Waterloo church’s affordable housing proposal receives opposition from neighbours

A proposal by Christ Lutheran Church in Waterloo would see 57 rental townhouse units up to 3 storeys high built on its 3 acre property at 445 Anndale Road which has been mostly vacant since it was occupied in 1974. The church says the project is meant to help Waterloo move past its housing crisis, as Waterloo is currently adding new homes at just over half the pace needed to meet a 10-year housing pledge.

One third of the townhome units would be rented out at below-market rates “in line with the church’s overall mission to ‘love God, and love neighbour,’ giving attention especially to those most vulnerable or in need”.

Churches in other cities are redeveloping properties with housing, sometimes to sustain themselves financially while congregations dwindle.

The church transferred its property for $2 in September 2025 to development partner Kindred Works, an independent, for-profit company that redevelops church properties for housing. As a B-Corporation, the company provides affordable and mixed-income rentals while balancing profit with people and planet, aiming for long-term community benefit rather than just shareholder returns.

Neighbours are opposing the development, saying it is:

• Too high and dense
• Doesn’t fit the character of the area
• Going to increase traffic and exacerbate congestion
• Lacking parking spots
• Lacking green space

It’s a catch-22. We have to accept that there has to be development

I wish it didn’t have to be that big, with that many units.

Neighbour Carol Roy

How will the development and city consider the impact on neighbouring with respect to shadows created by 3 story and 12m tall buildings when the residential homes that were built and purchased did so under the impression that the existing zoning was to be respected and maintained in alignment with the city’s official plan?

This doesn’t seem like enough space for parking. Providing only one parking spot per unit will not give residents adequate parking options. As a result, we may see increased street parking on the nearby residential streets (such as Anndale and Foxhunt). This doesn’t seem fair to the residents who live on those streets. Has the city considered this?

Given that the current zoning is appropriate and conforms to the neighbourhood, why would a zoning change be allowed? We already have a traffic problem which would only be exacerbated by increased density. The area cannot accommodate an extra 60 cars and approximately 200 more people. In addition, the eyesore of these units will not enhance, but rather harm the feel of the neighbourhood. How do we stop the change from happening?

I’m having a really hard time listening to people saying, not just today but over and over, ‘We don’t want new neighbours in our lovely neighbourhood,’

Councillor Jen Vasic