WRHBA: registered 1946 by Braby + Hallman, "over 160 member companies," self-reported "over 90%" of new residential builds in Waterloo Region; Chair Matt Ninomiya (WalterFedy) 2025–26, CEO Marie Schroeder

Founding and history

Claim: WRHBA's founding traces directly to the wartime housing crunch in Waterloo Region in 1945–46. James A. Braby (S.W. Robb Construction) negotiated the first wartime housing contract with the federal government; he and Lyle S. Hallman (Hallman Construction) organized five local builders to deliver 100 homes for first-time buyers.

The association was formally registered in 1946 as the Kitchener-Waterloo House Builders Association. It later operated as Kitchener-Waterloo Housing and Urban Development Association of Canada (HUDAC) and was renamed WRHBA.

Source: wrhba.com/pages/about-wrhba. Confidence: Verified.

Scope

Current scope covers Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and the Townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich.

Membership

• Member count: "Over 160 member companies" per the WRHBA homepage. A Crunchbase listing claims 220+, but the WRHBA homepage is the authoritative source. Use 160+ in published copy.
• Member mix: New home builders, renovators, developers, trades, manufacturers, suppliers, lenders, and other professionals.

Confidence: Verified for 160+; Crunchbase 220+ figure noted as conflict.

The "over 90%" claim — important editorial caveat

WRHBA states its members build "over 90% of all new residential Housing units" in Waterloo Region, supporting "over 22,000 jobs, $1.5 billion in wages, and $3 billion in investment value."

This is a self-reported claim with no independent audit. It is plausible given the membership concentration but should be treated as WRHBA's own number, not a third-party verified fact.

Confidence: Verified that WRHBA makes the claim; the underlying 90% figure is NOT independently audited against CMHC starts data for Waterloo Region. Cite as "per WRHBA" in any client copy.

Leadership 2025–2026

• Chair (the title replaced "President" effective June 3, 2025): Matt Ninomiya, Land Development Manager at WalterFedy. Previously served as 2nd Vice President and 1st Vice President; on the Board since 2019.
• Chief Executive Officer: Marie Schroeder.
• Policy Advisor (appointed 2025): Larry Masseo.
• Other named directors: Allissa Bartlett (Stantec Consulting), Carrie Curtis (Killam Apartment REIT), Kevin Fergin (Crozier Consulting Engineers), Steven Harris (Harris).

Sources: wrhba.com news release on the 2025–26 Chair; wrhba.com/pages/board-of-directors; walterfedy.com; wrhba.com/blogs/news. Confidence: Verified.

Caveat: WRHBA's site lists Chair, CEO, and four named directors at the time of research. The full roster may include additional members not surfaced in indexed pages.