Queen Street
South
Queen Street South
The section of Queen Street between King Street and Charles Street is located in the heart of the downtown core. The iconic Walper Hotel building sits at the corner of King and Queen.
Since it’s founding, The Working Centre has held a strong relationship with Queen Street. We have been present along the street for over 40 years, transitioning through multiple buildings, renovations, and new initiatives.
58-66 Queen South
When The Working Centre first rented at 58 Queen, we were a young organization whose ambition was to provide basic, supportive job search assistance in the Kitchener downtown.
We were able to purchase the building in 1994. We have since extensively renovated the building, have re-established apartments in order to generate income and provide social housing and have used every square inch of the building for community use. Anyone who tours 58 Queen is amazed by the mix of services and projects that operate out of the deceptively sprawling building.
66 Queen was purchased and renovated in 2003 to provide more space for our employment supports and expand our resource centre. As with our other locations, our intent is always to create open space rather than offices, space that can be constantly adapted.
58-66 Queen is anchored by the Job Search Resource Centre and employment supports on the ground level. It also hosts our Money Matters supports, Computer Recycling initiative, and Maurita’s Commissary Kitchen.
The top floor of 66 Queen provides supportive housing to 10 residents.
Job Search Resource Centre
58 Queen Street South in Kitchener
The Job Search Resource Centre helps support thousands of individuals each year with employment support and services. The Resource Centre offers a busy, informal atmosphere, where you can connect with others and link to a wide range of services and supports, including:
- Job Postings
- Phone Message Service
- Resume Support
- Employment Counselling
- Adult & Youth Job Development
- Support for New Canadians
- Links to Community Resources
Employers can post jobs, connect to resources, find details about government support for work placements. The Working Centre seeks to act as a bridge between employers and qualified job searchers.
The Working Centre has established a reputation as an agency that provides intensive, individual and customized career and job search assistance with adults in the K-W area. Our experience has shown that the adults we work with appreciate a solid base of job search and career assistance while being able to work at their own pace and schedule. They benefit from having access to formal resources, tools, employment counsellors and group workshops in an approach that provides independence and flexibility.
“The Resource Centre is a place anyone can come, regardless of their circumstance, to feel welcomed and be received with dignity and respect. It is a place of relationships, where we know people’s names, and they are treated as more than just a number.”
-Sarah Schaefer, Resource Centre Support Worker
Money Matters Hub
58 Queen Street South in Kitchener
The Money Matters Hub connects people with a Financial Inclusion Outreach Worker for assistance with income tax, budgeting assistance, get connected to community resources, navigate government support programs, and problem solving.
Our Income Tax Clinic operates in March and April, and is for people living on a limited income.
Volunteers registered with the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program will help to complete your income tax return.
In 2024 our Income Tax Clinic helped over 1400 individuals and families file their tax documents and secure $9.4 million in critically needed income.
Maurita's Commissary Kitchen
58 Queen Street South in Kitchener
Our Commissary Kitchen is a lively hub of co-operative work where staff and volunteers prepare 700+ healthy and nutritious meals daily for distribution at Working Centre projects and community supports.
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region donates an astounding 800,000 pounds of food annually. Weekly food deliveries from The Food Bank make it possible for us to meet the daily need of those supported at Working Centre projects. Thank you to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region for their ongoing support!
Volunteers are welcome! Sign up for a shift to help prepare meals in the kitchen, deliver meals to our distribution locations, or help pick up donated items from the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Berenice:
Maurita’s Kitchen prepares 200,000 meals annually that are distributed at St. John’s Kitchen, shelters, and other initiatives
Computer Recycling
66 Queen Street South in Kitchener, entry is on Charles Street next to the Tile Project mural.
Located on the basement level of 58-66 Queen, Computer Recycling gives computers a second life and provides people access to affordable computers. Volunteers refurbish donated computers, and can also help with repairs for a small donation.
By enabling the reuse of electronic items we help protect the environment and work toward a sustainable future.
Computer Recycling also provides hands-on training and experience for people learning to repair, maintain and build computers. This provides a unique opportunity for practical hardware, software and soft-skills training.
Donations welcome! We gratefully accept used computers, electronics, and batteries. Items can be dropped off during our open hours or by appointment. We refurbish and sell the usable items. Other items are recycled in an environmentally friendly manner.
More information is available on The Working Centre’s website.
The Green Door
The Green Door is currently closed. The Working Centre is planning to re-open The Green Door at a new location at 52 Queen St. South, next to the Job Search Resource Centre
The Green Door is a gently used clothing boutique that is a community oriented and volunteer driven project focused on reduced waste, sustainability, and skill development.
The Green Door offers affordable items for everyone:
- Womens & Mens Items
- Shoes & Handbags
- Homemade Soaps & Beauty Products
Volunteers help maintain the shop and provide friendly customer service. Volunteers also help sort, wash, repair, and stock items for sale. Our sales directly support the the shop and the Working Centre community.
Volunteers and donations are always welcome. Clothing can be dropped off at our location during business hours.
Affordable Housing
Housing units are present at most Working Centre properties, many on the upper floors above our public and project spaces. The Working Centre owns and maintains 80-plus affordable units with rents well below market rates.
An example includes recent renovations that added 21 units of affordable housing on the second and third floors of our 44-54 and 58 Queen Street properties.
43 Queen South
Across the street from our main location, 43 Queen was purchased by The Working Centre in 1997. We renovated the 85 year old building and opened in 1999. Since then, it has housed many of our projects and open community spaces.
It is home to Queen Street Commons Café on the ground level, administrative space on the second floor, and housing for two families on the third floor.
Queen Street Commons Cafe
43 Queen Street South in Kitchener
The Commons Cafe is temporarily closed while undergoing a redesign and upgrades.
Since opening in 2003, Queen Street Commons Café has been a fixture in Downtown Kitchener as a volunteer supported meeting place with lots of seating and friendly service. You can grab a cup of our fresh roast coffee, and enjoy our affordable, vegetarian home-style entrees, snacks, and delicious deserts.
The Café hosts music, special events, film screenings, and a variety of community based discussions.
Downtown Clean Teams
On weekdays, the Downtown Clean Teams provide regular street sweeping, and daily pick up of large garbage bags along King Street. The teams have also become ambassadors providing directions, assistance, and a friendly face.
The Working Centre has partnered with the Kitchener Downtown Business Improvement Association to establish initiatives responding to needs in our downtown core while also providing work opportunities and community support.
