diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/src/template_symbol_builder.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/src/template_symbol_builder.ts
index a6a123523f..1996140dca 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/src/template_symbol_builder.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/src/template_symbol_builder.ts
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@
  * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
  */
 
-import {AbsoluteSourceSpan, AST, ASTWithSource, BindingPipe, SafeMethodCall, SafePropertyRead, TmplAstBoundAttribute, TmplAstBoundEvent, TmplAstElement, TmplAstNode, TmplAstTemplate} from '@angular/compiler';
+import {AbsoluteSourceSpan, AST, ASTWithSource, BindingPipe, SafeMethodCall, SafePropertyRead, TmplAstBoundAttribute, TmplAstBoundEvent, TmplAstElement, TmplAstNode, TmplAstReference, TmplAstTemplate, TmplAstVariable} from '@angular/compiler';
 import * as ts from 'typescript';
 
 import {AbsoluteFsPath} from '../../file_system';
 import {isAssignment} from '../../util/src/typescript';
-import {DirectiveSymbol, ElementSymbol, ExpressionSymbol, InputBindingSymbol, OutputBindingSymbol, Symbol, SymbolKind, TemplateSymbol, TsNodeSymbolInfo} from '../api';
+import {DirectiveSymbol, ElementSymbol, ExpressionSymbol, InputBindingSymbol, OutputBindingSymbol, ReferenceSymbol, Symbol, SymbolKind, TemplateSymbol, TsNodeSymbolInfo, VariableSymbol} from '../api';
 
 import {ExpressionIdentifier, findAllMatchingNodes, findFirstMatchingNode, hasExpressionIdentifier} from './comments';
 import {TemplateData} from './context';
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ export class SymbolBuilder {
       private readonly typeCheckBlock: ts.Node, private readonly templateData: TemplateData) {}
 
   getSymbol(node: TmplAstTemplate|TmplAstElement): TemplateSymbol|ElementSymbol|null;
+  getSymbol(node: TmplAstReference|TmplAstVariable): ReferenceSymbol|VariableSymbol|null;
   getSymbol(node: AST|TmplAstNode): Symbol|null;
   getSymbol(node: AST|TmplAstNode): Symbol|null {
     if (node instanceof TmplAstBoundAttribute) {
@@ -40,6 +41,10 @@ export class SymbolBuilder {
       return this.getSymbolOfElement(node);
     } else if (node instanceof TmplAstTemplate) {
       return this.getSymbolOfAstTemplate(node);
+    } else if (node instanceof TmplAstVariable) {
+      return this.getSymbolOfVariable(node);
+    } else if (node instanceof TmplAstReference) {
+      return this.getSymbolOfReference(node);
     } else if (node instanceof AST) {
       return this.getSymbolOfTemplateExpression(node);
     }
@@ -226,11 +231,70 @@ export class SymbolBuilder {
     };
   }
 
-  private getSymbolOfTemplateExpression(expression: AST): ExpressionSymbol|null {
+  private getSymbolOfVariable(variable: TmplAstVariable): VariableSymbol|null {
+    const node = findFirstMatchingNode(
+        this.typeCheckBlock, {withSpan: variable.sourceSpan, filter: ts.isVariableDeclaration});
+    if (node === null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    const expressionSymbol = this.getSymbolOfVariableDeclaration(node);
+    if (expressionSymbol === null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    return {...expressionSymbol, kind: SymbolKind.Variable, declaration: variable};
+  }
+
+  private getSymbolOfReference(ref: TmplAstReference): ReferenceSymbol|null {
+    const target = this.templateData.boundTarget.getReferenceTarget(ref);
+    // Find the node for the reference declaration, i.e. `var _t2 = _t1;`
+    let node = findFirstMatchingNode(
+        this.typeCheckBlock, {withSpan: ref.sourceSpan, filter: ts.isVariableDeclaration});
+    if (node === null || target === null || node.initializer === undefined) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    // TODO(atscott): Shim location will need to be adjusted
+    const symbol = this.getSymbolOfTsNode(node.name);
+    if (symbol === null || symbol.tsSymbol === null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    if (target instanceof TmplAstTemplate || target instanceof TmplAstElement) {
+      return {
+        ...symbol,
+        tsSymbol: symbol.tsSymbol,
+        kind: SymbolKind.Reference,
+        target,
+        declaration: ref,
+      };
+    } else {
+      if (!ts.isClassDeclaration(target.directive.ref.node)) {
+        return null;
+      }
+
+      return {
+        ...symbol,
+        kind: SymbolKind.Reference,
+        tsSymbol: symbol.tsSymbol,
+        declaration: ref,
+        target: target.directive.ref.node,
+      };
+    }
+  }
+
+  private getSymbolOfTemplateExpression(expression: AST): VariableSymbol|ReferenceSymbol
+      |ExpressionSymbol|null {
     if (expression instanceof ASTWithSource) {
       expression = expression.ast;
     }
 
+    const expressionTarget = this.templateData.boundTarget.getExpressionTarget(expression);
+    if (expressionTarget !== null) {
+      return this.getSymbol(expressionTarget);
+    }
+
     let node = findFirstMatchingNode(
         this.typeCheckBlock,
         {withSpan: expression.sourceSpan, filter: (n: ts.Node): n is ts.Node => true});
diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/test/type_checker__get_symbol_of_template_node_spec.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/test/type_checker__get_symbol_of_template_node_spec.ts
index 52e77a3dcd..2daf890ba0 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/test/type_checker__get_symbol_of_template_node_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/test/type_checker__get_symbol_of_template_node_spec.ts
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@
  * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
  */
 
-import {ASTWithSource, Binary, BindingPipe, Conditional, Interpolation, PropertyRead, TmplAstBoundAttribute, TmplAstBoundText, TmplAstElement, TmplAstNode, TmplAstTemplate} from '@angular/compiler';
+import {ASTWithSource, Binary, BindingPipe, Conditional, Interpolation, PropertyRead, TmplAstBoundAttribute, TmplAstBoundText, TmplAstElement, TmplAstNode, TmplAstReference, TmplAstTemplate} from '@angular/compiler';
 import * as ts from 'typescript';
 
 import {absoluteFrom, getSourceFileOrError} from '../../file_system';
 import {runInEachFileSystem} from '../../file_system/testing';
 import {ClassDeclaration} from '../../reflection';
-import {DirectiveSymbol, ElementSymbol, ExpressionSymbol, InputBindingSymbol, OutputBindingSymbol, Symbol, SymbolKind, TemplateSymbol, TemplateTypeChecker, TypeCheckingConfig} from '../api';
+import {DirectiveSymbol, ElementSymbol, ExpressionSymbol, InputBindingSymbol, OutputBindingSymbol, ReferenceSymbol, Symbol, SymbolKind, TemplateSymbol, TemplateTypeChecker, TypeCheckingConfig, VariableSymbol} from '../api';
 
 import {getClass, ngForDeclaration, ngForTypeCheckTarget, setup as baseTestSetup, TypeCheckingTarget} from './test_utils';
 
@@ -79,6 +79,59 @@ runInEachFileSystem(() => {
           templateNode = getAstTemplates(templateTypeChecker, cmp)[0];
         });
 
+        it('should get symbol for variables at the declaration', () => {
+          const symbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(templateNode.variables[0], cmp)!;
+          assertVariableSymbol(symbol);
+          expect(program.getTypeChecker().typeToString(symbol.tsType!)).toEqual('any');
+          expect(symbol.declaration.name).toEqual('contextFoo');
+        });
+
+        it('should get symbol for variables when used', () => {
+          const symbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(
+              (templateNode.children[0] as TmplAstTemplate).inputs[0].value, cmp)!;
+          assertVariableSymbol(symbol);
+          expect(program.getTypeChecker().typeToString(symbol.tsType!)).toEqual('any');
+          expect(symbol.declaration.name).toEqual('contextFoo');
+        });
+
+        it('should get a symbol for local ref which refers to a directive', () => {
+          const symbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(templateNode.references[1], cmp)!;
+          assertReferenceSymbol(symbol);
+          assertDirectiveReference(symbol);
+        });
+
+        it('should get a symbol for usage local ref which refers to a directive', () => {
+          const symbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(
+              (templateNode.children[0] as TmplAstTemplate).inputs[2].value, cmp)!;
+          assertReferenceSymbol(symbol);
+          assertDirectiveReference(symbol);
+        });
+
+        function assertDirectiveReference(symbol: ReferenceSymbol) {
+          expect(program.getTypeChecker().typeToString(symbol.tsType)).toEqual('TestDir');
+          expect((symbol.target as ts.ClassDeclaration).name!.getText()).toEqual('TestDir');
+          expect(symbol.declaration.name).toEqual('ref1');
+        }
+
+        it('should get a symbol for local ref which refers to the template', () => {
+          const symbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(templateNode.references[0], cmp)!;
+          assertReferenceSymbol(symbol);
+          assertTemplateReference(symbol);
+        });
+
+        it('should get a symbol for usage local ref which refers to a template', () => {
+          const symbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(
+              (templateNode.children[0] as TmplAstTemplate).inputs[1].value, cmp)!;
+          assertReferenceSymbol(symbol);
+          assertTemplateReference(symbol);
+        });
+
+        function assertTemplateReference(symbol: ReferenceSymbol) {
+          expect(program.getTypeChecker().typeToString(symbol.tsType)).toEqual('TemplateRef<any>');
+          expect((symbol.target as TmplAstTemplate).tagName).toEqual('ng-template');
+          expect(symbol.declaration.name).toEqual('ref0');
+        }
+
         it('should get symbol for the template itself', () => {
           const symbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(templateNode, cmp)!;
           assertTemplateSymbol(symbol);
@@ -150,7 +203,46 @@ runInEachFileSystem(() => {
              expect(program.getTypeChecker().symbolToString(streetSymbol.tsSymbol!))
                  .toEqual('streetNumber');
              expect(program.getTypeChecker().typeToString(streetSymbol.tsType)).toEqual('number');
+
+             const userSymbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(namePropRead.receiver, cmp)!;
+             expectUserSymbol(userSymbol);
            });
+
+        it('finds symbols for variables', () => {
+          const userVar = templateNode.variables.find(v => v.name === 'user')!;
+          const userSymbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(userVar, cmp)!;
+          expectUserSymbol(userSymbol);
+
+          const iVar = templateNode.variables.find(v => v.name === 'i')!;
+          const iSymbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(iVar, cmp)!;
+          expectIndexSymbol(iSymbol);
+        });
+
+        it('finds symbol when using a template variable', () => {
+          const innerElementNodes =
+              onlyAstElements((templateNode.children[0] as TmplAstElement).children);
+          const indexSymbol =
+              templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(innerElementNodes[0].inputs[0].value, cmp)!;
+          expectIndexSymbol(indexSymbol);
+        });
+
+        function expectUserSymbol(userSymbol: Symbol) {
+          assertVariableSymbol(userSymbol);
+          expect(userSymbol.tsSymbol!.escapedName).toContain('$implicit');
+          expect(userSymbol.tsSymbol!.declarations[0].parent!.getText())
+              .toContain('NgForOfContext');
+          expect(program.getTypeChecker().typeToString(userSymbol.tsType!)).toEqual('User');
+          expect((userSymbol).declaration).toEqual(templateNode.variables[0]);
+        }
+
+        function expectIndexSymbol(indexSymbol: Symbol) {
+          assertVariableSymbol(indexSymbol);
+          expect(indexSymbol.tsSymbol!.escapedName).toContain('index');
+          expect(indexSymbol.tsSymbol!.declarations[0].parent!.getText())
+              .toContain('NgForOfContext');
+          expect(program.getTypeChecker().typeToString(indexSymbol.tsType!)).toEqual('number');
+          expect((indexSymbol).declaration).toEqual(templateNode.variables[1]);
+        }
       });
     });
 
@@ -364,6 +456,89 @@ runInEachFileSystem(() => {
         expect(program.getTypeChecker().typeToString(bSymbol.tsType)).toEqual('number');
       });
 
+      it('should get symbol for local reference of an Element', () => {
+        const fileName = absoluteFrom('/main.ts');
+        const {templateTypeChecker, program} = setup([
+          {
+            fileName,
+            templates: {
+              'Cmp': `
+                  <input #myRef>
+                  <div [input]="myRef"></div>`
+            },
+          },
+        ]);
+        const sf = getSourceFileOrError(program, fileName);
+        const cmp = getClass(sf, 'Cmp');
+        const nodes = getAstElements(templateTypeChecker, cmp);
+
+        const refSymbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(nodes[0].references[0], cmp)!;
+        assertReferenceSymbol(refSymbol);
+        expect((refSymbol.target as TmplAstElement).name).toEqual('input');
+        expect((refSymbol.declaration as TmplAstReference).name).toEqual('myRef');
+
+        const myRefUsage = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(nodes[1].inputs[0].value, cmp)!;
+        assertReferenceSymbol(myRefUsage);
+        expect((myRefUsage.target as TmplAstElement).name).toEqual('input');
+        expect((myRefUsage.declaration as TmplAstReference).name).toEqual('myRef');
+      });
+
+      it('should get symbols for references which refer to directives', () => {
+        const fileName = absoluteFrom('/main.ts');
+        const dirFile = absoluteFrom('/dir.ts');
+        const templateString = `
+        <div dir #myDir1="dir"></div>
+        <div dir #myDir2="dir"></div>
+        <div [inputA]="myDir1.dirValue" [inputB]="myDir1"></div>
+        <div [inputA]="myDir2.dirValue" [inputB]="myDir2"></div>`;
+        const {templateTypeChecker, program} = setup([
+          {
+            fileName,
+            templates: {'Cmp': templateString},
+            declarations: [{
+              name: 'TestDir',
+              selector: '[dir]',
+              file: dirFile,
+              type: 'directive',
+              exportAs: ['dir'],
+            }]
+          },
+          {
+            fileName: dirFile,
+            source: `export class TestDir { dirValue = 'helloWorld' }`,
+            templates: {}
+          }
+        ]);
+        const sf = getSourceFileOrError(program, fileName);
+        const cmp = getClass(sf, 'Cmp');
+        const nodes = getAstElements(templateTypeChecker, cmp);
+
+        const ref1Declaration = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(nodes[0].references[0], cmp)!;
+        assertReferenceSymbol(ref1Declaration);
+        expect((ref1Declaration.target as ts.ClassDeclaration).name!.getText()).toEqual('TestDir');
+        expect((ref1Declaration.declaration as TmplAstReference).name).toEqual('myDir1');
+
+        const ref2Declaration = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(nodes[1].references[0], cmp)!;
+        assertReferenceSymbol(ref2Declaration);
+        expect((ref2Declaration.target as ts.ClassDeclaration).name!.getText()).toEqual('TestDir');
+        expect((ref2Declaration.declaration as TmplAstReference).name).toEqual('myDir2');
+
+        const dirValueSymbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(nodes[2].inputs[0].value, cmp)!;
+        assertExpressionSymbol(dirValueSymbol);
+        expect(program.getTypeChecker().symbolToString(dirValueSymbol.tsSymbol!)).toBe('dirValue');
+        expect(program.getTypeChecker().typeToString(dirValueSymbol.tsType)).toEqual('string');
+
+        const dir1Symbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(nodes[2].inputs[1].value, cmp)!;
+        assertReferenceSymbol(dir1Symbol);
+        expect((dir1Symbol.target as ts.ClassDeclaration).name!.getText()).toEqual('TestDir');
+        expect((dir1Symbol.declaration as TmplAstReference).name).toEqual('myDir1');
+
+        const dir2Symbol = templateTypeChecker.getSymbolOfNode(nodes[3].inputs[1].value, cmp)!;
+        assertReferenceSymbol(dir2Symbol);
+        expect((dir2Symbol.target as ts.ClassDeclaration).name!.getText()).toEqual('TestDir');
+        expect((dir2Symbol.declaration as TmplAstReference).name).toEqual('myDir2');
+      });
+
       describe('literals', () => {
         let templateTypeChecker: TemplateTypeChecker;
         let cmp: ClassDeclaration<ts.ClassDeclaration>;
@@ -1061,10 +1236,18 @@ function assertOutputBindingSymbol(tSymbol: Symbol): asserts tSymbol is OutputBi
   expect(tSymbol.kind).toEqual(SymbolKind.Output);
 }
 
+function assertVariableSymbol(tSymbol: Symbol): asserts tSymbol is VariableSymbol {
+  expect(tSymbol.kind).toEqual(SymbolKind.Variable);
+}
+
 function assertTemplateSymbol(tSymbol: Symbol): asserts tSymbol is TemplateSymbol {
   expect(tSymbol.kind).toEqual(SymbolKind.Template);
 }
 
+function assertReferenceSymbol(tSymbol: Symbol): asserts tSymbol is ReferenceSymbol {
+  expect(tSymbol.kind).toEqual(SymbolKind.Reference);
+}
+
 function assertExpressionSymbol(tSymbol: Symbol): asserts tSymbol is ExpressionSymbol {
   expect(tSymbol.kind).toEqual(SymbolKind.Expression);
 }