Close to 100 Homecoming-related charges laid, over 600 through WRPS’ Project Safe Semester

Now that September is almost in the rearview mirror, Waterloo Regional Police Service is reviewing its enforcement initiatives across the busy back-to-school season, having laid close to 100 charges during Homecoming weekend and over 600 during its Project Safe Semester.

In a release, WRPS detailed Project Safe Semester, which it said “aims to promote the safety and wellbeing of university and college students.”

That initiative ran from Sept. 3 through to Sept. 25, with police detailing the 629 total charges laid as part of that program, a majority of which were centred around Highway Traffic Act offences at 262.

That was followed closely by Liquor Licence and Control Act offences at 191 and Criminal Code offences at 115.

“Although Project Safe Semester has concluded, Waterloo Regional Police will continue to conduct proactive enforcement in the university district and school zones to ensure everyone’s safety,” said WRPS in a release.

While that project ran until Sept. 25, WRPS said it was immediately followed by launching its Homecoming Enforcement campaign, resulting in a total of 96 charges.

Similar to the results of Project Safe Semester, those Homecoming-focused efforts mainly saw offences tied to the Highway Traffic Act at 46 charges, followed closely by Liquor Licence and Control Act offences at 35 total charges.

“The Waterloo Regional Police Service would like to thank all community partners who collaborated to ensure public safety during Homecoming 2026,” said WRPS, pointing specifically to the City of Waterloo, Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services, Waterloo Fire Rescue Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, Wilfrid Laurier University, and the University of Waterloo.

Those same two initiatives were also conducted last year, in 2025, when WRPS laid 760 total charges during Project Safe Semester and issued 104 total charges during Homecoming Enforcement.

While 2025 saw a roughly 3 per cent increase compared with totals seen through the same period in 2024, this year has seen an 8 per cent drop for Homecoming Enforcement offences and a close to 20 per cent drop for Project Safe Semester.