of our children. We want a good job that stretches our imagination, fully capitalizes on our abilities, and provides for comfortable living. Cost of living needs to be manageable. We want to feel safe. We want quality schooling and health care. We want to participate in the vibrancy of life – and see it all around us in culture, art, and recreational opportunity. We want to love the place we live in – to be prosperous and happy.

The Waterloo Region is a place of opportunity – a place to seize destiny rather than accept fate. It has one of the most diverse economies in North America - growing two times faster than the rest of Canada, and home to some of the most dynamic companies in Canada. Housing costs are 10% lower than the Ontario average. Post-secondary institutions lead the world. A diverse culture nurtures and rewards talent, innovation, and creativity. There's a vibrant work-life balance. There's accessibility to everything southern Ontario has to offer – from lakes to symphony to pro sports.

Our backyard is a window to the soul of living well.

One Common, Dynamic Future The cities of Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo, along with four surrounding townships (North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich), are collectively known as the Waterloo Region. For more than 100 years, the Waterloo Region has used new technology to its economic advantage in numerous industries. Recognizing the Region's emergence as an advanced technology and innovation centre of excellence, for the last 20 years, the Waterloo Region has also been known as Canada's Technology Triangle. The area’s attractions are the diversity of the employment opportunities, excellent education, urban amenities, rural attractions, affordability, strong sense of community and a personally and professionally rewarding lifestyle.

Waterloo Region residents love where they live. A UBC study (2007) of the level of life satisfaction of residents in Canada's major cities ranked the Waterloo Region 4th. Waterloo residents rank quality of life factors in the Waterloo Region (in order of ranking, 2007) as follows: low crime rate, quality of public schooling, housing availability, housing costs, health facilities, climate, cultural opportunities, colleges/universities in the area, and recreational opportunities.   

Employment opportunities are diverse in one of Canada's most dynamic economies. Median household income (2005) is 6% above the Ontario average. Commute times are short, with 80% of people living less than 30 minutes from work (2006).

The Waterloo Region has an attractive cost of living. The Region's cost of living index is 73.8 compared to 100 in Toronto (2005).

Beyond quality employment and reasonable living costs, the Waterloo Region has a vibrant lifestyle. Highlights include the world's second largest Oktoberfest (Bavarian festival), multiculturalism (22% of the population are immigrants), 22 golf courses, the Grand River - a Canadian Heritage River - which offers tremendous sport fishing and kayaking opportunities, the presence of six conservation areas and more than 3,00 acres of parkland, and a 100% fibre-wired community for global connectivity.