Join us at Laurier
Becoming a Golden Hawk means more than just cheering on our (really good) varsity teams – it means being a student who cares about your community, who works hard in the classroom, and who takes advantage of all the learning opportunities that can happen outside the classroom, too.
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Explore Our Programs
Student-Centric City
Our Waterloo campus is located in the thriving, culturally diverse community of Kitchener-Waterloo (KW), located one hour west of Toronto with a population of about 365,000.
With two universities and a college, this "university town" is a vibrant and student-friendly city with plenty of off-campus housing, entertainment, dining and recreational opportunities. And a new light rail transit system will make it easier than ever to get around.
Canada’s Leading High-Tech Region
KW is part of Waterloo Region, which is home to the largest grouping of technology companies in North America outside California. Our community has a reputation for innovation, where a new generation of entrepreneurs, who grew up in the age of Waterloo’s famous tech giant BlackBerry, are ready to invent the future. Communitech, an internationally recognized, industry-led innovation centre calls Waterloo home, as does Desire2Learn, OpenText, Shopify, Google, Oracle, Vidyard and Igloo.
Best of the City
Activities
- Hit the baseball field or shoot some hoops at Waterloo Park.
- Ski, snowboard or snow tube at Chicopee Ski Resort.
- Canoe on the Grand River or hike the riverside trails.
- Water tube or hike the Elora Gorge.
- Golf, skate or play at RIM Park.
Entertainment
- Check out a concert at Maxwell’s Concerts and Events.
- Go to a comedy show or performance at Centre in the Square Performing Arts Centre.
- Take in the latest exhibit or go to trendy events at THEMUSEUM.
- See a screening at Waterloo's historic Princess Cinemas.
- Catch one of the region’s numerous music or cultural festivals, such as:
- Waterloo Jazz Festival
- Waterloo Busker Carnival
- Oktoberfest
- KW Multicultural Festival
- Ever After Music Festival
- Kitchener Blues Festival
Experiences
- Walk through the doors of a festhalle and have a great time at the largest Oktoberfest outside Germany.
- Check out Waterloo’s winter festival, Winterloo.
- Enjoy pancakes and festival fare at the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival.
- Buy local at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market.
- Shop, stroll and enjoy the patios and bars in Uptown Waterloo.
Dining
- Taco Tuesdays at Ethel's Lounge
- vegetarian at Jane Bond
- sandwiches at Vincenzo's
- Korean at Owl of Minerva
- paninis at Princess Café
- all-you-can-eat sushi at Kinkaku Izakaya
- pizza at Famoso
- wings at Morty’s
- coffee at DVLB
- spinach dip at Wilf’s
Directions
Canada's Innovation City
From Toronto
- Take the 401 west towards London.
- Take exit 278 to Highway 8 west (towards Kitchener/Waterloo).
- Take the Highway 7 east exit towards Guelph/Waterloo.
- Follow Highway 7 east, which becomes Highway 85 north.
- Take the second University Ave. exit (University Ave. W.).
- Continue down University Ave. Laurier will be on your left-hand side at 75 University Ave. W.
From London
- Take the 401 east towards Toronto.
- Take exit 278B/Highway 8 west on to King St. E. towards Kitchener.
- Head right onto Highway 8 west towards Kitchener.
- Take the Highway 7 east exit towards Guelph/Waterloo.
- Follow Highway 7 east, which becomes Highway 85 north.
- Take the second University Ave. exit (University Ave. W.).
- Continue down University Ave. Laurier will be on your left-hand side at 75 University Ave. W.
Visit Us
It's hard to explain what it means to be a Golden Hawk without meeting us in person.
No matter which of our campuses you tour, once you come you'll immediately feel this "sense of community" we keep talking about.
