Meet the Kitchener candidates running for Waterloo regional council

UPDATE: Mayors and regional chair results Here's who has been elected in Waterloo region.

There are 14 Kitchener candidates running for Waterloo regional council, of which four will be elected.

To learn about the candidates running for head of regional council, click here.

Robert Deutschmann

Who are you?

I am a personal injury lawyer and I have been practicing law in Kitchener since 1995. I have lived, worked, and played in Waterloo Region my entire life. I was a former regional councillor from 2010 to 2014. For more information about my experience: www.robforcouncil.ca

Why are you running?

As we emerge from the pandemic, we are facing very turbulent and difficult economic times. This is a change election, with many regional councillors not returning. I want to make sure that the Region of Waterloo remains a strong, welcoming community with a solid economic base; but at the same time, I want a Regional Council that works for the benefit of all in our community. I bring a collaborative approach, working with council and staff. that has proven to be successful. I want to bring my experience, record of accomplishment in municipal matters and my energy, drive, and fresh perspective, to the Regional Council “horseshoe”, and work to ensure the prosperity of Waterloo Region is shared by all.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Region of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?

Affordable housing and homelessness are the most significant issues that we face in our community. We need to develop a mantra that is based on building as many as we can, as quick as we can, by all means possible. The Region of Waterloo needs to take a lead role, working with other municipalities, social agencies and private developers to come up with a plan that moves us farther down the development path, much more quickly. We need to continue the push recognize encampments as part of the housing continuum and find spaces for encampments that are manageable in size and provide access to social services. The next budget will be significant. We have tremendous inflationary pressures impacting our budget, including costs due to supply chain, higher labour costs and increasing gasoline prices. The police budget will also have a significant impact. We need to find ways to trim our budget to a more manageable tax increase for residents. That includes finding savings and adjusting expenditures. We will need to see innovation at WRPS to see how we find savings in their budget.

Tom Hiller

Who are you?

The lens through which I view the Region of Waterloo includes multigenerational roots, a life-time in K-W, a UofW health sciences degree, decades in an expansive financial services career, and working experience in our legacy manufacturing & tech sectors. Philosophically, a pragmatic moderate with over 40 years in Kitchener's midtown.

Why are you running?

The life-stage for me has arrived to serve, to contribute and assist our evolving community pursue an arc of progress. I believe that a council with a wide spectrum of passionate interests, all competing for funding, needs to focus on maintaining balance. The role of councillor will not be a sideline for me, a stepping stone, nor effort to promote a cause disproportionately. A broad business background and close following of the affairs and development of the community has established an informed perspective. I am politically "centrist" and value cohesion.

I will apply analytical, managerial and sales experience, as transferrable insight, from the banking, investment, insurance and real estate industries, to the role of councillor, in maintaining an accountable, fiscally sound approach to Regional government.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Region of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?

Managing change is the most pressing issue. However, as one of the fastest growing regions in the country, such growth also means confronting the darker aspects of urbanization, often related to poverty. Increasingly, in our community this is represented in homelessness and costs lives. Because the first responsibility of any government is the enablement of its constituents to acquire security of self, this represents a true emergency and demands top priority. "A better tent city" has been a success and the concept can and should be duplicated quickly in other locations. Building up community and social services, and "missing middle" housing, takes considerably longer, but is also required. That type of infrastructure is boosted by economic capability. Foundationally, we can make inroads addressing these and other pressing issues by focussing on people's common base of success: family in youth, and robust work opportunities in adulthood.

With these, progress in resolving challenges can be made. Without, problems ensue. Those "living rough" rarely have either.

While considering council issues with balance and accountability, I will have a particular interest in collaborating to diversify our economy and helping ensure job opportunities are available across the widest possible range of skill sets and abilities.

Kari Williams

Who are you?

I am a lifelong resident of Kitchener, a community volunteer, and a second time candidate. I have a master’s degree in political science and research (WLU) and enjoy working on projects that better the lives of our community members.

Why are you running?

I believe that the most effective changes happen at the local level. I ran in the last election, and after seeing many of the identified issues from 4 years ago have become increasingly problematic, I worked to gain a better understanding of local issues and policies, as well as more community and professional experience in anticipation of running again. I am very involved in the community and have seen an increased demonstrated need because of life becoming increasingly unaffordable for many. I run a free community meal program and our numbers continue to climb. While some changes that the city has made have been positive, there are a lot of changes that have left many residents behind. I want to change this.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Region of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?

Affordability, especially related to housing, is the biggest issue facing Kitchener. People are struggling to afford everything from transit passes, gas, and childcare fees, to groceries, utilities, and mortgage and rent payments. It is disappointing, but not surprising, that the amount of encampments and wait times for subsidized housing are increasing with the current low vacancy rates and low housing stock. This is unacceptable. We should have different types of units that are appropriate, cost-effective, and accessible available for Kitchener residents to be able to live and thrive in their community. Focusing on development and building communities, not just housing, is part of my overall strategy to address this issue. I will work to increase all types of units, and work toward building in a sustainable way that is beneficial to residents but also protects our greenspaces and drinking water.

Matt Rodrigues

Who are you?

After graduating from the University of Waterloo, I moved to Downtown Kitchener, meeting new neighbours along the way at many local events. I am a skilled facilitator and will ensure all voices are heard. I rent, take public transportation, and understand the barriers many of us face when accessing Regional services.

Why are you running?

I am running in this election to have the opportunity to continue to serve the community that I love as a fresh face on Regional Council. As an urban planner and chair of Kitchener’s Active Transportation and Trails Advisory Committee, I understand what it takes to build a community that leaves no one behind. I know our local decision-making process, I’ve actively followed decisions over the last term of council, and I regularly delegate and advocate to local and Regional Councils on a wide range of issues. I want to see a Region that is more connected, that puts climate action at the centre of decision-making, that invests in public health and community care, and that takes transparency and accountability seriously.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Region of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?

We are in a housing and affordability crisis, and the Region of Waterloo plays a key role in responding. To ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the Region, I will work to welcome 140,000 new neighbours in strong neighbourhoods, which support locally hired jobs within the Countryside Line, avoiding outward sprawl.

I will advocate for new public housing and support and fund co-operative ownership and land trust models to build new affordable housing units. I will also advocate for the use of Regional lands to accommodate emergency shelters and encampments with wraparound supports in the immediate term.

I will push to expand access to subsidized transit and free youth fares to allow greater access to transit services.

To support families, I will push for the broad implementation of $10-a-day child care and the investment of subsidies into the system to create new spaces, including for infants.

Further, I will advocate to re-allocate new funding towards approaches that prevent social issues and harms, including supervised consumption, public health, and community care. Overall, I will push to ensure that the 2023 Budget and future budgets prioritize the delivery of great core public services, and balance competing needs and rising inflationary pressures.

Joe Gowing

Who are you?

I was born and raised in the Region. I served as Trustee for the WCDSB and was a Provincial Candidate in the 2018.

I have been in banking for over 20 years. Many of those years I have been a Manager, Mobile Mortgage.

I live in Forest heights with my wife Ann-Marie and 3 kids.

Why are you running?

I have experience and knowledge that I know would be a great asset to Regional Council. I am an outside the box thinker in many aspects. I want to give back to my community and help make our Region a better place to live for my family and future family. This region has given me much opportunity to thrive and I want to return that to others.

I want to bring fiscal responsibility to government but not in the form of cuts but rather finding other ways to save money through partnering with private sector on project and looking at practices and processes we are currently using and potentially finding other ways to deliver them.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Region of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?

Homelessness, Affordable housing, and Transit

There is not a one size fits all solution to tackling homelessness. We need to look at the reasons why people are there. I visited the sites in town to get a better understanding as to the reasons. ‘why’. What I have found, people are there because of mental health, addiction, and financial issues that they have been battling.

I will advocate to the other levels of governments to increase funding to mental health and addiction services. Not only increase them but we need to make it more accessible to all. We need to continue to make sure that people are aware of the services we provide and to help them access them.

We need to look at affordable housing and make sure that we build more.

Last but certainly not least FREE transit! If we are going to expand our services and continue to build communities away from our downtown, we need to get people moving. Free transit will help increase business in all areas of our Region. It will help strengthen our economy and increase purchasing power of those who currently use the service.

Soo Bok Lee

Who are you?

I am Soo Bok Lee, born on 28 Dec 1964. I moved to Kitchener, Canada from Seoul, South Korea 19 years ago as an immigrant. Raising my 3 kids here with the help of the regional community, raising my three kids here with the help of the regional community, raising my three kids here with the help of the regional community business at home as a hairstylist. I also trained myself to become a Personal Support Worker in 2016.

Why are you running?

Being with the community that brought me up to who I am today, listening to their lives, sharing my life with them together with my small business, PSW work, I hear and know the decisions I need to take to resolve the issues we have, layout better plans to create an affordable living for us. Last 19 years in Kitchener helped me build my roots, career and future for my family with lots of ups & downs. Being an integral part of this community, I strongly believe that I can make the required decisions & changes to create a better society that we all deserve.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Region of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?

Affordable housing has been the most important and growing concern for the majority of the existing citizens and newcomers to our city. Be it renting or buying a home for the first time, the struggle remains the same for everyone. This has led to a lot of new homeless campsites rising in the last 4-5 years. Increased population and the inability to construct new houses to accommodate them is causing this problem across all wards in our city.

I plan to change it by working with the local corporations to repurpose their unoccupied rental spaces into affordable housing options and also getting the approvals required for new housing constructions quicker.I also will build a strategic plan that can support old & new local businesses who can help improve the economic growth of the city and continue building more employment opportunities for the residents.

Colleen James

Who are you?

I’m Colleen James, an award-winning equity and inclusion consultant, educator, and community builder. A lifelong Kitchener resident, I’m also a mother, wife, business owner, and volunteer board member who has more than 15 years of experience working in municipal government as well as the private and not-for-profit sectors.

Why are you running?

I love Waterloo region and care about our collective future. As I listen and engage with residents, I know many in our community don’t see themselves reflected at Regional Council. I want to change that. I want to ensure all voices are represented and that all voices are heard.

Regional Council decisions impact our daily lives. The decisions we make today must reflect the needs of our community now and into the future. I’m focused on building a community that works for all as well as creating a place where we can all thrive.

Regional Council decisions also determine how our community adapts and responds to the growing needs of our evolving community, including what we leave for future generations.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Region of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?

The most important issue facing the Region of Waterloo is housing. I approach this issue from three key perspectives: affordable housing, housing the unhoused and availability of homes.

There is no doubt, we are in a housing crisis. For many residents, the dream of owning a home is not a reality right now, and accessing affordable rentals is difficult. Additionally, Waterloo region is expected to grow from 600,000 residents to one million. Given our current housing demographics, there will not be enough homes to accommodate families choosing to move here.

As a result, housing must be a top priority for the next regional council. We must work to address affordable housing, find homes for the unhoused and look at ways to increase the availability of homes for families. This includes advocating on behalf of our community to the federal and provincial governments for additional funding as well as getting creative within our own community by partnering with the private sector.

Finally, we must also focus on equity and access for residents, including access to homes, housing the unhoused, mental health supports and providing equitable access to services for all in our community.

Michael Harris

Who are you?

I am a father and a husband and I’m proud to call Kitchener and Waterloo Region home. There’s no better place to live and raise a family. Serving our community for over 10 years—first as an MPP for seven years, and Regional Councillor since 2018—has been a privilege.

Why are you running?

I’m running because I care about this community and I care about the future.

The pandemic reminded all of us that we must continue to act with our community in mind – whether that’s supporting our local businesses, looking out for our neighbours, or planning for the future and what that future looks like for our children.

Respect for taxpayers, efficient government, and value for service has always been a priority for me. I’ve tried to champion this on Council over the last term, and it’s something I vow to keep fighting for if re-elected – because that will shape what Waterloo Region looks like in the years to come.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Region of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?

Affordability is key. We’re seeing the cost of everything rise and the impact of this is being felt right across the region whether we’re talking about housing or the cost of living more broadly. We need to act with that in mind. Affordability must be a priority.

We of course also need to balance affordability with the services that are offered through and provided by the Region of Waterloo. Things like infrastructure, public health, policing and community safety, transit, etc. We need to make sure that we are listening to the community and working with our partners across the region and other levels of government to ensure that the needs of our residents are being heard and acted upon at all levels.

Iffat Sultana Riasat

Who are you?

I am a proud Kitchener Resident and I have lived in the community since 2014.

I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia, and I am a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. I have worked with people from many different categories of immigration, but I particularly found working with Refugees fleeing persecution most rewarding.

Why are you running?

I am passionate about helping people. I understand the challenges vulnerable people face and I want to help our most vulnerable population get back on their feet. I will approach issues with empathy and help the region make sensible decisions. I will work to ensure regional policies are aligned with scientific facts and studies.

I want to help build a strong community and ensure the region is equipped to accommodate the rapid growth.

I want to be a positive role model for my children, and I want them to be proud of the work I do.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Region of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?

Homelessness and affordable housing is the most pressing issue.

The current wait times for community housing is 3-8 years depending on the type of unit. There are currently 6000 households on the waitlist.

In 2019 the Region released a plan to create only 600 new units over the next 10 years.

Unfortunately, these numbers do not add up. The region has only planned to house 10% of the families on the waitlist. We need to work to create more housing units with the ultimate goal of housing all the families on the waitlist.

The federal government has recently announced 2 Billion dollars in spending to address housing living affordability. I will work to ensure the region is able to secure a sizable portion of these funds.

There are currently over 1000 people experiencing homelessness in our region; the amount of people experiencing homelessness has nearly tripled since 2018. By creating more affordable housing units we can help over 70 per cent of the homeless population.

At a region,nal level we need to provide our homeless population with the support and tools needed to help them succeed. I will advocate for the following services specifically for our vulnerable homeless population:

· Bus Passes

· Public Internet access

· Housing search support

· Outreach workers

· Expanding emergency shelter services

Mac Graham

Who are you?

I am a Husband to Popy, Father to Bryan and Aaron, owner of Klyne Financial, a proud Rotarian and Knight of Columbus. I am a co-founder of the KW Cares movement, the founder of KW Trivia Challenge and the founder of the Great Spring Cleanup. I also am a licensed financial advisor, I graduated from UWO and I speak both official languages.

Why are you running?

I love this Region. I believe it is the best place in the country to live, work and raise a family (and I've lived in many places). That doesn't mean that it is not without its problems. Right now we are facing an unsheltered crisis. There are over 1000 people living without a home in the Region. In addition, the current cost of owning a home or renting an apartment are so incredibly high that it's getting harder and harder to afford to live in this region.

I come from a family where you weren't allowed to complain about a problem unless you were willing to be part of the solution. So here I am. I have put my hat in the ring. I am willing to work on these challenges on behalf of the people of Kitchener. To do that I need your vote on Oct. 24th.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Region of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?

The Housing Crisis – Waterloo Region is no longer an affordable place to live. I want my children and yours to be able to afford to buy a home here someday. That’s looking more and more out of reach for a lot of people. We must increase the supply of housing to satisfy the demand and improve the approvals process so we get homes built faster. It’s all about supply and demand. Right now there is way more demand for housing than we are providing. If we were, the average home price wouldn’t be $875,000 and the median rent for a one bedroom wouldn’t be $1700 per month. Does anyone think that is "affordable" We need more inventory of housing and we need it now.

We must recognize the problems created by the creation of the countryside line and find more land for homebuilders to build on. What started as a great idea to encourage urban density has inadvertently turned our Region into Canada’s largest gated community. An exclusive place where few can afford to live.

Michael Parkinson

Who are you?

I’m a lifelong resident, husband, and proud father of 3 children. As a volunteer, non-profit leader, and staff in municipal government, I have been actively advancing the public interest for about 30 years. I am equally comfortable in board rooms, homeless shelters, hockey arenas, or around a campfire.

Why are you running?

I am deeply concerned about multiple crises occurring now where I have serious experience and expertise to move us toward healthier, safer, and less expensive solutions for residents and businesses. A crisis is an opportunity, not a spectator sport, and who isn’t frustrated witnessing governments doing the same things over and over and expecting different results? For voters seeking real progress on housing and homelessness, crime and safety, urban and environmental growth management, I’m a man with a plan who can and will given the opportunity. Innovation and collaboration grounded in equity, evidence, and community wisdom is my passion. Half of the next Council will be new members, and with 18 years of experience inside Regional government, my operational experience is a real plus.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Region of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?

There are several pressing, connected issues of concern that are best solved together. Isolated attempts will continue to fail and frustrate taxpayers. Embracing complexity and equity is essential.

My overall priority includes advancing proven prevention initiatives that produce excellent, comprehensive results and superior financial returns on public spending versus budgets that chronically favour expensive, isolated, and reactive approaches. Today’s crises are yesterday’s missed prevention opportunities. Overflowing hospitals, homeless shelters, and prisons are not symptoms of success. Waterloo region is capable of better, for both present and future generations.

The number one concern at the door is housing, homelessness, and encampments - for residents and businesses. Repurposing empty buildings and/or a small portion of the thousands of acres of vacant land across Waterloo region into Red Cross-style humanitarian relief operations is an immediate, practical option. Government should not manage it - the expertise for bold approaches to related issues of substance use, mental health, and community safety is found elsewhere.

Increasing the variety and supply of housing stock through innovative projects waiting in the private, public, and non-profit sectors is essential. Encouraging action from the provincial and federal governments is a priority- relying on property tax revenue to fund initiatives is unfair and unsustainable.

Heather R. Caron

Heather R. Carson did not reply to the CTV candidate survey.

Mary Henein Thorn

Mary Henein Thorn did not have an email or website with contact information listed on the official list of candidates.

Duncan McLean

Duncan McLean did not have an email or website with contact information listed on the official list of candidates.