the feasibility study

We envision a network of shared-space centres in Waterloo Region for small, socially or environmentally oriented businesses, organizations, entrepreneurs, artists, and community groups. The centres bring people together in ways that stimulate and support their work.  They are integrated, have complementary mandates, reflect patrons’ interests, and offer spaces, services and programs suited to their locale and enabling of and accessible to everyone who is a tenant, associate, or community member of the Centres for Community Innovation and Design (CCID).

Centres would range from highly flexible multifunctional and well-resourced coworking spaces, to spaces that enable work and facilitate collaboration and innovation across sectors, to centres functioning as a broker of space, resources, tools and expertise to incubate or enable social, environmental and/or arts enterprises.  (Read about examples.)  The centres would reflect local requirements while, collectively-addressing region-wide interests.  The CCID would fill a niche, compliment other organizations and ventures, make use of local expertise, and partner with organizations that offer backend business services and incubator programs in the Region.  It would be a unique community asset that would build local capacity, contribute to local economic development and facilitate our collective progress towards environmental and social sustainability in the community and region. 

The first step toward such a vision is the one we have just completed - the feasibility study on shared-space centre(s) in the Region of Waterloo.  The foregoing description arises from this work, drawing from the range of input we have received through surveys, interviews and small workshops across the Region. 

We welcome your interest and involvement and invite you to: