The Region of Waterloo International Airport is 45 minutes west of the Greater Toronto Area, located alongside Canada's Highway 401. Four million people - 10 per cent of Canada’s population - live within a one-hour drive of YKF. Waterloo Region is part of a broader economic region in southern Ontario call the “Greater Golden Horseshoe” which is home to 11 million people.
With its young, fast-growing, affluent population, the Region of Waterloo is the ideal place to grow your business:
- One of the largest and fastest growing regions in Ontario. Waterloo Region’s population surpassed 700,000 in 2024. The region has the eleventh largest population in Canada and sixth largest in Ontario.
- From 2021 to 2024, the region’s population grew by 15%. This exceeds both provincial (9%) and national (8%) growth rates.
- The median age is 34.8, lower than both the provincial (39.6) and national (40.3)median age.
- In 2021, 55% of the Region's residents aged 15 years or over had a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree.
- In the last census, median total pre-tax income of households in Waterloo Region was $92,000, higher than Ontario ($91,000) and Canada ($84,000).
Sources: LightcastDatarun 2024.3, 2021 Census, SC 17-10-0155-01, SC 17-10-0152-01