There are thousands of affordable housing units in Waterloo Region but as in many communities, demand is high. Applicants are placed on a wait list. Before you apply, you may want to view the Renter's Toolkit. This online guide can help you look for and budget for a place to live in the private rental market.
Please note that affordable housing is not emergency shelter. Visit Emergency Shelters for more information about temporary stays.
How to apply
Our Community Housing Access Centre processes all applications. We make offers for housing and keep your information up to date so that housing providers can reach you when a unit becomes available.
There are two ways to apply for affordable housing:
- Visit a Welcome Space at 99 Regina St. S. in Waterloo, 150 Main St. in Cambridge, or 235 King St. E. in Kitchener; or
- Print and complete the affordable housing application and email it to the Community Housing Access Centre or drop it off at a location below. Please read the Guide to Applying for Community Housing before you apply.
- If you are working, you will need to fill out and submit an Employment Verification Form with your application.
- If you need a wheelchair accessible unit, please also fill out the Medical Form and submit it with your application.
Types of affordable housing
The Region of Waterloo oversees 5,600 affordable housing units; learn about the types below. You can also view the properties in our affordable housing catalogue.
| Co-ops |
| Tenants are members of the co-op community they live in and are required to help maintain it. |
| Non-profit |
| These properties are owned by service clubs, faith groups, ethnic organizations, community agencies or municipal governments. |
| Waterloo Region Housing |
| These properties are owned and managed by the Region. There are over 2,700 units in the region's cities and townships. |
| Rent supplement programs |
| Tenants pay what they can afford to, and live in units owned by landlords in the private market. The Region gives funds to the landlord to cover the difference. |
| Below average market rent |
| These are private landlords who have a certain number of units in their buildings that they charge lower rent for. |
Who is eligible
To qualify for affordable housing:
- At least one person living with you is 16 or older and can live on their own
- You (and anyone living with you) are a Canadian citizen or have made a claim for permanent resident or refugee claimant status
- There is no removal order under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act against you or anyone living with you
- You do not owe money for rent/damages to a housing provider or you have an approved re-payment agreement in place
- No one living with you has a conviction for any offences related to housing assistance
- You do not already own a home suitable for year-round living
- Your gross yearly household income is not more than the limit. The limits by bedroom size are in the table below.
| Unit type | Housing in Wellesley, Wilmot Township | Housing in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, North Dumfries, Woolwich Township |
| Bachelor | $25,000 | $27,000 |
| 1 Bedrooms | $31,000 | $34,500 |
| 2 Bedrooms | $37,500 | $42,000 |
| 3 Bedrooms | $40,500 | $51,000 |
| 4+ Bedrooms | $50,000 | $65,500 |
If your income is higher than the limits above, browse a list of other affordable housing providers in Waterloo Region.
How vacancies are filled
How vacancies are filled depends on your situation; see below for priorities and the criteria for each. Please call us to discuss your options before you apply.
| Victims of domestic violence |
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Victims of domestic violence can receive special priority for affordable housing. You may qualify if:
To apply for special priority, please fill out the affordable housing application, Request for Special Priority for Victims of Domestic Violence, and the Building Selection Form. |
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Victims of human trafficking |
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Victims of human trafficking can receive special priority for affordable housing. You may qualify if:
To apply for special priority, please fill out the affordable housing application, Request for Special Priority for Victims of Human Trafficking, and the Building Selection Form. |
| Terminally ill |
| If you or someone you live with has been medically diagnosed with a terminal illness and have a life expectancy of two years or less, you can apply for terminally ill status. Please fill out the affordable housing application, Building Selection Form and Request for Terminally Ill Priority. |
| Over-housed |
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The number of bedrooms you qualify for depends on the number of people living with you. If are in affordable housing now and a person you live with moves out, you may need to move to a smaller unit. If you would like to stay in the same building, and your building has a unit you qualify for, you can go on a waiting list for a transfer. If your building does not have the right unit size, you would work with us and your housing provider to find another building. To apply for over-housed status, please fill out and submit the affordable housing application and the Building Selection Form. You will be placed on the waiting list for units you qualify for, and will need to choose at least ten possible sites. |
| Local statuses |
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If you have lived in the Region of Waterloo for the last 12 consecutive months and have a low income, you may qualify for one of the three local waiting list status categories below.
1. Homeless - If your household is currently unsheltered for one of the following reasons, you may qualify for this status:
To apply, complete the Request for Homeless Status and Housing Search forms and submit them with your affordable housing application. 2. Separated Families - If your household has children in the care of Family and Children’s Services of Waterloo Region that will not be returned until adequate housing is found and housing is the only remaining protection issue, you might qualify for this local status.
To apply, complete the Request for Separated Families Status and Housing Search forms and submit them with your affordable housing application.
3. Escaping Violence - If you have applied for Special Priority Status for Victims of Domestic Violence, but are unable to provide proof of co-habitation or are experiencing exceptional risk due to criminal activity, you might qualify for this local status.
4. Sunnyside priority - If you are 60 years or older and have a direct family member living at Sunnyside Home, you may receive priority for a unit there. To qualify, you must:
To apply for Sunnyside priority, please fill out and submit the affordable housing application and the Building Selection Form. |
Frequently asked questions
If you have a question or concern about affordable housing that is not answered here, please give us a call so we can help you.
| How long will I wait for affordable housing? |
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As in many communities, the demand for affordable housing is high in Waterloo Region. How long you wait can depend on how many properties you choose on your application and their popularity. If you have been granted priority status, you will be housed sooner than applicants who do not have this status. |
| How do I keep my application active? |
Call 519-575-4400 or update your application online if any information you gave to us on your application changes. This includes:
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| Can I choose where I want to live? |
| If you are applying for priority you can choose several locations from the Building Selection Form that you submit with your application. |
| Can I choose what building I want to live in on the application? |
| No, but you can choose which city or township you would like to live in and how many bedrooms you need (based on the number of people in your household). |
| When can I choose which building I want to live in? |
| If you have not been granted priority status, as you get closer to the top of the wait list for housing we will contact you and set up a time to meet to help you explore your building options. In the meantime, we encourage you to browse the housing catalogue. |
| Are there seniors-only buildings available? |
| Yes, to apply for a unit in a seniors-only building, please fill out the affordable housing application and Building Selection Form for Seniors Sites. |
| How many bedrooms am I eligible for? |
| This is based on how many people live with you. Singles and couples would be eligible for a one-bedroom unit, plus an extra bedroom for each person living with them. So if you are a single parent or a couple with one child, you would be eligible for a two-bedroom unit. |
| If I own property, am I eligible for affordable housing? |
| Yes, eligibility is based on your income level. However, within six months of receiving a unit, you will need to show proof that you sold your unit. To apply, please fill out the affordable housing application and Declaration of Intent to Sell Property. |
| How will I receive an offer? |
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As soon as a unit opens up, you and/or your alternate will be contacted. It is important that you keep all of your information up to date. If you don't respond within 24-48 hours (varies depending on the building you are offered), your file may be placed on hold until we can confirm your contact information. Even if you aren't interested in the unit that becomes available for you, please let us know so you don't miss out on other offers. |
| How do I update the information on my application if it changes? |
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You should let our office know of any changes on your file within 30 days of the change, or your file could be cancelled. Changes you need to let us know about include:
To update your information, please fill out and submit the Applicant Information Change form, call the Service First Call Centre at 519-575-4400 or visit a Community Housing Access Centre. |
| How do I defer my application for community housing? |
| Please fill out the Request for Deferral of Application Form and send the form to the Community Housing Access Centre by email, fax, mail, or drop off. |
| How do I remove my name from an application for community housing? |
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If your name is on an application for community housing and you would like it to be removed from the application, please fill out and submit the Applicant Removal Request Form by email, fax, mail, or drop off. You will receive confirmation from us that your name has been removed. Please note that when you remove your name from an application with more than one name on it, the application will remain active. |
| How do I cancel my application for community housing? |
| Please call 519-575-4400 to cancel your application or set up an appointment to cancel the application. If you cancel your application, you will need to re-apply if you would like to be put back on the list. |
| How many housing offers can I turn down? |
| If your application does not have special status, you can turn down two offers if they aren't right for you. If you turn down the third offer, your application will be cancelled and you will need to re-apply. |
| What if I disagree with the decision that I am not eligible for affordable housing? |
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If you disagree with a decision about your application, we do recommend that you try to work with the person who made the decision. If you are unable to, you can request a review by completing and sending us the Request for Review form that was mailed to you with your decision letter. If you do not have this form, please call the Community Housing Access Centre at 519-575-4400. Please note that only certain types of decisions are reviewable. |
| What if I move and sign a lease while I am waiting for affordable housing? |
| Sometimes applicants find a place to live while they are waiting for affordable housing. Before you make any commitments (such as signing a lease), please contact your Housing Access Coordinator to understand how it may impact your application. |
| Why are some sites listed as smoke free and how does this affect my application? |
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Some of the Community Housing sites listed on the application may be designated as smoke free sites. If you accept an offer of one of these units, you will not be able to smoke in your unit or anywhere in the building, if it is an apartment. This does not mean that there are no smokers in the building or that the unit you will be offered was never occupied by someone who was a smoker. It just means that all new tenants will have a smoke free lease. Sites could become smoke free at any time. It is important that you let us know your preference because if we are not aware and you turn down a unit that is smoke free, the offer will be counted as one of your three offers for affordable housing. |
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Is my information private? |
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The Region of Waterloo collects personal information in the Community Housing Application and supporting documents under the Housing Services Act, 2011. The Region uses this information to determine a person's eligibility for housing, continuation of housing, and the appropriate rent-geared-to-income charge. With consent, the Region may exchange personal information in this application with Access Sites and housing providers to arrange a placement or housing assistance. Personal information may also be exchanged between the Region and other institutions where required or allowed by law.
Please contact the Community Housing Access Centre if you have any questions about the collection and use of personal information. |
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