CTV News Kitchener reached out those vying for a position on Waterloo City Council or Region of Waterloo Council ahead of the municipal election on Oct. 26, 2026. Residents in the City of Waterloo will vote for one councillor to represent their ward and up to two councillors to represent the city on Region of Waterloo Council. 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 Jeyas Balaskanthan Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? JB: Waterloo has been home since 1997. I was a student here, and have worked at both Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo. I have volunteered across our community, and most recently was the executive director of the Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area. I love this city. It has all the ingredients to be the best place to live in Canada, and I believe I can help us reach higher. But I can’t do it alone. My entire life has been centered around helping people and building community, and it will take all of us to help Waterloo grow into its full potential. I’ve been knocking on doors across the city and it’s clear that Waterloo residents are concerned about their taxes, affordability, and safety. Residents aren’t sure the City is listening. We can change this. My leadership approach is simple: I show up, I listen, and I create solutions by bringing the right people together. I’ve done this in Uptown, and now I want to do this across the City of Waterloo to help us reach our full potential as the most entrepreneurial, safe and innovative city in Canada. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? JB: It’s clear from my engagement with thousands of Waterloo residents and business owners that the most pressing issue for our community is affordability and the value we receive for the taxes we pay. And while the issue of affordability is also tied to Federal and Provincial policy areas, we cannot ignore how our municipality affects it. The City of Waterloo’s net operating budget in 2026 is $115 million. Our job as elected officials is to ensure that this money is spent as effectively as possible. We cannot accept increased taxation as a solution to every spending decision. We are an innovative city, so let’s put that approach to work as we look at how we spend, where we spend and how we might do so more effectively. And so, when elected, I’ll immediately get to work on developing a comprehensive understanding of where every dollar goes in our city to ensure we are making spending decisions that balance affordability with the priorities of residents. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? JB: This is an exceptionally important but challenging question. I am very well aware of the issue of additions within the City, especially in public spaces, given my work Uptown. There are serious safety considerations that we need to address, as well as ensuring that we treat all of our residents with dignity. As Mayor, I’ll advocate to the Region, federal, and provincial governments for increased shelter spaces and supportive housing. Importantly, current wait times for residential addiction treatment beds can stretch into months. This is unacceptable for both the individuals struggling with addiction and the community around them. We need to solve this. We need the Province to come to the table and partner with cities to fund and provide enough spaces so our vulnerable residents can access compassionate and effective care quickly. The City of Waterloo can do its part for long-term solutions by being proactive; we can help identify and champion shovel-ready projects, and ensure that we speed up approvals and planning for projects geared to address this issue and the individuals it affects. And we must do all of this while balancing the rights of residents to safely access and enjoy public spaces. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? JB: This past year Waterloo Region was on the front page of the Globe and Mail because of the future water issues that surfaced. These weren’t new issues. Reports were written as early as 2015 about them. But not enough attention was paid to those challenges, and to how we need to be proactive to address them. The water capacity shortage is about a disconnect with planning for growth - we need to make sure we are realistic with our planning targets and make certain we can absorb new homes and residents. Moving forward, we need to act with transparency, clarity and accountability to ensure we acknowledge what we need to put in place to ensure our growth targets are sustainable. And ultimately as a Mayor I need to work in close coordination with my regional colleagues to ensure that our regional and municipal growth plans include the prudent management of, and investment in, our water resources and infrastructure. Jamie Hari Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? JH: I first got into politics in 2025, when I ran for Member of Parliament for Waterloo in the federal election. My two main motivations for running again this year remain: to spend time with my son, who is attending Wilfrid Laurier for Political Science this fall, and ultimately to make a better future possible for him. We had a fun (and educational) experience last year going through the process to get nominated, collecting nomination signatures, preparing for the debate, and even doing a local radio show together on Radio Waterloo with Bob Jonkman. I am looking forward to more of that time with him this election, too. With that said, things are seriously wrong and getting worse at an alarming rate, locally and globally. Unemployment, homelessness, food insecurity, and the cost of living are all at multi-year highs. Federally and provincially, our democratic rights are being eroded at an ever-faster pace. Ontario Bill 100, for example, made Regional Chairs an appointed position and gave them absolute veto powers over elected city councils. Municipal governments are consistently underfunded and scapegoated by the provincial government. I don’t blame municipal politicians for this, except for staying quiet about it. I think mayors need to get loud and actively fight back against the corruption at Queen’s Park and in the House of Commons. I believe human needs are human rights and that it’s the government’s responsibility to ensure they’re provided to everyone. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? JH: There is no singular issue facing the City of Waterloo or Canada as a whole; instead, I believe we face several severe crises simultaneously. While many politicians are distracted by identity politics and similar topics-du-jour, I believe the focus of government in general should remain on the essentials: food, water, shelter, healthcare, education, transit, and a livable environment. I think the municipal government specifically should get directly involved in the areas where they have the most impact: food, water, shelter, and transit. This includes creating and operating city-owned, union-run organizations that reliably provide these services at no-cost or extremely low-cost. Being a part of the Region of Waterloo unfortunately does significantly hamper the city’s ability to independently allocate resources to local needs. This is very much by design; the provincial government continues to manipulate municipal governance law to consolidate power upward and tie the hands of city councils. Take for example the staggering annual budget difference between the City of Waterloo at just about $110 million compared to the Region of Waterloo at more than $1.7 billion. If the City of Waterloo makes up about 20 per cent of the Region (by population), that means the City of Waterloo council only gets control of about 24 per cent of the total municipal taxes collected from Waterluvians; the rest is effectively dictated by the Premier. Even if the mayor and all councilors unanimously agree on a budget, Doug Ford can (and likely would) intervene to reallocate resources as he sees fit. How is that that fair or reasonable? Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? JH: Addiction is a mental health issue and should be exclusively treated as such. While neither the mayor nor city council have the authority to decriminalize all drugs, we can work with the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) to make it the de facto reality within the City of Waterloo limits. It has been shown time-and-time-and-time again that a dollar invested in housing and wrap-around supports for people suffering from addiction and homelessness saves far more than was spent in healthcare, policing, and other social services costs. Putting aside the humanitarian aspect entirely, it’s literally the best financial decision possible. It has also been repeatedly demonstrated that the effectiveness of drug addiction programs is more than doubled when patients are first given stable housing and food security. Homelessness is inextricably linked to drug addiction, so treating both simultaneously is absolutely necessary to ensure success. Other tangible solutions include significantly expanding the availability of harm reduction services, including: supervised consumption sites (SCS), drug testing and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing services, and mental health support services. (To be clear, harm reduction alone is not a solution!) Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? JH: Solving for local water capacity issues comes in two phases. In the short term, I would introduce a few bylaws, including: Longer term solutions would involve: Jerry Jiang Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Dorothy McCabe Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? DM: I am seeking a second term as Mayor because I want to continue providing experienced, collaborative leadership focused on practical results. Waterloo is at an important moment. Our city is growing quickly, and the decisions we make now about housing, health care, climate change, infrastructure, economic development, recreation and public safety will shape Waterloo for decades. During my first term, I initiated, led and launched BuildNowWR at 2025 University Avenue East, one of Canada’s largest affordable and attainable housing projects. This partnership with Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region and local private and non-profit housing developers is already moving forward, with the first 85 co-operative housing units under construction and approximately 800 additional units planned over the next two to three years. In my second term, I will ensure this innovative and urgently needed housing project – with high sustainability standards - continues. Council also worked with and supported the University of Waterloo to identify a site for Waterloo’s first hospital. This is a transformative health-care project. I will continue working with the Waterloo Region Healthcare Network and the provincial government to advance planning and secure the capital funding needed to deliver it. I will also remain a strong advocate for local small, medium and large businesses. At a time of trade uncertainty, Waterloo needs steady leadership that helps local companies identify new opportunities. One initiative I led brought together the City, the Accelerator Centre and the provincial government to advance health-tech research and development, to create approximately 120 new jobs. I am proud of progress on affordable housing, hospital planning, infrastructure and fire safety. There is more work ahead to ensure Waterloo remains ambitious, inclusive, innovative and affordable for people of every age, income and ability. Q: What is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? DM: Housing affordability and availability is Waterloo’s most pressing challenge. Youth, young families, seniors, newcomers and lower-income renters all need more housing choices at prices they can manage. As Mayor, I have made housing a priority and took the bold step of initiating, leading and developing, BuildNowWR at 2025 University Avenue East, an innovative, sustainable, affordable and attainable housing development. This is one of the largest affordable and attainable housing projects in Canada. Shovels are already in the ground and the first 85 housing co-operative homes are being built by Union Community Housing. In partnership with Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region and other nonprofit and private housing partners, hundreds more units will be built in the next 2 to 3 years. Numerous other housing developments across Waterloo are also in progress. Over my first term in office, I have worked closely with nonprofit and for-profit housing providers to ensure that a variety of new homes - affordable, attainable, supportive, cooperative, purpose-built rental – are approved and ready for construction. To address the cost of housing, it is critical to increase the housing supply. However, the housing market is complex and there are many external factors that influence the cost of housing – the cost of land, inflation, the supply chain, private financing – and developers’ interest and ability in building. As Mayor, I continue to support appropriate density near transit, clear and predictable planning rules, efficient approvals and complete neighbourhoods where residents can access services, jobs, parks and transit as close to home as possible. Over my term in office, we also enacted legislation and updated policies to protect tenants through strong property-standards enforcement and I continue to support Waterloo’s Rental Housing Licensing Program – one of the most robust in Canada – to ensure that rental housing is safe for tenants. In my second term, I commit to continuing to work with the Region, post-secondary institutions, non-profit providers, the development community and the federal and provincial governments to expand affordable, supportive, attainable and purpose-built rental housing. Municipalities cannot solve affordability alone. Continuing as Mayor, I commit to responsibly planning for growth and to advocate for the funding and policy tools needed to build homes faster. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? DM: Addictions must be addressed as a health, housing, social justice and equity and community safety issue from a trauma informed, human centred perspective. Addictions are a complex issue and require solutions that are multi-faceted, partnership-based and informed by research. The City of Waterloo has an important role within its municipal responsibilities through which to provide support and, from a housing perspective, to help provide solutions. This includes, providing and ensuring supportive safe and welcoming public spaces, working with the Region and community partners on encampment responses, providing tools for reporting needle debris, advancing supportive, affordable and attainable housing, and strengthening community connection through recreation and neighbourhood services. It is important to note, that the Region of Waterloo leads housing and homelessness services, while the Province has primary responsibility for health care, mental-health services and addictions treatment. However, the provincial government has a very important responsibility and role to play. As Mayor, along with Mayors from across Ontario, I have met with provincial Ministers and the Premier to ask the province to provide the funding needed for people seeking counselling for addictions, mental health counselling and for operating funding for supportive housing. Quite simply, the provincial government must do more. As Mayor, I brought forward Waterloo Council’s unanimous support for Ontario’s Big City Mayors’ Solve the Crisis campaign. This campaign calls on the provincial and federal governments to provide stable, long-term funding for mental-health and addictions care, supportive housing, treatment, harm reduction, recovery services and the wraparound supports people need to succeed. We need stronger, easier-to-navigate pathways from outreach to treatment, recovery and permanent housing, with services available when people are ready to accept help. That requires coordinated work among the Region, hospitals, police, outreach agencies, municipalities, the Province and people with lived experience. It also requires shared data, clear responsibilities and accountability for results. Residents deserve clean, safe public spaces, and people experiencing addiction deserve compassionate, evidence-informed support. These goals are not in conflict. We must advance addictions support, mental health counselling, public safety, housing stability and access to care together. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? DM: Water capacity is a serious and immediate issue affecting drinking water, agriculture, housing, hospitals, post-secondary institutions, businesses and responsible growth. While the Region of Waterloo secures, treats and manages the broader water and wastewater system, the City of Waterloo and other local municipalities purchase and distribute water to residential, commercial and institutional users. As Mayor and Regional Councillor for Waterloo, I have worked with Regional and City staff, the development community and major water users to advance practical, coordinated solutions. I continue meeting with other mayors and the Regional Chair to ensure our response is coordinated and that residents, institutions and businesses receive clear, consistent information. My position is clear: growth must be aligned with confirmed water and wastewater capacity. Waterloo’s June 2026 water-allocation policy provides a transparent way to prioritize the limited capacity available, including essential projects such as affordable housing, health-care facilities and significant employment development. It also supports directing growth to areas where existing infrastructure can serve it efficiently and requires developers to demonstrate servicing capacity before proceeding. Conservation must be part of both the immediate and long-term solution. Developers and builders should use water-efficient design, fixtures, landscaping and construction practices. Residents, businesses, post-secondary institutions and municipalities must also reduce unnecessary potable-water use. Conservation will not eliminate the need for new infrastructure, but it can preserve capacity, reduce costs and improve long-term resilience. The Region is advancing urgent repairs and capacity projects, including Parkway reservoir and pumping-station upgrades, rehabilitation at the Greenbrook water treatment plant and Well K93, and the Mannheim Water Treatment Plant side-stream project. The side-stream project is intended to safely add near-term treated-water capacity while longer-term upgrades are developed. My Regional Council motions accelerated work on the Long-Term Water Supply Strategy from 2028–29 to early 2027. A separate motion to review the CAM 2W pumping-station approach identified a more efficient permanent solution expected to save approximately $10 million. We need continued public reporting on capacity, costs, timelines and allocation decisions, as well as predictable provincial and federal infrastructure funding. Water and wastewater services must remain publicly owned and municipally managed. Shannon Weber Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? SW: I’m running for Mayor because I know what Waterloo is capable of. We have extraordinary people, globally recognized institutions, innovative businesses and neighbourhoods that people love. We have everything we need to be a world-class community, one that is ambitious about our future and delivers results for the people who call Waterloo home. That’s the potential that inspired me to run for Mayor four years ago. It was a very close race, and I fell short by just 331 votes. Over the last four years I’ve heard from residents and business owners who are frustrated with the direction our city is heading and that we have not been living up to our potential. And to me, that comes down to leadership. What Waterloo needs now is leadership that is focused on turning our potential into results. I believe we can be ambitious without becoming unaffordable. We can build for the future while getting the basics right today. We can maintain what we own, support responsible growth, help local businesses thrive and protect the neighbourhoods and public spaces that make Waterloo home. My approach is grounded in three principles: Residents should not be asked to pay more without seeing better results. City Hall should listen, respect your money and report openly on what it is achieving. I’m running to take Waterloo down a different path. One that puts affordability, strong services and the people who call this community home at the centre of every decision. Waterloo can be ambitious and affordable. And I’m ready to lead. For more information, visit shannonweber.ca. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? SW: The most pressing issue facing Waterloo right now is affordability. This summer, I’ve connected with thousands of residents and heard one concern over and over again: life is getting harder to afford, and people are worried about their future in Waterloo. It’s the young person wondering whether they can afford to live in the community where they grew up. The family facing another increase in household costs. The senior wondering whether they can afford to remain in their home. And the small business owner watching every expense while trying to keep their doors open. These residents, and so many more like them, are not statistics to me. They are the reason I am running for Mayor of Waterloo. Over the past four years, residents have seen a 27 per cent increase in property taxes. And they’re asking a fair question: what do we have to show for it? Every day, residents make tough decisions about their budgets, and city leadership needs to do the same. As Mayor, I will take the following concrete actions to rein in spending and assure we have an affordable community. 1. Bring discipline, transparency and accountability to City spending. Good intentions are not enough. Every tax dollar needs to deliver value, and we need to be asking tough questions before new projects and commitments are approved: Do we need it? Can we afford it? Are taxpayers getting value for it? Fiscal responsibility isn’t simply about spending less. It’s about spending wisely, finding efficiencies, getting the basics right and making sure we can afford the commitments we make, not just today, but over the long term. 2. Lower future tax increases to the rate of inflation. Affordability will be a first-order consideration in every major City decision and not an afterthought. Moving forward I commit to lowering tax increases to inflationary rates so that taxes don’t continue to outpace the cost of living. 3. Get back to basics and invest responsibly for the future Waterloo doesn’t have to choose between ambition and affordability. We can get back to basics, maintain the infrastructure we already own, deliver strong services and invest responsibly in our future, while keeping Waterloo affordable for the people who call it home. Waterloo can be ambitious and affordable. Good government should deliver both. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? SW: We need to approach addictions with both compassion and accountability. People struggling with addiction need a pathway to recovery, and residents also need to feel safe in their neighbourhoods and public spaces. As Mayor, I will make sure Waterloo doesn’t have to choose between compassion and community safety. We can build a system that helps people get the support and recovery they need while protecting our neighbourhoods and public spaces by focusing on the following actions. 1. Creating more access to treatment and recovery. The City of Waterloo cannot expand service capacity on its own, but we can be a strong advocate with the Province and Region for more treatment and recovery beds, mental-health services and timely access to care. I will work with my colleagues across the region and with key decision makers at the Province and Federal government to push for expanded access to treatment and recovery programs and a review of the system to address gaps in care. 2. Strengthening the system so people get the help they need. Too often, residents seeking help are not getting the support they need to succeed. Addiction rarely exists in isolation. Mental health, housing, employment and other supports are often part of someone’s pathway to recovery. But better coordination between levels of government, health-care providers, community organizations, and the police will ensure people aren’t falling through the cracks and get the help they need. I have worked across organizations and governments to bring people together around difficult issues to move from conversation to action. As Mayor, I would use this experience to bring the Region, health-care providers, community organizations, police and the provincial government together to identify the gaps, coordinate services and ensure Waterloo gets the resources we need. 3. Balancing the needs of those struggling with addictions and general community safety. Waterloo shouldn’t have to choose between empathy and community safety. We need a system that offers a balanced, practical approach: expanding access to prevention, treatment and recovery, while ensuring there is appropriate enforcement when there is violence, property crime or behaviour that puts others at risk. We can care about the person struggling with addiction and care about the resident who wants to walk through their neighbourhood safely. Those aren’t competing values. A good leader will guide our community to do both. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? SW: Water is essential infrastructure, and this shortage should never have reached the point where housing, jobs and economic growth were put at risk. The Region is responsible for our municipal water supply, but the Mayor of Waterloo also sits and votes on Regional Council. The City controls local planning decisions and how Waterloo’s share of available water capacity is allocated. Waterloo’s Mayor therefore has an important leadership role at both levels. Our proactive planning and subsequent response has been too slow. Reacting to an infrastructure crisis after it happens is not good enough. As Mayor, I would focus on three things. I would push to accelerate every viable project that can safely bring additional water capacity online, with clear timelines and regular, transparent public reporting. There has been far too much political wrangling on this issue at the expense of our residents, business and overall water supply. In my municipal work, I have seen first-hand how leadership can respond quickly and practically to a challenge when they work collaboratively and at a systems level, all with service in mind. I would bring that same urgency to Waterloo, particularly for housing, employment and essential infrastructure. We cannot set ambitious housing and growth targets without ensuring the infrastructure exists to support them. Water, wastewater, housing and economic-development planning must be integrated years ahead of demand – not addressed only when we reach a constraint. All area municipalities and key stakeholders must work together on this. No surprises, planning ahead and being deeply engaged with a commitment to tackle our water issue. I have worked directly with Municipal, Regional and Provincial governments and understand how important those relationships are to getting things done. We need stronger leadership, accountability and a long-term infrastructure plan that ensures we never find ourselves in this position again. Ward 1 Joel Botter Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? JB: As a lifelong resident of Waterloo, I’ve seen how the decisions made at the municipal level can impact our communities. In a time when we are experiencing issues as serious as cost-of-living, climate change, and threats to our very sovereignty, I could not sit by any longer. I believe it is time for those who are serious about tackling these issues to stand up and put their names forward to serve our communities. We simply can’t kick the can down the road, or expect easy solutions, any longer. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? JB: As anyone could tell you, there are a myriad of issues facing Waterloo’s community. In my opinion the most pressing issue is the one of affordability. This is the issue which many others stem from. Whether the homelessness epidemic, increasing food bank usage, or brain drain - affordability is the heart of the cause of these issues. Governments at all levels must do everything in their power to bring the costs of living down, and fast. At the municipal level, Waterloo needs to focus on housing, property taxes, transportation, and development costs. First and foremost, we need to build more housing that people can actually afford. The City should continue allowing greater density, particularly around transit corridors and the ION, while reducing unnecessary barriers to apartments, townhouses, and other forms of “missing middle” housing. The City should also work with the Region and private, non-profit, and co-operative housing providers to increase the supply of affordable and supportive housing. Second, the City needs to be careful about property taxes and municipal fees. Residents already face increasing costs for housing, groceries, and utilities, and large tax increases can make that pressure worse. Council should prioritize essential services, identify opportunities to reduce administrative costs, and ensure taxpayers receive clear value for every dollar collected. Third, Waterloo should make it easier and cheaper to get around without a car. Transportation is a major household expense, particularly for students, seniors, and lower-income families. Improving public transit, cycling infrastructure, and pedestrian connections would give residents more affordable alternatives to driving. The City should also work with the Region to improve transit frequency and reliability. Finally, Waterloo should make local development more efficient. Long approval processes, unnecessary regulations, and high development charges can increase the cost of building housing. The City should review its approval processes and regulations to determine which requirements genuinely improve communities and which simply add costs and delays. Affordability cannot be solved by the municipal government alone, but Waterloo can make a meaningful difference. Build more housing, protect taxpayers, reduce transportation costs, and remove unnecessary barriers to development. Most importantly, every major municipal decision should be evaluated by asking a simple question: Will this make Waterloo more affordable for the people who live here? Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? JB: Addiction is a difficult issue without any clear or easy answers. I believe the Waterloo Region needs to treat addiction primarily as a health and community issue, while still addressing the public safety concerns that accompany it. The Region has already made progress, but more coordinated and accessible services are needed. In 2025, several opioid-related indicators declined, but Public Health cautions that the illegal drug supply remains unpredictable and that the reasons for the decline are unclear. First, treatment needs to become easier to access. People should not have to navigate multiple organizations or wait weeks to receive help. Waterloo should expand rapid-access addiction medicine, withdrawal management, counselling, and long-term treatment, with services available evenings and weekends. A single coordinated intake system could immediately connect someone with the appropriate service. The Region already identifies Here 24/7 as a central intake and referral service, so this system could be strengthened rather than duplicated. Second, harm-reduction services should be expanded, not reduced. Free naloxone, drug checking, overdose education, and outreach workers can prevent deaths while connecting people to treatment. This is particularly important because the Waterloo Region has recently experienced drug supplies containing highly potent and unexpected substances. Third, addiction policy must address homelessness and poverty. Treatment is much less likely to succeed when someone has nowhere safe to live. The Region should increase supportive and transitional housing specifically for people dealing with addiction, while connecting housing with mental-health care, employment assistance, and addiction treatment. The Region’s new HART Hub model is an important step in this direction. Fourth, prevention needs to start earlier. Schools and community organizations should provide age-appropriate education about addiction, mental health, coping skills, and the risks of fentanyl and other drugs. Youth should also have easier access to confidential counselling before substance use becomes a serious addiction. Finally, people with lived experience should have a formal role in designing these programs. Waterloo already has a collaborative approach involving health, community, and other partners; future decisions should continue that approach and measure results based on overdoses prevented, treatment access, housing stability, and long-term recovery. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? JB: Water capacity is an important issue for the Waterloo Region because the community continues to grow, while our water infrastructure must keep up with that growth. I believe the solution should focus on increasing capacity, upgrading existing infrastructure, and making sure development does not move faster than our ability to provide essential services. First, the Waterloo Region should continue investing in new water infrastructure, including expanding water treatment and distribution capacity where necessary. The Region should identify areas where water systems are approaching their limits and prioritize upgrades before shortages become emergencies. Long-term infrastructure planning should also account for projected population growth rather than simply responding after capacity has already been reached. Second, new development should be closely connected to available water capacity. Municipal governments should regularly review whether there is enough water and wastewater capacity before approving major developments. If infrastructure cannot support additional residents, developers should contribute financially to the upgrades required to accommodate their projects. Growth should help pay for the infrastructure it requires rather than placing the entire burden on existing taxpayers. Third, Waterloo should invest more heavily in water conservation. This could include incentives for low-flow toilets, efficient appliances, rain barrels, and drought-resistant landscaping. The Region could also increase public education about reducing unnecessary water consumption, particularly during periods of high demand. Conservation would not replace infrastructure improvements, but it could reduce pressure on the system while new capacity is being developed. Fourth, the Region should reduce water loss from aging infrastructure. Leaking pipes can waste significant amounts of treated water before it ever reaches residents. Regular inspections, leak detection, and replacement of the oldest water mains would help preserve existing capacity and make the current system more efficient. Finally, the Waterloo Region needs clear long-term planning and communication with residents. The Region should publish regular updates showing current water capacity, projected demand, planned infrastructure projects, and expected completion dates. This would allow residents and developers to understand the limits of the system and would make it easier to hold decision-makers accountable. Overall, my plan would combine infrastructure investment, responsible development, conservation, and maintenance. Waterloo should prepare for future growth now instead of waiting until water capacity becomes a crisis. By planning ahead and making growth pay its fair share, the Region can support new housing and businesses without compromising reliable access to water. Sandra Hanmer Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Ward 2 Asna Al-Wahsh Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Khaled Berbash Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? KB: Well, I decided to run because I felt that my community needed experienced technical leadership capable of turning residents’ concerns into practical and achievable solutions. People regularly raise concerns about traffic calming, road and sidewalk safety, snow clearing, parks and recreation, community programs, municipal services, affordability, neighbourhood safety, and the overall quality of everyday life. These issues require more than general promises; they require careful planning, realistic priorities, responsible budgeting, and consistent follow-through. I believe the City should continue improving the reliability, accessibility, and efficiency of the services residents use every day. This includes better winter maintenance, safer streets and pedestrian routes, well-maintained parks and recreational facilities, stronger neighbourhood programs, and more responsive communication between residents and City Hall. While policing is a Regional responsibility, the City can still improve community safety through better street lighting, thoughtful urban design, municipal bylaw enforcement, traffic-safety measures, and effective cooperation with the Region and Waterloo Regional Police Service. Affordability and responsible development are also important priorities. The City cannot control every factor affecting the cost of living, but it can influence housing supply, development patterns, infrastructure planning, municipal fees, and the efficient use of City-owned land and facilities. New development should be balanced, responsible, and supported by adequate roads, water capacity, parks, transportation, and other public services. Growth should contribute positively to existing neighbourhoods rather than placing unreasonable pressure on residents or municipal infrastructure. At the same time, Council must manage the City’s operating and capital budgets responsibly. We should review programs, improve procurement, use technology wisely, strengthen partnerships, and optimize municipal assets to achieve better value for every tax dollar. The objective should be to help control property-tax increases without weakening the essential frontline services residents depend on. I would bring more than 35 years of diverse professional and practical experience, supported by academic credentials in architecture and urban planning, infrastructure and construction management, and public-policy analysis and development. Most importantly, I would listen to residents, work collaboratively with Council and City staff, and apply that experience to deliver practical, transparent, and financially responsible solutions for our community. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? KB: It is very difficult to identify only one pressing issue because many of the challenges facing Waterloo are interconnected and influence one another. However, I believe affordability —particularly housing affordability and the rising cost of living — is among the most urgent concerns for our community. Many residents are struggling with increasing rents, limited affordable and supportive housing, higher grocery and household costs, and homeownership prices that are increasingly beyond the reach of middle-income families and young people. Unemployment and uncertain economic conditions can make these pressures even more difficult. Seniors on fixed incomes, newcomers, students, young families, and people with disabilities may be especially affected. The City cannot directly control grocery prices, interest rates, wages, unemployment, or the broader housing market. However, it can take meaningful action within its municipal responsibilities. Waterloo can support a greater range of housing choices, including rental apartments, townhouses, additional residential units, family-sized homes, seniors’ housing, and affordable or non-market housing. The City can also improve zoning regulations, make development approvals more efficient, use municipal land strategically, support partnerships with non-profit and private-sector housing providers, and ensure that new development is balanced and supported by adequate water, roads, parks, and other infrastructure. Affordability is also connected to property taxes and the cost of municipal services. Council must manage operating and capital budgets responsibly, improve efficiency, optimize City assets, pursue partnerships and external funding, and ensure residents receive good value for every tax dollar. However, controlling tax increases must be balanced with maintaining essential services and renewing aging infrastructure. Improving affordability would have wider benefits for the entire community. Stable and appropriate housing can support better physical and mental health, stronger families, safer neighbourhoods, and greater participation in community life. It can also help Waterloo attract and retain workers, support local businesses, create employment opportunities, and strengthen the municipal tax base. Therefore, affordability should be addressed through practical municipal action, responsible financial management, balanced development, and strong cooperation with the Region, provincial and federal governments, community organizations, and the private sector. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? KB: This is a multi-jurisdictional responsibility involving the municipal, Regional, provincial, and federal governments. The Province is primarily responsible for healthcare, mental-health treatment, and rehabilitation services, while the Region delivers public-health, paramedic, housing, homelessness, and community-support services. The federal government also has an important role in criminal law, border control, prevention programs, and funding. The City’s responsibilities are more focused on municipal enforcement, public spaces, local programs, and partnerships with community organizations. An increase in substance-use and addiction problems can place additional pressure on mental-health services, emergency departments, paramedics, outreach programs, shelters, supportive housing, police, courts, and treatment and recovery facilities. It can also contribute to community-safety concerns and public disorder. However, we should not label all people experiencing addiction as criminals. Addiction is often connected to mental-health challenges, trauma, poverty, homelessness, and other complex circumstances. Our response must therefore balance compassion with accountability. We need stronger prevention and education, early intervention, accessible mental-health care, rapid access to treatment, rehabilitation and recovery programs, supportive housing, and evidence-based harm reduction. At the same time, firm enforcement is necessary against drug trafficking, violence, property crime, and dangerous behaviour that threatens residents, businesses, and neighbourhoods. At the municipal level, I would support better lighting, cleanliness, safe sharps disposal, responsive bylaw enforcement, safer parks and public spaces, and stronger partnerships with the Region, police, healthcare providers, and community agencies. I would also advocate for clear performance measures so taxpayers can see whether publicly funded programs are achieving meaningful results. These services are ultimately funded by taxpayers, but the increasing cost should not be downloaded mainly onto municipal property taxes. Approximately 60% of a typical Waterloo residential property-tax bill supports Regional services, although not all of that amount is related to addiction. The provincial and federal governments must provide stable, long-term funding—including a fairer allocation of HST or comparable revenues—so municipalities can address these challenges without placing unreasonable pressure on property taxpayers or reducing other essential services. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? KB: Water capacity and the treatment and bulk supply of municipal water are primarily the Region’s responsibilities, while the City manages local water distribution, municipal infrastructure, development approvals, and the allocation of available water capacity. As a councillor and member of the City Council team, I would work firmly and collaboratively with the Region to ensure that Waterloo receives a fair and reasonable share of available and future water capacity. At the City level, we must optimize the use of our existing water supply to meet the needs of current residents, businesses, and institutions while supporting balanced and responsible new development. Growth must be coordinated with available water capacity and the timely expansion of infrastructure so that existing neighbourhoods and services are not negatively affected. I would support the transparent, consistent, and efficient administration of Waterloo’s 2026 Water Supply Allocation Policy to achieve the best value for every available unit of water capacity. Allocation decisions should consider project readiness, affordable housing, employment opportunities, community benefits, responsible growth, and measurable water-conservation commitments. Capacity should not be reserved indefinitely for developments that are not ready to proceed. Water conservation must also be part of the solution. The City should encourage residents, businesses, institutions, and developers to use low-flow fixtures, water-efficient landscaping, smart meters, automated monitoring systems, and leak-detection technologies. The City should also continue renewing aging pipes and reducing water loss within the municipal distribution system. For new developments, we should encourage practical water-management solutions such as rainwater harvesting, greywater reuse, efficient irrigation, and water-efficient building design, subject to public-health, environmental, and building-code requirements. I would also advocate for partnerships with the Region, universities, and the private sector to investigate advanced water-treatment and recycling technologies. Better wastewater treatment and the safe reuse of treated water for appropriate non-potable purposes—such as irrigation, industrial processes, or municipal landscaping—could help reduce pressure on the drinking-water supply. However, these initiatives must be technically feasible, financially responsible, and fully compliant with provincial health and environmental standards. Our objective should be to protect the water needs of existing residents while enabling responsible and sustainable growth. Shawn Humes Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? SH: I love the City of Waterloo. The city has given my family so much I’m grateful for. I have a passion for volunteering. Co-Founding a community association and volunteering with city committees connected me with absolutely incredible people that also love this city. This election presents the opportunity for me to give back. To represent those that not only want more for from their city but also explore opportunities at so everyone can enjoy where we live. We need to invest in our city, retain post secondary talent and provide better return for service delivery. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? SH: Affordable living. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? SH: Public Health is under the management of the Region of Waterloo. The Region of Waterloo Public Health does not offer drug use treatment and recovery services. Should the residents of Ward 2 communicate to have strong advocacy for this, I would reach out to our elected Regional councillors to push the agenda with support. I would also provide council with our local independent resources like the House of friendship, Homewood Health Centre, Ray of Hope, and Stonehenge Therapeutic Community. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? SH: Our water capacity is managed by the Region of Waterloo, and distributed to the cities and townships for use. Our water service delivery and management is currently in a state of flux within the Province of Ontario, and the Region. The City of Waterloo will be receiving 1.77 litres per second this quarter, which will mainly go toward affordable housing projects. I’m very much an advocate of full transparency for our City’s water allotment and usage. Ying Susan Jiang Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? YSJ: I’m running for Ward 2 Councillor because I believe our community deserves a representative who listens, asks hard questions, and works collaboratively to solve real problems. Over the past months, I’ve had conversations with dozens of Ward 2 residents. They’ve shared concerns about safety on our shared pathways, winter maintenance challenges, affordable housing access, and the need for better cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. These aren’t abstract issues - they affect daily quality of life. As a community member, parent, and longtime Waterloo resident, I’ve come to understand that meaningful municipal change happens when councillors engage deeply with their constituents and champion evidence-based solutions. Too often, decisions get made without residents feeling heard. I’m running because I want to bring that collaborative spirit to council. I’m committed to: Ward 2 is home to families, young professionals, newcomers, and long-time residents. Each voice matters. I’m running to make sure every voice is heard at the council table. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? YSJ: Waterloo is facing a confluence of challenges, but I’d point to affordable housing as the most pressing issue affecting our community’s long-term health. Housing affordability impacts everything: whether young families can afford to stay in Waterloo, whether newcomers can build roots here, whether essential workers can live near their jobs, and whether our community remains economically diverse. Rising housing costs are pricing out people on modest incomes - teachers, nurses, service workers, and families saving for a first home. This threatens community cohesion and economic vitality. At the same time, we’re seeing increased homelessness and housing insecurity among the most vulnerable residents. These crises are interconnected. We can’t address one without addressing the other. The path forward requires municipal leadership that: Waterloo’s strength has always been our ability to build inclusive communities. But inclusion requires housing that people can actually afford. If we don’t solve this now, we’ll face deeper social and economic consequences. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? YSJ: Addiction is a public health crisis that demands compassion, evidence-based solutions, and coordination across municipal, regional, and provincial levels. As a councillor, I would prioritize: Prevention & Support: Invest in community programs that address root causes - mental health services, youth programming, peer support networks - before crisis intervention becomes necessary. Harm Reduction: Support evidence-based harm reduction strategies like supervised consumption sites and medication-assisted treatment. These save lives and connect people with services. Housing First: People struggling with addiction need stable housing. A housing-first approach provides the foundation for recovery and stability. Community Coordination: Work with Waterloo Region’s public health, social services, and non-profit partners to ensure services are integrated and accessible. Siloed responses don’t work. Peer Leadership: Invest in peer support programs where people with lived experience of addiction lead recovery initiatives. These are often most effective. Stigma Reduction: Municipal messaging matters. Treating addiction as a health issue - not a moral failing - changes how the community responds. Municipalities alone cannot solve addiction, but we can create conditions where recovery is possible. That means funding, coordination, and refusing to criminalize people struggling with illness. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? YSJ: Water security is critical to Waterloo’s future growth and sustainability. As our region grows, water demand increases, and climate change creates new pressures on supply. I would support: Conservation First: Invest in water-efficient municipal practices and incentivize residential/commercial conservation. Low-cost efficiency improvements often deliver the biggest returns. Infrastructure Investment: Support upgrades to water treatment and distribution infrastructure that reduce leaks and improve capacity. This requires partnership with regional water utilities, but municipal advocacy matters. Green Infrastructure: Promote rain gardens, permeable pavement, and stormwater capture systems in new development and retrofits. These reduce demand on the municipal system while providing community benefits. Climate Adaptation: Water security planning must account for climate change impacts - shifting precipitation patterns, increased extreme weather events. Our infrastructure needs to be resilient. Responsible Development: Ensure new development includes water efficiency measures and contributes fairly to infrastructure costs. Growth shouldn’t strain existing residents’ water access. Regional Coordination: Water transcends municipal boundaries. I’d advocate for strong regional coordination on water management and resource sharing. Waterloo’s prosperity depends on reliable water access. Forward-thinking investment now prevents crisis later. Venkat Kondam Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Moraa Mochama Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? MM: Since moving here in 2013, I’ve watched Waterloo grow and thrive in spectacular ways, but I’ve also seen it struggle to keep up the demands of its growing population. My ward is an incredibly diverse ward - age, race, religion, income, employment status - however the voices of my neighbours are missing at city hall. Having immigrated to Canada as a child, I know firsthand what it means to feel unseen and unheard, especially in spaces where I often looked different from everyone around me. I am running to ensure Waterloo remains a place where everyone - whether you’re a long-time resident or just arriving - feels like they belong and can contribute to the growth of our city. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? MM: Waterloo residents at every income level are experiencing affordability challenges. From rising housing costs and soaring rents to the increasing cost of daily necessities, living in our city is becoming increasingly unsustainable for many families, students, and seniors. Addressing housing affordability and ensuring municipal infrastructure and services grow in a cost-effective, sustainable manner must be our top priority to keep Waterloo accessible and livable for everyone. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? MM: There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to addressing addiction issues within Waterloo. There needs to be a multi-pronged approach that incorporates addiction support, harm reduction strategies, and affordable housing for vulnerable populations. This approach should be built with those directly facing addiction issues or those that have overcome it, to create solutions with lasting effects. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? MM: This current water crisis means treating every liter per second as the scarce public asset it currently is. The city doesn’t own capacity building but it does get to decide what gets built in the city. So it’s imperative that Waterloo prioritizes its water allocation to projects that benefit the city such as affordable housing builds or housing for the “missing middle”. Essentially, if a development project is to get water in Waterloo right amidst this crisis, it must deliver real community affordability as soon as possible. If elected to council, I will advocate for and vote on planning by-laws, development approvals, and an allocation framework directly targeted at addressing Waterloo’s critical affordability challenges. As a city councillor, I’d also make sure the city partners closely with Region Councillors to ensure the Region delivers on its timeline to add capacity to the Manheim Service Area and repairs continue on the Greenbrook Water Treatment Plant. And lastly, I’d push for provincial and federal infrastructure grant funding so that the multimillion-dollar cost of upgrading regional water assets does not simply fall onto local property taxes and municipal water bills. Janice Moore Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? JM: 30 years ago, my family moved to Ward 2. While looking for a home, we found the neighbourhood so inviting and wanted to raise our son here. Over the next 30 years, with many changes in life, I never moved out of Ward 2. Four moves and all within the same Ward. So, when I decided that I wanted to serve, I knew that it had to be for Ward 2. My son grew up here and all my memories are here. When tragedy struck and we lost him, so many in the neighbourhood and the city were there to support us in a time of great need. This Ward and this City has given me so much, and now I want to give back. My experience as an accountant, a volunteer, and a board member has taught me the importance of listening, being responsible with resources, and working with others to find practical solutions. I believe those experiences have prepared me to serve on City Council. I want to bring a practical and thoughtful voice to Council. I want to listen to residents, work collaboratively with our community organizations, and make decisions that are responsible and focused on the future of Waterloo. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? JM: The most pressing issue that Waterloo is facing is the housing crisis – both the lack of inventory and the affordability of current and future inventory. We need more housing. With a housing shortage we need to be creative. There are many ways to increase our housing supply. We want new denser housing along our transit lines, which can encourage more people to use transit. We should look first at opportunities such as empty lots, municipal lots, and unused commercial first. We cannot ignore our existing neighbourhoods, but growth there should be made in a thoughtful and purposeful manner, to ensure that parking, proximity, and access to green spaces isn’t sacrificed for this growth. While growth is important, it needs to be balanced. The best way for growth to take place is to be sure that the infrastructure to support the growth is in place. In deciding who pays for this infrastructure, we either charge development charges, which increase the cost of the house, or we burden the current taxpayers with the cost. A balanced approach is to use development charges on high end developments and waive the costs if a developer agrees to a certain number of affordable units. Another way to help developers keep costs low is to cut the red tape at City Hall. It costs money to hold land you are not building on, such as property taxes, insurance, and maintenance. If city hall can fast track approvals, these holding costs are reduced and can be passed on to the homebuyer. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? JM: Even though public health, social services, and paramedic services are handled at the regional level, there are some things that we can do at the city level to address the crisis. As a councillor, we can focus on funding and supporting spaces such as our community centers and libraries to provide a safe space for community gatherings, youth outreach, and social connections. Prevention and early intervention are important, especially for young people who may be struggling with mental health challenges. At the city level, we can advocate for strong connections with our not-for-profit groups who provide help and outreach in the social services sector. We can push for mental health resources throughout Waterloo, so that no family has to face the addiction crisis in isolation. We need to recognize that addiction affects the entire community. We can encourage our by-law officers to take a balanced approach when dealing with issues in our public spaces – showing compassion for residents who struggle while recognizing the needs and concerns of the broader community. Top of mind for me is that there are people on both sides of the issue, and we need to make sure all of our decisions are made with compassion for everyone. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? JM: The Region of Waterloo along with the cities and townships have begun to address the water issue. There are short-term plans in place to increase water capacity with temporary filtration systems and optimizing local wells. There is also a long-term plan to fast track upgrades to the existing facilities and build new facilities. While some water decisions are regional rather than municipal, there are a number of things we can do at the city level, to address the water shortage and alleviate some of the pressure. At the city level, strengthening our by-laws around water conservation can help with extending the water supply usage. We as a city can forgo water main flushing in the summer months. While this may pose a problem with mineral buildup, the city has other safety measures in place to ensure that the water is safe to drink and use. The city council, through the mayor who sits on regional council, can advocate to the Region for faster timeline on new infrastructure. At city council we can push for faster repairs to the water structure that falls under the city’s responsibility. We can work with our community groups such as Reep and other organizations, to help educate residents and facilitate water conservation. Ward 3 Hans Roach Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? HR: Waterloo has been my home for most of my life, and I care deeply about its future. Over the past four years, I’ve brought an independent voice to Council - listening to residents, asking tough questions and focusing on value for taxpayers. I’m running for re-election because there is more work to do, and I want to continue serving Ward 3 in Waterloo with experience, accessibility and common sense. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? HR: Affordability. Residents are being squeezed by housing costs, property taxes and the rising cost of everyday life. Municipal government can’t control everything, but we can control our spending. My priority is protecting the services residents depend on while finding efficiencies, controlling costs and increasing the supply and diversity of housing. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? HR: We need a balanced approach: prevention, treatment, recovery, mental-health care, supportive housing and public safety. We need to make it easier for people to get treatment when they are ready, while ensuring our neighbourhoods and public spaces remain safe. Compassion and public safety are not competing goals - we need both. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? HR: The answer is not to stop growth - it is to increase capacity and manage what we have responsibly. I will continue pressing the Region to accelerate new water capacity, while ensuring Waterloo allocates available capacity transparently to housing, jobs and essential services. We are already seeing progress, with the City approving water allocations that will allow hundreds of new homes, commercial space and industrial development to move forward. Conservation and water-efficient development must also be part of the solution. Victoria Robertson Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? VR: I’m running for City Council because I love Waterloo. I want to be a part of guiding our city such that we continue to grow sustainably long-term. I feel that city councillor is a role where you can do so much good - in Waterloo, our wards are small enough that you can get to know most of the people you represent on a personal level, which allows us to be excellent advocates for our constituents. Part of my goal in running for city council in this election is to raise the bar on what it looks like to be a city councillor. We’ve been working since May to talk to everyone in my ward and genuinely understand what needs are present. City politics impact so much of people’s daily quality of life, and I believe it should be treated seriously, and that’s what I’m striving to do. I have experience working for a city and in a volunteer organization within the city. Both those roles have given me the opportunity to understand what’s important to me and what’s important to our communities and I want to bring those values forward to governance. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? VR: Affordability and cost of living are some of the biggest challenges facing the individuals in this community. However, the most pressing issue facing the city structurally is connectivity - there’s huge parts of the city which aren’t able to access each other or the city centre. I want to push for better cycling and public transit infrastructure, as well as multi-use zoning which allows for light commercial use within the neighbourhoods that exist, so that people can reach each other and the supports necessary for daily living. This ties in with sustainability and climate change initiatives, but also with the cost of living crisis. It’s impossible to live somewhere if you can’t afford to travel between home and your work, or support and medical services. The world is very expensive, and while a city councillor can’t necessarily fix all levels of those problems, more affordable housing and more ability to travel across the city would help a lot of people day to day. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? VR: The city must take guidance from current best practices for compassionate crisis care for addictions, homelessness, and mental health issues. Addictions issues stem from broader social failures of support, and should be dealt with earlier with better support services, tenant advocacy, and healthcare infrastructure. At the city level, I will advocate for affordable housing, pre-emptive tenant support, and a downtown support team aligned with Kitchener’s. We unequivocally need harm reduction centres and safe consumption sites because they are proven to not only reduce deaths but also degree of addiction and harm. I will advocate to see the Region create a crisis response team with strong de-escalation and medical care services, instead of harmful enforcement practices. Finally, I would like to note that healthcare is under provincial jurisdiction, and while I will do as much as I can to provide structural support in Waterloo, this is an area which needs much stronger leadership at the Provincial level to allow us to do the local work necessary. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? VR: While I understand that the water shortage issue is a regional one, there are a number of things that can be done at the city level to improve the situation. As the city grows asnd updates our pipes, I will push strongly for the gradual implementation of greywater systems, especially in city-owned recreation and horticulture contexts. I would like to see more education being put towards planting decorative species which require no watering, as the city infrastructure itself uses significant water towards grass. I think the city has space to be more intentional about what industry we are allowing to use our water and be conscientious about the kinds of resources that all industries are using across the Region. I will also advocate for better groundwater replenishment areas, created through slowing down natural waterways and allowing wetlands to be present organically. This requires creating and enforcing green spaces which include water, and pushing towards policies which maintain wet lands instead of draining them. Ward 4 Diane Freeman Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? DF: I have been working as the Ward 4 Councillor for the City of Waterloo since 2006. I love what I do at City Hall and my reasons for running are much the same as they were in 2006. When I am not at City Hall, I work full time as an Environmental Engineer. I believe my engineering training helps improve decision making because of my analytical training. I also feel there is value in gender diversity at the decision-making table. Over my time on council, I have demonstrated that I come to meetings prepared. I am responsive, experienced, dependable and committed to strong municipal financial planning. Over the past 20 years I feel I have accomplished a lot through good decision making, in Ward 4 these include the following: · East Side Library at RIM Park · Eastbridge Splash Pad · BMX pump track at RIM Park · Hospice Waterloo · Affordable seniors housing at Parkwood Mennonite Community · Investment in trails, sidewalks, and active transportation · Colonial Acres heritage landscape designation · North America’s largest Habitat for Humanity Build Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? DF: The City of Waterloo, like many municipalities, needs to find a balance between advancing the strategic goals of a growing City with financial affordability. The following are 3 top priorities: 1. Infrastructure Reinvestment: The City of Waterloo is committed to reducing the infrastructure deficit. Through the strategic use of a world class asset management system and dedicating an annual one1 per cent tax increase the City is advancing infrastructure repairs and replacements annually over all departments. 2. Planning and Development: With the downloading of all planning decisions to lower-tier governments, the City of Waterloo’s planning department is very busy. The staffing situation is compounded by the Region of Waterloo water allocation policy which is stalling growth and development in the City of Waterloo. This situation requires significant attention both on the part of City Staff and Council. I am committed to ensuring the City of Waterloo is focused on supporting continued growth and development and will lean into my professional civil and environmental engineering skills to achieve this goal. 3. Fire Services: With the growth of the City of Waterloo, there is a need to increase the fire services to include the equivalent of another station. This requires both a capital investment and an increase in the operating budget to cover the cost associated with wages for another station. Even with phasing in the operational impacts, this will result in continued tax increases. The need for fire services is critical. If the City did not undertake this investment then the Fire Safety Rating for the municipality would decrease and homeowners would see a rise in household fire insurance rates. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? DF: Public Health is a Region of Waterloo service as opposed to a City of Waterloo Service. I do not feel it would be appropriate for a candidate running for a City position to suggest how the Region should undertake their work. Further, I do not have an understanding of what tools are available at a Region of Waterloo level to advance much needed solutions to address additions. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? DF: The Region of Waterloo is the service provider for the supply of drinking water and the management, including treatment of wastewater. I am deeply concerned about the issue and know that increasing the supply of drinking water to the City of Waterloo is critical to advancing growth and development within the City. Once the Region of Waterloo has allocated water supply to the City of Waterloo, I will work to ensure that the allocation is distributed fairly, in accordance with City policies and the underlying principle of “use it or lose it.” Travis Restoule Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? TR: My wife and I have lived in Ward 4 for 24 years and raised our two children here. After many years of the same representation, residents are telling me loud and clear that they are ready for change and want their voices to matter again. Ward 4 needs a fresh voice and new leadership. Residents deserve a councillor who shows up, listens and turns ideas into action - not only during an election, but throughout the entire term. I bring 29 years of corporate leadership experience, including managing supply-chain fulfillment from national priorities to local needs. During the pandemic, I also co-founded “We Are All in This Together,” a community initiative that raised more than $200,000 to support local restaurants. That experience demonstrated what can be accomplished when people work together with a clear purpose. I am running to tackle rising property taxes, ensure housing growth is supported by the necessary infrastructure and bring a practical, accountable and community-focused approach to City Hall. Ward 4 is ready for change, new ideas and leadership that puts residents first. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? TR: Affordability is the most pressing issue facing Waterloo, and continuing to do things the same way is not working. Residents are struggling with the rising costs of housing, food, transportation and other necessities while also absorbing significant property-tax increases. Waterloo’s approximately 27 per cent cumulative city tax increase over four years is not sustainable for many households, particularly seniors, young families and residents living on fixed incomes. I want to bring my 29 years of corporate leadership experience to council to support disciplined financial management. The city must scrutinize spending, reduce waste, concentrate resources on essential services and clearly demonstrate the value residents receive for their tax dollars. Affordability is also connected to housing. Waterloo needs more housing, including genuinely affordable housing, but development must be planned responsibly. Water capacity, roads, traffic, parking, emergency services and neighbourhood character must be considered before major decisions are made. Residents deserve transparent decision-making, responsible growth and a council that respects household budgets. We cannot simply keep increasing taxes without thoroughly examining how the city operates and where meaningful efficiencies can be found. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? TR: Addiction is a complex health and community-safety issue that cannot be addressed by one government or a single program. Waterloo must work with the Region of Waterloo, health-care providers, police, emergency services, community organizations and people with lived experience to create a coordinated response. We need faster access to mental-health care, detoxification, treatment, supportive housing and long-term recovery services. When someone is ready to seek help, that help must be available - not weeks or months later. Prevention and early intervention, especially for young people, must also be priorities. Compassion must be paired with accountability and public safety. Residents, businesses and vulnerable individuals all deserve safe public spaces. Programs receiving public funding should have clear objectives, measurable outcomes and transparent reporting so residents know what is working. Our focus must be on helping people move toward stability, treatment and recovery while ensuring neighbourhood concerns are heard and acted upon. This requires practical collaboration and a willingness from every level of government to take responsibility. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? TR: We need more housing, but Waterloo’s growth must be responsible. We cannot continue approving development without clear evidence that our water system, roads, wastewater infrastructure and emergency services can support it. I would push for transparent capacity assessments showing current water capacity, projected demand, development already approved and the infrastructure investments required to accommodate future growth. Council and the public should have this information before major development decisions are made. Because the Region of Waterloo is responsible for the municipal water supply, the city must work closely with the Region to align development approvals with available capacity and planned infrastructure improvements. Growth should be properly sequenced so essential services are in place before new developments are occupied. The city should also support stronger water-conservation measures, identify system leakage and inefficiencies, and require large developments to incorporate effective water-saving technology. This is not about stopping housing. It is about building housing responsibly. A fresh approach should demand transparent information, stronger regional collaboration and long-term infrastructure planning so Waterloo’s water supply remains reliable for existing residents and future generations. Syed Tirmizi Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Ward 5 Eda Dede Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Scott Piatkowski Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? SP: I’m running because I know that I would be the kind of representative for my ward that I and my Ward 5 neighbours want and deserve. I have eight years of experience as a public school board trustee (including serving as both Chair and Vice-Chair), during which time I fiercely advocated for students and their families as well as for teachers and other education workers. I have consistently delivered results, such as successfully advocating for the pedestrian crossing signal that has been installed on Weber Street at Bristol Street. With the recent changes in the role of trustee (limiting their involvement in budgeting, problem-solving and collective bargaining, for example), I honestly feel that I can make more of a difference as a city councillor than I could by continuing to serve as a trustee. Shortly after the incumbent in my ward announced her intention to not seek re-election, the Minister of Education was musing about actually eliminating the role of trustee. By the time he backed away from doing that, I had already been talking to my neighbours in Ward 5 about whether they thought I should run for Waterloo City Council. The response was overwhelmingly positive and quite enthusiastic. I’m gratified that so many people have appreciated my work both as a school trustee and as a community volunteer (chairing numerous municipal committees and leading many non-profit organizations, as well as volunteering as a soccer coach and youth leadership camp facilitator). I am hoping to win voters’ support to continue my service to the community in a different capacity. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? SP: The biggest issue facing the City of Waterloo (and other municipalities) is the inadequate supply of affordable housing. This crisis stems directly from provincial decisions dating back to the 1990s and subsequently. While housing and homelessness prevention were never meant to be funded by property taxes, the responsibility has unfortunately been downloaded to municipalities who don’t have the fiscal capacity to deal with the scope of the problem that has resulted. In the face of that imposed reality, the City of Waterloo is doing some tremendous work of the affordable housing file, including the development of the 25 acres of city land at 2025 University Avenue East. That said, there is still more to be done. I have spent most of my adult life working in the affordable housing movement (currently for a national non-governmental organization, and previously managing local housing co-ops). I truly believe that having a subject matter expert at the table would help to move this file forward more quickly and more successfully. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? SP: Issues relating to addiction fall primarily under the jurisdiction of the Province of Ontario, the Federal Government and the Region of Waterloo. That said, I believe that we should advocate to lift the province’s ban on supervised consumption sites, which were proven to save lives. This is a health / mental health issue, and it’s one that affects the entire community. Treatment is obviously the preferred option for those living with addictions, but the waiting list for voluntary treatment is prohibitively long. While some have argued for mandatory treatment, the reality is that most people who want treatment for their addition simply can’t get it. Addiction is most often a response to trauma and to poverty, so the best thing that we can do deal with addiction is to limit and treat trauma and seek to eliminate poverty. Again, outside of housing, most of these issues fall outside of the jurisdiction of lower tier municipalities, but the City of Waterloo can provide both moral leadership and advocacy. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? SP: While water capacity is primarily a Region of Waterloo issue, there are things that the City of Waterloo and the other six lower-tier municipalities can do. First, Waterloo should look at every development and site plan approval application through the lens of the impact it will have on the demand for water. In practice, that will mean limiting growth until our water issues are resolved (something that I actually advocated in my Waterloo Chronicle column way back in the late 1990s). That includes carefully reviewing major industrial uses; a moratorium should be placed on approving any such uses that would consume an inordinate amount of water, which means no new data centres in the City of Waterloo or the Region of Waterloo. These are hard choices, but they should have been made twenty-five years ago instead of after we discovered what every farmer in Wilmot Township already knew - that the underground water supply is not infinite and has to be managed more responsibly. I believe that politicians of that era knew that as well, but they didn’t want to admit it publicly and face criticism for stymieing economic growth. I also think that we could and should do more to conserve water, so I would advocate that the Region of Waterloo take measures to do that. Andrew Portwine Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? AP: I have always had an interest in politics. I can remember as far back as 6th grade taking an interest in federal elections as well as the local races in my riding. Growing up I had a few family members that were politically active and we hosted higher level federal members of a particular party. Just being young and listening to the conversations around the yard in the summer piqued my interest. As I grew older, through my 20’s and 30’s I mostly kept up-to-date on provincial and federal politics but didn’t go too in depth. During this time, I also saw/felt a shift in my views from the party that introduced me to politics as a youth -- finding my own footing in life rather than being a product of my environment. Now that I’m in my 40’s and have been working in municipal government (again, reporting to council) in higher level roles, I’m more immersed in local politics. I won’t lie, sometimes when directed by council, I’m torn by my duty of career and my view as a taxpayer of the city/region. I see the projects being undertaken and feel that there are more pressing items to spend money on at the municipal level. Hence the lead platform item of financial responsibility and transparency. The notion of running for office has been top-of-mind for the past 2-3 years. In recent years, when I walk my dog around the neighbourhood and have conversations with my fellow dog-walkers, they typically close with something along the lines of “you should run for office”. That slow drip of encouragement from various neighbours was enough to make sure I submitted my nomination this year. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? AP: This is a loaded question as many pressing needs are so intertwined that identifying a single issue is incredibly difficult. The two words that keep coming to mind are “Water” and “Expectations.” Waterloo is on the edge of a water crisis which has to be addressed. This is a foundational need for a thriving community and the basis for healthy individuals. It’s not as simple as identifying a new water source. The population is expanding which means critical underground infrastructure must also be replaced to meet the growing population base. This is not an inexpensive, nor quick issue to solve even if/when appropriate water sources are identified. Citizens have a high expectation of government and the services they provide. With aging infrastructure, it’s likely that large portions of the budget will need to be directed to unseen, but critical, infrastructure assets while operational dollars for civic programming will be stretched thin. I believe one of the most difficult tasks facing all levels of government in the foreseeable future will be finding that balance between addressing capital asset maintenance and replacement while continuing to provide services that citizens have come to expect from government while keeping tax rates and general affordability in mind. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? AP: I’m not an expert in this field; thus, I would seek out subject matter experts in our community (city or regional staff, university professors…) to help ensure programs and policies are in line with other leading providers. These experts would also serve as a valuable resource to city council and many local support agencies. With the knowledge I do have on the topic, I believe that the key is to offer more support services throughout the community. This is not limited to only addiction services, but also wraparound services such as housing, medical services, care coordination, mental health counseling, job aid, life skills, community mobility and more. These aspects of care should be available throughout the city rather than in a centralized location making access easier for those in need. I also believe there should be an element of these services that go to the people. Not all people in need will be comfortable seeking out services, so sometimes the services need to seek out the person. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? AP: As touched upon in a previous question, earmarking budget for capital asset repairs will help in the short term. My understanding is that capacity has been lost due to infrastructure requiring immediate repairs. I would also work with our regional partners to identify any areas with excess capacity that could benefit Waterloo in the near term. Work toward policies that can ease/restrict demand from high volume users in the city, incentivise citizens to install high efficiency water softeners and ensure all new residential builds use high efficiency water fixtures. Implement stricter lawn watering restrictions during high use summer months. Again, this is not my area of expertise, so I would also consult our local and regional experts to explore other options available for council consideration. This is a critical service and these subject matter experts must be involved to guide local decision makers. Marty Rempel Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? MR: I didn’t plan to run in this election until I saw signs of the provincial government eroding the sanctity and representation of municipal politics. First, by dismantling school boards, then by giving mayors extra powers and more recently by appointing the chairperson of regional council and allowing a mayor to hold both positions simultaneously. Each step removes one tier of local autonomy and democratic representation. Through my campaign, I wanted people to become more aware of these issues, even if I don’t win a seat on council. The provincial government has exerted pressure at the municipal level, particularly in housing development, education, and health services, without providing the necessary tax transfers to support programming. Although we pay taxes at one level or another, this procedure is particularly regressive. We need a council that speaks to these issues. I am not a one-issue candidate. As important as growth is, we cannot continue with current trends without a permanent focus on water supply. We cannot perpetually drain our aquifers without regard to recharge efforts. Removing water faster is not a solution to water shortages. The Boardwalk area was built over Moraine lands with no regard to aquifer recharge. It was a missed opportunity. In addition, it is a barren area devoid of aesthetic landscaping and hostile to pedestrians. Another example of poor planning. I wish to advocate for responsible, affordable housing growth while protecting neighbourhood character and integrity. I am aware of an ever-increasing tax rate and feel that taxes should not add to inflationary costs. Homelessness in the community is a complex and divisive issue which must be addressed in terms of encampments and providing supportive housing. I would be eager to work with existing groups and advocate for their causes to the council. The Council needs to communicate more effectively and personally with citizens if it hopes to remain credible in the community. Further attention is needed for traffic and road safety, including bike and pedestrian routes, parks, and trails. This is a short list. I don’t pretend to have all the answers to the issues that face Waterloo. I am open to listening, dialogue, and problem-solving with constituents to find solutions. I look forward to meeting you as I canvass the neighbourhood in the Fall and hope to earn your support so you can vote with hope! Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? MR: The pressing issue in Waterloo, in addition to water supply, is the housing inventory. The two are related, as is all development now and into the future. Unfortunately, there is great pressure on municipalities from the upper levels of government, both provincial and federal, to deliver miraculous results in housing. This requires financial support that does not always come hand in hand with the demands made. The pressure on municipalities also leads to sloppy planning, changes in zoning, and the granting of too many variances that normally would not pass muster if those housing pressures did not exist. There are so many examples, from collections of church lands that lack the requisite collaborative community process to individual lots approved to house inappropriate structures. By so doing, we are changing the very nature of the city and the character of our neighbourhoods, and adding debt and a tax burden to all ratepayers as we build infrastructure out of proportion to the development fees we collect for some of these projects. I feel that planning has gotten reckless. My creed is Smart Growth, and I don’t always see evidence of that happening. I do see the importance of growth and progress, but at logical, sustainable levels that do not raise debt, do not cause inflation, and do not dynamically change the very characteristics that make Waterloo attractive in the first place. We do need housing; there are homeless people, and this all has to be addressed. It is complex, but the provincial government is doing it in such a way that leaves municipalities with the burden of duty without the tax support, while at the same time taking away the power and autonomy of our local government. Something is broken, and it revolves around planning, funding models and basic governance models. Municipalities must not always be pawns; we must speak out when and wherever possible. Levels of government should cooperate; upper tiers should not bully and rob us of our local free will. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? MR: The addictions issue is another complex issue. I believe part of it is also linked to housing. It is linked to mental health and mental health is linked to the fact that many major mental heath institutions were closed down decades ago in a way to save costs. These large institutions were blamed for poor management, poor treatment programs, and high operating costs. We were told that they could be replaced with a variety of community-based programs. As the closures proceeded, the community programs either did not exist or were inadequate to handle so many patients. This also added to homelessness, which is associated with mental health and drug addiction. I am oversimplifying, but I think I capture a large share of the population. The problem today is so complex it seems overwhelming. We need a full-scale cooperative effort with NGOs, the entire medical infrastructure, social workers, and the police. The approach should not be punitive; for the most part, it must be restorative and regenerative, grounded in humanitarian assistance and, in some cases, mandated addiction programs. Conservative-minded people will say who will pay for such wide-scale programs. I would say we already pay through social costs in many ways. We may need to consider reestablishing more institutions now that we have better treatment programs and medical protocols. Equally important is timely access to mental health and addiction services. Long waiting lists often allow illnesses to worsen, leading to emergency hospitalizations or interactions with law enforcement that might otherwise have been prevented. Expanding walk-in mental health clinics, crisis stabilization services, and rapid psychiatric assessments would provide individuals with earlier intervention, reducing both human suffering and public expense. Mobile crisis response teams composed of mental health professionals working alongside paramedics - and, where appropriate, police officers - have also demonstrated success in responding more effectively to mental health emergencies while reducing unnecessary arrests and hospital admissions. Prevention remains one of the most cost-effective investments available to municipalities and senior levels of government. Programs that help individuals remain housed through temporary rent assistance, eviction prevention, financial counselling, and mediation with landlords are considerably less expensive than supporting someone once they have become chronically homeless. Similar preventive measures should assist young people leaving foster care, individuals discharged from hospitals or correctional facilities, and those recovering from psychiatric hospitalization. Ensuring that no individual is released into homelessness should be regarded as a fundamental objective … (Editor’s note: Answer exceeded 400-word limit) Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? MR: The recent announcement that Waterloo Region has found ways to relieve immediate water supply constraints has been welcomed by residents, planners, and the development community alike. New wells, rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, increased use of surface water, and Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) have collectively provided what appears to be a practical solution to the current capacity shortage. Yet there is reason to question whether these measures represent a lasting solution or merely a temporary reprieve. In my opinion, Waterloo Region has found a short-term stopgap rather than a permanent answer to the much larger challenge of ensuring a sustainable water supply for generations to come. Protecting recharge lands therefore becomes as important as developing new water infrastructure. The Waterloo Moraine is not simply vacant land awaiting development; it is part of the Region’s water treatment system. Forests, wetlands, agricultural lands, and permeable soils allow precipitation to filter naturally into underground aquifers. Once these landscapes are extensively urbanized, their hydrological function is difficult - and often impossible - to restore completely. This reality raises broader questions about the relationship between growth and sustainability. Provincial policies encouraging rapid housing construction seek to address legitimate concerns regarding affordability and population growth. Yet municipalities cannot focus solely on the number of housing units approved. Every new resident requires drinking water, wastewater treatment, transportation, parks, emergency services, schools, and environmental protection. Sustainable growth means ensuring that each of these systems expands together rather than allowing one to become the limiting factor. For Waterloo Region, water may ultimately become that limiting factor. The Region’s planners have already acknowledged that groundwater alone cannot satisfy all future demand indefinitely. Greater reliance on treated Grand River water, additional conservation measures, continued investment in Aquifer Storage and Recovery, and possibly entirely new regional water sources may become necessary during the coming decades. These are prudent strategies, but they also acknowledge an important reality: the existing groundwater system has practical limits. The recent improvements to Waterloo Region’s water system should therefore be viewed with cautious optimism. They have bought valuable time, strengthened the resilience of the existing system, and postponed more difficult decisions. However, they should not be mistaken for a permanent solution. Unless long-term water sustainability remains at the centre of land-use planning, infrastructure investment, and environmental protection, today’s reprieve may simply delay tomorrow’s challenge. The true measure of responsible planning is not whether the Region can meet today’s … (Editor’s note: Answer exceeded 400-word limit) Victoria Richardson Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? VR: When Jen Vasic decided not to run again, I was encouraged to put my name forward. As a lifelong resident of Waterloo and someone who has volunteered with the City of Waterloo in neighbourhood building for 16 years, running for Council felt like a natural next step. I am raising my family in Ward 5, the community I know and love. My lived experiences as a homeowner, a graduate of our local university and college, a woman, a mother, a person with a disability, and a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community have made me a uniquely qualified candidate to represent my community. I also recognize that many people feel disconnected from municipal politics. There is a real culture of distrust in politics, along with a lack of understanding about what the municipal government does and how decisions are made. I want to help change that. I want to be an accessible representative for Ward 5: someone residents can reach, someone who listens, and someone who brings their concerns to the table. I want to be a responsible steward of our city’s resources, an advocate for our community, and a thoughtful policymaker who works collaboratively to get things done. Ultimately, I am running because I believe in Waterloo, I believe in Ward 5, and I believe local government works best when people feel that their voices are heard and that their representatives are working for them. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? VR: Affordability is the most pressing issue facing Waterloo right now. While this is not unique to our city, we need local solutions that reflect the realities of our community. Affordability is about more than housing. It is whether people can realistically afford the essentials they need to live healthy, secure lives: food, clothing, transportation, shelter, education, and healthcare. Municipal government cannot solve affordability alone, but it has an important role to play. As a City Councillor, I would be a responsible steward of municipal resources, investing where they can have the greatest impact and supporting trusted local organizations that understand our community and promote whole-person wellbeing. I would also advocate to the provincial government for the resources, services, and policy changes that fall within its responsibility. We may not be able to solve affordability at the municipal level, but we can make responsible choices that reduce pressure on residents, strengthen community supports, and advocate for action at every level of government. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? VR: To address addictions in Waterloo, we need to address the underlying factors that contribute to the crisis, while supporting accessible treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services.As a City Councillor, I would be a responsible steward of municipal resources: supporting trusted local organizations with established community relationships and a whole-person approach to wellbeing. I would also advocate to the province for increased supports and for greater accountability in the areas within its responsibility. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? VR: At the municipal level, we need to be strategic about how we allocate our limited water capacity. Municipalities receive a finite allocation from the Region, and I would prioritize that capacity for affordable housing projects and strengthening essential municipal services before allocating it to for-profit development. Ward 6 Damian Mikhail Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? DM: Waterloo is a city that prides itself on its reputation for innovation and bravery, but we’ve fallen into the same traps cities across Ontario have fell into. Today, we face a multitude of unaddressed crises. We face an unemployment crisis that is leaving youth in Waterloo afraid, and we face a growing population of absentee landlords and slumlords leaving many of our homes unlivable. Our homeless population has increased dramatically leading to the premature deaths of our homeless neighbours every winter. I believe it is time to end the prominence of passive politics which has become rampant in too many of Ontario’s cities. We cannot wait until problems boil over before we begin to address them. That drive for action and for rooting out problems at their source, is what I would bring to Waterloo. I am a statistician and former President of WUSA, a non-profit managing over $30 million and 200 employees, delivering on major campaign promises to substantially transform the organization’s governance, and reinvigorate campus culture. As a community organizer, I successfully led and organized the campaigns to: It is this “politics of action”, this experience in delivering real change to Waterloo that I will bring to City Hall. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? DM: There is no question about it, the biggest issue facing Waterloo, like nearly every other city in Canada today, is the housing crisis. Canada continues to face one of the largest housing crises in the world. It will come as a surprise to no reader that the people of Waterloo are struggling to cope with an affordability crisis. Yet looking at the actions of our governments, you’d have a hard time knowing it. The culture of passivity has taken hold, with our city falling into the same traps cities across Canada have fallen into. According to the CMHC, the average rent for a 2-bedroom increased by 24 per cent in only 2 years. It is time for Waterloo to look at the data and understand that we need a transformative approach to housing. We cannot, as a city of this size, rely solely on non-profit projects like those from Habitat for Humanity to pull us out of this crisis. This means not only cutting the red tape that has led to the demise of missing middle housing, but a true commitment to tackling the housing crisis directly. We will establish Waterloo’s first Public Builder. Taking lessons from the successes of cities both within and outside of Canada. It will acquire land and build the housing we as a community need at a scale that truly makes a difference. That means creating a long-term plan to ensure Waterloo’s growth into an affordable and beautiful city. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? DM: Hard drug use is too often a symptom of hopelessness and fear. This is clear when considering the prevalence of drug use amongst our homeless neighbours. When you are cold, afraid, and without prospects, escapism through drug use can too easily seem like a logical exit. We must fight addiction at its route. We will ensure that a share of Public Builder resources are allocated to supportive housing units, where we can take our neighbours off the streets, and offer them real supports. We will also advocate heavily for true provincial investment into a cohesive drug rehabilitation strategy. Drug use is a health crisis, and it is time for our province to take responsibility for the health of its citizens. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? DM: I’ll first start with the good news. Thanks to some new strategies discovered by the region, we finally have a pathway out of the depths of the water crisis. But for the next few years we remain relatively scarce on water. This means we need a council that will be more considerate in managing our water supply. Where we allocate that water matters. This means not misusing our fresh water, and using more “greywater” on city fields. It also means voting against any hyper-scale AI data centres that may be proposed in Waterloo. Our water must be preserved for the people of Waterloo and to build the housing we need for a city we can be proud of. Mary Lou Roe Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? MLR: Everyone deserves a councillor they can count on. I am running to continue being that person for Ward 6. Over the past four years, I have listened to residents, brought their voices to Council, and worked collaboratively on the issues shaping Waterloo’s growth and change. I care deeply about our community and am proud of what we have accomplished together. There is still important work ahead. I want to continue serving Ward 6 with the same commitment to community, inclusion, and belonging that has guided me throughout my career. I am ready to keep building our community together. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo’s community is currently facing? MLR: Affordability. The rising cost of everyday life is putting real pressure on Waterloo households. Housing, food, transportation and other necessities are becoming harder to afford, affecting students, families, single adults and seniors across our community. The City has a role to play in helping make Waterloo more affordable, and that means being willing to think creatively, work with partners and find opportunities to make a difference. During my first term as Ward 6 Councillor, I supported approaches that brought people and organizations together to address housing affordability. At 2025 University Avenue West, the City worked with government, non-profits and private developers to create a transformational housing model that will provide more than 1,000 affordable and attainable homes for Waterloo residents, in perpetuity. I also supported the City’s Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition Grant, using funding from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund to help Thresholds Homes and Supports purchase three apartment buildings on Herbert Street and preserve naturally occurring affordable housing. I will continue looking for opportunities to bring people together, think creatively and find practical ways to make life more affordable so Waterloo residents can afford to live and thrive in our community. Q: What do you believe needs to be done to address addictions issues within Waterloo? MLR: Addressing addictions in Waterloo requires a coordinated response from all levels of government, health-care providers, and community organizations. While many frontline addictions services are primarily the responsibility of the Region, the City of Waterloo can be a strong local partner. Through Community Services, we can continue to support organizations that help residents access resources, strengthen community connections, and respond to local needs. I support better access to integrated mental-health, addictions, harm-reduction, primary-care, and supportive-housing services, so people can connect with the supports that are right for them. The Waterloo Region HART Hub is a promising step toward connecting people to help more quickly and reducing pressure on hospitals, shelters, emergency services, and the broader community. Municipalities cannot solve this challenge alone. We need sustained provincial and federal investment, alongside practical local collaboration that treats people with dignity and helps them access the support they need. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity shortage in Waterloo? MLR: Water capacity is primarily a Regional responsibility, and I am encouraged by the Region’s work to increase available supply. The City’s role is to manage and distribute the allocation we receive so that housing, employment, and community growth can proceed as capacity becomes available. I fully support City of Waterloo Planning and Utilities staff as they work with the Region toward shared goals. This issue also reinforces the importance of water conservation. The City should continue supporting community-based initiatives, such as REEP Green Solutions’ RainSmart Neighbourhoods, and encourage practical measures such as rain barrels, efficient landscaping, and low-impact development practices in future planning and development. Ward 7 Abdullah Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Julie Wright Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Regional Councillor Jim Erb Candidate did not respond to survey request within CTV News Kitchener’s two-week deadline. Chantal Huinink Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? CH: I am seeking re-election to represent Waterloo residents on Regional Council as I feel there is more to accomplish and build on from my experience and work during my first term. Priorities include making greater advancements in housing, transit and community health and safety initiatives. In my first term, it was very helpful to have personal experience with regional services and programs like I do with the housing system and as someone who relies on public transit. These experiences help me better understand what is at stake when decisions need to be made in these areas. My social work background also helps me to make informed policy decisions related to homelessness, housing, addiction services, and food security. Our community is rapidly growing in its diversity. It is important for Regional Council to be comprised of diverse leadership, including people of different ages, races, cultures, religions, ethnicities, genders and abilities. My physical challenges make me an adept problem solver and a skilled collaborator. I have spent my first term building relationships with constituents and community organizations as well as other levels of government so that together, innovative solutions can be found to the challenges we face. I was raised knowing the importance of getting involved and giving back to my community and I know there is more work to do to ensure all Waterloo Region residents have access to the services and opportunities they need, as well as feel they belong and are an important part of our community. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region is currently facing? CH: Affordability is what I am hearing when I speak with folks across the Region. I agree the cost of groceries, transportation and the multitude of living costs keep increasing and people are fearful of how the impact of the tariff dispute with the U.S. will affect many industries and businesses in Waterloo Region and beyond, in Ontario and across our country. As Regional Councillor, I take my responsibility very seriously for ensuring tax dollars are properly allocated and spent to ensure that vital services and programs - which have been downloaded onto municipalities over the years from the provincial government - are readily available when needed. In my view, it is incumbent upon Regional Council to continue to look for longer term strategies and solutions that improve affordability overall and ensure regional services and programs are efficiently provided. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as a whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? CH: As a representative of Waterloo on Regional Council, I take seriously my responsibility to connect with and listen to Waterloo residents and communicate their unique needs and concerns at Council and committee meetings, as well as meetings with provincial and federal representatives. I also take seriously my role to ensure Regional Council works effectively so services and programs are available region wide. During my first term, I worked closely with Mayor Dorothy McCabe and Waterloo Regional Councillor Jim Erb to ensure I was aware of the impact of proposed policies and issues on the City of Waterloo. I strongly believe that what makes one municipality stronger, strengthens the Region as a whole. One example of this is the development of the ION. The ION has led to significant economic development, as well as greater sustainability and mobility. I also believe that what weakens one municipality will weaken the region as a whole. I do not support initiatives that benefit one part of the region in the short term if it disadvantages another part of the region in the immediate or longer term. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? CH: Water safety and sustainability are not election promises, they are my number one priority in the present as well as for 7 generations to come. As a member of Regional Council, I will continue to read water reports thoroughly, asking in depth questions about options to sustain the amount of water that we need, as well as water saving technologies that the Region and our partner municipalities can invest in. In order to make this feasible, I will advocate for partnerships with other levels of government so that the cost of these endeavours does not fall entirely on the property tax. I will emphasize the need to maintain the water infrastructure and treatment facilities in a state of good repair to minimize future water loss and increase the quantity of water that can be treated and safely reused. I will not support the disadvantage of one municipality to provide water for another. On an ongoing basis, the Region needs to maintain or upgrade our water infrastructure and approve developments which use water wisely and have water conservation mechanisms built in. I am very happy that the population of Waterloo Region continues to grow. This is a great community in which to live, work and belong. We need to continue to grow sustainably and ensure that industries that build here use water responsibly and that new builds have water conservation mechanisms built in. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? CH: Throughout my term, and even more now during the campaign, I keep hearing from Waterloo Region residents that they don’t know what is going on or how decisions are being made. It is clear to me that even though Regional Council may feel we have a strong communications infrastructure, it is important to continue to improve communications with residents. As someone who is visually impaired, I know the importance of having different alternatives available to receive information and provide input. This has always been a priority for me, and I will continue to build upon it in a second term. The Wilmot Land Assembly is intended to produce jobs and boost Waterloo Region’s economy. Even still, I do not believe that economic development should encroach upon prime farmland. Food sovereignty and agricultural sustainability is equally if not more important. Q: How should the council address homelessness within the region? CH: The Region’s Plan to End Chronic Homelessness is a thorough plan developed with community, by community, for community. The cost to implement this plan is significant. I will advocate to all levels of government for cost sharing to end chronic homelessness as I believe housing is a human right. Additional measures include increasing social assistance rates or better yet, considering the research in support of providing a guaranteed basic income that ensures all people can afford to pay their rent or mortgage and buy groceries. I will continue to push for consideration to create more supportive housing, deeply affordable housing and attainable housing throughout the Region. It is important to note in this discussion, the Ontario government is the only provincial government that downloaded the cost of housing and homelessness on municipal governments. This matters because while provincial taxes are prorated according to your income, property taxes are not. I will continue to advocate with my regional colleagues and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario for a new funding formula with the provincial government so that municipal programs such as housing, are not solely funded through property taxes. SooBok Lee Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? SL: As part of the community that brought me up, having lived 23 years in Waterloo Region as a mom, as a member of a congregation, as a small business owner and as a PSW, I know our challenges: rising taxes, increasing rent costs, long waits for care services and small businesses barely making ends meet. I am running as your neighbor to fight for us. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region is currently facing? SL: Tackling homelessness in Waterloo Region is our most urgent issue, and it requires immediate action. Encampments clearly indicate that our current approach towards shelters and housing is way beyond its limits. As a Regional Councillor, my immediate move will be advocating for additional safe transitional housing options, increase in outreach services for mental health and addiction, and direct collaboration with the community to ensure that unhoused individuals have proper indoor facilities. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? SL: The balancing of regional decisions versus the needs of the local neighborhood is a matter of simple fairness and hearing what residents have to say. As a resident of the Waterloo Region for 23 years - as a mother, a member of my church community, a hair stylist, and a PSW - I have learned firsthand the impact of regional decisions that hit our ground. Regional development projects will not do us any good when they ignore working-class families or put a strain on our own local neighborhoods. I am running as a neighbor to be the direct voice at the table. When we see regional decisions made, I will ask the common sense questions of whether this decision makes life more expensive for us, our local small business owners, and our local residents to receive access to healthcare and senior care. There is no need to choose between growth and our local neighborhoods when we can invest in both through housing, care facilities, and our roads. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? SL: Water is a form of critical infrastructure. We cannot solve our problems with our housing situation or support our local business and farms if we do not have enough water available. Even though there is much that we do not yet know about the capacity restrictions of water within the region, we cannot afford to put off doing something about the problem. My plan takes a proactive approach to solve the problem: Repair and Upgrade Current Infrastructure: Our first task is ensuring that regional resources are spent towards repairing our current water infrastructure and upgrading our treatment plants. Proactive Smart Growth Based on Actual Capacity: As we learn more about our capacity restrictions, I will ask the council to ensure that water capacity can be proven before making any approval of major development projects to avoid saddling current taxpayers with the cost of such growth. Protecting our Local Water Wells: The region of Waterloo is dependent on our local water wells. It is imperative that we protect our water sources from contamination and cooperate with our local farmers, industries, and citizens in preserving our water source. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? SL: It is apparent that lack of communication has caused this problem for Wilmot Land Assembly project, causing legitimate concern and frustration within our community on transparency, land rights, and prime farmland lost. While economic growth and job creation are very much needed in Waterloo Region, this can never come at the cost of exclusion of our community from decision-making. The agricultural sector is a major part of our community’s economy and our food supply. In order to move forward and continue with the process, there needs to be 100 per cent transparency, environmental assessment, and consultation from the affected landowners and neighboring community members. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? SL: Action is urgently required to respond to the problem of homelessness, beginning with creating more transitional housing facilities within the area. Encampments prove that the services provided by shelters and housing supports we have now cannot keep up. The following three initiatives would be effective measures to start with: Increase Emergency and Transitional Housing - create proper facilities where homeless people will be able to live. Mobilize Frontline Services - develop mobile services aimed at providing psychological help for mental illnesses and addiction. Collaborate with the Community Directly - work alongside outreach groups and front-line workers. Lindsay Manary Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? LM: I am running because Waterloo Region needs leadership that listens and acts with purpose. Leadership that understands the challenges facing our residents, supports the essential services people rely on, and works together on solutions that are practical, responsible, and sustainable to build a stronger future. I am committed to listening to our community and advocating for their needs. Every decision I make will be guided by the voices of residents, students, families, seniors, and local partners who know firsthand where change is needed. My goal is to ensure regional decisions reflect real experiences, real priorities, and real opportunities to strengthen our community. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region is currently facing? LM: Housing and affordability. Affordability is at the centre of so many other issues. Housing costs are rising faster than incomes, it creates pressure in so many areas, transit, food security, mental‑health supports, and essential services. It also impacts the entire community in different but equally significant ways. Addressing affordability requires realistic, responsible, and sustainable solutions — increasing affordable housing, strengthening essential services, improving transit access, supporting food‑security programs, and planning growth in a way that reflects real community needs. To build a Region that is thriving and more affordable starts with ensuring people can live, work, and thrive here without being priced out. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? LM: Balancing the needs of the entire region with the priorities of my community requires clear communication, community engagement, collaboration, and a commitment to transparent decision‑making so that residents understand how and why decisions are made. Waterloo Region is diverse and growing rapidly. I am committed to open, honest dialogue with residents, valuing their feedback on decisions that affect them directly and advocating on their behalf for what our community wants and needs. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? LM: My plan is to fast-track repairs and upgrades that are required to get all our systems back online. I will push for development applications to advance with verified water capacity so that growth is aligned with real water capacity. I will support the continued deployment of modular ultra-filtration systems and look at rehabilitating dried up wells. I will support strong water‑protection initiatives to safeguard our groundwater and wells. Developments built close to our water sources need to be carefully considered, with decisions guided by hydrogeological science, input from industry experts, long‑term sustainability, and the protection of rural residents who rely on private wells. Growth must never compromise the safety or reliability of our drinking water. I will push for transparency and accountability with our water capacity issues so that residents understand the issues and decisions surrounding the capacity crisis. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? LM: A key message in my campaign is a commitment to listen to residents. Community members within and outside of Wilmot have clearly indicated that they do not want to see valuable farmland taken. I am in support of reasonable, responsible growth, but I do not support taking land for an unknown or undefined project. Decisions about land use must be made with meaningful community engagement and clear, transparent decision‑making. Residents deserve to understand what is being proposed, why it is needed, and how it will impact their neighbourhoods, water sources, and long‑term sustainability. Growth should strengthen our community, not move forward without answers or accountability. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? LM: Waterloo Region cannot afford to keep investing in strategies that do not work. We must prioritize evidence‑based solutions that have already shown success: supportive housing, operating funds for proven programs, and long‑term investments in mental‑health and stabilization supports. These are the approaches that reduce homelessness and strengthen community safety. If you take the encampment on Victoria street for example, The Working Centre’s “Making Home” project at 97 Victoria Street North provides shelter services and 44 units of supportive housing right across from the encampment. It is heartbreaking that the Making Home units sat empty, brand‑new, ready to be lived in, because there were no operating funds to support the people who needed them most. Direct funding to these types of programs is responsible and a much more affordable solution than spending money on litigation. Court battles do not solve homelessness. Stable housing, wraparound supports and responsible spending do. If we all want a safer, healthier, more connected community, we must invest in solutions that actually work. Chris Moser Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? CM: I’ve lived in Waterloo Region my entire life, built a business here over more than 40 years, raised my family here and spent many years supporting organizations in our community.I decided to run because I’m concerned about the direction of Regional government. Residents are paying more, while too often we’re seeing deteriorating infrastructure, poor planning and decisions that don’t deliver the results taxpayers should expect. In business, when something isn’t working, you don’t simply keep spending more money, you identify the problem, set priorities, develop a plan and hold people accountable for results. I believe Regional Council needs more of that approach. I’m running to bring practical business experience, financial discipline and stronger accountability to the Regional table. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region is currently facing? CM: Families, seniors and businesses are dealing with higher costs everywhere they turn. Regional government can’t control inflation or interest rates, but it absolutely controls how it spends taxpayers’ money and the property-tax decisions it makes. Affordability also goes beyond taxes. It means having housing people can afford, infrastructure that supports growth, safe communities and reliable public services. Before asking taxpayers for more, I believe Council has an obligation to set priorities, look to reduce red tape, find productivity efficiencies and demonstrate that residents are receiving value for the money already being spent. The question I will consistently ask at Regional Council is simple: What are taxpayers receiving in return? Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? CM: I would be elected by Waterloo residents, so I have a responsibility to make sure Waterloo has a strong voice at Regional Council, but Regional Councillors also have a responsibility to make decisions that work for the entire Region. Our communities are interconnected with water, policing, paramedic services, transit, waste management, housing and economic development, the municipal boundaries don’t stop on these. I don’t believe Waterloo succeeds at the expense of Kitchener, Cambridge or the townships. A strong Waterloo Region benefits all of us. My approach will be to ask whether decisions are fair, financially responsible and supported by evidence, while making sure Waterloo’s residents and businesses receive their fair share of Regional services and infrastructure investment. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? CM: The water capacity situation should be a wake-up call about how we plan critical infrastructure. The immediate priority is to safely bring additional capacity online as quickly as possible so housing and economic development can continue. I support accelerating viable infrastructure projects and working collaboratively with municipalities, the Province and the development community. We also need to recognize that focusing on today isn’t enough. We also need to understand how Regional Council allowed a growing Region reached this point. I would push for a publicly reported long-term water infrastructure plan with clear capacity forecasts, projects, timelines and accountability. Waterloo Region is expected to continue growing. Our water, wastewater and other critical infrastructure must be planned ahead of growth, not hastily made reactive decisions. Growth isn’t the problem. Poor planning is. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? CM: I strongly support economic development and bringing good-paying jobs and investment to Waterloo Region. We need employment lands if we want to remain competitive and attract major employers. However, good economic development also requires good government. The Wilmot land assembly has raised legitimate questions about transparency, consultation, agricultural land, infrastructure requirements and how affected property owners were treated. Those concerns deserve serious answers. Before committing additional taxpayer dollars, I want Council to clearly demonstrate the business case: What is the total public investment required? What infrastructure will be needed? What are the risks? What economic benefits are realistically expected? And how will taxpayers and affected landowners be protected? I’m pro-investment and pro-jobs, but major projects have to be transparent, financially responsible and supported by a credible business case. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? CM: Homelessness is an extremely difficult issue, and I don’t believe there are simple answers. What I do know is that there shouldn’t be a choice between compassion and public safety – we need both. People experiencing homelessness deserve dignity and access to appropriate housing, mental-health, addiction and other supports. At the same time, residents and businesses have a right to expect parks, trails, transit facilities and other public spaces to remain safe, clean and accessible. I want the Region to focus much more strongly on outcomes. For every program we fund, Council should know what we’re trying to accomplish, what it costs and whether it is actually helping people move toward stable housing. We also need stronger partnerships with the Province, healthcare providers, community organizations and municipalities because Regional government cannot solve homelessness, mental health and addiction on its own. Success isn’t measured by how much government spends. It should be measured by whether people’s lives and our communities are actually getting better. Rami Said Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? RS: I’m running because I think Waterloo deserves better from its Regional Council. I was born and raised here. I’ve built businesses here, hired people here, and watched Waterloo change a lot over the years. I’m proud of where we live. But I also think we’ve reached a point where some important decisions are being made without enough transparency or enough input from the people who are going to live with the consequences. The water crisis is a good example. Residents are now dealing with the consequences of decisions made years ago, and we still have questions about how we got here. The Wilmot land assembly is another example. I support economic development and good jobs. But I don’t believe residents should have to find out about major decisions affecting their communities after the fact. That is a big reason why I decided to run. My platform is pretty simple. I want government to tell people the truth, explain its decisions and actually listen to residents. That includes ending the use of NDAs when they prevent the public from understanding major decisions. It means making the decision trail and working-group information available in plain English. And it means having an independent review when something goes seriously wrong. I also want to be a councillor who actually shows up. I plan to regularly walk neighbourhoods, hold open office hours and attend community meetings throughout my term. I don’t want residents to only hear from their councillor when an election is coming. I’m not running because I think I have every answer. I’m running because I’m willing to ask the questions, do the work and be accountable for the decisions I make. I think Waterloo can grow and continue to be a great place to live. But we need to make sure we are building the infrastructure and services to support that growth. Most importantly, I want people to feel like their government works for them again. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region is currently facing? RS: I think the biggest issue facing Waterloo Region is responsible growth. We are growing quickly. That’s not a bad thing. We want good jobs, new businesses and people who want to build their lives here. But growth only works if we have the infrastructure to support it. The water crisis has made that very clear. The Region is now working to add up to 600 litres per second of water capacity by 2032, with nearly half of that expected to come online in 2027. I’m glad that work is happening. But we also need to ask how we got into this situation in the first place. Residents deserve straight answers. That’s why my platform calls for an independent review of the water crisis and for the Region to make the decision-making process available to the public in plain English. I also think we need to rethink what kind of growth we are encouraging. For example, while we are dealing with a water shortage, I don’t think it makes sense to prioritize developments that use enormous amounts of water. My position is that drinking water for residents, farms and existing businesses comes first. The same thinking applies to transportation, housing and other infrastructure. We can’t keep approving growth and then try to catch up with the infrastructure afterwards. I’m not anti-growth. I’m pro-responsible growth. We should be building homes. We should be attracting good jobs. We should be supporting local businesses. But we need to make sure the roads, water, housing and services are there to support the people who already live here and the people who are coming here. And we need to be honest with residents about the costs. If we make a decision that affects people’s taxes, their neighbourhood or their quality of life, they deserve to know why that decision was made. That, to me, is the bigger issue: making sure Waterloo Region grows without losing the things that made people want to live here in the first place. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? RS: I’m running to represent Waterloo, but I understand that Regional Council is about more than Waterloo. The decisions made at the Region affect Kitchener, Cambridge and the townships too. Water, housing, transportation, homelessness and economic development don’t stop at city boundaries. So, I would start by listening. My platform includes regular neighbourhood walks, open office hours and showing up at community meetings throughout my term. I want to hear directly from residents about what is happening in their neighbourhoods. But I also think a Regional Councillor needs to look at the bigger picture. For example, the water crisis isn’t just a Waterloo problem. It affects communities across the Region. The solution can’t simply be to solve a problem in one area while creating another problem somewhere else. The same goes for growth. I want Waterloo to have the infrastructure and services it needs, but I also want to see Kitchener, Cambridge and our rural communities succeed. That means sometimes I may have to support something that isn’t the most popular decision in Waterloo because it is the right decision for the Region. But if I do that, I owe residents an explanation. That’s one of the things I think is missing from politics sometimes. People can disagree with a decision and still respect it if they understand why it was made. I also want the people already doing work in our communities to have more of a voice. Waterloo has neighbourhood groups, small-business organizations, cultural groups and community agencies that understand local issues better than anyone sitting in a council chamber. My platform calls for bringing those groups into the conversation on an ongoing basis. I don’t think good government means councillors having all the answers. It means listening to the people affected, looking at the bigger picture and then making a decision you can stand behind. That’s how I would approach the job. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? RS: My position on the water crisis is pretty simple: Water comes before growth. The Region is now working on several projects to increase capacity. The current plan is to add up to 600 litres per second by 2032, with some of that new capacity expected as early as 2026 and 2027. We need to get that work done as quickly and responsibly as possible. But fixing the immediate problem isn’t enough. We need to understand how we got here. Residents should know when the Region became aware of the problem, what decisions were made, what alternatives were considered and why we are now in this position. That’s why my platform calls for an independent review of the water crisis. I also want to end the use of NDAs that keep residents from understanding what is happening. The Region should publish the decision trail and working-group information in plain English. People shouldn’t need to be a lawyer or engineer to understand a decision that affects their community. We also need to change how we look at development while the crisis is being fixed. I will vote against data centres and other water-hungry developments until we have protected the water supply that residents, farms and existing businesses depend on. I’m not against development. I’m against putting corporate growth ahead of our basic needs. We also need to protect the land and natural systems that help provide our drinking water. That means taking groundwater, wetlands and agricultural land seriously when we make growth decisions. The Region says it expects to have surplus capacity in this service area by 2031. I want to see us get there. But I also want to make sure we don’t end up in the same situation again five or ten years from now. We need better planning, better transparency and a clear rule: Make sure we have the water first. Then decide how much and what kind of growth we can support. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? RS: I support good jobs and economic development in Waterloo Region. What I don’t support is the way residents were brought into the conversation around the Wilmot land assembly. My biggest concern is transparency. When government is making a major decision involving public money, farmland, infrastructure and the future of a community, residents deserve to know what is happening. They shouldn’t have to find out after the important decisions have already been made. I’m also strongly opposed to using NDAs to keep residents in the dark about decisions that affect them. That doesn’t mean I think Waterloo Region should stop trying to attract businesses and investment. We need a strong economy and good jobs. But bigger isn’t automatically better. Before we spend large amounts of public money or make major commitments, I want to see a clear business case. I want to know what we are buying, what it will cost, what infrastructure will be required and what the expected benefit to residents will be. And I want the public to be able to understand those answers. The Region continues to identify the Wilmot Land Assembly as part of its economic-development plans. If the project moves forward, it needs to be done properly and transparently. I also think there is a lesson here that goes beyond Wilmot. Government should never expect residents to simply say, “Trust us.” Show people the information. Explain the decision. Let people ask questions. If the project is a good deal for Waterloo Region, then the public should be able to see why. I’m pro-business and pro-growth. But I’m also pro-accountability. We shouldn’t have to choose between economic development and transparency. We should expect both. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? RS: I think we need to stop treating homelessness as a problem we can solve by simply moving people somewhere else. The goal should be simple: get people into stable housing and help them stay there. The Region is already doing some good work. In 2025, it helped 809 people move from homelessness into permanent housing, including 390 people experiencing chronic homelessness. But there is still a lot more to do. I would focus on three things: preventing homelessness, creating more permanent housing and providing the support people need to stay housed. First, prevention. If someone is facing eviction because they are behind on rent or dealing with a temporary crisis, helping them before they lose their home is better for everyone. It is also much better than waiting until they are living in a shelter or on the street. Second, we need more affordable and supportive housing. The Region already uses a Housing First approach, which focuses on getting people into housing without requiring them to first solve every other problem in their lives. I support that approach. But housing alone isn’t always enough. Some people need help with mental health, addiction, employment or other challenges. We need to make sure those supports are actually available. The Region recently approved bringing A Better Tent City into its housing system, which is an important step for people who need low-barrier housing and support. At the same time, we need to measure whether what we’re spending is actually working. I want to see clear numbers on how many people move from homelessness into permanent housing and how many are able to stay there. We can be compassionate and practical at the same time. People experiencing homelessness deserve dignity and a real path to housing. Residents and businesses also deserve safe and accessible public spaces. Those goals don’t have to conflict. We need to stop managing homelessness and start solving it. Sarvesh Pratap Singh Q: Why have you decided to run in the municipal election? SPS: I decided to run because Waterloo has become more than just the place where I live — it’s home. Over the years, I’ve built friendships here, volunteered in the community, and met people from many different backgrounds and walks of life. Those relationships and conversations have motivated me to step forward and contribute in a bigger way. I also understand the everyday pressures many families are facing because I’m living them too. I’m working hard, raising my family here, and thinking about the same things many other families think about — housing, groceries, transportation, childcare, taxes, and being able to build a good life without constantly feeling stretched. My career in people & culture has shaped how I approach people, problems, and decision-making. For more than a decade, I’ve worked with students, employees, leaders, and people from many different backgrounds. HR has taught me that good decisions start with listening, understanding different perspectives, looking at the facts, and finding practical solutions that people can actually implement. I want to bring that approach to municipal government. My priorities include affordability and attainable housing, reliable public transit, safe and welcoming neighbourhoods, responsible growth, strong public services, and protecting the infrastructure and environment our community depends on. But priorities need more than good intentions. They require clear planning, measurable outcomes, responsible use of public funds, collaboration between levels of government, and regular communication with residents about what is working and what needs to change. I’m not running because I believe I have all the answers. I’m running because I believe good leadership means asking the right questions, listening to the people affected by decisions, bringing different perspectives to the table, and working toward practical solutions. Most importantly, this is home. I’m raising my family here, and I want Waterloo to remain a place where people can afford to live, put down roots, make friends, raise their families, and feel that they belong. That’s why I’m running – because I care about this community, and I want to bring a practical, people-focused approach to helping make it better for everyone who calls Waterloo home. Q: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue Waterloo Region is currently facing? SPS: In my opinion, the most pressing issue facing Waterloo Region is affordability. People are working hard, but the cost of living is putting real pressure on individuals and families. Housing is a major part of that, but affordability also means reliable public transit, reasonable access to essential services, and infrastructure that can keep pace with our growth. We are one of the fastest-growing communities in Ontario, and growth brings opportunity. But growth has to be managed responsibly. We need to make sure that the services people rely on are keeping up, that we are building the right kinds of housing, and that transportation and infrastructure are planned - not just reacting to problems after they happen. People are asking a very reasonable question: “Are we getting good value for the taxes we pay?” I believe taxpayers deserve transparency, accountability, and responsible financial management. As our communities grow, we need to invest in infrastructure, transportation, housing and essential services - while also making sure we are using public dollars carefully and responsibly. Q: How will you balance the needs of the region as whole, while ensuring the needs of your specific community are met? SPS: My responsibility would be to make sure the concerns of my community are heard at the regional table, while also looking at how decisions affect the Region as a whole. I would start by listening to residents and understanding the issues that matter most in the community I represent. But I would also look at the broader impact - whether we’re talking about transportation, housing, infrastructure, emergency services or the environment. Not every community has the same needs, and not every decision will make everyone happy. That’s why I believe a councillor needs to be willing to have difficult conversations, look at the evidence, and make decisions based on what is fair and sustainable for the Region. I would be a strong advocate, but I would never lose sight of the bigger picture. Ultimately, the goal is not to choose between our community and the Region. It is to make sure our community is strong while helping build a stronger Waterloo Region for everyone. Q: What is your plan to address the water capacity crisis? SPS: My approach to the water capacity issue would be straightforward: understand the engineering, address immediate constraints, and plan ahead so our infrastructure can keep pace with responsible growth. The Region has already identified capacity constraints in the Mannheim Service Area and has taken steps to restore and add capacity. I would build on that work while continuing to ask whether our engineering and long-term planning are keeping ahead of demand. First, I would want regular and independent technical review of our water system, including well capacity, treatment, pumping, storage, transmission, distribution, current demand, and projected population growth. We need reliable engineering information to understand where the actual bottlenecks are, and which solutions will provide sustainable capacity over the long term. Second, where there are safe and technically sound short-term solutions, I would support moving them forward while permanent infrastructure is designed and built. We should use the capacity and infrastructure we already have as efficiently as possible, while making sure any interim measures meet the required engineering and safety standards. Third, I would push for clear timelines and regular reporting on the major infrastructure projects needed to strengthen the system. Residents and Council should be able to see what projects are being planned, where they stand, what capacity they are expected to provide, and whether timelines are being met. I would also support continued monitoring of water demand, population growth and system performance, with regular updates to Council and the public. Q: What are your views on the Wilmot Land Assembly project? SPS: The Wilmot Land Assembly is an important issue for Waterloo Region, and I think it deserves a careful and open discussion. I understand there may be economic opportunities, including investment and good local jobs. At the same time, I understand there are concerns about farmland, affected landowners, the environment, infrastructure, and the use of public funds. Since the land assembly is already underway, my focus would be on understanding what comes next. I want to hear from the affected landowners and the Wilmot community, review the engineering, environmental and financial information, and understand the infrastructure requirements. I don’t want to make assumptions before seeing the full information. As a Regional Councillor, I would listen to the different perspectives, ask questions, look at the evidence, and make decisions based on what is in the best long-term interest of Waterloo Region. For me, it is about being open-minded, transparent, and making sure residents have the information they need as the project moves forward. Q: How should council address homelessness within the region? SPS: I think we need to recognize that homelessness is not one problem, and there is no one solution. People can end up without a home because of mental-health challenges, physical illness, disability, family breakdown, financial hardship, addiction, or a combination of several of these issues. So, our response has to address the person, not just the shelter space. We need to prevent homelessness wherever possible by helping people before they reach a crisis - through housing supports, family supports, mental-health services and connections to employment and income assistance. For people who are already experiencing homelessness, we need safe emergency and transitional housing, but we also need a clear path to permanent housing. And that housing needs to be connected to the supports someone needs - whether that is mental-health care, medical care, addiction treatment, or help rebuilding their independence. The Region already uses supportive-housing programs that connect residents with these types of services. I also believe we need better coordination between the Region, health-care providers, community organizations and other levels of government. Most importantly, we need to measure outcomes. The goal should not simply be to provide a bed for tonight. The goal should be to help someone get stable, find permanent housing, address the challenges that contributed to their homelessness, and give them a real opportunity to rebuild their life.
