We’ve got snow in the forecast, and we thought this would be a good time to peek behind the scenes and meet the people who clear our roads in the winter. Heavy snow can cause dangerous road conditions, and there is a highly dedicated team of plow operators and patrollers who make our roads safer. The services they provide ensure that first responders can get to an emergency, and hydro crews can fix broken power lines. They're a fascinating group, and we're excited to introduce you to th...
Nov 27, 2025
14 min
The federal government continues to work with provincial governments to fund more child care spaces across the country in an effort to reduce child care costs to $10 a day. On this episode of Your Region Pod, we’re going to look at the impact of the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system (CWELCC) on families in Waterloo Region. So far, 3,725 spaces have opened through CWELCC, with another 411 coming by the end of 2026. The question is, now that we have the funding for these sp...
Oct 31, 2025
14 min
With more than 40 across Waterloo Region, the Region is a leader in roundabouts in Canada. The Region's Transportation Services Director Mike Henderson says we've learned a lot in 25 years, and we continue to make improvements with a new pilot project set to begin this fall. In this episode of Your Region Pod, we chat with people on the street about their experience with roundabouts and learn more from Mike about what the Region is doing to try to ensure that everyone can benefit from them - ...
Aug 5, 2025
10 min
In May, Regional Council approved a Corporate Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases our organization emits. This plan is part of a larger community strategy called TransformWR, and the goal is to cut emissions in half by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. On this episode of Your Region Pod we look at the challenges we face in reducing the local effects of climate change and the important role municipalities play in reducing harmful emissions. We ...
Jun 16, 2025
11 min
Okay, so you may not enjoy the company of bees, but they’re vital for plant reproduction and biodiversity. Without bees and other pollinating species, a significant portion of our global food supply would be in jeopardy. On the latest episode of Your Region Pod we take a look at the top three pollinators in Waterloo Region (you may be surprised!), what our community partners are doing to help them get where they need to go, and how you can as well. Vicki Wojcik, the Executive Dir...
Apr 25, 2025
13 min
What does it mean to belong? On this episode of Your Region Pod, we look at how belonging benefits the whole community. The idea for this episode came out of a symposium called “Forward Together: Activating Change, Amplifying Belonging." The event, hosted by the Immigration Partnership, Children and Youth Planning Table, and the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan, brought together community members and organizations who work with individuals and groups who are often excluded and face b...
Apr 3, 2025
15 min
The Region of Waterloo museums are making sure our littlest citizens are given a sense of belonging from a very young age. February marks the one year anniversary of the opening of the Discovery Space, a play-based learning environment at Schneider Haus where children can unleash their creativity. The space is complete with soundscapes that encourage focus and relaxation. Sam and Sherry take a visit to the space to get creative and learn more about the benefits it has for children. The Dis...
Jan 30, 2025
10 min
Did you know that The Region has a digestive system? There are 13 of them, and they work a lot like our bodies. Not only do they clean the water that gets discharged into the river (the equivalent of 3,600 backyard pools A DAY), but they recover nutrients and use them in a more beneficial way. Sherry and Sam recently took a tour behind the scenes with Dominika Celmer-Repin, a senior engineer in Water Services and we learned a lot, including the strangest things they've ever found in the...
Dec 10, 2024
13 min
In this episode of Your Region Pod, we take on the Zero-Waste Challenge. Every October, residents of Waterloo Region to try to fit their single-use waste into a mason jar for 7, 14, or 30 days. We decided to take the 7 day challenge, and found that changing our habits wasn't easy. Listen to find out how we did, and to get some tips on how to reduce your contribution to the landfill. Be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter Around The Region for news and stories on how The R...
Nov 7, 2024
9 min
On this episode of Your Region Pod, we are looking at Community Safety Zones. What are they, why are they needed, and how are they enforced? The reality is that more kids than ever are being driven to school because parents no longer feel safe letting their kids walk, or ride their bikes. This has everything to do with the number of cars, and high rates of speed. In a sense, more cars have begotten more cars. In response to this, The Region is creating Community Safety Zones in areas with hig...
Oct 24, 2024
12 min
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