Community Resources

Religious Spaces

• Multi-faith prayer spaces on campus
  • 3rd floor, SLC 3109
  • Open 5am – midnight
  • Ablution facilities available
• Claudette Millar Hall (UWPlace Residence) Main floor, 1113
  • Open 24 hours everyday
  • It’s not bookable – obtain key from the residence front desk with your Watcard
  • Capacity: approximately 15
• Davis Center (DC) 3rd floor, end of hallway
• Optometry Building, 1st floor, OPT 1019
  • Contact Jennifer Fleet  at ext. 32626 for more info or booking
• Tatham Center (TC), TC 0232
  • It’s not bookable – Ask at the TC front desk for more information or contact Sean Sprayson
• Math and Computers Building (MC), MC 2018 A and B
  • Capacity: approximately 100 
• Renison- ST. Bede’s Angligan Chapel
  • Available to all Renison student 24/7
• ST. Jerome’s-  Notre Dame Chapel
  • Available to all students Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm.
  •  Sunday mornings (mass at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.), Sunday evenings (chapel service at 7 p.m.) and Tuesday noon hour (mass at 12 noon).
• East Campus 3 (EC3), EC3 1038
  • Ablution facilities available
  • Capacity: approximately 5

Cultural Resources

On-campus groups

• Racial Advocacy for Inclusion, Solidarity and Equity (RAISE)
  • RAISE is a student based service that focuses on 3 pillars: Education and Advocacy, Peer to Peer Support and Community Building to address racism and xenophobia across campus. The aim is to create an environment for students that promotes equality and unity. The service is managed by the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (Facebook page).

• Waterloo Indigenous Students Center
  • The services we provide are premised on understanding, respect, and trust, as well as a recognition of and sensitivity to the different cultural values and rights of Indigenous peoples and cultures.We facilitate the sharing of Indigenous knowledge and provide culturally relevant information and support services for all members of the University of Waterloo community, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, staff, and faculty.

• The Glow Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity
  • Glow is the oldest continually-running university-based LGBTQ+ group in Canada. Run entirely by dedicated student volunteers, Glow promotes a healthy attitude towards all sexual orientations and gender identities on the UWaterloo campus by providing a wide variety of peer support, social events, advocacy work, and resources.

• International and Canadian Student Network
  • The International & Canadian Student Network is a WUSA student-run service on campus. We strive to make all local, international and exchange students feel welcome here at the University, and in the Waterloo community. To do that, we run a number of events each term so that you can explore the area and make meaningful connections with people from around the world! If you’re looking to have a great experience at Waterloo, this is the service for you!

• Black Association for Student Expression
  • BASE as a club tries to effectively involve all of our members through the hosting of various events and discussions at the university of Waterloo. More than anything, BASE aims to:
    • Promote Cultural Diversity
    • Allow Peer Mentorship
    • Enlighten

• UW Chinese Student Association
  • The University of Waterloo Chinese Students Association (UWCSA) is the official Chinese cultural group registered under WUSA.

• Latin American Student Association
  • The Latin American Student Association (LASA) at the University of Waterloo is a social and networking club that is dedicated to promote Latin American culture and provide cultural unity within the university community. With LASA, students born in Latin America will be able to meet and interact with one another, experience and enjoy the cultural atmosphere away from home. Students not born in Latin America, but with a Latin American background will find a place where they can find out more about their ethnicity and culture. LASA provides entertainment, educational value, and social and network opportunities to students of all backgrounds.

• UW Muslim Students Association
  • The purpose of this group is to inform students at the University of Waterloo regarding upcoming events, services, and initiatives hosted by the UW Muslim Students’ Association (UWMSA).

• Association of Caribbean Students
  • This group is a social club that is dedicated to the promotion of Caribbean culture and cultural unity in general within the University Community. The ACS provides entertainment and educational value to students of all backgrounds.

• Culture and Language Exchange Club
  • The purpose of this club is to promote the exchange of language and culture between students by forming small study groups. This club compliments the academic languages courses nicely, and provides an opportunity to learn languages in a fun manner. Individual sessions will focus on improving the individual’s speaking, listening and writing (grammar & spelling) skills through lectures as well as fun activities incorporating students’ hobbies and interests. This also serves as a great opportunity to prepare students who wish to participate in foreign exchange programs.

• Indonesian Students’ Association
  • The main purpose of the club is to gather all students in University of Waterloo and the community at large that are interested in Indonesian culture and language. We promote Indonesian culture and language through social gatherings, cultural sessions and fund raising activities. 

• Iranian Students’ Association
  • Their goal is to unite the Iranian students at the University of Waterloo and other universities through cultural events and gatherings. ISAW provides a non-political environment where all members support one another and share ideas to improve society to its full potential. ISAW respects and supports people from all nationalities, backgrounds, identities, and origins; as well as welcoming everyone to visit any of the year-long events to become familiar with the Persian culture and background.

• Sikh Students Association
  • The University of Waterloo Sikh Students Association (SSA) attempts to provide an environment on campus, and beyond, that helps promote the Sikh religion through various discussion groups, weekly path sessions, kirtans, guest speakers, Q/A periods and a variety of religious/language classes provided by fellow students. SSA also organizes a number of intramural co-ed sports teams (Basketball and Volleyball, usually) and social functions (pool tournaments, bowling, etc.) and outings (dinners, horseback riding, skiing trips) that form the bulk of our time commitments.

• University of Waterloo Vietnamese Student Association
  • To the University of Waterloo, we are your connection to Vietnamese culture, Vietnamese traditions, and the Vietnamese community. UW VSA strengthens the campus community through organizing social events, cultural events, and collaborations.

Off-campus communities

• African, Caribbean, and Black Network of Waterloo Region (ACB Network)
  • A network focused on reducing social, political and economic barriers for people of African, Caribbean, and Black descent.
• Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region
  • The Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region is a non-profit organization serving Waterloo Region’s Caribbean community. Organized in 1975, we are committed to strengthening and enhancing the quality of life of families and individuals by providing culturally sensitive programs, support, resources, education and training. The CCAWR aims to promote the social, cultural and economic interests of, and advocate for, the Caribbean community in the Region of Waterloo.
• African Canadian Association of Waterloo Region Area
  • ACAWRA is a community based organization serving African Canadians locally and connecting to the community at large.
• Black-owned business in Kitchener-Waterloo
  • https://www.instagram.com/blackowned.kw/?hl=en
  • https://conestogastudents.com/2021/02/21/black-owned-businesses-to-support-in-waterloo-region/
  • https://ontario.afrobiz.ca/Kitchener-ON

LGBTQ2S+ Spaces

• QTPOC KW
  • QTPOC KW is a student-run club that provides the space for individuals at the intersection of 2SLGBTQ+ and racialized (Black, Indigenous, POC) identities to play freely and build community. They focus on hosting community socials, panels, and other events that uplift everyone’s intersectional identities.

• Queer and Trans Graduate Student Wellness (QTWELL)
  • QTWELL is an open, drop-in group, for any graduate student is who a sexual and gender minority or identifies as part of the 2SLGBTQ +communities. The group is facilitated by a counselor with lived experience in the area and will focus on the many different aspects of wellness.

• Glow center for Sexual & Gender Diversity
  • Glow is the oldest continuously running queer and trans student organization in Canada. Run entirely by dedicated student volunteers, it offers a wide variety of discussion groups, social events, advocacy opportunities, awareness campaigns, resources, and information. Their office in UWaterloo is located in the Student Life Center Building (SLC 2102).

• Waterloo Region Rainbow Coalition
  • The Waterloo Region Rainbow Coalition (WRRC) is a volunteer-based community association that acts as a central hub for the local Rainbow community. WRRC brings together various stakeholders from across the Region. Their emphasis is on building partnerships and working collaboratively to meet the needs of the Rainbow community. Anyone interested in community-based development and advocacy, and social events is welcome to get involved.

• KW Spectrum
  • SPECTRUM is an organization that serves, affirms, and supports the well-being of 2SLGBTQ+ individuals in Waterloo Region and the broader community through peer support, community partnerships, education and training, resources, and events.