Empire Public School
83 Empire St · Waterloo · N2L2M1 · Waterloo Region DSB
One of Waterloo’s 50 elementary schools, counting 3 km beyond the edge: Empire Public School. Every school in and around Waterloo →
What stands out about Empire Public School
- With 490 students it is bigger than three in four elementary schools in Ontario (middle: 335).
- Across its measures, its results average to the second fifth in Ontario.
- Its best showing is Grade 3 reading, at 86% where the middle in Ontario is 76%.
- Over three years, 2 of its measures rose by 5 points or more.
- An English public school, run by Waterloo Region DSB.
How Empire Public School does on Ontario’s tests
EQAO’s Grade 3, 6 and 9 assessments and the literacy test, 2024-25: each school against every school in Ontario.
With 6 of 6 measures reported, Empire Public School averages the second fifth in Ontario.
| Measure | Here | Middle, Ontario | Band | 3-year change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 reading | 86% | 76% | Second fifth | +14 |
| Grade 3 writing | 70% | 65% | Second fifth | +3 |
| Grade 3 math | 70% | 65% | Second fifth | +10 |
| Grade 6 reading | 87% | 88% | Middle fifth | −1 |
| Grade 6 writing | 90% | 86% | Second fifth | +0 |
| Grade 6 math | 52% | 51% | Middle fifth | −3 |
N/R: EQAO doesn’t report groups too small to keep students anonymous. The three-year change is in percentage points, as the ministry publishes it.
How Empire Public School is placed without a letter
In Ontario, schools are compared on the province’s published results, so Empire Public School gets a place among them, the second fifth, rather than a letter of its own.
Empire Public School feeds into Waterloo’s School Grade, together with the other schools nearby.
Getting a place at Empire Public School
Each school serves a defined area. A place elsewhere is possible when that school has room.
The provinces’ education acts and the boards’ own admission policies; check with the board for a given address.
Side by side with the nearest elementary schools
The closest schools of its level, by straight-line distance.
1 of the 6 nearest elementary schools have more students than Empire Public School.
| School | System | Language | Students | Band | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire Public School | English public | English | 490 | Second fifth | |
| Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Elementary School | English Catholic | English | 385 | Fourth fifth | 0.5 km |
| Westmount Public School | English public | English | 480 | Fourth fifth | 1.1 km |
| Keatsway Public School | English public | English | 365 | Middle fifth | 1.2 km |
| Centennial (Waterloo) Public School | English public | English | 415 | – | 1.6 km |
| Hillside Public School | English public | English | 285 | Bottom fifth | 1.6 km |
| MacGregor Public School | English public | English | 510 | – | 1.8 km |
Elementary schools near Empire Public School
Nearest first, as the crow flies, up to 25 km. Each school’s own admission policy decides who gets a place.
Questions about Empire Public School
Who runs Empire Public School?
Waterloo Region DSB: Empire Public School is one of its schools (English public).
What language does Empire Public School teach in?
English.
How do pupils get a place at Empire Public School?
Register with the board that runs the school: the address decides the designated school in each system, and the board can say which one it is.
Which schools of the same kind are near Empire Public School?
Nearest of all: Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Elementary School (0.5 km), Westmount Public School (1.1 km) and Keatsway Public School (1.2 km).
Sources: Ontario Ministry of Education, School Information Finder 2024–25 and school contact list (Open Government Licence – Ontario) · Ontario Ministry of Education, School Information Finder 2024–25 (EQAO results; N/R where groups are too small). Open Government Licence – Ontario. · map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).