CTV News Kitchener reached out those vying for a position on Kitchener City Council or Region of Waterloo Council ahead of the municipal election on Oct. 26, 2026. All candidates were given the same questions based on the position they are running for. They were asked to limit their answers to 400 words or less. In fairness to all participants, CTV News Kitchener will only share responses up to the requested limit. Any answers exceeding that threshold have been cut off at exactly 400 words. If you are a candidate that did not receive a survey, or your responses were submitted by the deadline but are not included below, please reach out to ctvkitchenerwebteam@bellmedia.ca Mayor David Alton Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? DA: I have decided to run for office because as a community planner and facilitator between governments and people experiencing housing precarity and homelessness, I have seen how disruptive and counterproductive current elected officials’ approaches are. With growing unaffordability and economic instability, we need leaders who will stand up for those feeling the squeeze and who will create a productive environment for the many amazing changemakers in our region. People should be able to survive and thrive in our city, the fact that is a question is a loud statement that we need change. I want people to live in a joyful city where they are treated with dignity by government. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? DA: The housing crisis is far greater than current leadership is reporting. Many homeowners are now experiencing housing precarity and homelessness rates have expanded to include tenurelessness (people with shelter but no safety or security) and supportlessness (people who’s fundamental rights are being threatened). The front line workers in the sector are already undertrained and stretched to the max, meaning that the traumas of housing precarity are bleeding into more and more of the public realm. With tariffs and further economic questions we need to be stabilizing our housing system and deeply investing in social housing. Everyone deserves a space to find safety and be their best selves. Ample public housing options give that. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? DA: This conflict is fueled by misinformation. If you read the factum by the region, you will see that the transit hub construction is largely at King and Victoria and Weber and Victoria is only needed for some track widening. There are ample regional owned lands to provide staging areas and safe tenting areas, something I have talked extensively with staff and council about. We can have both: innovative public transit infrastructure and interim low barrier shelters options. The lack of spaces for people to legally exist is fuelling supportlessness and causing an increasing traumatized population to roam further into the public realm in more destabilized ways. We need interim solutions like safe tenting zones so people can access basic needs and services. [Editor’s note: The Region of Waterloo has stated the land currently occupied by the encampment is needed as a staging ground, or “lay-down-site,” to store equipment and building materials needed for construction of the Kitchener Central Transit Hub] Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? DA: It is everyone’s interest for our region to take water conservation at a residential and industrial level seriously. Cape Town on South Africa was able to stop a water crisis through conservation efforts. We are one of the largest groundwater cities so we have extra responsibility to be managing usage and upgrading infrastructure responsibly. Part of the water crisis is the decades of infrastructure neglect and maintenance neglect. This is currently eating up the operational budget of the region. (Last year’s 5 per cent increase led to cuts and freezes in all departments because of this). Addressing this neglect requires serious conversations about more efficient and sustainable development and for people to pay their fair share. Wazhma Frogh Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? WF: For almost a decade, I have made Kitchener my home. As a single mother, I have experienced this city not from the halls of government, but through everyday life: using public transit, raising a family, working and volunteering in our community, and at one point living in a community shelter. Through my work with organizations such as the Coalition of Muslim Women of KW, Family and Children’s Services, and many other community initiatives, I have also worked alongside women, newcomers, families and community members whose voices are too often missing from municipal decision-making. What concerns me today is the growing class divide in Kitchener. There is an increasing distance between people who are benefiting from our city’s growth and those who are working hard but still cannot meet their basic needs. I meet people worried about rent and mortgages, seniors struggling with rising costs, people with disabilities trying to survive on inadequate incomes, and families who are one unexpected expense away from crisis. I am running because I believe these experiences and voices need to be represented at City Hall. Kitchener is growing, attracting investment and changing rapidly, but the success of our city should be measured by how well the people who live here are doing. I want to bring government closer to people, make municipal decision-making more accessible, and ensure that as Kitchener grows, no neighbourhood and no part of our community is left behind. Over the past several months, I have been talking with people in their neighbourhoods, parks, small businesses, community spaces and at their doors. I have met seniors worried about how far their fixed income will stretch, people with disabilities struggling on ODSP, families facing high rents and mortgages, and working people who tell me they are only one or two paycheques away from serious financial difficulty. These conversations are a big part of why I am running. My background is in human rights and community peacebuilding, and I have spent much of my life working with communities to make institutions more responsive to people. I want to bring that same approach to City Hall. I am running for “A Kitchener for Everyone”. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? WF: The most pressing issue I hear about is affordability, especially housing affordability. This is no longer affecting only people with very low incomes. Renters are struggling with increasing rents. Young people wonder whether they will ever be able to buy a home. Seniors on fixed incomes are watching their costs rise. People receiving ODSP or Ontario Works are trying to survive on incomes that simply do not reflect the cost of living. Even households with good jobs are feeling the pressure of mortgages, groceries, transportation and other basic expenses. Housing has to be at the centre of our response. I support building more housing, including fourplexes and secondary units, but simply counting the number of units built is not enough. We need more community and non-profit housing, supportive and transitional housing, preservation of existing affordable rentals, faster approvals for appropriate housing, and stronger homelessness prevention. I also want the City to look at affordability when making its own decisions about taxes, fees, transit, recreation and other services. Kitchener is going to continue growing. My concern is that if people who work here, raise their families here and contribute to this community can no longer afford to live here, then growth alone cannot be called success. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? WF: I support the transit hub. It is an important investment in Kitchener’s future and will improve connections between ION, GO, VIA Rail and other transportation. But I do not believe that building the transit hub and treating people experiencing homelessness with dignity are mutually exclusive choices. I have been concerned for some time that we are spending too much energy managing homelessness after it happens instead of preventing it. Moving people from 100 Victoria Street may clear the land for construction, but unless people have somewhere appropriate to go, we have moved the encampment, not solved the problem. Before people are displaced, the Region needs clear individual plans and realistic alternatives, including shelter where appropriate, transitional and supportive housing, mental-health and addiction services, and pathways to permanent housing. We also need to recognize the legitimate concerns of residents and businesses about safety and public spaces. I have raised similar concerns about spending millions on temporary responses such as encampments and Better Tent City while the need for permanent and supportive housing continues to grow. The transit hub should move forward. But so should a serious housing strategy. Our measure of success cannot simply be that an encampment disappeared from one property. It should be where those people went and whether they are actually closer to stable housing. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? WF: The water issue tells us something bigger about how we have been managing growth. We cannot continue approving and encouraging rapid growth without making sure that the infrastructure needed to support that growth is keeping pace. Water supply is primarily a Regional responsibility, so as Mayor and a member of Regional Council, I would push for a clear and accelerated plan to increase capacity, with public reporting on timelines, costs and progress. This cannot become a problem that simply gets passed from one council term to the next. While capacity is constrained, we also have to make careful choices about how available water is allocated. I would prioritize projects that meet real community needs, particularly housing, affordable and non-profit housing, essential community services and employment-generating development, rather than simply operating on a first-come, first-served basis. I would also push harder on conservation. New developments should meet stronger water-efficiency expectations, and we should expand incentives for residents and businesses to reduce unnecessary water use. But conservation alone will not solve the problem. We need infrastructure investment. For me, the lesson is straightforward: housing targets, development approvals, population growth, roads, transit, water and wastewater cannot be planned separately. If we want Kitchener to grow, we have a responsibility to make sure the basic infrastructure is there to support that growth. Wali Khan Contact information not provided Manikantan Nair Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? MN: I am running for Mayor because I believe Kitchener has enormous potential, and we should be more ambitious about our future. After living in Canada for 25 years and being a long-time Kitchener resident, I have seen our city grow and change. Travelling and experiencing communities around the world has made me ask: Why can’t Kitchener aspire to be one of the best cities in the world? I believe we need fresh ideas, practical solutions, stronger accountability, and leadership willing to challenge the status quo. My professional experience in IT and network/cybersecurity has taught me to understand complex problems, assess risks, find practical solutions, and think beyond the next election cycle. But this campaign is not about my career. It is about our community and our future. I want a Kitchener where housing is more attainable, infrastructure keeps pace with growth, downtown is safe and vibrant, taxpayers receive better value, businesses can thrive, and Council is transparent and accountable. I don’t claim to have all the answers. I am willing to listen, ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions, and work with others to find better solutions. A better future will not happen by itself. We have to build it. My commitment as Mayor will be to use the powers I have, bring issues forward, propose solutions, vote at Regional Council, build Council support, work with staff, and advocate directly with Queen’s Park and Ottawa. I will not promise residents that I can do something unilaterally when the law requires a Council decision or another level of government. My promise is simple: I will be honest about what I can control, accountable for the decisions I make, and persistent in pursuing the outcomes Kitchener residents deserve. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? MN: In my view, Kitchener’s most pressing challenge is managing rapid growth while ensuring our housing, infrastructure, economy, and public services keep pace. Housing affordability is at the heart of many of our challenges. When people cannot afford to live here, we see increased financial pressure, homelessness, longer commutes and difficulty attracting and retaining workers. At the same time, our infrastructure must keep up with growth. Water capacity, roads, transit, public safety, and other essential services cannot be an afterthought. We also need stronger economic development and good, well-paying jobs so that residents can afford to live and build their future in Kitchener. As Mayor, I would focus on responsible growth backed by infrastructure, more attainable housing, stronger job creation, a safer and more vibrant downtown, and better value for taxpayers. Kitchener’s challenges are interconnected. We cannot solve them one at a time. Good leadership is about understanding the facts, identifying the root causes, bringing the right people together, and taking action. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? MN: Let’s go back to history to understand how things evolved: To the best of my knowledge, the Kitchener Central Transit Hub has been years in the making. King Street and Victoria Street for a future transit hub as far back as the early 2010s, with formal planning continuing through 2016–17. At the same time, the 100 Victoria Street North encampment began in December 2021 on Region-owned property. These are connected challenges but moving people from one location to another is not a solution. The housing crisis is not the responsibility of one level of government. Ottawa, Queen’s Park, the Region, and our municipalities all have roles to play through immigration and population policies, housing funding, legislation, homelessness programs, zoning and development approvals. I don’t believe pointing fingers will solve the problem, but action will. As Mayor, I would support moving forward with the Central Transit Hub while working with the Region, Province, and community partners to create realistic pathways to housing and appropriate supports for people experiencing homelessness. We must increase the supply of affordable and supportive housing, accelerate responsible development and ensure people have access to the services needed to remain housed. Kitchener deserves both critical infrastructure and compassionate, practical solutions. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? MN: The Waterloo Region water capacity crisis is a warning that growth must be matched by infrastructure. Rapid immigration resulting in more population and economic growth have increased pressure on our existing water system. The challenge is not simply having groundwater, it is having sufficient capacity to pump, treat, store, and distribute water where and when it is needed. Let’s understand, who is responsible for services: In Kitchener, water is a shared responsibility. The Region is responsible for supplying and treating our water, while the City of Kitchener is responsible for distributing it through our local infrastructure. Water is fundamental infrastructure. We cannot continue approving growth without ensuring that our water, wastewater, roads, and other essential infrastructure can support it. I strongly support the following proposed actionable items: As Mayor, I would advocate for responsible growth backed by infrastructure investment. Growth and water security must be planned together, not separately. We cannot build tomorrow’s Kitchener with yesterday’s infrastructure. George Trihenea Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? GT: Kitchener needs leadership that gets ahead of problems instead of reacting to them after they’ve already cost residents money and trust. Too often, residents feel they’re learning about major problems after decisions have already been made or problems have already grown - whether it’s a procurement issue, a stalled housing project, or a service challenge. I’m running to build a City Hall that plans ahead, communicates early, and measures results - while putting residents’ priorities, affordability, safety and quality of life first. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? GT: Kitchener residents are telling me that the cost of living and housing affordability are among their biggest concerns. I’ll accelerate missing-middle housing, make it easier for homeowners to create legal secondary suites and backyard homes, and push for faster, more predictable approvals. In my first 100 days I will launch an independent efficiency review of City Hall - because affordability isn’t just about the price of a home. It’s also about making sure residents are getting real value for every tax dollar. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? GT: The land belongs to the Region, not the City, so the primary decisions sit with Regional Council. But as Mayor, Kitchener has a voice at that table - and I would use it. The encampment at 100 Victoria Street has been there since 2021, while the site is required for the Kitchener Central Transit Hub. The situation has gone through years of court proceedings, mediation and changing timelines. Kitchener needs the transit hub. But we also have a responsibility to the people living there. My position is straightforward: move forward with the infrastructure while providing a real, funded pathway to appropriate housing and supports — not simply another deadline. We should be able to build the transit infrastructure our city needs without losing sight of the human beings affected by it. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? GT: This is what reactive government can cost residents. The Mannheim water-capacity issue was identified in late 2025 and formally confirmed by the Region in early 2026. Since then, Kitchener has faced restrictions on new development commitments, projects have been affected, and the Region has had to move forward with a temporary solution while longer-term infrastructure work continues. The problem seems to have been identified in 2019 as water capacity was increased from Wilmot by 30 l/s. Therefore, the question I have is simple: could we have acted sooner — and saved residents money in the process? When warning signs emerge around something as fundamental as water capacity, residents, builders and elected officials deserve clear information early enough to plan - not after a constraint starts affecting growth, investment and municipal finances. We can’t build the Kitchener of tomorrow by constantly playing catch-up. As Mayor, I’ll push for earlier reporting, transparent timelines and measurable infrastructure targets - so we identify capacity problems early, act sooner, and avoid paying more to fix problems after they become crises. Berry Vrbanovic Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Cindy Ward Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? CW: I love Kitchener. And I believe Kitchener needs a mayor ready to fight for its future—and for the people who call it home. I grew up in Kitchener and have always wanted to be mayor of this great City. I’m running because I believe the time is right—and the need is urgent. Kitchener is vibrant, hardworking, artsy, gritty and wonderfully diverse. I love our arts and culture, our entrepreneurial spirit, our neighbourhoods and, most of all, the extraordinary people who make this city what it is. But we are facing serious challenges: A water crisis caused by irresponsible growth that has outpaced infrastructure, homelessness, and an affordability crisis affecting families, seniors, workers and young people. Behind every one of these issues is a person. A parent wondering how they’ll keep a roof over their family’s head. A young person wondering whether they’ll ever afford a home here. A senior worried about making ends meet. A small business owner wondering whether they can keep the doors open. And someone experiencing homelessness who deserves to be seen, heard and treated with dignity. I believe everyone deserves hope, opportunity and a real chance to build a good life. I believe Kitchener needs a different kind of leadership: Practical, compassionate, ambitious, accountable—and willing to think outside the box. I bring a lifetime of experience as an entrepreneur, finance professional, community leader and mentor and deeply engaged citizen, along with a PhD in Community and Social Psychology. I’ve spent my life understanding people, solving problems, building things and bringing people together. Now I want to put those skills to work at City Hall—supporting the small businesses that make our economy resilient, and tackling homelessness, affordability, infrastructure and growth with urgency and fresh thinking. I care deeply about people. I care deeply about Kitchener and all of our residents. My city needs me. That’s why I’m running for mayor. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? CW: The most pressing issue facing Kitchener today is housing and affordability. We have grown rapidly, but I believe we have not always grown responsibly. Development has too often moved faster than our infrastructure, services and long-term planning. We have created enormous opportunities for developers, but we need to ask a harder question: Are we creating a city that works for the people who already live here - and for the people who want to build a future here? Rising housing costs, renovictions, displacement and homelessness are not abstract problems. They affect families, seniors, young people, workers and people living on the margins. We need to move aggressively on affordable housing - and we need to think differently. That means building new affordable homes, but also creatively converting existing properties and finding opportunities to create housing without always starting from the ground up. We should also learn from places like Finland, where the Housing First approach has treated permanent housing as the foundation for stability, backed by affordable housing, government investment and support services. Collaboration from all levels of government will be key here. And density, done thoughtfully, can be part of the solution. Building density in the core can allow us to create multi-unit supportive housing where people can access housing alongside medical, mental-health and addiction supports. Kitchener has already demonstrated that innovative projects can combine housing with essential services; we need to think much bigger and move much faster. Housing is not simply a commodity. It is the foundation from which people build their lives. Kitchener needs growth that serves its people—not growth for growth’s sake. We need fresh thinking, responsible planning and leadership willing to put affordability and the long-term health of our community first. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? CW: I want to make it clear that the transit hub and the human beings living at Victoria Street are not mutually exclusive priorities. I believe we can build the transit hub without abandoning the people living at Victoria Street North. We should not have to choose between critical infrastructure and human dignity. I respect the Ontario Superior Court’s decision. The court was clear: If people are going to be displaced from this site, there must be somewhere lawful and safe for them to go. Right now, there simply isn’t enough appropriate shelter or housing for everyone who needs it. Frankly, I am flabbergasted that after years of this situation, we have not found a better alternative. I am a creative problem-solver. My first question as Mayor would be: What are all the options? And why haven’t we pursued them? The court has already identified possibilities, including finding another site nearby or establishing a safe-tenting protocol. Those are not permanent solutions - but they could provide a humane bridge while we work on the real solution: housing. I support the Kitchener Central Transit Hub. But I also believe the people living at 100 Victoria Street deserve to be treated as human beings, not as an obstacle to construction. We need transparency about what has been tried, what alternatives have been considered, what they would cost, and what is actually standing in the way. When I get into City Hall, I want to open these files, ask the hard questions and bring people together to find solutions. We can build the transit hub. We can create safe alternatives. And we can treat people with dignity while we do it. That is the kind of practical, compassionate and creative leadership I would bring to City Hall. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? CW: Water is life. We need to treat it that way. Kitchener’s water-capacity crisis is a wake-up call about how we have planned growth. We have allowed development to move rapidly while the infrastructure and long-term environmental planning needed to support it have struggled to keep pace. The Region has identified a significant constraint in the Mannheim system, driven by factors including rapid growth, aging infrastructure and lower water levels. And, if I’m not mistaken, very poor communication. We need urgency - but we also need humility. Our groundwater is finite and increasingly stressed. And this is not just a Kitchener problem. We have neighbouring rural communities and private well owners whose water security matters too. We need to respect our rural neighbours and the broader watershed, including the lands and communities around the Waterloo Moraine, rather than treating water as an unlimited resource. My first priority would be to accelerate every responsible solution available—repairing and optimizing existing infrastructure, bringing new capacity online faster, investing in conservation and looking creatively at alternative sources and technologies. The Region has already identified opportunities to bring additional capacity online sooner; we should pursue every viable option. But we also need to ask some difficult questions about how we got here. We cannot keep approving growth first and figuring out the water afterward. City Hall and the Region must communicate openly, plan together and be accountable to residents. I want to know exactly what was known, when it was known, how development decisions were made, and where communication broke down. And I want a much deeper look at our entire water system and watershed. Water isn’t simply another piece of infrastructure. Water is life. It sustains our homes, our farms, our businesses and our future. We can grow Kitchener - but we must grow responsibly, protect our neighbours and plan decades ahead, not run around scrambling after the crisis arrives. Ward 1 Elizabeth Bate Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? EB: I’m running because I want to serve my community by bringing us together to solve our biggest challenges, and because I’m frustrated, as are my neighbours, with the apathy and lack of communication from city hall. We all deserve more input into how our communities are designed, built and maintained. We need to work together. We need a city council that reflects our values, communicates well and often, and really listens to what people want. I am confident I can deliver those things. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? EB: One of the biggest issues we’re facing is housing affordability. City Hall has been behaving like the answer is to ‘build, baby, build,’ but new developments won’t help us if they aren’t providing affordable places to live. There are some big developments proposed for this area, and it feels as though city hall is just allowing them to happen without truly listening to what residents want. We need to plan more thoughtfully so we minimize the amount of construction noise, dust and dirt folks have to put up with in their daily lives, we ensure there is enough water to go around, and we preserve the character of this beautiful place we call home. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? EB: We have to stop behaving as though the people living in this encampment aren’t human beings. I’ve never been more disappointed in my regional council than watching them spend nearly $1.7 million in taxpayer dollars on legal fees to defend its ban on allowing homeless people to simply exist. How many shelter beds could that money have paid for? How many treatment programs? The encampment can’t continue to exist as it does, but the answer doesn’t lie in making the people living there illegal; it lies in helping them to improve their situation and fight the systemic issues that created this problem in the first place. City council has lost its heart and humanity. It’s time for new voices that can bring those things back. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? EB: I plan on being an advocate for slower, more thoughtful development that includes more voices. While development is necessary to continue to grow a thriving, happy community, doing it with care will ensure we can preserve Kitchener and its water supply for future generations. We’re at a crucial juncture, if we choose uncontrolled development, we risk not only the water supply, but green spaces and the very character of a place we love. I don’t want to live in a city filled with faceless, grey condo buildings, devoid of heart and devoid of life. We, as a city, want to make our choices carefully now and that includes making each choice with our water consumption in mind. Additionally, I plan to advocate for clear answers from regional council and staff. We all deserve to know what’s going on in this city and have that communicated effectively. It’s troublesome that so much of the water crisis has come with confusion and a lack of information. I’m committed to advocating for more transparency from our city and regional governments. Scott Davey Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? SD: When asked why I’m running for re-election, the answer is easy … my values and my record on Kitchener Council are more critical now than ever. My platform is one of integrity, efficiency and experience. In politics, integrity isn’t a word to be thrown around lightly; it’s demonstrable through action. Actions like my long-standing pledge of never accepting campaign donations; not from developers, not from special interest groups ... the only endorsement I’ve ever sought is the one you make on your ballot. It’s also about showing up for you, in my case, literally. I have not missed a single formal meeting of council in 16 years. I’ve been there for every single decision, representing you. With affordability at historic lows, and existential threats from south-of-the-border to not only our economy, but our sovereignty, we need continued focus on efficiency, and a steady hand with proven fiscal acumen. As Kitchener’s Chair of Finance, I’ve overseen every city budget since 2012. Since then, Kitchener’s tax increases have averaged under inflation, and our annual deficits have become surpluses. There is no shortage of candidates with new ideas of ways to spend; there is a shortage of those committed to finding ways to save, so that we can maintain and enhance the core-services that we all rely on. I won’t promise big, new, expensive things that translate into higher taxes, while so many struggle with affordability. What I will promise is improvement in the areas Kitchener needs to focus on: more and better parks and trails, better snow clearing, faster pothole and sidewalk repair, while maintaining our excellent city-run events, fire service, arenas, pools, community centres, and libraries. More-with-less is achievable through my other area of interest and focus ... technology. We are in an unprecedented time of technological advancement, and ensuring the city is adopting and utilizing the right tools is key to ensuring we can get more work done with existing staff. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? SD: In a word? Affordability. Housing is expensive, groceries costs are up, computer and cell phone costs are skyrocketing, gas prices are high, and the list goes on. Families are feeling squeezed. Much of that isn’t within City Hall’s control, but efficient services and taxes that don’t outpace inflation are. I’ve delivered on that in the past and will continue to in the future because now is the absolute worst time to add to your monthly bills. I’m often asked, when out door-knocking, why property tax bills have soared in the past four years. Please know that is not because of the City of Kitchener. Kitchener keeps only 30 per cent of your property tax bill. Making up nearly 60 per cent, however, is the Region of Waterloo, which has its own responsibilities, and their own elected council. For every $1 that Kitchener has raised your tax bill this term, the Region of Waterloo has raised it $4. Kitchener has kept tax increases inflationary, and more importantly, has done so without cutting the services that we rely on. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? SD: I appreciate the question but the encampment, and transit hub, are both the property and jurisdiction of the Region of Waterloo and elected Regional Councillors, not City Councillors. As I am running for re-election to Kitchener City Council, it would be inappropriate to weigh in. It’s confusing enough for the voting public to understand ‘who is responsible for what’ in our two-tier municipal system. For the people to hold elected officials accountable, we must be clear in what they are accountable for. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? SD: Similar to my response to the previous question, water sourcing, and the water constraints well-known to the public, are solely the jurisdiction and responsibility of the Region of Waterloo and elected Regional Councillors. As I’m running for re-election to Kitchener City Council, it would be inappropriate to voice an opinion on an issue outside of my ability to affect, especially while people are choosing whom to elect. I’d like to end by thanking CTV for this questionnaire and helping to inform the public. In challenging times for journalism, you’re a deeply valued and trusted source. Haile Kiflai Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Zahid Mian Mahmood Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Ward 2 Soran Ibrahim Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Derrick Rabethge Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? DR: I think we need some new people around the city council table with new and fresh perspectives to drive the city forward. Almost all the current council members have been there for over 10 years and I think there needs to be fresh perspectives, especially when we have problems that have been apparent and under their watch voting them out is the accountability. I am speaking of both the encampments, and water/utility issues among other things. Its time for a shake up. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? DR: The water issue is clearly the biggest threat facing the city. If the city of Kitchener wishes to expand and grow, then it has to have access to the utilities that will support the new builds and approvals. Both City Council and the region are to blame here. The City is going to have to curb some of, and make much slower approvals for new builds. This is going to slow the growth of the city but that should be top priority until the stress has been taken off of our water supply. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? DR: The encampment issue has been a huge issue even during the last election and still nothing has really been done about it. It is a sad state of affairs, but we can’t just allow the encampment to stay there. It is dangerous both for the occupants as well as regular people within the city. The encampment brings, crime/property damage to surrounding people and businesses, drugs, mental illness, and regular illness/disease. It should be a top priority for the next council to be solution oriented and get this problem solved. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? DR: The region needed to do a better job of upgrading and maintaining our water infrastructure, while the city should not be approving things without the necessary capacity and infrastructure. This is also one of the problems with having both city and regional council. There needs to be more communication between the two bodies, so this doesn’t happen. At this point I think the region should be increasing water capacity of treatment facilities, while building more pumping stations and upgrading storage reservoirs. Dave Schnider Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? DS: I love my city and enjoy serving and advocating for the residents of Ward 2. I had a great childhood in Kitchener because of council decisions made before I was born to have great parks, facilities, events and programs to enjoy. This is an opportunity to give back and I keep that in mind as I serve now. I want to deliver on the priorities that citizens want us to focus on as shown from the input they provide in our strategic plans. I enjoy the fiscal and social responsibility of the role. Since 2015 till now, I’ve been part of a council that has seen tax increases average at or below the rate of inflation. We’ve done that while keeping strong core service levels and adding community amenities like the RBJ Schlegel Park and the Cowan Recreation Centre. I want Kitchener to continue to be a great city to live, work and play in and where everyone feels like they belong. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? DS: Affordability, the cost of living, the availability, options and the cost of housing all across the housing continuum, climate change and resilience, our economy - job growth and diversity and because of world events, uncertainty about the future. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? DS: These are issues that are in Kitchener, but under the responsibility of The Region of Waterloo. I’d be happy to support any collaboration for solutions the City of Kitchener is invited to be part of. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? DS: This issue affects Kitchener but again is under the responsibility of The Region of Waterloo. The Region has invited the City of Kitchener to the solutions table for input, but the ultimate decision making responsibility is with the Region of Waterloo. I would be happy to participate in any collaboration efforts Kitchener was invited to be part of. Ward 3 Shawn Bradshaw Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? SB: Kitchener isn’t just where I live, it’s where my entire life has unfolded. As a lifelong resident, my deepest roots are planted right here. I grew up on these streets, met my wife here, and together, we’ve had the absolute privilege of raising our five children in the city we love. This is the community where I built my small construction business from the ground up. It’s also where I saw a critical need and stepped up, founding Frontline Recovery; a local non-profit dedicated to fighting homelessness and helping to navigate addiction recovery. Every milestone of my life is tied to Kitchener. I know the strengths of our city, but I also see the real challenges our families face every day. To me, leadership isn’t about grand political promises, it’s about practical solutions, personal accountability, and listening to the people who live here. A great city is built from the ground up by strong families, thriving local businesses, and neighbours who genuinely look out for one another. I am running because I care for our residents. I know they work hard for their money, and deserve a government that respects tax dollars through responsible spending and absolute accountability. At the top of my priority list is responsibility and compassionately phasing out encampments and tent cities as well as keeping our families safe by actively working to reduce crime so our streets, parks, and neighborhoods are secure for everyone. At the same time, we must deliver reliable everyday services—like safe roads, prompt snow removal and accessible sidewalks for our seniors and individuals with disabilities—without making residents fight for them. I will bring a practical, transparent, listening approach to Council to protect your wallet, crack down on crime, and manage our growth responsibly. Simply put, my goal is to Get Back to Basics. Together, we can build a community where families want to put down roots, where small businesses can grow, and where every resident feels safe and proud to call Kitchener home. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? SB: Although crime is steadily rising and drug infested encampments are rapidly growing, I feel the most vital issue facing most of Kitchener today is affordability. Our city must get back to being a place where you can actually afford to build a life, raise a family, and live with peace of mind. Right now, the weight of housing costs, property taxes, groceries, utilities and everyday living expenses is simply too heavy. Too many of our neighbours are struggling just to keep up, and it shouldn’t be this hard to live in the community you love. Kitchener is growing rapidly. This full-speed change brings promise and energy, but it is also straining our roads, neighbourhoods, operating budgets and city services. Growth is only successful if it lifts everyone up. It must be responsible, deliberate and compassionate. We absolutely need to increase housing and bolster the local economy, but never at the cost of the people who built and love this city. I stand with my community and I will bring their voices directly into the rooms where the critical decisions are made. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? SB: Walk around our region, and it is clear that something is broken. The tent cities and encampments in our parks and neighborhoods aren’t a solution for anyone. They aren’t safe for the people living in them, and they aren’t sustainable for our community. The Victoria Street encampment poses even greater challenges as its location is now paralyzing the development of the future Kitchener transit hub. We need this hub. It is the key component to create maximum infrastructure efficiency as it is designed to integrate the ION (LRT), local GRT buses, GO Transit and VIA Rail services all under one roof. This stalemate of has become a nightmare on so many levels and I know we can do much better, much quicker. I have founded a non-profit organization (FRONTLINE RECOVERY) and work directly to provide boots on the ground outreach and recovery navigation to those living in tents, on our streets and/or battling addiction. I have had many conversations with encampment residents and know that resolution is possible. They want to live with dignity. They too want to see Kitchener thrive. We need to work collaboratively with all parties to advance. My agenda encompasses safely and completely phasing out encampments in our region within 2 years. This isn’t about clearing people away or ignoring the problem. It is about a heartfelt, deliberate plan to meet people where they are at, listen to their stories, and work together to build a real path forward. Moving out of a tent only works if there is a safe place to go. My plan employs dedicated teams of outreach and social workers, connecting directly with the individuals living in these spaces, working closely with local police services and building strong partnerships with our provincial and federal governments to expand local detox, rehab, and treatment facilities, alongside dignified transitional housing. More details on my plan can be found at shawnbradshaw.ca Together, by Getting Back to Basics, we can restore safety to our neighbourhoods, dignity to our most vulnerable and advance this critical infrastructure project to strengthen connections for our region. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? SB: We cannot build the vibrant, welcoming community our families and businesses need without the basic essentials to support it, and right now, our limited water supply is holding us back. To move forward responsibly, Kitchener must do a better job of producing and managing our share of water usage solutions so that builders, investors, and local families can advance with confidence. We can resolve this challenge by focusing on common sense, everyday solutions like upgrading our aging pipes to stop leaks, encouraging household rainwater collection, and offering rebates for water efficient appliances. At the same time, we need to cut through the red tape and work alongside Regional partners to fast-track modern water infrastructure. Joanne Delaney-Fraser Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? JDF: I have always cared deeply about the people in my community. I believe that by living in the community as long as I have, I have a lot of the same concerns my neighbours do and I want to help find real solutions. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? JDF: I have heard from my neighbours 2 major concerns. The first being an affordable life. This is a major concern to all residents of Kitchener and truly our county. I want to be a part of the solution to be able to assist making the changes that we need to in order to help our community thrive. The second concerns is absent landlords. This has become a rising problem throughout our community and causes some neighborhoods. We need to hold landlord responsible for the tenants their choose to rent their houses. We need to have a system to ensure that these short-term rentals do not interfere with the enjoyment and safety of the neighbours. We must remember that these short term rentals are in residential communities and need to follow the same bylaws. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? JDF: The issue of homelessness has been a concern for many communities and needs to have a long term solution not a quick fix. We need to ensure that people have somewhere safe to live and we also need to allow progress to happen. Looking for a alternative sight needs to be one of our main focusses but it will take time to ensure that the new sight serves the community and residents. Before displacement we need to ensure that there is a clear plan for housing, support and transition for the people living there. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? JDF: We need to work quickly with the Region to ensure water capacity is built quickly and the sooner the better. When the water capacity is limited we need to then prioritize the projects that best benefit the community. We then need to invest in the conservation of our water and repairing and replacing the pipes so that this is not a continuing issue. Jason Deneault Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? JD: I am running again in this municipal election because Ward 3 deserves a councillor who is engaged with the community, responsive to residents, and committed to practical solutions. Over the past four years, we have worked together to deliver meaningful improvements, including more traffic calming, new pedestrian crosswalks, and completed paths and sidewalks. These achievements and many others reflect the value of listening to residents and focusing on what matters most to our community. I want to continue the path forward with the residents of Ward 3 and across the city. I want to continue to make everyone feel welcome and heard. Special events, community Center celebrations have brought me immense happiness and I want to continue to bring our Ward together. We need a Councillor that will continue to hold abstentee landlords more accountable, advocate for more affordable housing and ensure our tax dollars are used wisely. That councillor is me. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? JD: The most pressing issue today in our community is affordability. Housing, food, gas, etc. Essentially, day to day life is unaffordable for most in our city! The city of Kitchener cannot solve those issues, but what we have and will continue to do is ensure our city programming is affordable and accessible to everyone. I’ve been proud to be part of this council that has tried to make life a little more affordable for people. Council approved and increased the Leisure Access Card amount to low income families. The city started a new program called “Play in the Park”. This is a free camp like program that has grown to 6 city parks allowing children to play, engage and explore for free. Council has continued to support our free city programs, such as concerts in our core, events in our parks and children’s activities on Canada Day and Kidspark to name a few. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? JD: My view of the encampment is that this is a Regional and Provincial issue. We can support if asked or needed, but this is above our responsibility. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? JD: The water capacity issue is again a Regional responsibility. I can say proudly that our staff when needed have worked closely with Regional staff to resolve and find solutions to these issues. Lurdes Jordao Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? LJ: Ward 3 is a wonderful place to live, and I want to help keep it that way as our city continues to grow and change. Our neighbourhoods are facing real challenges - from traffic congestion to unsafe speeds to affordability, community safety and the pressures that come with growth. I believe residents deserve a strong voice in the decisions that affect where they live. I also believe we need to strengthen the connection between our neighbourhoods and City Hall. Good decisions start with listening, open communication and meaningful community involvement. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? LJ: I feel the most pressing issues we’re facing in Kitchener right now is limited infrastructure capacity and homelessness. There has been a rapid growth in recent years, and we need to be better prepared to plan and adapt to this growth. Evaluation and assessments of our current infrastructure capacity needs to happen quickly and we need to make significant changes to meet the needs of our current population and future growth. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? LJ: This is a very difficult and heartbreaking situation. I feel everyone has the right to housing, health care and compassion. We need to be able to provide more affordable and supportive housing for those in need and continue to provide mental health care to improve the well-being of all involved. We all live in the same city and I feel it’s important to take care of our citizens. That being said, I would like to see the City of Kitchener provide alternative housing accommodations to the residents of Victoria Street North encampment in hopes that they will have a place to call home and allow the transit hub to be completed. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? LJ: My plan would be to make the current water capacity constraints a priority and contribute towards helping making decisions as a team to see long-term supply expansions and upgrades so we can meet current and future water capacity needs. Improvements are necessary to meet our City’s ongoing growth. Ismail Mohamed Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? IM: For years, Ward 3 has been my professional home and the place where my heart is. Having spent nearly twelve years on the frontline in our community centers—running Kingsdale and working across Country Hills and Chandler Mowat as a Community Centre Facilitator. I have worked side-by-side with our families, youth, and seniors, experiencing both our incredible potential and our everyday challenges firsthand. I am running for Ward 3 City Council because our neighborhoods deserve accessible, proactive leadership that bridges gaps instead of widening them. True progress comes from bringing people together around shared solutions, whether we’re supporting small businesses, building safer streets, or creating vibrant public spaces. I want to bring that collaborative, action-oriented approach to City Hall to ensure Ward 3 has a strong, dependable voice fighting for working families and our community’s future. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? IM: The biggest issue we’re facing right now is the housing and affordability crunch that’s squeezing working families, seniors, and young folks all over Kitchener. Even though our city is growing fast, the cost of living is climbing way too high, and folks are feeling the pinch. We can’t just sit back and watch, we need to use every municipal tool we’ve got to protect affordable housing, make sure smart growth actually serves our neighborhoods, and keep city services and recreation accessible so everyday people aren’t priced out of the city they call home. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? IM: The Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub represent a really tough test for our city. We desperately need that transit hub to keep Kitchener moving forward and growing sustainably, but at the same time, we’re looking at people who have nowhere else to go because of the housing crunch. My view is that we shouldn’t have to choose between building a better transit system and treating our vulnerable residents with dignity. Pushing people out without safe, stable housing lined up doesn’t solve the problem; it just moves it somewhere else. We need to work together across all levels of government to move major infrastructure projects forward while ensuring everyone affected has access to the housing and support they need. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? IM: Even though water and wastewater infrastructure is handled over at the Region, Kitchener City Council can’t just sit on its hands while capacity bottlenecks threaten our local housing supply and economic growth. We need to work hand-in-hand with regional authorities to fast-track fixes like upgrading local facilities such as Greenbrook, while aggressively directing any newly released water capacity toward the projects that matter most, like affordable housing and vital community infrastructure. It’s about being an active, pragmatic partner at City Hall to make sure we secure the essential infrastructure our growing city relies on without getting bogged down in finger-pointing. Matt Parker Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? MP: I decided to run for Kitchener City Council for two reasons. The first is that I am deeply rooted and invested in Kitchener as a community. It’s my home and I believe in passionately advocating for the brightest future possible. The second is that I believe we are entering a time of turbulence as a community and as a country; which is when leadership matters most. I believe I can be part of that leadership solution that can guide us into the future we’d all like to see as a community. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? MP: In my opinion, one of the biggest challenges that we are facing as a city is growth. Growth in housing, growth in our regional economy and growth in infrastructure challenges. Most of these issues overlap with each other and will be best addressed through mindful strategic planning. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? MP: My view on the protracted issue of homelessness exemplified by the Victoria Street encampment and its friction with transit infrastructure growth is that we are experiencing the unintended consequences of incomplete long-term supportive housing strategy playing out in our courts and on our streets. We need to be more proactive as a region in planning for increasing the supply of housing of all types, managing wrap-around services for those experiencing homelessness while balancing provincial priorities and resident concerns. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? MP: I’ve been very vocal about water capacity constraints in the region, as some residents will know. I’ve advocated for regional council to ask the province for a pause on new Permits to Take Water in the region and for transparency in water allocation for site-specific development applications at the municipal level. Water is life, and we need to approach water strategy as such. As a prospective councillor, I would direct staff to create a comprehensive water conservation plan, prioritize water infrastructure maintenance, work closely with the region on their water strategy, ensure that water quality testing keeps pace with growth and inject further transparency about water allocations for new developments to be included in quarterly development reports presented to the public. Ward 4 Anant Jain Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Ibraheem Kappaya Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? IK: I’m running to represent Ward 4 and to be the youngest City Councillor in Kitchener’s history because Kitchener is my home, and I want to ensure it remains a place where people, especially families and young professionals, can afford to stay, build, and belong. As an Economics & Financial Management student at Laurier and an advocate who has successfully petitioned for fair consumer practices in our city, I understand the friction points our residents face. Kitchener is growing rapidly, but growth without deliberate, equitable planning leaves too many behind. I am running to bring an energetic, pragmatic, and future-focused perspective to City Council. My platform focuses on practical, common-sense governance: effective snow removal, permanent infrastructure fixes instead of temporary patches, and fair neighbourhood parking. I want to ensure Ward 4 remains a place where young people and families can build a future, and seniors have the support they need to thrive in the community they love. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? IK: The most critical issue is the disconnect between rapid development and community infrastructure, which directly fuels our affordability crisis. Ward 4 is the epicentre of Kitchener’s growth, yet our local services haven’t scaled to meet the influx of new residents. We cannot continue to approve high-density housing without securing the amenities that make a neighbourhood livable. I will advocate for an “infrastructure-first” approach, requiring a community checklist for all new developments. If a builder adds units in Ward 4, they must demonstrate how they are enhancing green space, transit connectivity, and local services. Furthermore, we must actively champion affordable housing for low-income families and young adults by strategically utilizing development charge exemptions. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? IK: The encampment is a visible symptom of a strained housing system. While the Kitchener Central Transit Hub is essential for our city’s future economic and transit connectivity, forced displacement is an unacceptable policy. We require a housing-first response that provides real, permanent pathways to stable living. For Ward 4 residents, this highlights that homelessness is a city-wide failure, not just a downtown issue; when the safety net fails, the strain is felt in all our parks and neighbourhoods. We must collaborate with the Region to expand affordable housing initiatives, ensuring that as Kitchener develops vital transit infrastructure, we concurrently deliver the supportive housing necessary to transition vulnerable populations into stability. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? IK: The Mannheim water capacity constraint is a critical bottleneck that directly threatens sustainable growth in rapidly developing areas like Ward 4. With development previously paused and new allocations now strictly metered, we cannot afford to waste our limited supply on unchecked urban sprawl. At the municipal level, we must align our growth strictly with available capacity. I will ensure that the water allocations recently granted to Kitchener are prioritized for essential community infrastructure and genuinely affordable housing projects within our ward. Simultaneously, I will demand transparent, expedited action from the Region on long-term infrastructure upgrades, ensuring Ward 4 is not an afterthought as we build out our necessary water capacity. Christine Michaud Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? CM: It’s the people who make this city, and the residents of Ward 4 are passionate about their community - that passion is what drew me to this work in the first place. I am running for a third term on council to continue my work on services and infrastructure to make our city and Ward 4 a place where everyone can continue to enjoy their day-to-day lives. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? CM: Cost of living and affordable housing. The homelessness and housing situation is at an all-time high with no sign of relief. Living rough is the most visible symptom, but it also obscures how many people are one bad month away from precarity without ever showing up in those numbers or those spaces. Housing and gender-based violence intersect closely, since lack of affordable housing is one of the biggest reasons people stay in or return to unsafe situations. It’s impacting seniors on fixed income, newcomers to Canada and young families with young children. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? CM: This is without a doubt one of the most complex situations the region and the city have faced in years, if not ever. It’s not one or the other. The transit and business disruption downtown, and the Victoria Street encampment and the people living in it, are two very distinct and separate issues. To pit them against one another is polarizing and unhelpful, and it does a disservice to everyone affected by either one. The business community and transit riders are justifiably frustrated by the delay. People need to get to work, to appointments, to school, and businesses need customers to be able to reach them safely and reliably. Housing means access to safe, stable shelter. Dignity means being treated as whole people, not as an inconvenience to be relocated, cleared, or made invisible. Enforcement alone, without housing and supports behind it, doesn’t solve anything. It just relocates the crisis and deepens the harm to people who are already among the most vulnerable in our community. That frustration is legitimate, and it deserves a timely, workable response from the region. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? CM: Candidate did not provide a response. Vikki Poirier Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? VP: I decided to run because I believe people deserve to feel that their voices matter at City Hall. Through years of representing and advocating for people, I have learned that good leadership starts with listening. You don’t have to agree on every issue, but residents should know their concerns have been heard, that someone is willing to ask difficult questions, and that decisions are being made transparently. As a Ward 4 resident, I see the pressures families are experiencing — housing costs, property taxes, the cost of everyday life, traffic and road concerns, and the challenges that come with a rapidly growing city. I’m also raising my grandson in a multigenerational household, so affordability and the kind of community we’re leaving for the next generation are very real issues for me. I’m not running because I think I have all the answers. I’m running because I’m willing to listen, learn, ask questions and do the work. I want to be an accessible councillor who meets people where they are and makes sure Ward 4 residents have a strong voice at the council table. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? VP: For me, the most pressing issue is affordability, because it connects to so many of the challenges Kitchener residents are facing. Housing is obviously a major part of that, but affordability goes beyond housing. Families are dealing with increasing rents, property taxes, utilities, food, transportation, and other everyday costs. At the same time, Kitchener is growing quickly, putting additional pressure on roads, infrastructure and City services. We need more housing, including housing people can actually afford, but growth also needs to be responsible. We cannot continue to grow without making sure the infrastructure and services are there to support that growth. When Council makes major decisions, I believe we should be asking some basic questions: What will this cost residents? What benefit does the community receive? Can our infrastructure support it? And does this decision make Kitchener more affordable and livable? Growth is important, but we also need to make sure the people who already call Kitchener home can afford to continue calling it home. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? VP: This is a difficult issue because we have two very real needs that cannot simply be ignored. The future transit hub is an important infrastructure project for Kitchener and Waterloo Region, and we cannot indefinitely prevent important public infrastructure from moving forward. At the same time, the people living in the encampment are people, and homelessness cannot be solved by simply moving someone from one location to another. I don’t believe compassion and accountability are mutually exclusive. There needs to be a clear path forward that allows the transit project to proceed while ensuring people are offered meaningful and appropriate housing, shelter and supports. Moving an encampment without addressing where people will go doesn’t solve homelessness — it relocates it. I also recognize that the encampment and housing supports are primarily Regional responsibilities and that there are ongoing legal considerations surrounding this particular site. A City Councillor needs to understand those jurisdictional boundaries while still advocating for Kitchener residents. We need to build the infrastructure our growing community needs, but we can do that while treating vulnerable people with dignity and working with other levels of government toward long-term solutions. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? VP: The first thing we need to be clear about is that Kitchener does not control the regional water supply on its own. Waterloo Region is responsible for water supply, while the City has an important role in development and how limited capacity is allocated. I wouldn’t promise residents that one City Councillor can simply fix the water capacity issue. What I can do is advocate for transparency, responsible planning, and stronger coordination between Kitchener and the Region. While capacity is limited, I support prioritizing developments that provide the greatest community benefit, including affordable and attainable housing, essential services, projects that are ready to proceed, and development that uses existing infrastructure efficiently. I would also advocate for the Region to accelerate projects that increase water capacity while supporting practical conservation measures that help reduce demand. Most importantly, we need to learn from this. Growth and infrastructure planning have to happen together. If we’re approving significant population and housing growth, we also need to plan for the water, wastewater, roads, transportation, and other services those residents will depend on. I support Kitchener continuing to grow, but it needs to be responsible and sustainable growth that our infrastructure can actually support. Harry Scanlan Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? HS: I’ve spent nearly 20 years working in software development and several years teaching the next generation of developers. My career has largely been about solving problems, improving processes, and finding practical solutions. I want to bring that same approach to City Hall. One of the biggest reasons I’m running is that I believe residents should have a much greater say in decisions that affect their neighbourhoods. Too often, people hear about important decisions after they’ve already been made. I believe a Ward Councillor’s responsibility is to represent the wants and needs of their residents, not simply their own personal opinions or political biases. My approach is straightforward: tell residents what’s coming, ask what they think, bring that feedback to City Hall, and report back on what happened, including how I voted and why. I’m not running because I think I have all the answers. I’m running because I believe we should be asking residents more questions before making decisions on their behalf. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? HS: I believe housing affordability and homelessness are among the most pressing issues facing Kitchener, but they’re also connected to several other challenges, including infrastructure, development, and the rising cost of living. We need more housing that people can actually afford, but simply approving more developments isn’t enough. We also need to ensure our roads, water supply, public services, and other infrastructure can support that growth. Homelessness is particularly concerning because it affects not only those experiencing it, but also the surrounding neighbourhoods and businesses. We need solutions that are compassionate, practical, and sustainable rather than simply moving the problem from one location to another.I also think we need to do a better job of involving residents in these discussions. The people living in affected neighbourhoods should have an opportunity to provide input before major decisions are made. Ultimately, I want Kitchener to remain a city where people can afford to live, raise families, operate businesses, and feel safe in their communities. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? HS: I think this situation highlights a much larger problem with how we approach homelessness and major infrastructure decisions. The transit hub is an important project for Kitchener’s future, and I support improving transportation infrastructure. At the same time, the people living at the encampment are human beings who need somewhere safe and appropriate to go. I don’t believe the answer is to simply remove people from one location and relocate them somewhere else without addressing the underlying problems. We’ve already seen how decisions involving encampments can affect surrounding communities, including here in Ward 4. Residents deserve to be informed and consulted when decisions directly affect their neighbourhoods. I would like to see the Region work toward suitable alternative accommodations with access to basic necessities, transportation, healthcare, and support services, while respecting the legal rights of those involved. We should be able to move forward with important infrastructure projects while also treating vulnerable people with dignity. These should not have to be mutually exclusive goals. Above all, I believe affected residents, businesses, and encampment occupants should have a meaningful voice in the process, rather than being presented with decisions after they’ve already been made. Q:What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? HS: The water capacity issue is a perfect example of why we need better long-term planning and coordination between the City of Kitchener and the Region of Waterloo. We cannot continue approving growth without ensuring the infrastructure exists to support it. At the same time, we cannot simply stop building housing when affordability is already a serious concern. Water supply is primarily a Regional responsibility, so as a City Councillor, I wouldn’t pretend that I could solve this problem on my own. What I would advocate for is a practical, evidence-based approach. My background is in technology and problem-solving. I believe decisions of this magnitude should be based on reliable data, realistic planning, and measurable results rather than promises that cannot be delivered. Kitchener needs to grow, but that growth must be responsible and sustainable. Ward 5 Nate Bahlbi Contact information not provided Dimple Birdee Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Muhammad Miqdad Hudda Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? MMH: I have lived in Kitchener my whole life, and the majority of my time outside the classroom over the years has gone into this community. From volunteering for Hope for Hearing, to serving on the Kitchener Youth Action Council as well as helping allocate funding for the Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund for Kitchener, I have had the great opportunity to work alongside residents, community organisations and local leaders to make our city a better place. I have been shown through my experiences that meaningful change often starts at the municipal level. I am launching my campaign for Ward 5 because we need a council that is focused on the future. I believe our local government operates at its best when its decisions are shaped by people who will live with the consequences of those choices for decades to come. Kitchener has given me everything, and it’s time for me to give back. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? MMH: Definitely housing! Both affordability and the strain coming from the rapid growth which is being placed on the infrastructure along with the services meant to support it. We all have seen this play out this year through the regional water capacity constraint which paused new development, which ties to the question of how a fast-growing city will house its most vulnerable residents while creating the infrastructure that is needed for safe, and sustainable growth. These issues and challenges are showing up in places across the city, and Ward 5 residents feel the direct effects of both. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? MMH: Having worked closely with homelessness help organisations such as oneROOF, I believe this should in no way be framed as transit versus people. To start, the Kitchener Central Transit Hub is an important regional priority, with more than a decade in its planning. But the courts have made clear that no one should be displaced from the encampment without a real pathway to housing, not just a deadline to “get out.” The region’s own staff have admitted to this being a very complex and human centered work, and I fully agree. This responsibility shouldn’t fall on the courts to force that coordination. As a councillor I would push both the City and Region to align the supportive and transitional housing capacity with construction timelines from the start, as opposed to it being an after thought. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? MMH: This constraint halted thousands of homes that had been approved as well as millions in investment before the region found additional capacity of 10 litres per second (L/s) during mid summer. This growing, optimised capacity is currently being allocated in phases, and Kitchener has very well prioritised affordable housing and core infrastructure with its first allocation. I would continue this approach, where there is a needs-based allocation instead of a first come first served approach, whilst pushing for full transparency. Alongside this I would push for the city to pair every future development approval with real conservation and infrastructure planning so we don’t end up back in the same position again as both Ward 5 and Kitchener keep growing. Jon Massimi Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? JM: I am running because I believe deeply in the potential of our neighbourhoods and the incredible capacity of the everyday people who live in them. After my narrow loss by 120 votes in the last election, I had a wonderful opportunity to pause, reflect, and listen. Far from discouraging me, that close campaign showed me just how many residents are hungry for a completely different kind of conversation in local politics, one rooted in genuine connection rather than political theatre. When you spend years working as a community organizer, you see firsthand that our greatest municipal asset isn’t found in a spreadsheet; it is found in the everyday gifts, relationships, and leadership of our residents. Yet, traditional municipal structures often treat neighbourhoods as passive consumers or problems to be managed, rather than as active partners to be supported. I was encouraged to run again by the community members who kept reaching out, sharing their hopes, and reminding me that meaningful civic change takes persistence and courage. They inspired me to step back into the ring because they know something fundamental needs to shift in how our city operates. My orientation is that of a pragmatic, community organizer, and educator. We have far too many candidates shaped by a corporate boardroom mentality, viewing the city through a transactional lens where decisions are imposed from above. I want to bring a truth-telling, gift-oriented perspective back to the table. I believe an elected representative should never simply act as a mascot posing for the camera; instead, a councillor should be a bridge, working outside traditional administrative silos to resource and support residents. Kitchener deserves a voice that champions grassroots strength, listens with humility, and works collaboratively to turn community vision into reality. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? JM: The most pressing challenge facing Kitchener is the systemic erosion of our social fabric. While we face acute crises in housing affordability, infrastructure strain, and public safety, every single one of these pressures is exacerbated by an impersonal municipal approach that centralizes power in boardrooms and isolates residents from decision-making. When neighbourhoods are treated as data points to be managed by systems, we strip away the one thing that actually builds resilient communities: local capacity, organic relationships, and resident leadership. Municipal frameworks often rely heavily on box-checking public consultations that act as administrative rubber stamps for pre-determined choices, leaving citizens alienated, exhausted, and apathetic. The essential antidote to this is a radical return to local gifts. When we map what is strong in our neighbourhoods instead of obsessing endlessly over what is wrong, we unlock immense reservoirs of mutual aid, informal care, and grassroots problem-solving. The core task, therefore, is bridging the chasm between the city hall apparatus and the lived reality of our streets. If we continue to rely exclusively on administrative machinery, we will remain perpetually behind the curve, throwing money at symptoms while root causes deepen. My approach as councillor would be to remove barriers. By using my office to strip away institutional red tape from community-led initiatives, we can shift residents from passive recipients into active co-creators. True urban resilience cannot be legislated from a desk; it must be cultivated block by block, relationship by relationship, rooted in the truth that the capacity to solve our deepest challenges already resides within our neighbourhoods. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? JM: The friction surrounding the Victoria Street North encampment and the impending transit hub is a tragic, high-stakes collision point between institutional progress and deep systemic failure. From a conventional municipal perspective, this is framed purely as a land-use conflict or a logistical hurdle to transit-oriented development. But looking through the lens of human dignity, it is a sobering reminder of what happens when our broader housing and social support systems collapse, leaving human beings treated as mere obstacles in the path of capital projects. An approach driven by surface-level fixes reacts to these crises with clearance, criminalization, and administrative expediency, prioritizing rigid transit timelines over human lives. We must reject the false choice that a growing city must choose between economic development and compassion. You cannot build a truly thriving transit hub on the displaced misery of your most vulnerable neighbours. Resolving this tension requires refusing to view unhoused residents through a cold deficit lens of problems to be cleared away. Instead, we must begin by recognizing their inherent humanity and the individual gifts they bring, even amid profound personal crisis. A community-centred approach demands that the city stop operating in isolation from ground-level reality. Rather than imposing solutions from distant offices, the municipality must sit down in genuine, unhurried partnership with front-line grassroots groups, local social enterprises, and the encampment residents themselves. We need to bridge the gap between regional housing mandates and municipal action, ensuring that any transition respects human agency and provides truly safe, permanent, and supportive housing options rather than shuffling people out of sight. Progress that requires sacrificing our community’s most vulnerable is not progress at all. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? JM: Water capacity constraints represent a stark physical and ecological reality that cannot be glossed over with political rhetoric. As Kitchener continues to experience rapid growth, our municipal infrastructure faces hard engineering and environmental limits. The conventional corporate response to such a crisis is typically to default to technocratic mandates: heavy-handed development freezes, blanket restrictions, or massive, centralized capital projects pushed down onto neighbourhoods without local input or transparency. While financial investments and rigorous infrastructural engineering are undeniably necessary parts of the puzzle, treating water capacity purely as a development problem misses the vital human dimensions of sustainability. Resource conservation and infrastructure resilience are far more effective when communities are treated as active partners. Addressing water capacity requires a dual commitment: rigorous, transparent truth-telling about our ecological limits combined with genuine neighbourhood mobilization. We must move far beyond passive public information sessions to engage residents, local businesses, and industrial partners in collaborative workshops where water stewardship is understood as a shared community responsibility and a collective commitment to our local ecosystem. Furthermore, our municipal office must champion decentralized, neighbourhood-level solutions, such as supporting local stormwater management initiatives, incentivizing sustainable water-use practices, and working alongside regional authorities to ensure that growth is balanced strictly against ecological carrying capacity. We cannot continue to approve development models that outpace our ecological reality while shifting the entire burden onto everyday residents. As your representative, I will ensure that our infrastructure decisions are transparent, environmentally sound, and developed in true partnership with the people who live here. Rich Peers Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? RP: I decided to run because I believe Ward 5 deserves a strong, practical, and truly local voice at City Council. I’ve called Huron Woods home since 2007, and I’ve lived in different parts of Kitchener throughout my life. Over the past several years, I’ve become increasingly concerned about decisions affecting our neighbourhoods, natural spaces, roads, transportation, and the pace of development. Since May, I’ve been knocking on doors, meeting residents, and listening to their concerns. What I’ve heard is that people want a councillor who lives in the ward, is accessible, who listens, and who will stand up for the community, not someone who only shows up when it’s time for an election. I’m running because I believe municipal government should be about practical results and putting the interests of residents first. I want to bring a community-first approach to Council and make sure Ward 5 has a strong, independent voice. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? RP: I believe one of Kitchener’s biggest challenges is managing rapid growth responsibly. We’re approving more development, but our roads, transit, infrastructure and neighbourhoods need to keep pace. Residents shouldn’t have to accept more traffic, pressure on existing services, or the loss of natural spaces as the price of growth. We need development that makes sense for the community, protecting the character and natural areas that make Kitchener a great place to live, while making sure the infrastructure is there to support the people we’re adding. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? RP: I support the future Kitchener Central Transit Hub. It’s an important investment in our transportation system, connecting GO, VIA Rail, ION and local transit. At the same time, I don’t believe the people living at the Victoria Street encampment should simply be displaced and told to go somewhere else. We need to deal with the humanitarian issue and the infrastructure issue together. The Region needs to provide real, appropriate housing and supports for those residents while moving forward with the transit hub. I think we can do both, and we have a responsibility to do both. The bigger lesson for me is that we need better long-term planning around homelessness, housing and major infrastructure, so we’re not put in this position again. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? RP: Water capacity has to be a prerequisite for growth, not something we try to solve after we’ve approved the growth. The Region is responsible for the water system, so I would push for the Region to accelerate the repairs and new infrastructure needed to increase capacity, while making sure we’re transparent with residents about timelines and costs. At the City level, I would support prioritizing available water capacity for projects that provide the greatest community benefit, including housing, affordable housing and essential services. Most importantly, I would not support approving growth without a clear plan for the infrastructure to service it. Smart growth means making sure the water, roads, transit and other infrastructure are there to support the people we’re bringing into our community. Navjot Sandhu Contact information not provided Sumit Sehli Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Fitz Vanderpool Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? FV: I am a long-time resident with more than 30 years in the Region of Waterloo, and have decided to run for Kitchener City Council because I believe it is time for change. As a community leader, business owner and longtime resident, I believe I can bring a fresh perspective to Kitchener City Hall. I have spent many years working with people from different backgrounds and communities, and I understand the importance of listening, building relationships and finding practical solutions. Kitchener is changing rapidly. With that growth come opportunities, but also challenges around affordability, infrastructure, housing, transportation and the services residents rely on every day. I want to bring a strong community voice to Council - one that is focused on accountability, responsible use of taxpayers’ money and getting results. I believe leadership is about more than making promises. It is about listening to residents, understanding their concerns and working collaboratively to turn those concerns into action. I am running because I care about this community and believe my experience, community involvement and perspective can contribute positively to the future of Kitchener. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? FV: I believe one of the most pressing issues Kitchener is facing is the homeless encampment on Victoria Street North and the impact it is having on the planned transit hub. This is a complex situation involving homelessness, public safety, housing, infrastructure and the legal rights of people living at the encampment. At the same time, the future transit hub is an important regional infrastructure project that will connect different modes of transportation and support the Region’s continued growth. We need to address both issues. People experiencing homelessness deserve dignity, compassion and access to appropriate housing and support services. At the same time, residents deserve reliable infrastructure and a transportation system that can accommodate a growing community. I believe governments need to work together to identify practical alternatives and move toward a solution that provides people currently living at the encampment with appropriate housing and supports, while allowing the transit hub project to proceed. This should be approached with compassion, accountability and a clear focus on finding a workable solution rather than allowing the situation to remain unresolved. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? FV: My view is that we need to find another appropriate location and housing solution for the people currently living at the Victoria Street North encampment. The situation is complicated by the legal circumstances surrounding the encampment, and the people living there cannot simply be removed without following the applicable legal process. However, the transit hub is essential infrastructure for Kitchener and the broader Region of Waterloo. It is intended to bring together ION, GRT, GO and VIA Rail services and will play an important role in the Region’s future transportation network. I believe the answer is to work collaboratively with the City, Region, Province and community organizations to identify suitable alternative accommodations and supports for people experiencing homelessness. This is not about choosing between people and infrastructure. We need to find a solution that respects people’s dignity and legal rights while also recognizing the importance of the transit hub to our growing region. As a community leader, I believe the focus should be on bringing the parties together, identifying realistic alternatives and getting everyone moving toward a solution. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? FV: The Region of Waterloo is growing, and the demand for water is increasingly challenging the available capacity. My view is that significant funding and infrastructure investment will be required to address this issue as the Region continues to grow and new developments and projects move forward. We need to plan for the future rather than waiting until infrastructure constraints become an emergency. Water capacity needs to be considered alongside housing, employment, transportation and other infrastructure when we make decisions about growth. My priorities would include working closely with the Region to understand the infrastructure investments required, ensuring development is aligned with available servicing capacity, supporting responsible water conservation and efficiency, and advocating for the funding necessary to expand and improve our water infrastructure. We also need transparency about the costs. Residents and taxpayers deserve to understand what infrastructure is required, how much it will cost and how those investments will support sustainable growth. Kitchener should continue to grow, but that growth must be supported by the infrastructure necessary to maintain reliable essential services. My goal is responsible, properly planned growth that meets the needs of today’s residents while preparing Kitchener for tomorrow. Tracey Weiler Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? TW: When I was an infant, my family was evacuated from war in Cyprus. In the panic, many packed cars with possessions; my father filled his with people. That lesson - to prioritize human lives over things - guided our family when we immigrated to Canada years later, and it still guides me today. I am running for Kitchener City Council in Ward 5 because our community deserves balanced leadership that pairs lived empathy with proven financial stewardship. Ward 5 is growing rapidly, and that growth must enhance our quality of life, not strain it. As a CPA with an MBA, I bring the financial and business expertise to scrutinize municipal spending, protect taxpayer dollars, and ensure new growth truly pays for itself. Through decades of civic service, from receiving the Governor General’s Volunteer Award to governing complex public budgets during my eight years as a school board trustee, past chair, and current vice-chair, I’ve learned that municipal budgets aren’t just spreadsheets; they are a direct reflection of our community’s values. I will bring a balanced perspective to City Hall to ensure our growth is well-managed, our neighbourhoods stay safe and connected, and no resident is left behind. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? TW: In Ward 5, rapid growth and rising costs are stretching the fabric of our neighbourhoods thin. At the doors, residents consistently share their concerns about traffic safety, speeding, and housing affordability. Having arrived in Canada as an immigrant child, I believe deeply in the promise that hard work should earn you a stable home and a secure future. Growth should never feel like a penalty on the families who already live here. We can welcome new neighbours while fiercely protecting our community’s livability through three clear commitments: To learn more about my priorities for Ward 5, please visit traceyweiler.com. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? TW: While the Victoria Street site is in the core, what happens there directly affects every resident in Ward 5. Families and working professionals across south Kitchener depend on regional connectivity to commute, study, and travel. We urgently need the Central Transit Hub completed on schedule. At the same time, my own life has shown me that true leadership never sacrifices basic human decency in the name of expediency. Bulldozers and unilateral evictions do not solve homelessness; they simply displace vulnerable individuals to other parks and neighbourhoods. The courts have confirmed that clearing encampments without viable shelter alternatives is unconstitutional, and my conscience agrees. We can resolve this by fast-tracking dignified, shelter options with wrap-around supports, paired with trust-based outreach. Solving the root human crisis clears the legal roadblocks stalling remediation, allowing construction on the transit hub to proceed without further court delays. Progress and compassion are not opposites; real leadership delivers both so our community moves forward together. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? TW: Water is the quiet backbone of everything we want to build. When pipes and pumping systems hit their limit, everyday life feels it: housing builds stall, local businesses can’t expand, and community progress grinds to a halt. The capacity bottleneck in the Mannheim Service Area is a serious wake-up call for south Kitchener and Ward 5. I don’t support bureaucratic delay when our community’s well-being and economic future are on the line. While the Region of Waterloo oversees water treatment, Kitchener City Council controls local distribution, conservation bylaws, and development approvals. I will tackle this through practical, accountable local leadership and partner proactively with the Region of Waterloo to support the needs of Ward 5. Ward 6 Amber Lousie Culley Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Paul Singh Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? PS: I am running for re-election as City Councillor for Ward 6 because serving the residents of Kitchener has been an incredible privilege, and there is still important work to do together. Over the past term, we have made tangible progress on the issues that matter most to our community, and I want to keep that momentum going. Housing and Neighborhood Preservation: As Chair of the Planning & Strategic Initiatives Committee, I am proud that we successfully completed all 44 action items in the City’s Housing for All strategy. But growth must be balanced with protecting our community’s unique character. That is why I introduced the amendment to the Kitchener 2051 Official Plan to remove Laurentian Hills East and West from the Strategic Growth Area mapping, ensuring their Neighborhood designation was preserved. Community Connection: Strong neighborhoods are built when people come together. I championed the motion to establish Kitchener Connect, formalized the Park Tree and Bench Dedication Program, and have continued to actively support local events like Cinema Under the Stars and Kitchener in Bloom. Practical Infrastructure and Safety: Serving our ward means getting the everyday basics right. We have successfully pushed for real improvements to our pothole repair methodologies. I am also committed to enhancing our neighborhoods by advocating for safer roads and a more connected and walkable community. I am running in the October 26th election to keep listening, keep working hard, and keep delivering practical, community focused results for Ward 6. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? PS: The most pressing issues facing Kitchener right now are the stability of our physical infrastructure and the immediate economic threats to our local workforce. We cannot support smart growth without proactively upgrading our aging aboveground and underground infrastructure. On a neighborhood level, this means getting municipal basics right for the City of Kitchener and Ward 6, which is why I have supported and championed for improvements to our road repair methodologies, and prioritizing additional funding to the road reconstruction capital program. Simultaneously, our local manufacturing sector faces severe uncertainty from the recent U.S. tariffs and broken trade negotiations. To protect Kitchener jobs, we must actively support the Tariff and Trade Task Force, prioritize “Buy Canadian” municipal procurement, and help our employers pivot to domestic supply chains. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? PS: Navigating the Victoria Street encampment and the future transit hub requires a practical and highly collaborative approach. The transit hub is vital infrastructure that must proceed. While emergency shelters and encampment management are strictly Regional responsibilities, the City of Kitchener must be an active partner in advocating to the Province. Simply displacing vulnerable people without providing viable alternatives only shifts the crisis to other neighborhoods. Our role at the City is to tackle the root cause by accelerating housing development and ensuring housing affordability, which is why I have emphasized the completion of our Housing for All strategy. Moving forward, the City, Region, and Province must urgently work together within their respective jurisdictions to secure more transitional housing and the wrap-around support needed to safely transition residents. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? PS: While expanding the actual water supply is strictly a Region of Waterloo responsibility, my plan is to aggressively push the Region to fast-track their infrastructure upgrades so we can keep getting shovels in the ground. Locally, my focus is ensuring Kitchener’s Water Allocation Policy is used to give builders predictability rather than red tape. We must use the capacity we have to prioritize projects that align with our Economic Development and Housing for All strategy so critical investment doesn’t leave our city. Brooklin Wallis Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? BW: I got started in politics 5 years ago when a small encampment was evicted using heavy machinery. Since then, I have been working hard and speaking up for our community for the last four years. I care about Kitchener so much, and I love its people so dearly, that I will never stop doing whatever I can I help make it even better. I’ve spent the 4 years since my 2022 city council campaign being asked to run again. And now I am, against a man whose family owns my home! Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? BW: Affordability. As someone who has struggled to find work for the last few years, I feel the affordability crisis in a very real way. I’ve had to go to food banks, I’ve had to stop medication I can’t afford, and I’ve had to cut most fun things from my budget. There are many ways that Kitchener can assist in lowering some of those costs, but currently there are people on council, like my landlord, who directly benefits from a housing shortage. Many of them have had great jobs for years, and don’t experience the hardship that those of us living paycheck to paycheck do. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? BW: I have spent a lot of time at that encampment, volunteering. I have made friends there and I’ve broken bread with them. I’ve spoken with them about how they got there, what’s keeping them there, and what they’d like from the region. I don’t want encampments in our city, or anywhere else in our country. The residents don’t either. Regarding the future of 100Vic, let me be clear: this encampment is the Region’s fault, and it can be legally cleared by following the clear actions given to us by the court system. An alternative site is all they would need to allow a relocation. But the region has been ignoring court advice, the advice of the Lived Experience Working Group, and the advice of the Federal Housing Advocate. The encampment is still there because the region has refused to do anything, not because there’s nothing we can do. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? BW: Water is so important and such a hard nut to crack as a city councilor. While the region is largely responsible for our water supply, there are ways that we can easily help refill our aquifers. First off, we need to find as many ways as possible to reduce our amount of paved land. A program to incentivize green driveways and parking lots (where you use bricks with permeable spaces), for instance. We also need to consider how every single development will affect our water supply. The data centres we’ve seen pop up around the world will have no space here. Our development standards will have to evolve, requiring water conservation methods in all new development, especially in industrial uses, which tend to use more than their fair share. The region and cities should have been doing this since before I was born, and it’s awful that past and present politicians have allowed it to get this bad. Ward 7 Bil Ioannidis Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? BI: I am running for re-election because I care deeply about Kitchener and believe our city’s best days are still ahead. For the past 16 years, I have had the privilege of serving the residents of Ward 7 and working alongside community members, local businesses, and city staff to help build a stronger, more connected, and more prosperous Kitchener. Throughout my time on council, I have focused on practical solutions, responsible decision-making, and delivering real results for residents. Today, one of the biggest challenges facing our community is affordability. Families are concerned about housing costs, the rising cost of living, and ensuring that Kitchener remains a city where people of all ages and backgrounds can thrive. My focus has been on supporting policies that increase housing supply, encourage responsible growth, and create opportunities for residents to live, work, and raise their families here. Through my work in construction and with Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region, I have seen firsthand the importance of creating attainable housing and strong communities. I have also been a strong supporter of local businesses and economic development. A vibrant local economy creates jobs, attracts investment, and helps fund the services residents rely on every day. Throughout my career on council, I have worked to support business growth, promote investment, and strengthen Kitchener as a destination for innovation, entrepreneurship, culture, and opportunity. I believe that building a great city means more than infrastructure and development. It means supporting arts, culture, recreation, public spaces, and community events that bring people together and create a sense of belonging. It also means planning responsibly for the future by investing in sustainability, protecting our environment, expanding our trail systems and green spaces, and ensuring Kitchener remains a healthy and livable city for future generations. Throughout my time on council, I have worked hard to be accessible, responsive, and accountable. I listen to residents, respect different viewpoints, and focus on finding balanced solutions that reflect the needs of our community. My approach has always been simple: work hard, be honest, and put residents first. I am seeking re-election because there is still important work to do. With experience, practical leadership, and a commitment to results, I will continue working to keep Kitchener affordable, vibrant, sustainable, and moving forward. Together, we can build an even stronger future for Kitchener. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? BI: Affordability is one of the biggest challenges facing Kitchener residents today. While housing is an important part of the conversation, affordability is about much more than housing costs alone. It is also about property taxes, city fees, transportation, local jobs, and ensuring residents receive value for every tax dollar they pay. Throughout my time on council, I have worked to balance the need for investment in our growing city with the importance of keeping taxes affordable for residents. Kitchener has continued to expand services, improve infrastructure, invest in parks, trails, recreation facilities, public safety, and community programs while maintaining a strong record of fiscal responsibility within the rate of inflation. We have demonstrated that it is possible to deliver more for residents without placing an unreasonable burden on taxpayers. I have consistently supported a practical, common-sense approach to budgeting. Every dollar spent by the city is a dollar that comes from residents and businesses, and I believe those dollars must be spent wisely. That means focusing on investments that provide real value, improving efficiency wherever possible, and ensuring core services remain strong and reliable. Affordability also depends on having a strong local economy. I have supported economic development initiatives that help attract investment, create jobs, and support local businesses. A thriving economy helps keep our community competitive, strengthens our tax base, and reduces pressure on residential taxpayers. Housing affordability remains a key issue, and I have supported efforts to increase housing supply and expand housing options throughout the city. However, solving affordability requires a broader approach that looks at the overall cost of living and the financial pressures families face every day. Going forward, I will continue advocating for responsible budgets, efficient city operations, strategic investments, and sustainable growth. My goal is to ensure that Kitchener remains a city where people can afford to live, work, raise a family, and retire, while continuing to enjoy the high-quality services and amenities that make our community one of the best places to live in Ontario. Affordability is not achieved through promises; it is achieved through disciplined leadership, thoughtful decision-making, and a long-term commitment to protecting taxpayers while building a strong and vibrant city. That is the approach I will continue to bring to Council. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? BI: This is a Regional issue, but hope that this issue can be resolved compassionately. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? BI: This is a Regional issue. Richie Nanan Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? RN: I, Richie Nanan, decided to run for City Council because, after nearly 30 years of calling Kitchener home, I feel a strong sense of responsibility to give back to the community that has helped shape me into the person I am today. My family came to Kitchener in the mid-1990s and worked incredibly hard to build a life for us from the ground up. For nearly 20 years, my family has called Ward 7 home. That long-standing connection has given me a depth of insight and lived knowledge that I believe is important when understanding the needs, challenges, and opportunities within our community. My decision to run has also been shaped by life experiences. After returning to Canada in 2019, the challenges of the pandemic caused me to rethink my priorities. I became more focused on what truly matters: being present, actively engaged with people in our community, listening attentively, and extending support and kindness. Over the past year, I’ve spent significant time volunteering with St. John’s Kitchen and Outreach through The Working Centre and connecting with community members from all walks of life. Those experiences have reminded me that behind every issue is a person, a family, and a story. My own lived experience has also influenced my decision to serve. As someone from the Trinidad and Tobago diaspora, with connections to multiple communities, including BIPOC and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, and as someone living with a disability, I understand how important inclusion, accessibility, representation, and belonging can be. My family’s experience as victims of a hate-motivated incident has made these values even more personal. I believe our diversity is an under-utilized strength - not a weakness! I’m running because I believe responsible governance should be listening to people, be transparent and accountable, and serve every resident with dignity and respect. For me, this campaign is about actively engaging with my neighbours, listening to their experiences, and helping build a better Ward 7 where everyone feels a true sense of belonging to our shared community. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? RN: I believe the most pressing challenge facing Ward 7 is municipal affordability. Residents should be able to live, work, and raise their families here without being priced out of the community they call home. Additionally, residents should not be shortchanged on municipal services and infrastructure their community needs and requires. Residents should not face unnecessary pressure on already stretched household budgets. This means responsible governance with respect to; property-tax and utility decisions, careful management of municipal and/or ward spending, and ensuring neighbourhood development and growth is properly and carefully planned and supported by the roads, transportation, parks, public spaces, and services our neighbourhoods depend on, everyday. As a City Councillor, I believe we have a responsibility to listen to residents, spend taxpayers’ money carefully, and make transparent, accountable decisions that protect the quality of life in our neighbourhoods. As Ward 7 continues to grow and change, City Council must balance investment with fiscal responsibility and make sure residents see real value for every municipal dollar spent. Ward 7 should be a place where people can afford to build their lives, where growth works for existing residents and newcomers alike, and where everyone has the opportunity to feel that they belong to a greater shared community. Affordability, to me, means building a Ward 7 that is well-serviced, well-planned, and financially responsible—while keeping our community a safe place where people can build their lives, feel engaged, connected, and supported. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? RN: I believe we are dealing with two important community needs: building critical transportation infrastructure for our growing region and ensuring that people experiencing homelessness are treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. My perspective is shaped by lived experience and by the past year I have spent volunteering with St. John’s Kitchen and Outreach through The Working Centre. I have spent quality time with many people from many walks of life, including community members experiencing homelessness, poverty, addiction, and other difficult circumstances. Those experiences have reinforced something simple for me: behind every issue is a person, a story, and a life. People should never be reduced to statistics or treated as an inconvenience. We need to show up, listen, and understand the real circumstances people are facing. At the same time, I recognize the importance of the Kitchener Central Transit Hub and the long-term investment in our transportation network and the intended benefits it will provide our infrastructure. However, moving and relocating people from an ‘encampment’ cannot be treated as a logistical problem, they do represent a vulnerable group of our community. I believe the way forward requires meaningful engagement, transparency, coordination between the City, Region, service providers, and community partners, and appropriate housing and supports for people affected by any transition. Though the encampment is not specifically within the powers of a Councillor, but that of the Region, if elected, as a municipal representative, I would advocate for decisions that are transparent, humane and accountable. We should continue working towards the transit hub while ensuring that people affected by the transition are not simply displaced without appropriate alternatives and support. To me, this should not be framed as choosing between people and infrastructure. We should be working toward a responsible path forward that respects both our community’s future and the dignity of the community members who are part of it today, in finding a reasonable solution. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? RN: Water supply is ultimately a Regional responsibility, but Kitchener City Council has a direct role in how the water capacity allocated to our city is managed and how growth is planned around available infrastructure. Kitchener’s Water Allocation Policy provides a framework for allocating limited capacity to development projects. As a City Councillor, I would focus on responsible allocation, infrastructure planning, growth management, and accountability. When development and planning decisions affecting Ward 7 come before the City, I would expect water capacity and servicing requirements to be fully understood before decisions are made. My approach would be threefold: protect what we have, accelerate responsible solutions, and manage growth based on available infrastructure. First, I would support continued investment in maintaining and rehabilitating existing water infrastructure, while strengthening conservation efforts to reduce unnecessary peak demand. Second, I would advocate for the Region to move forward with the fastest, most cost-effective projects that bring additional capacity online, while demanding clear timelines, accountability, and regular public reporting. The Region has already identified several projects and is pursuing alternative approaches to bring capacity online sooner and at lower cost. Growth must be matched with infrastructure. For Ward 7, that means considering whether proposed growth can be responsibly supported by our water system, roads, transportation, parks, and other municipal services - not simply approving growth and addressing infrastructure afterward. As neighbourhoods such as Forest Heights and the surrounding Victoria Street South area continue to evolve, residents should be confident that new development is being planned alongside the infrastructure needed to support it. I would also support transparent reporting on water capacity, allocation decisions, infrastructure requirements, costs, and timelines, so Ward 7 residents can understand how decisions affecting their neighbourhood are being made. The City’s policy is intended to provide consistent and accountable decision-making while considering community benefit, housing, infrastructure capacity, and project readiness. While the Region must address the broader water-supply constraint, my responsibility as a City Councillor would be to make sure Ward 7’s growth is planned responsibly, available water capacity is managed fairly and transparently, and development decisions are matched with the infrastructure needed to support a healthy, sustainable neighbourhood. My goal would be simple: protect our water today, accelerate capacity for tomorrow, and make sure Kitchener’s growth is financially and environmentally sustainable. Nikki Rollick Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? NR: I have had an interest in politics for a very long time, as well as a nagging social conscience. My first experiences volunteering on a political campaign were for Mike Morrice here in Kitchener in 2019 and 2021, who has now gone on to run for leader of the Green Party of Canada. I knocked on thousands of doors alongside Mike, and was energized by the way he would listen to residents’ concerns and (eventually) represent them effectively in Parliament. I share his belief in dialogue and collaboration, regardless of political ideology or party affiliation. I have been eyeing a career transition for several years now, and recently completed a Master’s degree in Social Justice and Community Engagement from Wilfrid Laurier University. I want to bring Mike Morrice’s style to City Hall: connecting with residents, noting their concerns, and collaborating with my fellow councillors to get important changes happening. Having knocked on over 5,000 doors across Ward 7, I hear often from residents that I am the only municipal candidate to knock on their door in recent memory. That’s what I want to bring to Ward 7: someone who cares, makes the effort to hear residents’ concerns, and to act on them. I also have lots of lived experience that is not captured by members of the current council. I am a renter, I do not own a car, and I am a parent to a 3-year-old. I am also a trans woman, and hope Ward 7 will help me make history as the first trans city councillor in Ontario. All of these things inform the way I see the world: I notice things in my daily life that many folks on the current council might not. It is time for city council to truly reflect the diversity of the people who live in the city. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? NR: Without a doubt, it’s affordability. Time and again, people at the doors are telling me how difficult it is to find a place to live that is sustainable on their current salary. Folks who are retired and live in large homes tell me that property taxes often eat up half of their monthly household earnings. Parents with kids tell me about the lack of fee-subsidized sports programming available in Kitchener. This affordability crisis is driving some people to consider moving away from the Region, and it also feeds the vicious cycle where people experiencing homelessness here have a hard time finding a stable place to live. This sheds light on many different ways the city could be trying to address this crisis. Council could pursue further requirements on affordable housing units in new developments. The property tax system could be reformed so that it reflects the income of the people in the home, and not just the value of the property. Recreational programming in the city could move to a sliding-scale fee system, where the amount paid for activities reflects household income. The city or Region could even follow Toronto’s lead and pilot municipally-operated grocery stores in food deserts throughout the city, offering lower-cost, locally sourced fresh produce. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? NR: This is one of the most frequently mentioned issues at the doors in Ward 7. Coming from my social justice background, I recognize that homelessness is a complex issue, intertwined with mental health, substance use, and affordability, among many other factors. The court ruling on the Victoria Street encampment does not say the Region cannot use the site for the future transit hub, but only states that they need to provide an alternative site for folks living at the encampment first. I would love to see the City of Kitchener create more supportive housing spaces, which offer wrap-around supports regarding mental health and addictions, as one option for folks currently at the encampment. For those who wish to continue tenting outdoors, for any reason, I would like the Region to create a safe tenting bylaw that provides an alternative site on Regional property for these folks to set up their tents. I really want to see the Transit Hub built, as it addresses some of the current issues with getting to VIA and GO trains by public transit. However, it should not come at the expense of being compassionate and supportive to the folks currently living at the Victoria Street encampment. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? NR: This is a tricky issue, one that matters a lot to Ward 7 residents. Part of what makes it tricky is that the big decisions on this issue rest with the Region of Waterloo, even as Kitchener must make its own decisions regarding new development. The city has already come up with a prioritized list outlining which types of projects receive water allocations first, with affordable housing projects receiving priority. This is a move I support. While our Region is already a leader within Canada with regard to water conservation, additional conservation steps must now be considered. The city already has a stormwater credit program, offering homeowners a discount on their utility bill if enough rainwater runoff is diverted through measures like rain barrels or rain gardens. We could be encouraging more homeowners to take advantage of this program, storing rainwater in barrels or larger cisterns for outdoor uses like watering and filling pools. I saw earlier this year that the City of Guelph had an ad campaign on their buses regarding the money (and water) saved by taking shorter showers, which Kitchener could emulate as well. Small measures like these, added up over our 300,000 residents, can squeeze some extra water capacity from our current supply, and are fully within the city’s jurisdiction. Ward 8 Wendy Creighton Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? WC: I decided to run because I believe municipal government should focus on the basics and do them well. Snow removal and safe, accessible sidewalks for seniors and people with disabilities, for example, should not be things residents have to fight for. Residents work hard for their money, and they deserve a City Hall that respects their tax dollars, delivers reliable services and makes responsible decisions about growth and spending. I care about this community and want to bring a practical, accountable approach to Council. That means listening to residents, supporting local businesses, keeping our streets and public spaces safe, taking care of our seniors, and making sure growth is carefully planned and supported by the infrastructure and services people rely on. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? WC: In my opinion, the most pressing issue facing Kitchener is affordability and ensuring our city remains a place where people can actually afford to live, raise a family and retire. Residents are feeling the pressure of rising housing costs, property taxes, groceries, utilities and everyday expenses. At the same time, Kitchener is growing quickly, and that growth is putting additional pressure on our roads, infrastructure, neighbourhoods and city services. Growth is important, but it needs to be responsible and well planned. We need more housing and a strong local economy while also protecting established neighbourhoods and ensuring infrastructure and services keep pace with development. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? WC: The situation at Victoria Street North requires both compassion and practical action. People who are unhoused deserve to be treated with dignity, but I do not believe that leaving people to live indefinitely in tents, without the security, sanitation and supports most of us consider basic necessities, is a humane solution. This is also an ongoing legal matter. The Ontario Superior Court issued a decision in May 2026 concerning the Region’s efforts to clear the site, and that decision is now under appeal. I respect that legal process and recognize that any action taken must comply with the courts and the Charter. At the same time, the future transit hub is an important piece of infrastructure for Kitchener and the broader region. It represents a significant public investment and will help connect residents to transit, employment, education and services for generations to come. Ultimately, an encampment is not housing. Simply moving unhoused people from one sidewalk, park or vacant property to another does not solve the problem, but neither does accepting a tent encampment as a permanent solution. We need a responsible transition from the site that connects people with appropriate shelter, housing, treatment and other supports, while allowing this important public infrastructure project to move forward. We can respect the dignity of people who are unhoused while also recognizing that the current situation should not become permanent. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? WC: Kitchener cannot meet its housing and growth goals without the infrastructure to support them. Water capacity is a serious constraint, and addressing it must be a priority. While the Region of Waterloo is responsible for the water supply system, the City has an important role in managing the capacity allocated to Kitchener. The City’s Water Allocation Policy provides a framework for allocating limited capacity, but we also need to ensure the process is transparent, predictable and efficient. Housing cannot be built on approvals alone. Builders, investors and residents need confidence that when development is planned and approved, the infrastructure required to support it will be available. Uncertainty around water capacity can delay projects, increase costs and ultimately make it harder to get much needed housing built. Kitchener cannot set ambitious housing targets while allowing infrastructure constraints to prevent approved projects from moving forward. If we are serious about building more homes, we need to ensure the water, wastewater and other essential infrastructure is there to support them. We need a system that is predictable, efficient and gives housing projects a clear path from approval to construction. That means increasing capacity, reducing unnecessary delays and red tape, and working with the Region to get critical infrastructure built faster. Every unnecessary delay adds time, uncertainty and cost to getting new homes built. Kitchener should be a city where responsible development is encouraged, investment is welcomed and we work to get shovels in the ground. Margaret Johnston Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Philip Molto Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? PM: I am running for several reasons. I ran for city council in 2018 and applied for the open regional seat in August 2025. I was encouraged by others to run for office again. I believe being a councillor is about serving others and the community in a non-beneficial or self promoting way. I believe it is a full four year commitment, not one to be used as a temporary stepping stone to achieve provincial or federal objectives. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? PM: The most pressing issue is financial in the forms of property taxes and fees versus services. Municipalities can not run a deficit so they need to rely on taxes. Many people see them as unreasonable as they are above the rate of inflation. Many residents’ incomes have fallen behind the rate of inflation, and they see tax increases as unjustifiable. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? PM: The transit hub and encampment were the responsibility of municipal politicians at the time of the LRT construction. The plan was to build a transit hub and signs were up in 2018. Had the hub been built then, this power keg would never have built up. Legal interpretations will not allow removal of encampment residents in 2026. This is an inherited issue that should never have come to happen. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? PM: Water issues are complex in a two tier municipal government. The water supply is a regional responsibility while distribution/billing/use-monitoring is done by the city. The supply issue answer is complex as evident by the times I’ve sat in on regional council to hear various experts and residents deliver opposite views. We need and deserve a concrete professional solution, not a lobbied one. Carly Pettinger Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? CP: I’m running because Ward 8 residents deserve to have their voices included in every decision made at Kitchener City Hall. Too many people in our community are being ignored when they raise issues. I love meeting people, digging into issues and working to find common ground. My professional background has prepared me to hit the ground running. I spent nearly a decade working in provincial politics, both in community offices in Kitchener and Waterloo and at Queen’s Park. I now hold a leadership role at a different local municipality. I understand how municipal systems work, and how to get things done. I’m also a parent to two young kids. I see firsthand how often City decisions overlook the needs of children and families. Ward 8 crosswalks are poorly designed and unsafe. When our community buildings are being built or upgraded, we must make sure that the designs and programs on offer meet the needs of the people who live here - across all ages and stages of life. Ward 8 residents are frustrated that we have to leave our Ward boundaries to access most city amenities. Our parks and green spaces that do exist need investment and in Westmount and Belmont Village we have just one postage stamp sized park. Our only community centre was closed on summer weekends, when families needed it most. When I meet seniors on their doorstep, they’re advocating for kids to have more to do before they share their own needs. Ward 8 neighbours and neighbourhoods deserve our fair share of investment. I want to bring a fresh perspective, grounded in real experience. If elected, I will work to deliver better communication, effective advocacy, and ensure my neighbours play a meaningful role in shaping the future of our city. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? CP: The most pressing issue facing Kitchener right now is how we manage growth, and whether residents feel genuinely included in the decisions shaping our city’s future. Across Ward 8, people have been clear with me: they do not feel their voices have been part of the conversation. One of the most urgent concerns tied to growth is our regional water supply. Recent discussions at the Regional level have heightened anxiety about whether we have a safe and reliable water source now and for future generations. This is not theoretical. Many Ward 8 residents are already experiencing low water pressure, and wells have been going dry across Waterloo Region. People are asking responsible questions about whether continued growth at all costs is in our shared best interest. Residents are also seeing how growth pressures ripple into other parts of daily life. Our housing supply is strained, and while we absolutely need more housing, we also need to ensure that the infrastructure and services required to support that housing are in place. Local healthcare is stretched thin. Families are waiting longer for care. Taxpayers will ultimately shoulder the long-term costs of sprawl that has already been approved. What I am hearing from Ward 8 neighbours is that they want a more balanced, transparent, and community driven approach to growth. They want decisions that protect essential resources like water, invest in infrastructure before approving major developments, and reflect the lived experiences of residents. People want growth that strengthens neighbourhoods, not growth that leaves them feeling unheard or left behind. Kitchener is at a pivotal moment. We can choose to grow in a way that protects our water, supports our healthcare system, builds complete communities, and respects the voices of residents. That requires leadership that listens, asks hard questions, and advocates for responsible planning. That is what Ward 8 residents are asking for, and it is what I am committed to championing. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? CP: The Victoria Street North encampment is a symptom of broader systemic issues. My focus is on ensuring that unhoused neighbours receive compassionate, evidence‑based support, while also advocating for the businesses and residents who have been impacted for years. Waterloo Region residents and our local business community have advocated to the province for connectivity along the Toronto-Waterloo Region tech corridor for decades. Delivering on transit infrastructure matters deeply to Ward 8 residents and businesses. With Waterloo Region being the 5th most exposed region to tariffs in all of Canada and the 2nd in Ontario, we must move transit projects forward on-time to shield local jobs and continue attracting investment during this period of economic instability, lest we risk more job loss and greater impacts on local residents. We need clear communication, coordinated governance, and real investment from upper levels of government to find a path forward. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? CP: The water capacity constraint is one of the most serious issues facing our community, and addressing it requires good governance, transparent communication, and close collaboration with upper levels of government. While water supply is a Regional responsibility, area municipality councillors play a critical role in ensuring residents’ concerns and lived realities are brought forward and acted on. Residents’ confidence in our water systems was shaken when capacity constraints were identified at the Mannheim Water Treatment Plant in late 2025. Mannheim is a warning sign of what happens when growth outpaces supply - or when our data is not keeping up with reality. Many Ward 8 neighbours have told me they’re already experiencing low water pressure, and media has reported that wells have been going dry across Waterloo Region. Residents expect all levels of government to work together to plan for current residents and our shared future. As Ward 8’s next councillor, I would ensure that resident concerns are communicated clearly and consistently to Regional Council and the provincial government. Growth targets set by the provincial government must be matched with realistic infrastructure planning, and municipalities need to be honest when expectations exceed capacity. Water infrastructure is a core public asset, and residents deserve full confidence in its reliability. These upgrades must be prioritized and properly funded. We need to protect existing green space and environmentally sensitive lands. Development decisions that encroach on natural areas, including past decisions affecting the Huron Natural Area, undermine long‑term water security. We must invest in stormwater and flood prevention. 75% of Kitchener’s urban areas lack adequate stormwater management, and recent emergencies in communities across Ontario show us what happens when systems fail. Ward 9 Mohamed Askalany Contact information not provided Debbie Chapman Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? DC: I want to use the knowledge and experience I have acquired over the past 7+ years to continue working with residents to address their concerns. I want to build on the momentum we have created together and complete those unfinished tasks through a process of collaboration. Together we can work to create a liveable city with affordable housing, where everyone is housed, a city with an equitable distribution of parkland, active transportation throughout, a place where food sovereignty abounds, where equity deserving groups have greater representation and where funds are channelled through community members to invest in making their neighbourhoods great. I want to see the city reach its 50 per cent reduction of greenhouse gases by 2030. Collaboration is key to meeting these goals. Over the next four years I am committed to pushing for the return of inclusionary zoning, a compensation package for tenants who face renoviction, a strong enforceable green development standards bylaw and in-person neighbourhood information sessions regarding new development projects, among other things. Forefront in my mind is that behind every decision I make, there are people that matter. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? DC: The most pressing issue facing the City of Kitchener is the lack of affordable housing. There are over 11,500 people in the Region on the affordable housing waiting list and over 2,300 people are unhoused. Of the unhoused residents, 78 per cent are considered chronically homeless. Approximately 40 per cent of shelter users are seniors. Housing is a human right and should not be treated as a commodity! We don’t need any more overpriced studio apartments, many of which currently sit empty. I participated on the Housing for All Strategy Committee, which resulted in the publication of a comprehensive report detailing the housing situation in Kitchener. The report demonstrated (1) the immediate need for more supportive housing, and (2) the need to build housing that would meet the needs of a full-time minimum wage earner. The Affordability Sub-committee defined affordable as 30 per cent of a full-time minimum wage (not 80 per cent of market value) which works out to about $900 for a one-bedroom apartment. This is the housing stock that will help keep people housed. Inclusionary zoning would have to be brought back for this to happen. Every level of government has a role to play to ensure that everyone is adequately housed. I support the City continuing to waive development charges for not-for-profits building deeply affordable housing, and continuing to donate City land to not-for-profits so they can build deeply affordable housing. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? DC: The Region has received two court orders both of which require the rehousing of people before taking back the land for the transit hub. In both cases the proposed eviction bylaw was deemed unconstitutional. I support housing as a human right. For people living in the encampment, that is their home and the Region has an obligation to find adequate housing for them. I am running to be a City councillor, so have little input to what the Region does. I hope they do what is right by the residents and the law. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? DC: I take the water shortage announcement very seriously. Having lived in housing with water shortages during 14 years in Mexico, I believe we need to protect our water supply for those living here now and those who are yet to come. The City is working closely with the Region to monitor the situation, and I trust they will get it right. Putting restrictions on what can be built now and what will have to wait will be key to the protection of the water supply. Regular communication with residents about the situation is also important. Tim Willcox Contact information not provided Ward 10 Everton Dixon Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? ED: I am running for Kitchener City Council in Ward 10 because our downtown core needs pragmatic working-class advocacy. Young workers, millennials, and middle-income earners, those making between $51,000 and $90,000, are trapped in a growing housing gap. They earn too much to qualify for traditional subsidized housing, yet are priced out of new market-rate builds. As a result, many are forced to stay in poorly maintained older homes with drafty single-pane windows, skyrocketing heating bills, and little landlord accountability. Kitchener is growing rapidly, but growth must serve the people who keep our city running - our teachers, tradespeople, service workers, and local tech workers. I am running to bring accountability to City Hall, protect our existing rental housing stock, strengthen property standards enforcement, and ensure downtown Kitchener remains a place where working people can afford to live, work, and build a future. I encourage residents to check out my website at www.evertondixon.ca Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? ED: The most pressing issue facing Kitchener is housing affordability and security for the working class. While housing dominates headlines, municipal policy often overlooks the “missing middle.” At the same time, tenants in older downtown stock deal with uninsulated units, deferred maintenance, and the constant threat of bad-faith renovictions. To solve this, Kitchener needs actionable local tools. My platform focuses on three key solutions: If we do not protect middle-income renters and enforce basic livability standards, Kitchener risks becoming a city where the workforce powering our core can no longer afford to live. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? ED: The situation at Victoria Street North highlights the deep systemic housing crisis in our region. While the Kitchener Central Transit Hub is vital infrastructure for our economic and transit future, resolving this conflict requires compassionate, practical solutions, not endless delays or forced evictions that simply shift the crisis to another neighbourhood. We cannot treat this purely as an enforcement matter, nor can critical regional transit sit stalled indefinitely. We must restore agency, dignity, and real pathways to stability for unhoused residents while maintaining the safety and cleanliness of downtown Ward 10. I support establishing a municipal Peer Employment Program that directly hires unhoused individuals to assist with downtown upkeep. This program would employ residents to clear winter snow, helping the city meet my newly proposed 12-hour turnaround standard and remove needles and waste from public spaces. By offering flexible, paid work, we provide immediate income, foster personal agency, and invite unhoused residents to take active pride in the stewardship of our shared downtown core. Paired with rapid transitional housing and wrap-around social services, this employment-first approach allows us to clear the transit hub site with dignity while giving residents a tangible step toward long-term housing stability. Clearing a site without offering genuine, safe shelter alternatives simply shifts the crisis to another neighbourhood. The unhoused who join our Peer Employment Program will need a coordinated, housing-first strategy among the City, the Region, and community partners. Encampment residents must be provided with dignified transitional housing, supportive housing options, and wrap-around social services prior to vacant possession for construction. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? ED: Water capacity and water quality are two sides of the same coin in Kitchener. Our region relies on a fragile groundwater supply, and City Council must be strategic about how municipal water capacity is allocated, preserved, and managed. My plan focuses on three key priorities: I will use bylaws and zoning to restrict resource-intensive industry. Municipal water allocation must prioritize housing over water-guzzling commercial developments. I support updating zoning bylaws to prohibit evaporative-cooled AI data centers and heavy industrial users unless they implement 100 per cent closed-loop recycling systems, preventing millions of liters of daily water evaporation. Residential Water Quality & Tenant Protection are at the forefront of my campaign. Kitchener is known for having some of Canada’s hardest water, 400–500mg/L, which damages plumbing infrastructure and strains tenants. I will introduce a municipal Clean Water Retrofit Program incentivizing and requiring landlords to install and maintain functioning water softeners in multi-unit residential buildings. Crucially, participation comes with strict rent-protection covenants to ensure landlords cannot pass installation or maintenance costs onto tenants through rent hikes. The constant disruption of the skin barrier can worsen conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Mineral deposits coat the hair shaft, blocking hydration and causing hair to become dull, stiff, and prone to breakage. Prioritizing Workforce Housing: Available municipal water connections must be earmarked for non-profit and workforce housing developments rather than industrial server blocks, preserving our local infrastructure for the families who live here. Water is a public resource. By capping industrial wastage and protecting residential water infrastructure, we secure our long-term supply while improving daily living conditions for renters across Kitchener. To my residents of Ward 10, whom I care for and need to be transparent with: because the Region of Waterloo controls extraction and treatment, while Kitchener manages local distribution and development approvals, my levers as a city councillor focus on smart allocation, conservation, and intergovernmental pressure. If elected, I will maintain Kitchener’s Water Allocation Policy to ensure every litre of capacity released by the Region is earmarked exclusively for non-profit housing, workforce residential builds, and essential public infrastructure keeping speculative commercial developments and non-essential high-draw projects at the back of the line until long-term supply stabilizes. But the conservative in me will introduce municipal density bonuses or fee rebates for developers who integrate greywater recycling and rainwater harvesting into new multi-residential builds, and partner with utilities to offer rebates for existing buildings to … [Editor’s note: Answer exceeded 400 words] Sam Nabi Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? SN: My decision to run for office is an extension of my track record of collaborative leadership. I love to build coalitions between groups that don’t usually work together, because that’s how we can make lasting solutions to complex issues. I believe community members, city staff, and elected officials each bring a unique and essential perspective to the table. It takes all three groups working together to create lasting positive change. My experience as a municipal urban planner and a community advocate have prepared me to be an effective voice for Ward 10 at city hall. I am a co-owner of Full Circle Foods, a living-wage grocery store in downtown Kitchener. I’ve convened roundtable discussions with over 65 non-profits across Waterloo Region to create a vision for growth that doesn’t leave anyone behind. I have organized festivals that provide career growth opportunities for local artists. All of these experiences and more have prepared me for engaging with the full breadth of services that the City is responsible for. Lastly, I’m running because I believe we can act locally to make meaningful progress on global issues. Whether it’s the housing and homelessness crisis, climate change, food security, or belonging and inclusion, there is something the city can do. My priorities are focused on what we can achieve whether or not there is cooperation from other levels of government. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? SN: Kitchener’s most pressing issue is planning for growth in a way that doesn’t leave anyone behind. As we welcome new neighbours, we need to hold the line on protecting farmland and groundwater, by limiting sprawl. We need to plan for more affordable types of homes in every neighbourhood by opening up our zoning permissions and partnering with social housing providers. We need city services such as new parks and recreation programming to keep up with population growth. The conversation around growth can sometimes pit neighbours against each other. But something interesting happens when we design neighbourhoods with enough density for efficient transit, utilities, district energy, and housing choice. We get more options for homes at every stage of life. This means someone who wants to downsize from their single-family home doesn’t have to move out of the neighbourhood, and can stay connected to their local community. Neighbourhoods that incorporate mixed-use, mid-rise development also provide more local job opportunities and give us the tax base we need to reliably maintain infrastructure for the long term. Unlike the current councillor, who put forward the motion to ban mid-rise housing in the Auditorium neighbourhood, I will advocate for a zoning bylaw that provides more housing choice in all areas of the city. Together with better protections for renters, new green spaces and trails, and expanded community gardens, our neighbourhoods can rise to the challenge of accommodating new growth while supporting livable communities. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? SN: The encampment, like several other encampments across our region, exists because there is a lack of suitable supportive housing, shelter, and treatment options. When I visited the encampment to speak with neighbours there, I heard that there are many reasons why someone might find themselves unhoused. These range from fleeing intimate partner violence, to being unfairly evicted, to suffering a workplace injury, to struggling with addiction and mental health. Because there are so many different causes that might lead to homelessness, we need many different types of solutions. Kitchener is not unique in this scenario. Many cities across Canada are coping with the systemic underfunding of mental health and addictions supports, and the lack of social housing options relative to the need that exists. Justice Gibson ruled that evicting vulnerable people from the Victoria St. encampment without providing alternatives infringes on their right to life. A similar court ruling about an encampment in Montreal stated, “a human being cannot exist nowhere”. I would like to see the City continue to give public land to supportive and affordable housing charities, including co-locating housing on top of city projects like fire stations, community centres, and libraries. I will advocate to other levels of government to increase support for healthcare access, voluntary addiction treatment, ODSP, and social housing programs that would get to the heart of this crisis. The construction of the new transit hub is vital for the continued growth of our region, and I hope to see it completed soon. There are several factors, including procurement delays, intercity track work, and mortgage financing, that have prevented it from being done sooner. While some of the land currently occupied by the encampment will need to be used for track expansion, its existence is far from the only thing holding up this project. We can find another staging area for construction equipment. I believe that we can make progress on both issues — making sure encampment residents have an appropriate place to live, and building needed transportation infrastructure in the city. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? SN: Solving the water crisis starts by redoubling our commitment to the countryside line, protecting farmland, and preserving our region’s groundwater recharge areas. Without permanent protection of the Waterloo Moraine and other natural areas, our groundwater supply, which we rely on for our drinking water, will not be sustainable. We cannot continue to sprawl outward and pave over this land, or dig it up for gravel mines. Next, there have been several overlapping issues with the maintenance of our water infrastructure. Thankfully these are being addressed quickly by the Region of Waterloo, including fixing broken pumps and adding filtration capacity at water treatment plants. The other piece to this puzzle is to ensure that water can be moved back and forth between Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge as needed. This is something that was always intended to be part of our integrated urban system for water infrastructure but has not yet been achieved in practice. Moving forward, I would encourage green development standards that require capturing rooftop rain water to be used in non-potable applications instead of fresh water. We should re-naturalize our creeks that have been encased in concrete, which improves water retention and creates important habitats for urban wildlife. Until the water capacity issue is resolved, I support using our water allocation budget to prioritize affordable housing projects. Peter Gordon Piluk Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Aalaa Rehman Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? AR: I decided to run for Ward 10 Kitchener City Councillor because I know that change only begins through active participation. Kitchener is my home. Ward 10 is my home. I have grown up seeing both the incredible potential of our community and the challenges residents are facing. I have an extensive history in civic engagement. I began my advocacy work through my company Aalaa Conseil at a very young age. Of my many projects, one I hold dearest is #CANYouthVoteMatter & #CANMinorityVoteMatter Awareness Campaign, a radio show on the local radio station CKMS 102.7 FM Radio Waterloo, that advocated the importance of the vote of marginalized communities. I was the youngest receiver of the Working Centre’s Diploma in Local Democracy. I became the youngest member of Kitchener’s Mayor’s Task Force for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, where I co-led community engagement during the pandemic. I later served as the Youth Representative for the Waterloo Region Anti-Racism Advisory Working Group, contributing to policy, anti-racism training, and community town halls. My platform has four pillars: My campaign is rooted in listening to residents and creating a Ward 10 where people can both afford to stay and look towards the future; knowing that they belong, are welcomed, heard, and prioritized, and that they will have a safe environment to [Editor’s note: Candidate’s answer exceeded 400 words] Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? AR: As I think most people would agree, the most pressing issue Kitchener is facing is affordability. This is often thrown around as a buzzword, but as leaders we truly need to consider whether people can realistically afford to build a life here. When we talk about affordability, I don’t think we can talk only about the price of a home. We have to look at the entire cost of living in our city: housing, transportation, utilities, access toservices and the ability to find meaningful employment. This is especially important for our young people. Kitchener is already home to incredible businesses and educational institutes, but if we do not provide opportunities to our youth and if our students and young professionals cannot afford to stay here and do not see economic opportunity, we risk losing those who would help us build our community’s future. One of my pillars is that as a city, we should treat youth retention as an economic strategy. That means supporting a range of housing options, including affordable starter and middle-class housing, while strengthening connections between local graduates and growing sectors such as technology and advanced manufacturing. It also means making it easier to live without relying entirely on a car through reliable public transit, walkable neighbourhoods and safer active transportation. These measures, of course, would not only help youth but many people within the city. At the same time, affordability cannot come at the expense of the environment or the existing communities here in Kitchener. Building new housing is a need, but we also need to be mindful about where and how we grow. I believe in protecting important green spaces, expanding our tree canopy initiative, constantly communicating with the community and our top minds, and creating complete, multi-generational neighbourhoods. Ultimately, I don’t think the question should be whether Kitchener chooses affordability, sustainability or growth. We should be planning for all three together. A city is only successful if the people who live here today can afford to stay, and if the people who grow up here also can imagine themselves having a future here too. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? AR: The homeless population is the human population. Treating them with compassion and dignity is our responsibility as civic leaders. In my opinion, when it comes to the topic of the encampment and the future transit hub, we shouldn’t frame this issue as a simple choice between people experiencing homelessness and the future of our transit system. Kitchener needs both compassionate responses to homelessness and the infrastructure necessary for a growing community. The Kitchener Central Transit Hub is an important long-term investment that will connect GO Transit, VIA Rail, ION, Grand River Transit, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. At the same time, the people living at 100 Victoria Street are members of our community who deserve dignity, safety and opportunities of appropriate housing and supports. The Region has identified housing and shelter as its responsibility, while the transit hub is a regional infrastructure project. Many discuss how these people must be relocated in order for the continuation of the project. My priority would be making sure that moving forward with the transit hub does not simply mean moving people from one public space to another, and starting and ending with only that measure. Kitchener must have a coordinated transition plan that is developed with the people living at the encampment, housing and outreach providers, the Region and the municipalities, and we must make it a priority to communicate clearly and transparently with residents regarding timelines and available options. We need to seriously evaluate the many pieces that go into an issue of this magnitude, which means continuing to invest in affordable and supportive housing and improving access to services before people reach a crisis. In my opinion, the transit hub and addressing homelessness should not be treated as competing priorities. A successful city has to be able to build critical infrastructure while also treating its most vulnerable residents with dignity. As a municipal candidate, I would also recognize the limits of the City’s direct jurisdiction here and work with the Region and other partners to ensure that Kitchener is contributing constructively rather than passing responsibility from one level of government to another. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? AR: The water capacity constraint is a serious infrastructure issue, but I don’t believe the answer is to stop building in Kitchener. We need to make sure growth is matched with the infrastructure required to support it. The current constraint is primarily a capacity issue in the Mannheim Service Area. The Region is already working on projects to add capacity, including a plan for up to 600 litres per second of additional capacity by 2032, with significant additional capacity expected as early as 2027. Water infrastructure is incredibly crucial. As a city councillor, my first priority would be making sure Kitchener continues to work closely with the Region to accelerate those infrastructure investments wherever it is technically and financially responsible to do so. Water infrastructure needs to be planned alongside housing, transportation and other growth infrastructure rather than treated as an afterthought. In the short term, I support a transparent water-allocation process that prioritizes projects based on clear public-interest criteria. Affordable housing, essential community infrastructure and projects that provide significant community benefit should be considered alongside infrastructure capacity and environmental impacts. Kitchener is already developing a water-allocation framework using factors such as community need, infrastructure capacity, environmental impacts and project readiness, but we can be even more transparent and community oriented when making these decisions, and we should be public facing in this decision making. I would also want us to take water conservation seriously. We should continue investing in infrastructure that reduces water loss, improve efficiency in municipal operations and encourage water-efficient building and development practices. Most importantly, I would not want the constraint to become an excuse for poorly planned growth or for abandoning our housing goals. We need to grow responsibly. We need to make sure that one goal is not lost sight of because of another. What I envision is that we should be building homes people need and also ensuring that their infrastructure they rely on, whether it be parks, transit, roads, and water, is capable of supporting them. Sustainability is one of my pillars. Sustainable growth of course means thinking about the long term cost, not just monetarily, and infrastructure needs of every one of the decisions we make today, and the accountability we have towards the communities that rely on us now and will continue to rely on us into the future. Stephanie Stretch Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? SS: I have represented Ward 10 on Kitchener City Council for the past three years. I came into the role knowing I had something to prove. I needed to earn residents’ trust by listening, showing up, working hard and giving this role my full attention. Since then, I have learned a tremendous amount, built strong relationships across the community, and discovered how much I genuinely love this work. I love this community. And serving you has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Alongside Council, I serve with the Downtown Kitchener BIA, Downtown Action & Advisory Committee, Climate Change & Environment Committee and Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee, as well as on the boards of the Multicultural Centre of K-W, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, THEMUSEUM and Enova Power. Those roles have given me the opportunity to work with people across business, social services, arts and culture, accessibility, environmental issues and public infrastructure—and to better understand how the decisions we make at City Hall affect different parts of our community. Every day I also hear directly from residents about everything from potholes and snow removal to housing, homelessness, development, parks and downtown safety. Those conversations have reinforced something important for me: the everyday things matter. Good local government means getting the basics right while planning responsibly for the future. I am proud of what we have accomplished over the past two years, but there is much more work to do. I am running because I now bring both the community experience I had before Council and three years of direct experience doing the job. I am asking Ward 10 residents for a full mandate to continue listening, showing up and getting things done. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Kitchener’s community is currently facing? SS: The high cost of living is the issue I hear about most consistently while out knocking on doors, and housing is at the centre of it. Families are paying more for everyday necessities. Renters are struggling to find homes they can afford. Parents trying to make ends meet. Seniors worried about rising costs. Small businesses working hard to succeed. And neighbours who simply want to feel safe and proud of the community they call home. Municipal government cannot control interest rates, wages or the cost of groceries, but we do influence important pieces of the affordability equation: property taxes, land-use planning, development approvals, infrastructure and how municipal dollars are invested. During this term, Kitchener supported 11 affordable-housing projects representing more than 420 homes and approximately $59 million in municipal investment, including five projects in Ward 10. We have also worked to broaden housing options and make municipal approvals more efficient. At the same time, affordability means being careful with residents’ tax dollars. Kitchener’s 2026 City property-tax increase was 2.2 per cent - the lowest in the region - while maintaining the core services people rely on. There is no single solution. My focus is on using every municipal tool available to help people afford to stay in Kitchener while continuing to advocate for the provincial and federal investment that housing affordability requires. Q: What is your view on the conflict between the Victoria Street North encampment and the future transit hub? SS: I think we need to recognize that two important realities are colliding at 100 Victoria Street. The Kitchener Central Transit Hub is major public infrastructure that has been planned for years and will connect GO, VIA Rail, ION, Grand River Transit and other transportation services in one location. That kind of connectivity gives people more choice in how they get around, makes it easier to travel within the Region and beyond, and creates better connections between jobs, housing, education and services. Expanding access to transit and active transportation also supports our climate goals by giving people more opportunities to travel without relying on a car. For a growing city, that matters. At the same time, the people living at the encampment are members of our community experiencing homelessness, and any transition from the site needs to be lawful, humane and connected to meaningful housing and supports. For me, this issue also reinforces why we need to keep investing in affordable and supportive housing. During this term, Kitchener has supported 11 affordable-housing projects representing more than 420 new homes and approximately $59 million in municipal investment. Five of those projects are in Ward 10, including projects delivered with community housing partners such as Indwell, The Working Centre, Reception House and Kitchener Housing. I am proud that the City has used funding, land, fee waivers and other municipal tools to help these projects move forward, and I want us to continue doing everything within our jurisdiction to expand affordable and supportive housing. My background in social services shapes how I approach this. I do not believe we have to choose between building essential infrastructure and treating people experiencing homelessness with dignity. The Region owns the site and administers the homelessness system, while the City has important responsibilities around housing, planning and the downtown. All levels of government need to work together. The transit hub needs to move forward, but simply moving people from one location to another is not a solution. Our focus has to remain on creating more pathways from homelessness and housing insecurity into safe, stable and affordable homes. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity constraint in Kitchener? SS: The water-capacity constraint is serious because it affects our ability to deliver new housing, employment lands and the growth Kitchener has already planned for. It is also important to be clear about jurisdiction: Waterloo Region operates the water-supply system, while Kitchener determines how the capacity allocated to us is assigned to development projects. The Region is now bringing additional capacity online and has outlined a longer-term plan to significantly expand the Mannheim system. My priority at the City is to make sure Kitchener is ready to use capacity appropriately and effectively as it becomes available. Council adopted a Water Allocation Policy this year so that limited capacity can be assigned transparently and strategically. I support prioritizing projects that provide substantial community benefit, particularly affordable housing, essential services and economic development. I also want the City to keep planning and development work moving wherever possible so projects are ready to proceed when capacity becomes available rather than losing additional time. I will continue pressing for close coordination with the Region and for regional infrastructure projects to move as quickly and responsibly as possible. The answer cannot be to compromise the reliability of our drinking-water system, but neither can we accept unnecessary delays. We need both: a safe, resilient water supply and a clear path for Kitchener to keep building the housing and infrastructure our growing community needs. Regional Council Ed Edwards Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Joe Gowing Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? JG: Serving on Regional Council over the past year has given me an even greater appreciation for the importance of the Region and the challenges ahead. I decided to run because residents deserve practical, accountable leadership focused on results. My background in finance, community leadership and public service has taught me to ask questions, understand the numbers, listen to residents and make informed decisions. Since joining Regional Council, I have worked to turn those principles into action. I brought forward a successful motion asking the Province to pause new and expanded private water-taking permits within the Mannheim Service Area while the Region updates its Water Supply Strategy. I also brought forward an amendment related to A Better Tent City requiring ongoing reporting on spending, housing transitions, safety and performance. These decisions reflect my approach to public service: identify problems early, ask difficult questions, protect taxpayers and ensure public programs deliver measurable results. I want to continue pushing for responsible spending, strong infrastructure, housing that keeps pace with growth, reliable transit and protection of our long-term water supply. I was appointed to Regional Council in 2025. This election gives Kitchener residents the opportunity to decide whether they want me to continue representing them for a full term, and I look forward to earning their support. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region is currently facing? JG: I believe our biggest challenge is managing growth while keeping Waterloo Region affordable and livable. Housing affordability, water capacity, infrastructure, transit and property taxes are closely connected. We cannot continue growing without the infrastructure and services to support that growth, and we cannot solve every problem simply by asking taxpayers for more money. My work on the water supply issue has reinforced the importance of planning ahead. Rather than waiting for another capacity crisis, we need to identify risks early, examine all reasonable options and make evidence-based decisions. We need to be disciplined about priorities, protect core services, accelerate housing and critical infrastructure, and assess whether programs are delivering measurable results. Waterloo Region will continue growing. The question is whether we plan proactively or continue reacting to the next problem. My focus is ensuring growth is sustainable, infrastructure keeps pace and residents receive value for the taxes they pay. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as a whole while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? JG: As a Regional Councillor elected by Kitchener residents, I have a responsibility to be a strong voice for Kitchener. However, every decision around the Regional Council table can affect all seven municipalities. Fairness does not mean dividing every investment equally. It means considering need, population, growth, evidence and the regional benefit of each decision. My experience on Council has shown me that effective regional government requires both advocacy and collaboration. I will continue raising Kitchener’s priorities while working with Regional colleagues, local councils and residents to find solutions that benefit the Region as a whole. Kitchener faces significant pressures involving housing, transit, roads, homelessness and growth. Cambridge, Waterloo and the townships face many of these same pressures, along with unique challenges of their own. The best approach is collaboration rather than communities competing against one another. I will continue asking questions, reviewing the evidence and judging proposals on their merits. A strong Kitchener contributes to a strong Waterloo Region, and a strong Region ultimately benefits Kitchener. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? JG: We need both immediate action and a long-term water strategy. The Region has made progress restoring capacity and beginning new water allocations, but we cannot consider the issue solved. Waterloo Region needs to plan decades ahead. I brought forward a successful motion asking the Province to pause new and expanded private water-taking permits within the Mannheim Service Area while our Water Supply Strategy is being updated. This was a practical step to protect our water supply while the Region undertakes longer-term planning. I have also pushed for every reasonable long-term option to be considered, including conservation, additional groundwater sources, technology, water reuse and whether alternatives such as a Lake Erie pipeline are feasible in the future. That does not mean I support building a pipeline tomorrow. It means I do not want us discovering 15 or 20 years from now that we failed to investigate an option when we had the opportunity. We also need better conservation, protection of our groundwater, transparent monitoring and development approvals that reflect verified water capacity. Water is fundamental to housing, jobs and our quality of life. We need to treat long-term water security as essential infrastructure and plan accordingly. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? JG: I support attracting major employers, creating good-paying jobs and strengthening Waterloo Region’s economy. However, I have concerns about how the Wilmot Land Assembly process was handled. I was not a member of Regional Council when the project began, and I will not defend decisions or a process in which I was not involved. The level of confidentiality and the way the project was communicated created significant distrust in the community, particularly among affected landowners and residents. Now that I am at the table, my responsibility is to evaluate decisions going forward based on the facts. My approach to major regional decisions is consistent: understand the financial implications, assess infrastructure and environmental requirements, ask whether the public interest is being served and ensure appropriate accountability. Any future development must demonstrate a strong economic benefit to Waterloo Region, have the necessary water and infrastructure capacity, protect our groundwater, environment and prime agricultural lands, and provide accountability for taxpayer dollars. Protecting farmland must be part of our long-term planning. Once productive agricultural land is converted, it is effectively lost for future generations. Economic development should be directed to appropriate locations and balanced with the need to preserve the agricultural land, food production and rural character that are important to Waterloo Region. There are legitimate confidentiality requirements when governments are dealing with real estate transactions and potential investors, but confidentiality cannot become an excuse for avoiding public accountability. Economic development and public trust should not be competing objectives. We need to achieve both. Q: How should Council address homelessness within the region? JG: We need to move from managing homelessness to creating pathways out of homelessness. Emergency shelters and temporary solutions will remain necessary when there is no safe indoor alternative, but tents and shelters cannot become our permanent housing strategy. The Region also needs to help create the next layer of housing that is desperately needed. That is why I brought forward the creation of a municipal housing corporation. It could help the Region develop, acquire and manage more affordable and attainable housing while providing another tool to respond to local needs and increase supply over the long term. We also need prevention. Helping someone remain housed can be far less costly, financially and socially, than helping them after they become homeless. When Council approved bringing A Better Tent City into the Regional housing system, I brought forward an amendment requiring ongoing reporting on spending, housing transitions, safety and performance. Compassion and accountability must work together. Residents deserve to know whether public investments are improving outcomes and helping people move into stable housing. The Region cannot solve homelessness alone. Mental health, addiction, health care and housing are interconnected, and many necessary services fall under provincial or federal responsibility. Council must advocate more directly and persistently to the Province for increased funding for mental health and addiction treatment, supportive housing, health care services, income supports and programs that help people remain housed. We should work with municipalities and regional partners to present a united case. The Region should document service gaps, report on outcomes and clearly communicate the financial and human consequences of provincial inaction. We should meet directly with provincial ministers and MPPs and make clear that municipalities cannot manage a growing homelessness crisis without the necessary support. Ultimately, success should not be measured by how many shelter spaces we operate. It should be measured by how many people we help into safe, stable and permanent housing. Mac Graham Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? MG: I believe that the Waterloo Region is the single best place to live, work, and raise a family anywhere in this country. Our true strength has always been our people: a hardworking, dedicated, high-skilled workforce. And for years, that workforce was backed by a government that focused on its core responsibilities: efficiency, value, and fiscal restraint. But in recent years, our local government has gone off course. We need to get back to basics. We need to deliver what the taxpayers of this Region are actually asking for: clean and safe streets, fiscal responsibility, open and transparent government, and housing that families can afford. That is exactly why I have decided to run for Regional Council. I am stepping up to fight for the everyday working men and women of this Region who feel as though their voices and opinions are being entirely neglected. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region currently facing? MG: In speaking with residents, the most pressing issue is definitely affordability. People are being stretched to their financial limits and struggling to meet their monthly obligations. The Regional Government has raised our property taxes by 30 per cent over the last 4 years. That equates to over $700 for the average homeowner, not including increases from municipalities. Our people need relief. That’s why if I’m elected, I will propose a tax freeze for the upcoming fiscal year. I myself have been forced to make tough financial decisions to meet my own family budget. We don’t go out to restaurants as much anymore. We watch closely for specials at the grocery store. We shortened our family vacation. All to make ends meet. What I am asking is that our government do the same. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as a whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? MG: While I live in Kitchener, I see the Region of Waterloo as one large community. What affects one of us affects us all. That is why I am in favour of amalgamating our cities into one. By doing so, we can work more effectively with one strong voice and end the confusing nature of our two tiered system, not to mention all the needless duplication. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? MG: I believe that a full inquiry is necessary in order to understand exactly how and why this happened and to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. Transparency is paramount for our citizens in all facets of government. In speaking with residents in this city, I have heard all sorts of reasons why they think this occurred. As it stands currently, the only certainty is that we don’t have all the answers and I think the public is entitled to that. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? MG: Much like the water capacity crisis, the greatest issue is a lack of transparency and openness. It seems as though everything that has been completed to date has been done in secret. If the Region required more land available for industrial development, then tell the people and make it clear that is what your intentions are. Secrecy only builds distrust. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? MG: For starters, we need to stop conflating two separate issues. We have a housing affordability problem in Kitchener, and we also have a mental health/addiction crisis. The vast majority of people living on the streets have severe addiction and/or mental health issues. Calling them homeless makes it sound like this is a real estate problem and I don’t believe it is. Most of these people have families with homes and if they were able to straighten out their lives, they would be invited back to live with them. Mental Illness and Drug Addiction are the responsibility of the Province and I would lobby hard for a provincial strategy to help people recover. Currently, we do not have this in place and instead, we provide funding municipally to dozens of nonprofits, all with their own methods of dealing with the problem and no unified vision of what a positive outcome would be. Furthermore, most of the organizations we subsidize support “harm reduction” and “safe supply” methods of treating addicts. I don’t believe in this method. I don’t believe you can recover from drug addiction by using drugs. And providing addicts with drugs and using facilities only ensures that the addict will remain addicted indefinitely. What we are doing is not working. In fact, it’s making things worse. If elected, I propose that while we lobby and wait for a provincial strategy, we only provide funding to organizations that use recovery-based methods of treatment with a path of upward mobility. I want to see people recover from addiction. I know that it is possible. Simon Guthrie Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? SG: I have lived in Waterloo Region for more than thirty years (in Kitchener for twenty), and I really believe it is a wonderful place. However, the strains are clear. Many residents feel that the regional government is not transparent enough, and not responsive enough. I am running because I believe we can do better. We’ve got the capacity here to make “here” even better. I’ve worked in public policy, community organizations and peacebuilding and that work has taught me that good leadership begins with curiosity, humility and relationships. Good leadership means asking difficult questions, and working across differences to find a path forward. I want council to make decisions that are evidence-based and that support a sustainable region: democratic, social, financial and environmental sustainability. I am running to help build a safe and sustainable community, to build a region where people see themselves reflected in council decisions and can find a meaningful place in the community. Better government is possible. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region currently facing? SG: We depend on many systems in this region, and we are right to ask whether they have kept pace with the growth we are experiencing. The water crisis is the clearest and most immediate warning, but I wonder how many other vulnerabilities are waiting to be discovered. Are housing, transit, health, and other systems prepared for the future? We should not have to wait for each system to reach a crisis before finding out. Growth is not simply a matter of approving more buildings. Those buildings require water, roads, transit, schools, health care and community services. When growth is approved without the necessary capacity, the risks and costs do not disappear. They are passed on to residents. I support a transparent, region-wide assessment of our essential systems, and identification of their vulnerabilities. Then we can assess the investments required to address them. We need to stop moving from crisis to crisis. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as a whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? SG: I’m running to represent Kitchener, but it’s impossible to serve Kitchener without thinking regionally. Water does not stop at a municipal boundary, and neither do congestion, housing shortages, homelessness or an effective transit system. What happens in the cities and townships affects people in Kitchener. Likewise, decisions made in Kitchener affect the rest of the region. Finding a balance amongst these responsibilities begins with listening to Kitchener residents and to people across the region. We have to turn away from solutions that only move a burden from one municipality to another. I will look for paths forward that share benefits, costs and risks fairly. Our municipalities have distinct identities and circumstances, but we also share essential systems. We all benefit from a connected and sustainable region, where no area feels taken advantage of. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? SG: Honesty has to be the starting point. Residents are owed a clear account of our current water capacity, the demands upon it, and the assumptions behind earlier forecasts. We need an independent and transparent examination of what went wrong. This is not to assign blame. We need to do this because we can’t correct a problem we don’t fully understand. From that starting point, the Region should establish targets, responsibilities and timelines for restoring adequate capacity. This must be done publicly, so that trust can be rebuilt. Industrial and institutional demands must be part of the discussion, and groundwater recharge areas must be protected as critical infrastructure. Provincial and federal investment may be required, but residents should be able to see who is responsible for each part of the response and whether progress is being made. Secrecy and wishful thinking will make the crisis worse. We did not dig this hole overnight, and we won’t climb out overnight. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? SG: I’m disappointed by the way the assembly was pursued. It began behind closed doors, with little public explanation. The process put enormous pressure on farmers, landowners and the surrounding community. Still today, the Region has not made a compelling case for assembling this particular land on this scale. Unfortunately, I suspect we have passed the point of no return. Economic development matters, but it is not the only thing that matters. Productive farmland is a limited resource. Once it has been paved over, it can’t simply be replaced. Any proposal to develop the assembled land must be evaluated for its effects on water, infrastructure, food security, the environment, municipal finances and the lives of the people already there. The Region should disclose the rationale, costs, servicing requirements, environmental risks and decision-making process as fully as the law allows. Residents should not be expected to accept secrecy just because a project is an economic opportunity. Rebuilding trust with the people of Wilmot must be part of the path forward. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? SG: Homelessness is a wicked problem. It’s emerged from inadequate housing and healthcare, and decades of looking the other way. It is not an enforcement or criminal problem. Police, bylaw officers and court proceedings cannot create a home. They can only succeed in making homelessness less visible temporarily. The Region needs more deeply affordable, supportive, therapeutic and transitional housing. This must be supported by mental-health care, addiction treatment, primary care and income supports. That is a tall task, and will take time. Meanwhile, people still need somewhere safe to sleep. Until adequate indoor spaces are available, I will advocate for a safe-tenting bylaw that provides sanitation, drinking water, storage and wraparound support services. Enforcement is not housing policy, and we should stop pretending that it is. Michael Harris Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? MH: I’m running because I care deeply about Kitchener and Waterloo Region and want to continue serving the community my family and I call home. Having served our community both provincially and on Regional Council, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges and opportunities that come with a rapidly growing Region. Affordability, housing, infrastructure, responsible budgeting and protecting the services residents rely on will all require experienced and thoughtful decision-making over the next four years. I’m proud of the work I’ve been part of, but there is more to do. I’m running to continue bringing my experience, practical approach and commitment to our community to the Regional Council table. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region currently facing? MH: I believe affordability is the most pressing issue facing Waterloo Region residents today. The cost of everyday life continues to put pressure on families, seniors and young people across our community. At the Region, we need to be mindful of the impact our decisions have on household budgets and continue looking for ways to deliver the services people rely on while keeping taxes as affordable as possible. Homelessness is closely connected to the broader affordability and housing challenges we are facing. We need to continue working with our community partners and other levels of government to help people move from homelessness into stable housing. These issues are closely connected, and addressing both will be critical as Waterloo Region continues to grow. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as a whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? MH: I believe experience plays an important role in finding that balance. Having served two terms as an MPP and now two terms as a Regional Councillor representing Kitchener, I’ve had the opportunity to look at issues from both a local and broader regional perspective. For the past four years, I have also served as Chair of the Region’s Finance and Budget Committees. In those roles, you quickly learn that decisions can’t be made looking at just one part of the Region. What happens in Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo or the townships often impacts the Region as a whole. I’ve always approached decisions by looking at what is best for the entire Region. I believe what is good for Kitchener is ultimately good for Waterloo Region, just as strong communities in Cambridge, Waterloo and the townships benefit all of us. My responsibility is to work with my Council colleagues to move the entire Region forward while making sure Kitchener residents are well represented at the table. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? MH: I believe we are now on the other side of the immediate water capacity crisis, but the work is far from over. Regional Council took the issue seriously and moved quickly to accelerate repairs, bring additional capacity online and find ways to allow development to move forward as capacity becomes available. My focus going forward is on making sure there is proper oversight and accountability so we don’t find ourselves in this position again. We also need to make the right long-term capital investments in our water system so our infrastructure keeps pace with the growth we know is coming. Water is one of the most basic services the Region provides. We need to make sure we are planning and investing today for what our community will need tomorrow. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? MH: I believe a strong Waterloo Region needs the right mix of employment opportunities so families can build their lives and prosper here. We need to continue attracting employers that provide good-paying jobs and strengthen our local economy. I often think about what our community would look like today without employers like Toyota and the thousands of direct and indirect jobs that have come with that investment. We need to make sure Waterloo Region remains in a position to compete for those types of opportunities in the future. I support economic development and preparing Waterloo Region for future investment, while making sure we do it responsibly and in a way that respects the communities directly impacted. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? MH: Homelessness is one of the most difficult challenges facing our community, and I believe we need to be honest that the current approach is not sustainable. The Region has made significant investments in shelters, supportive housing, outreach and other services, but we cannot continue to simply write a blank cheque and expect Regional taxpayers to carry the burden. We need to make sure the money being spent is producing results and helping people move from homelessness into permanent housing. This is also not a problem the Region can solve alone. Mental health, addictions, health care and housing all play a role, and the provincial and federal governments need to be at the table with meaningful, long-term funding and solutions. We need to remain compassionate and make sure help is there for those who need it, but we also need accountability and measurable results for the significant public dollars being invested. Kim Huxted Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? KH: I decided to run because I’m frustrated with the direction our region is heading — and frustration on its own doesn’t fix anything. It’s time to stop complaining and start doing something about it. Be the change you want to see. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region currently facing? KH: We’re facing a lot of pressure locally and provincially right now, but here are my top four priorities for the Region: Addiction and homelessness. We can do far better by helping people overcome addiction through a regionally funded addiction center with real transition supports — the help they need, when they need it. Wait lists don’t solve this problem; they prolong it. Water. I’ll support long-term solutions over short-term gains driven by growth. Growth has to respect our constraints and be part of the solution, not the reason we run out of options. Land. Protecting our farmland and greenspace is a food security issue, not just a planning issue. We can’t keep losing it to development and expect to be fine down the road. Democracy and transparency. Provincial regulations have been eroding local decision-making, and I want to help win that back. That means more public input and real transparency in how decisions get made. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as a whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? KH: Every community in this region deserves equal treatment. I’d allocate funding based on the number of people a program actually serves, so we can evaluate every community’s needs fairly and objectively — not by who has the loudest voice at the table. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? KH: I favor long-term solutions over short-term gains driven by growth pressure. Specifically, I want to explore treating all our water sources the same, so supply becomes interchangeable rather than siloed the way our current system treats it. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? KH: The Wilmot Land Assembly was shrouded in secrecy, and the costs far outweigh any potential gains. I didn’t support that project then, and I don’t support it now. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? KH: We need a regionally supported addiction and transition center to help those who want to get off the streets and into recovery. The region also needs to do a far better job allocating our scarce resources toward mental health — because untreated mental health issues are often what leads to crisis and homelessness in the first place. Colleen James Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? CJ: I was born and raised in Kitchener, my family settled in Waterloo Region more than 50 years ago, and I’ve called this community home my whole life. Today I live here with my husband Daren and our daughter, which means I’m not just invested in this region’s past, I’m deeply invested in our future, not just for my family, but for the families, businesses and residents who make Waterloo Region home. That personal connection is paired with decades of experience serving this community. I’ve spent over 15 years in municipal government at both the city and regional levels, working alongside residents as a neighbour, a colleague, and a dedicated public servant. I’ve seen firsthand what thoughtful, community-centred leadership can accomplish. And I know what happens when decisions are made without listening to the people they affect. While I’m immensely proud of what I accomplished in my first term as Regional Councillor, I’m also running because the work is not finished. Our community continues to face real challenges: housing affordability, pressures on transit and infrastructure, and the need to build a stronger, more inclusive future. These aren’t problems that solve themselves; they require leadership grounded in trust, accountability, and long-term thinking. I’ve delivered results before: from securing support for the youth with funding tied directly to support their initiatives, to reinstating the GRT Night Loop, to advocating for increased Food Bank support and removing barriers for how people move around such as the accessible path at the Kitchener GO Station, road safety measures and long-term environmental sustainability with my recent motion specific to data centres. My growth in this role is reflected in my ability to bring people together, ask the hard questions, and turn community priorities into meaningful results. I want to bring back that same proven leadership, built on action, collaboration, and measurable outcomes, to regional council, and to keep building a Kitchener that works for everyone. At the heart of it all is a simple belief: representation means showing up, staying accountable, and putting the community first. That’s the kind of leadership I’ve practiced my whole career, as a neighbour, a colleague, an educator, entrepreneur and a public servant who believes this community’s best days are still ahead. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region is currently facing? CJ: For me, the most pressing issue facing Waterloo Region is overall affordability, and making sure our growth keeps pace with the infrastructure and services people rely on. We are a growing community, and growth brings opportunity, but it also puts pressure on housing, transit, roads, water, healthcare, and other essential services. We need to make responsible investments today so that people can afford to live here, move around our community, and access the services they need. That means continuing to address the housing crisis and affordability pressures, while planning carefully for growth and protecting critical infrastructure like our water supply. It also means working collaboratively with our area municipalities and provincial and federal partners. Each level of government has a role to play, and good regional leadership means bringing those partners together and asking the hard questions. Most importantly, growth must work for the people who already call Waterloo Region home while creating opportunities for those who want to build their future here. We need a Region that is affordable, connected, responsible and inclusive, and that plans ahead rather than simply reacting to the pressures in front of us. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? CJ: While this role is centred in Kitchener, it is still a part of the Regional Council and in my past experience, it’s important to keep that top of mind in order to find the best balance. I was born and raised in Kitchener and I spend a lot of my time attending community events and meeting with residents and business owners in order to be present and remain grounded in that foundation. Through my experience as a Regional Councillor, I know that across the region, residents are experiencing the same concerns and hardships - affordability, the need for responsible growth in infrastructure, community safety and ensuring we stay current with the needs of our community members so we can provide the best services and supports possible to contribute to a thriving community for everyone. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? CJ: Water is foundational to our community, and addressing the water capacity constraint must remain a priority. The good news is that we’re no longer where we were when the constraint was first identified. We’ve made measurable progress, restoring capacity, repairing aging infrastructure, beginning water allocations, and advancing both short- and long-term solutions. My focus is to keep accelerating that work while protecting the sustainability and reliability of our water system. That means: We’ve moved from identifying the problem to actively implementing solutions. The work now is to maintain that momentum, ensure investments are made responsibly, and build a water system with the capacity and resiliency to support our communities for decades to come. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? CJ: The Wilmot land assembly is a significant economic development initiative, and I recognize the potential opportunity to attract major investment and create thousands of good local jobs. The Region has publicly stated that the project responds in part to the Province’s direction to municipalities to create shovel-ready employment lands. At the same time, a project of this scale requires us to take seriously the concerns that have been raised by residents, farmers and the agricultural community about farmland, transparency, environmental impacts and the long-term use of the lands. I am also bound by confidentiality obligations and will not comment publicly on information that has been shared with Council under an NDA. What I can say is that any future use of the lands must be assessed against the public interest, including economic benefits, infrastructure and water capacity, environmental considerations, agricultural impacts and the interests of the surrounding community. I believe residents deserve transparency about what can appropriately be made public, and I will continue to ask the hard questions within the bounds of my legal and confidentiality obligations. Economic development and responsible stewardship of our land do not have to be opposing goals. The standard should be that any decision ultimately delivers a clear and demonstrable benefit to Waterloo Region while protecting the things that make this community strong. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? CJ: Homelessness is a complex issue touching every community across the province. Right now, more than 85,000 people in Ontario are experiencing homelessness, with over 1,000 encampments, and in Waterloo Region alone, we know roughly 2,300 people are without stable housing. This is a crisis that demands all hands on deck: municipal, provincial, and federal. As a municipality, we need to collaborate with community partners who are experts in housing, homelessness, and addictions, working alongside people with lived and living experience to develop housing solutions that actually stick. Concrete solutions we should advocate for include: Anna Meksavanh Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? AM: I am running for Regional Council in Kitchener because I feel a strong call to action to ensure our community grows in the right direction, a direction that uplifts all who live here. I’ve always been engaged and interested in public service from a young age. My family came to Canada as refugees and relied on government support and community services. I value what was poured into me from my community, and always wanted to give that back in how I live my life and in the work I do. As a longtime resident, I have seen the intense growth in our community and have become familiar with the associated growing pains. I have concerns over affordability, from groceries, to housing, the struggle to find gainful employment, and the lack of healthcare services. I want us to all feel safe in our neighbourhoods and support the human rights of all the residents of the Region. I want our children to be able to live and work in their own community, and for us to be able to age in place without the worry of whether we can continue to afford living here. I want to ensure our local voice and priorities are represented in our municipal government, these are the priorities I want to represent in our community: When making a decision I will always prioritize: I believe my experience working at the Region for 11 years, community involvement, and being a lifelong resident, combined with my fierce work ethic makes me a good advocate for our community at Regional Council. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region is currently facing? AM: Currently, I see affordability as the most critical issue facing Waterloo Region. I want to ensure we are building a resilient community that protects human rights, strengthens the middle class, and makes food, housing, and good jobs accessible to everyone. I will champion for a more affordable Waterloo Region by supporting: By keeping our food dollars local, building a gentle density where infrastructure already exists, and standing up for the working class, we can create a sustainable, vibrant Waterloo Region that works for everyone. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? AM: I will balance regional needs and local advocacy by working through the lens that our communities are entirely interconnected. What is good for Kitchener builds a stronger region, and a well-managed region directly improves life for our residents. I will focus on choices that create an inclusive, accessible, and people-centered community. With 11 years of direct experience working at the Region, I know exactly how our systems intertwine and how to ensure Kitchener has a powerful voice at the table. Through my collaborative, listening-driven leadership style, I will advocate for all residents to ensure our unique urban and rural identities are not overshadowed by broad, rigid policies. I am an action-driven advocate who treats local needs and regional strategy as a single, unified priority. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? AM: By stopping the practice of shifting growth costs onto existing households, we will focus funding directly into the engineering talent and water infrastructure required to secure our community’s future. We must also change how we frame our solutions. Environmental protections are not simply “red tape” getting in the way of housing development, and we must be careful about framing vital community safety measures as bureaucratic hurdles. Safeguarding our drinking water is a fundamental necessity for smart and sustainable growth. What we have learned here in Waterloo Region is that protecting our water is absolutely not red tape. To implement this plan, I will champion the following three actions at the Regional Council table: Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? AM: My view on the Wilmot Land Assembly project is that we need to carefully balance our economic goals with the protection of our community’s environment, heritage, and trust. I have sincere concerns about introducing a massive industrial development onto prime food-producing farmland, and I believe the lack of early transparency and public consultation has strained the relationship between the Region and its residents. Proposing a mega-site where the necessary infrastructure is not yet in place creates a challenging path forward for our community. I am also mindful of how this project might affect our local environment and water supply. While the Region plans to address these issues in an upcoming water supply strategy, the reliance on our shared aquifers means we must be exceptionally cautious about safeguarding our drinking water and preventing contamination. Through this process, a gap in trust has developed between the Region and local residents. I want to be part of building that trust back with the community, which means ensuring we openly and constructively address these vital questions about our food security, our environment, and our democratic process. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? AM: Council should address homelessness by immediately implementing an inclusive, people-centered Housing-First strategy that treats safe housing as a fundamental human right. While shelter spaces provide necessary short-term relief, Council must look beyond narrow emergency fixes to invest heavily in permanent, affordable housing to prevent and end housing insecurity entirely. To successfully execute this holistic strategy, Council should continue and increase their partnerships directly with existing community organizations to deliver: We can eradicate homelessness in our community, and can achieve this goal without increasing local property taxes by: By leasing surplus public land to experienced charities and using federal government grants to pay for the building costs, the Region can safely grow the support networks needed to permanently end homelessness for good. Matt Rodrigues Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? MR: I am running to continue serving as one of Kitchener’s Regional Councillors because the issues facing us need steady and curious leadership that brings the community together. What propelled me to first run in 2022 is what continues to propel me today: that Waterloo Region is a community with great ambition, and that bringing people together as your Regional Councillor can help solve our most pressing challenges and get things done. Local government works the closest to us in our daily lives and I believe I can help shape a Region that is responsive, sustainable, affordable, and that takes transparency and accountability seriously. With experience working as an Urban Planner across Ontario, I understand what it takes to plan a great region, engage with those typically left out of the discussion, and foster connected neighbourhoods. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region currently facing? MR: Affordability is the most pressing issue in our community. Whether it’s building the housing we need so that a new generation can afford a place to live, investing in more frequent and affordable bus service so that transit isn’t an option of last resort, or keeping utility costs affordable – you deserve to see results for every dollar you pay. By focusing growth in existing neighbourhoods and maintaining the infrastructure we already rely on, we can deliver better services while protecting our long-term financial stability. On the other hand, Waterloo Region and municipalities across Ontario are being asked to deliver more housing, infrastructure, emergency services, and climate resilience while other orders of government continue to offload responsibilities onto municipalities. I will continue speaking up for a fairer share of Provincial and Federal funding so local taxpayers are not left carrying more of the burden alone. While it’s easy to get caught up in the negative headlines, it’s important that we talk about the important work happening in the Region. Like how sustained investments in our paramedic services in the last four years has all but eliminated Code Zero events where there are no ambulances on the road to respond to emergencies, or that nearly 400 individuals experiencing chronic homelessness were supported into housing in 2025, while over 22 million rides on transit were taken last year and nearly 600 new affordable childcare spaces opened. We’ve accomplished a lot, but there is more to do. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as a whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? MR: I represent the priorities of Kitchener, but a prosperous and connected Region benefits us all. I have proven over 16 months on a wide range of issues that I can collaborate across Council and with City Councillors. My priority is to listen closely to residents and community partners in Kitchener and work collaboratively to find solutions that benefit the Region as a whole. For example, I view our new water allocation policy as instrumental in balancing the urban and rural needs for drinking water across our community, while providing the cities and townships with discretion in how it gets allocated to specific projects. At the same time, a region-wide approach cannot mean treating every community as exactly the same. Kitchener has unique neighbourhoods, priorities, and pressures that deserve a strong voice at the table. I will continue to advocate for our fair share of regional investments and services. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? MR: My perspective as an urban planner working across Ontario has been invaluable in helping our community navigate the water capacity constraint. In recent months, Regional Council has supported infrastructure investments and sustainable policies that have allowed a responsible amount of development to proceed. I continue to support efforts to identify new surface water and groundwater sources to protect our long-term water needs, while also protecting the water needs of rural residents on private wells. We need to restore trust in our drinking water system by completing our Water Supply Strategy, investing in key infrastructure repairs and expansions, and providing greater certainty for those looking to build new homes, shops, and job opportunities in our community through accountable project delivery and clear communications. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? MR: The former Regional Official Plan was built on decades of strong community buy-in for future growth in certain locations across the Region, such as future industrial growth near the Waterloo Region Airport and the East Side Lands. This vision for attracting new industrial growth is critical, particularly in the economic and trade headwinds of today. However, the Wilmot Land Assembly process brought no one along with it, was shrouded in secrecy, and contradicted this vision for growth. Any future decisions about these lands must meaningfully engage the Wilmot community and all interested parties. In the meantime, I strongly support making sure that the lands assembled in Wilmot remain agriculturally-viable for as long as possible. Decisions to begin and substantially advance the Wilmot Land Assembly pre-dated my time on Regional Council starting in March 2025. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? MR: Waterloo Region needs more homes people can actually afford, including affordable housing, supportive housing, and emergency shelter options. Delays to major Regional housing projects have slowed progress at a time when more people are struggling to find stable housing. We need to build faster, use public land more effectively, and work with trusted community partners to deliver the housing and support that our growing Region needs. I am committed to expanding access to eviction prevention and portable rent supplements with community partners to help people who may be facing eviction stay housed and reduce pressure on more costly emergency shelters and homelessness services. I have advocated for the Region to re-commit to our plans to revitalize Waterloo Region Housing units, use Regionally-owned land to build supportive housing units, with access to health, addictions, and social supports and permanently affordable housing that enables stable and independent living. Eve Elizabeth Simson Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Kevin White Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? KW: Running for regional council is the result of a natural progression of community involvement, from performing in local theatre as a teen and young adult to sitting on boards of directors for several organizations to working with multiple advocacy and activist groups to delegating regularly at city and regional councils. I worked as an elementary school librarian for several years, and while I loved the work of collection development, encouraging literacy, and running numerous clubs to support student well-being, I found that my role was increasingly concerned with advocating for students. From there, I started to see the ways that communities face interconnected systemic issues and the many challenges that children and their families face on a daily basis. I have also worked on the Waterloo Region Plan to End Chronic Homelessness. In April of 2024, Waterloo Region approved the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness. I am pleased to be a contributor to the plan and the closely-related Lived Expertise Prototyping Report. Being involved in those spaces illustrated for me that there is potential for local government to be consulting more openly and authentically with those most impacted by local policies in the development of community-led solutions. I believe the plan can be more fulsomely acted upon by the Region and there is much more to do. I really do believe that the Region of Waterloo has developed and published on their website strong and admirable mission, vision, and core value statements. My concern is that I find it difficult to align the vision, mission, and core value with several recent decisions made by our local government. I think when it comes to governance and governmental transparency, this core value is exactly what we need to be aligning with in order to responsibly meet public expectations and this should also make council decisions more understandable and predictable. When a decision gets made, it should be very evident that the core value of “care for people and the land we share” is closely connected to it. Constituents should not be confused by decisions made. Council’s decisions should be readily understood because that core value should align so clearly and be present at the heart of all council discussions that it cannot be missed in its implementation. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region currently facing? KW: The term “polycrisis” has been used more frequently in recent years to describe the ways in which a variety of issues are overlapping, intersecting, and presenting complex challenges to be met and addressed. In Waterloo Region, we are all dealing with an increase in the cost of living, housing (in)security, more severe weather and climate change, the water supply issues, economic turmoil through the disruption of global supply chains including “trade wars”, a negligent and opaque provincial government embroiled in numerous scandals, privatizing services, and investing primarily in carceral strategies (prisons and police equipment) rather than vital services for community well-being (such as housing, healthcare, and education), the erosion of local democracy through provincially appointed (rather than elected) Regional Chairs, a federal government spending more than ten times as much on weaponry and national defense as it does on housing, and more. So I think when we confront all of this, we have to ask what options we realistically have to care for each other when municipalities are the least-resourced level of government and are increasingly being asked to bear the responsibility for issues which require substantially more financial resources than we have. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has noted a need to change the municipal funding framework. This is not to absolve municipalities of their responsibilities, but if we really want to see progress, we need more resources than the municipality can acquire for itself under the present rules. The Waterloo Region Community Foundation’s 2025 Vital Signs Report noted a decline in the quality of life and neighbourhood satisfaction among residents, especially for young people and those with lower incomes, and I think there are some important considerations we can think about here. Communities need to be more in connection with each other and build stronger networks for support and resilience. That can be difficult with limited resources, and local governments may be able to help create opportunities for community gathering. In that sense, I think our most pressing issue is a lack of social cohesion, and I think aligning ourselves much more closely with the core value of “care for people and the land we share” can be a good start in addressing that and getting communities organized and ready (and willing) to support each other. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as a whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? KW: At the risk of being repetitive, the core value of “care for people and the land we share” really dictates how we manage balancing the needs of the region as a whole. I think when we apply that as our core decision-making lens, things become a lot clearer, especially on a case-by-case basis. How does this benefit and care for people? How does this benefit and care for the land (and all its non-human inhabitants as well)? If we cannot identify a clear benefit, it would seem we should reject that proposal. If the alignment is clear, then building consensus with regard to that decision should be relatively easy. This value does not change when addressing regional issues whether it involves my specific community or not. Certainly, there are going to be questions of compromise, but I think we really have to ask who and what are being compelled to compromise by these decisions? In recent years, many of the most controversial decisions on council (and for that matter, provincially and federally) have involved compromises of well-being on the part of people and land in service to the benefit of investors. What compromises have the investors made in service to the people and land? I really think we need to be much more aligned with the core value of “care for people and the land we share” in all we do when it comes to local governance, and we need to be much more active and vocal in our support for people and the land we share. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? KW: The Region of Waterloo is currently reviewing its water supply strategy and members of the community can get involved. No one person can realistically impose a plan, and it will take the efforts of our entire community to manage equitably. Again, the core value of “care for people and the land we share” has to be the central consideration. We have arrived at this point, in part, because of a failure to more deeply consider this value throughout the development of the Region of Waterloo for several decades. Thinking long-term is about supporting those in the future, and we are going to have to be thinking about those who will come after as we consider how we address our present struggles. That includes how we build out infrastructure, how we maintain water protection areas, and how water is allocated and used. All of that has to be considered with “care for people and the land we share” at its heart. One additional concern I have about the water capacity crisis is the predatory argument that its mismanagement in the past is a reason to privatize water services. In alignment with the core value, I think privatization of water has to be actively opposed. If we wish to maintain care for people and the land we share as the primary consideration, then we have to maintain water as a community-owned service. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? KW: This is among the more disappointing developments of local government in recent years. An unclear project with unknown potential stakeholders with unclear benefits and certainly no clear connection to “care for people and the land we share”. Fatima Syed and Terry Pender reported and speculated about this in 2025, and I think their description of “secrecy, bizarre conditions and threats of expropriation” makes clear why there has been such frustration from the community. The Region’s own description on their website illustrates further problems: “The Region of Waterloo is assembling shovel-ready land in Wilmot to secure thousands of new jobs and bring billions of dollars of investment to our local economy.” The value of “care for people and the land we share” is not being adhered to, instead superseded by corporate and financial interests. Going back to the point about compromise, what are the investors compromising? The negative compromise of the loss of productive farmland and demand on water for industrial use is clear for people and the land we share, but where is the benefit, service, and stewardship for them? Many industries have promised jobs and prosperity, but those promises become hollow in economic boom and bust cycles, and when irreparable land desecration and drinking water protection is at stake, lasting benefits for the people and land need to be much clearer. Where is the care for people and the land we share? I think the project is unconscionable in its current form. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? KW: Unsurprisingly, the answer is again in alignment with the core value of “care for people and the land we share”. Although the provincial government especially is hindering the development of affordable housing and seems actively hostile to keeping people housed (the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario discussed issues with Bill 60, for example), municipalities do still have some options to act and support those in need. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but I think the YWKW Block Line supportive housing development is a positive example of what can be done, and more projects like that could be completed if the municipality is willing to get creative with the use of public land. Additionally, the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness offers some excellent insights into opportunities for addressing issues regarding homelessness, and its principles should be employed. A story that has captured a lot of interest over the past few years is the encampment at 100 Victoria, and again I have to consider that when multiple judges have informed the Region that their eviction plan would undermine the Charter rights of constituents, I think it is clear that “care for people and the land we share” is not being considered. Justice Gibson, in his ruling, wrote that “The homeless are not Other. They are Us.” Care for people most certainly does not include setting precedent to undermine the rights of constituents. That the Region voted to appeal this ruling is again, I find, unconscionable and not in alignment with its stated core value (in fact, it is in opposition to it!). If you act in ways that oppose your stated values, you break public trust, and you lose all integrity. I think the people of the Region of Waterloo deserve better. What I really need our community to understand is that “care for people and the land we share” may sound vague, but it is not abstract. When we reframe our approaches to issues through that lens, options become clearer, and I think those who would take on the role of public servant should be accountable to upholding the value of care for people and the land we share. (Image not provided) Michael Wisniewski Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? MW: I’m running for Regional Council because of an issue I’m having with a local business that also happens to have a contract with the Region of Waterloo. That business has asked me to take my patronage of their service elsewhere while refusing to provide an explanation as to why. My position is that Waterloo Taxi Ltd., if they wish to keep their MobilityPlus contract, has to provide me, and Waterloo Taxi’s shareholders, an explanation as to why I was told to take my business elsewhere. (Editor’s note: CTV News Kitchener has not reached out to Waterloo Taxi regarding Wisniewski’s allegation.) Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region currently facing? [Editor’s Note: Michael Wisniewski did not provide an answer.] Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as a whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? [Editor’s Note: Michael Wisniewski did not provide an answer.] Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? [Editor’s Note: Michael Wisniewski did not provide an answer.] Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? [Editor’s Note: Michael Wisniewski did not provide an answer.] Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? [Editor’s Note: Michael Wisniewski did not provide an answer.]
