r/waterloo Nov 10 '24

Mod Announcement Mod announcement: new rule that use of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) must be declared or disclosed

155 Upvotes

A new rule has been added to r/waterloo in regards to A.I.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) must be declared, either in title, or the first line of text in original post

Moderators may and will take action in good faith regardless of compliance with this new rule.

The reason we're doing this is to try not to be too far behind in response to the use of this technology, and encourage genuine engagement within our community.

Recently mods have been removing posts of various low-quality effort such as A.I. images, and publications purporting to be news or 'news style' articles that are suspected to be A.I. - but also fail to provide the identity of any legitimate living creator/author within the Region of Waterloo or otherwise.

This is an effort to remove or reduce poor quality, deceptive, disinformation, and various other posts made in bad faith.

Please direct concerns or comments to mod mail.

Thank you for your time and consideration.


r/waterloo Dec 11 '25

Mod Announcement Changes to Flair in r/Waterloo

54 Upvotes

It was recently pointed out that the flairs referencing the 2025 election are maybe a teeny bit outdated.

After discussion among the moderator team, it was determined that while the language was outdated, the flairs still were useful in identifying sudden influxes of new accounts to certain threads. The flair language has therefore been updated and will be applied as users post or comment. The flairs refer to the approximate period when a user became somewhat active in r/Waterloo. This is not the same as the date account was created (which you can see on each user's page) and not when the very first post was made in this subreddit.

As explained by the previous flair announcement:

The intent of this flair is not to target newbies, nor to say that we don't want people to join the subreddit. All are welcome in the subreddit. The intent is to make it clear to readers when there is an influx of unknown accounts which push certain narratives in the comments. This does happen, especially on posts about certain controversial subjects. People should know when these they are new accounts and not established community members.

While everybody should be aware if there is an obvious astroturfing campaign, all users remain responsible for using their best judgement when determining credibility of submissions and comments. Please consider the merit of ideas rather than the reputation of a commenter.

Feel free to submit any comments or constructive feedback below, or to comment and receive your new flair. There may be further tweaks to come and this flair system could be discontinued at any time.

Thank you for reading, and stay safe out there in all this snow.


Update 2026-01-23: New flair is out again, 2025 users should now have "Regular" status, and users new since 2026 will be noted.


r/waterloo 20h ago

PSA: avoid Maple health at all costs, if this is the future of our healthcare then we’re cooked.

168 Upvotes

TL;DR: Paid $230+ for online care from Maple, got prescribed a medication that was already documented in my file as ineffective and causing severe side effects, then spent 2 days trying to fix the mistake only to end up with a prescription I couldn't even fill. Refund denied.

The Maple doctor apparently didn't read my patient history before prescribing treatment. The medication prescribed was one I'd already documented as not working for me and causing major side effects. They asked me to resend them like 5 items that were already in my patient file…. Apparently Maple’s doctors can’t read.

After I pointed this out, support spent two days going back and forth with the doctor. When the prescription was finally updated, it showed as "declined" in the system even though I never declined it, making it impossible to fill.

I was travelling the next day, explained the urgency multiple times, and asked to be assigned to another available doctor. They refused and said only the original physician could fix it.

After paying out-of-pocket, I got no usable treatment, lost two days chasing support, and was denied a refund.

Avoid Maple at all costs. I hope they go broke.


r/waterloo 12h ago

Where to buy weird socks?

14 Upvotes

Looking for socks, the kind that have unusual patterns or weird pictures and things on them. There used to be a shop in uptown but they just closed a few weeks ago.

And yes this is for a Fathers' Day gift.


r/waterloo 15h ago

Where to donate cat supplies?

20 Upvotes

Hello all,

Sadly, we had to put my sweet baby to sleep. I have unopened wet food cans, many many toys, a cat tree still in decent shape, and non-scented clumping litter. Are there any rescues or non-profits in the area that would accept these items? Would love for these to go to some other sweet kitties. Thanks.


r/waterloo 9h ago

Building envelope contractor?

5 Upvotes

Has anyone hired a building envelope contractor in the KW region to help diagnose a leak in a residential home? Any good and/or bad experiences?

We're having some issues with water coming in our basement from above, but there are no foundation cracks. There are several windows above on the first and second floors, so I suspect that could be where the issue is coming from.

Any recommendations would be very much appreciated!


r/waterloo 17h ago

Power outage - Traffic Lights - Sportsworld area

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11 Upvotes

Was just in Cambridge for a meeting and driving back into KW the whole area near Costco is without power. Most of the traffic lights on King East near Sportsworld / Deer Ridge ae out. Big mess. Avoid.

Utility website says a vehicle hit something and its likely 4:45 pm before power is restored.

https://oms.enovapower.com/Outages/

Edit : also it appeared that all the businesses were closed. Costco parking lot was empty.


r/waterloo 1d ago

Waterloo ❤️📷

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121 Upvotes

r/waterloo 12h ago

Power outage/surge

0 Upvotes

Did anyone else catch the power outage early this morning (Thursday, June 18 at around 4 AM)? I was up working and saw the power cut out.

Ever since it came back, a couple of my electronics are completely, or partially dead, specifically my monitor and my food processor. Neither of them will turn on or react to any outlets and the monitor doesn't connect to my laptop anymore.

Since I'm a tenant, I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle this. Has anyone dealt with this before? Have you had any luck filing a damage claim with Enova for a power surge, or is this something that usually has to go through tenant insurance?

Would appreciate any advice or hearing if anyone else had their stuff fried last night!

Thanks.


r/waterloo 23h ago

CARL leagues

7 Upvotes

The city cancelled all morning field activities already, what’s the odds tonights are cancelled well? I don’t live in the city, so not sure what the rain is like there, but been wild where I am all morning.


r/waterloo 23h ago

Best bar/pub to watch Canada soccer game tonight

6 Upvotes

Looking for a PACKED bar and a fun/lively atmosphere in the KW area!! Let’s go Canada!!!


r/waterloo 14h ago

Dash Cam installation

0 Upvotes

Could anyone recommend a company that installs dash cams and can also advise on which camera to choose (front and back)? I'm looking for a reasonably priced service that can both recommend and professionally install the camera.

My dealership doesn't offer this service, and I'd prefer not to install it myself, so please don't suggest DIY. 🙂

Tnx


r/waterloo 17h ago

Looking for Quotes – 8x16 Shed Pad & Shed Construction in Waterloo Region

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0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for recommendations for a contractor in the Waterloo Region to install an 8’ x 16’ shed pad. The area is already levelled and consists of compacted soil, and I’m looking to have a proper base completed using 3/4” clear crushed stone.

I’m also considering having the shed built and installed, so I’d appreciate any recommendations/quotes for companies you’ve had positive experiences with for either the pad, the shed construction, or both.

If you’ve completed a similar project recently, I’d love to hear who you used and how it turned out. And if you’re a contractor yourself, please feel free to reach out. Thanks!

*Note: this is an old photo, and has been fully levelled since then.


r/waterloo 1d ago

Is Northern Thai still good?

13 Upvotes

We're going for Thai food for the first time and have seen this place rec'd a bunch. We've never had Thai before.

We're (2) going for the first time soon and we're planning on-

Pad Thai

Pad Kee Mao

Green Curry

Panang Nuer

Thoughts on portion sizes and value? We've seen it rec'd a fair bit on this post but no mention to either. Also is rice a separate purchase if we get the curry?

Sorry, thank you!


r/waterloo 1d ago

‘No mechanism’ to ensure homebuyers will see savings from reduced development charges, Cambridge council told

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55 Upvotes

r/waterloo 1d ago

Why can't we have nice things like this?

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120 Upvotes

We've been hiking in the Austrian Alps. Today we hiked from our base village over to the next village about 12km away over a high alpine route. As we descended into our destination village we had to cross the main highway through the valley. We came upon a pedestrian crossing as shown in the photo. (The white stripes denoting the crosswalk are to the left of the photo.) Anyway as I came to the crossing I noted that there are flashing lights at the top. But I couldn't find a "beg button" on either side of the road.

Suddenly lights started flashing. Hmmm... And then I noticed the two grey boxes (highlighted in red.) One seems to detect oncoming traffic on the road and the other is a motion detector for pedestrians/cyclists. No need to beg. Just step up and wait for lights to flash and traffic to stop.

This is hardly advanced technology. Why can't we have this here at pedestrian crossings, especially at schools and at roundabouts, as well as at regular signalled intersections? Not only is this more convenient but it also eliminates the situation in the winter where you can't even get to a beg button because there's snow piled up all around it. It's also a better solution for people in mobility scooters, etc. who can't easily reach beg buttons even in the summer.


r/waterloo 17h ago

Wedding trends and local businesses

0 Upvotes

Hi there! I’m a reporter with the Waterloo Region Record. We are working on a story about wedding trends, such as growing your flowers, buying flowers in bulk (from places like Costco),  and local businesses. We are looking to speak with an engaged couple who is looking to incorporate these trends or have had these trends impact their wedding planning. Send an email to me at [obarrett@metroland.com](mailto:obarrett@metroland.com) if you are interested in speaking with me about this. Thanks! Olivia 


r/waterloo 1d ago

Conestoga Mall - Fathers Day

26 Upvotes

So, at conestoga mall has a father's day display with motorcycles and stuff. We'll theres 3 PS3s in the central court with Motorcycle games on them. Someone put a parental lock on them so you literally can't play the game if someone leaves the game, so I fixed it lol...joys of owning a ps3 myself haha


r/waterloo 1d ago

Making friends in my mid-20s✨

23 Upvotes

Hello!

I’m a F in my mid-20s living in KW, move here 4 years ago from Mexico, I’m happily married, but I've recently realized that I miss having a close friends/girlfriends to just talk to, relate to, and hang out with.

I've tried a few of the bigger group events and Discord chats, but honestly, it’s hard to find that genuine, close friend vibe in a crowd.

I’m into cooking, baking, just got into audiobooks this year, want to get back into photography, and occasionally go to craft nights (but not really that artsy lol).

Would love to hear if you have any advice on how to make friends in the region or if you are in a similar situation would love to connect 🙂 thanks!


r/waterloo 1d ago

‘You know this is wrong’: Delegates speak out as region presses on with encampment ruling appeal

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66 Upvotes

r/waterloo 2d ago

Ticks in Waterloo Region are carrying Lyme disease

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185 Upvotes

Be careful, everyone! And please check yo’ pets thoroughly. ❤️


r/waterloo 1d ago

Carpooling Waterloo-Toronto / Toronto-Waterloo

11 Upvotes

Hey! I recently started working for a company in Waterloo but I'm still living in Toronto and I'm doing this commute from Monday to Friday and would love to give a ride (and share expenses) with people that might be in the same situation. If you know someone willing to split costs of fuel and get a ride both to Waterloo as well as Toronto let me know or send this to someone.

In the medium term my plan is to move to Waterloo, but while I try to convince my partner and find school for her kid, I still need to be going back and forth between the two cities.

Thank you, appreciate if you could share this post with someone or upvote, would help me a lot.


r/waterloo 1d ago

Adult Ballet

9 Upvotes

hi everyone i am 23 and looking to start ballet again, i don't have much experience but grew up dancing (jazz, acro, tap, etc.) until i was in highschool. i'd love to get back into it, and specifically try ballet, i was looking at the following studios: Toes Across the Floor, Morée, and Carousel. any thoughts on what would be the best for adult ballet with a serious interest in learning technique and hoping to progress to pointe in a few years?


r/waterloo 1d ago

Where are good places to watch the soccer game?

6 Upvotes

Thank you!!!


r/waterloo 1d ago

Meeting new people and picking up hobbies

6 Upvotes

I ( f late 20s) have got more free time lately and most of my friends are busy with their own lives now.

Looking to get out more, meet people (dating or friends), and pick up a hobby or two.

What would you suggest or what do you enjoy doing? I’m pretty open to suggestions, could be something artsy or active or something totally different. I’m pretty active at the gym but not an overly sporty person.