WATERLOO REGION – Two surveys are underway to hear directly from young people and immigrants about their experiences in Waterloo Region. The Youth Impact Survey, run by the Children and Youth Planning Table (CYPT), and the Immigrant Survey, led by the Waterloo Region Immigration Partnership (IP), are both open until May 31. The data collected will help build a safe, inclusive community where everyone belongs. 

Fill out the surveys here:

• Immigrant Survey (For newcomers age 19+)
• Youth Impact Survey (For youth age 9-18 including newcomers)

“With Waterloo Region on the road to reaching one million residents, it’s critical that we plan for the future now,” said Karen Redman, Chair of Regional Council. “By hearing directly from community members like youth and newcomers, we’re ensuring that diverse voices are included in that conversation. The experiences you share are helping government, organizations, and community members build the Waterloo Region of the future.”

The Children and Youth Planning Table of Waterloo Region is a community-wide partnership of service providers, researchers, planning bodies, and funders who serve children, youth, and families, that works to improve the well-being of children and youth in the region. A large part of meaningfully serving children and youth is to ensure that they are given a platform to express their needs, concerns and ideas in their own words.

For 20 years, the Waterloo Region Immigration Partnership has united public, private, and non-profit organizations to help immigrants succeed and the community prosper. Its vision is an inclusive Waterloo Region where immigrants thrive and contribute to shared prosperity, and its mission is to equip partners to enhance immigrant success through research, mobilization, and influence. The 2026 Immigrant Survey is a key tool in this work, capturing experiences of living, working, and studying in the region.

Both CYPT and IP are hosted by the Region of Waterloo, connecting their work directly to the local community and its residents. The surveys are being conducted in partnership with the Family Psycle Lab at University of Waterloo and the International Migration Research Centre at Wilfrid Laurier University.

The Immigrant Survey is available in seven languages (English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Tigrigna, Ukrainian, Mandarin, and Serbian.) The Youth Impact Survey consent forms are available in seven languages (English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Farsi, Urdu, Tigrigna) and the survey is available in English, French, and Arabic. 

To get paper copies of the Immigrant Survey, please reach out to Saba Shafiq at SShafiq@regionofwaterloo.ca. To get paper copies of the Youth Impact Survey, please reach out to Sevil Berenji at SBerenji@regionofwaterloo.ca. 

The data has been used by government, community organizations, and individuals in grant applications, strategic planning, and other decision-making efforts. Organizations in Waterloo Region have leveraged the Youth Impact Survey data to gain $2.99 million in funding to put towards supporting young people. Previous Immigrant Survey data and the Youth Impact Survey data are publicly available.

Quotes:

“Good decisions require good data. This survey will capture voices not commonly heard in decision making and help important, local organizations respond to emerging needs and opportunities as the region grows.”

—Prof. Jenna Hennebry, Co-Director of the International Migration Research Centre

“When immigrants succeed, our entire region benefits. This survey gives us the insight needed to build a stronger, more inclusive and prosperous community for everyone. We encourage all newcomers to participate and influence the future of our community.”

—Dr. Ernest Osei, Chair of the Waterloo Region Immigration Partnership Council.

“I felt like I was actually given a chance to tell the community what I've been thinking.”

—2023 Youth Impact Survey Respondent

“There are 128,960 children and youth living in Waterloo Region – which is almost the population of Cambridge. The experiences shared via the Youth Impact Survey enable government, organizations, and the community to ensure that young people’s voices and experiences are factored into their decisions. In this fourth year of the survey, we want to hear from over 2,000 diverse young people across Waterloo Region. We encourage anyone to share the survey with them so that their voices can be heard.”

—Jim Moss & Barb Cardow, Co-Chairs, Children and Youth Planning Table of Waterloo Region

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