Published September 2026
The Working Centre has benefited from a legion of university professors from Waterloo and Laurier who have offered their energy and knowledge to our work. One of the earliest was Dr. John Shortreed who contacted The Working Centre in early 1983, concerned about the effects of high unemployment. He had an idea and followed through by establishing a project called the School for the Unemployed. It was a series of night school classes taught by skilled teachers that engaged those out of work on the future of work, the new digital economy, and skill development. That was the beginning of a long friendship.
John was a thorough and active academic. He joined the University of Waterloo in 1965 and became a full professor of Civil Engineering, teaching for over four decades. His research focus was on transportation, public transit, land use models and urban planning, before he became a pioneer in the interdisciplinary science of risk assessment and management. He founded and served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Risk Research. He served as a consultant to the Greater London Council on projects including the M25 and the Docklands LRT. He also lent his expertise to governments and industries, including acting as an expert advisor to Justice Horace Krever during the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada.
While he had national and international stature, he also served as a Waterloo City Councillor. Over 40 years, John always kept in contact with The Working Centre, learning about our programing, offering ideas, suggesting directions, keeping us rooted. We always appreciated John’s towering personality and his genuine interest in the work of building a grassroots community organization.
It was not surprising that John’s family described how he didn’t waste a day of his life. He was forever active, traveling, building and fixing. John fully supported TWC’s purchasing and restoring of old buildings, something he did personally by restoring his historic house in uptown Waterloo.
Most importantly, as his family lovingly noted, John was a caring husband and dedicated father, and exceptionally proud of all his wonderful grandchildren. John and Marcia donated generously and regularly to The Working Centre community. Each donation was always marked by a quick call and sometimes even a visit to check in and see what new projects or ideas were percolating. We will miss John’s deep connection to community that he offered generously to The Working Centre.
