On Oct. 24, voters across Waterloo Region will head to the polls to elect city and regional councillors, mayors and a regional chair.
Residents of Waterloo, the region’s smallest city, will elect councillors in seven wards in addition to a mayor to form city council.
There might be no less than three latest faces in place, as Ward 3 Coun. Angela Vieth, Ward 6 Coun. Jeff Henry and Ward 7 Coun. Tenille Bonoguore have chosen not to hunt re-election.
There may also be a latest mayor as Dave Jaworsky selected not to hunt re-election after serving two terms in office.
Residents of Waterloo might be selecting between Rob Evans, Dorothy McCabe, Kypp Saunders and Shannon Weber to switch Jaworsky on election night.
To assist voters ahead of this election, Global News has reached out to all of those running for regional or city council, mayor or regional chair in Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo with available online contact info. Those running for office were emailed a listing of seven questions and in the approaching days, the responses for each candidate who replies might be shared.
What follows are the responses received from those running for mayor in Waterloo, with the candidates being listed in alphabetical order:
Rob Evans
Q.1 Please give a temporary background of yourself including what you do for a living and the way long you have got lived in the world? (In case you are an incumbent, please state how long you have got held the position.)
I’m a born in Waterloo 44-year-old software company Founder, CEO and community builder. I graduated from WLU with a Political Science degree and about 10 relations went to high school or taught there because the 1930’s.
We’ve all seen plenty of change in KW! Mostly good, but some, changes with our rapid growth recently may be significantly better.
I helped construct a few of Canada’s leading technology corporations from Waterloo and the business I founded spun out from University Waterloo’s Accelerator Program, is exclusive and lowers the annual cost of accommodations for rooms and removes unfair discrimination especially for college students and newcomers.
We did extensive research in housing and accommodations globally, and learned a lot the solutions to finish the crisis here and modernize city process are built into our plan for Waterloo.
Along with years as an innovation CEO unlike the opposite candidates, Ive spent an important deal of time coping with the Federal government, I used to be also appointed as Ontario’s Board director representing 4 industry sectors in Clean technology, Automotive, Food and ICT (high technology) and Waterloo Region to advertise Canada globally and work and partner with other big cities.
My family lives and loves Uptown Waterloo, my son is now an energetic teenager, I’ve volunteered 10 years as a coach in local sports, and love our MACA neighbourhood where I used to be Co-Chair and Director of our association. Also, the City put me on two committees of council since the quaint way of working with student housing and universities isn’t working.
Q.2 Why do you suspect you’re the correct person for the job?
I care and I’m qualified
Q.3 What do you’re thinking that is crucial issue facing your ward and town as a complete?
Housing and health. Affordability and accessibility. Much of this can profit with a business approach to growth management. So much is already good. And plenty of areas we are able to get even higher.
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for town?
Renewed stability. And innovation where needed. Goals are to be daring with asset assessment and alignment or realignment where crucial.
Q.5 What’s your platform?
Our implementation plan will bring together expert city staff who know the challenges best with innovation methods and experts, also here from town. We’re all going to learn together fast.
Formal policy, the how, we’ll present when persons are ready. In a couple of weeks time.
Q.6 What do you wish to do in your spare time?
Spend time with my son Connor, Jordana my partner, travel, making music, listening to bands (just missed Pearl Jam in Hamilton last week… as mayor possibly others too will wish to bring them here…) enjoy great food, time with friends, exploring our region and what’s nearby.
Q.7 What’s your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
We all know so many great people here and with the ability to shape our community the way in which we would like. There’s a lot love here. I feel it when I am going anywhere.
Kypp Saunders
Q.1 Please give a temporary background of yourself including what you do for a living and the way long you have got lived in the world? (In case you are an incumbent, please state how long you have got held the position.)
My name is Kypp Saunders and I’ve lived within the region for 30+ years. I graduated with a political science degree from the University of Waterloo. Currently working on own and operate two bars within the region. Babylon Sisters Wine Bar In Uptown Waterloo and Sugar Run in Downtown Kitchener.
Q.2 Why do you suspect you’re the correct person for the job?
Waterloo needs strong leadership on the mayoral level. I’m that kind of strong leader with prevalent experience running small businesses within the region. Navigating two hospitality businesses through the pandemic has shown my ability to take care of difficult situations in real time. Years within the hospitality industry have also taught me easy methods to communicate with every kind of individuals and easy methods to broker compromises.
Q.3 What do you’re thinking that is crucial issue facing your ward and town as a complete?
The largest issue in town is the inexpensive housing crisis. My plan is to work with local developers to incentivize them to construct more cost-effective units by removing cumbersome zoning restrictions and alleviating red tape for a more efficient process.
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for town?
My long-term goals for town include constructing a hospital in waterloo and making a more vibrant city centre to help in recruiting more medical professionals to the region. I also want improve public transportation throughout town by increasing hours of operation and introducing free travel times.
Q.5 What’s your platform?
I’ll partner with developers to construct taller buildings in exchange for the inclusion of inexpensive housing units. I’ll advocate for regional healthcare by lobbying for Waterloo’s first hospital. I’ll also advocate free of charge late night LRT service to discourage impaired driving and reduce loitering while boosting the nightlife and economic impact in UpTown.
Q.6 What do you wish to do in your spare time?
Running two businesses doesn’t leave me plenty of spare time but when I actually have it I enjoy running and yoga. I’m also an avid reader of politics and history.
Q.7 What’s your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
My favourite thing concerning the city of waterloo is the range of people that live here. Owning a business right uptown I get to satisfy and interact with all of the amazing individuals who live here and listen to the various stories of their backgrounds.
Shannon Weber
Q.1 Please give a temporary background of yourself including what you do for a living and the way long you have got lived in the world? (In case you are an incumbent, please state how long you have got held the position.)
Shannon Weber is a community leader with over 20 years experience working in the general public, nonprofit, insurance and better education sectors. She has a passion for strengthening community through collaboration, developing forward-thinking initiatives and has a natural ability to construct partnerships. Shannon knows that a mayor must listen with empathy and openness, construct support and convene collaborative approaches to strengthening our city. Throughout her profession and community involvement, that is the leadership style that she has embodied.
Shannon is a graduate of the University of Waterloo (Economics) and holds an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. She is currently a Faculty member within the Strategic Global Business Management Graduate Program at Conestoga College. Previously, Shannon held roles as: Director, Community Relations at Wilfrid Laurier University, Director, Community Investments on the Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation and because the Executive Director of the Downtown Kitchener BIA.
Shannon has worked with many nonprofit Boards and committees as a volunteer and governance consultant, including as an Executive-in-Residence at Capability Canada. She is enthusiastic about collective community work and has been involved in lots of community-based efforts including the City of Waterloo’s Neighbourhood Strategy Steering Committee, Economic Development Advisory Committee, Town & Gown Committee, Northdale Strategy Committee and the Eastbridge Neighbourhood Association. She served as an advisory board member to Smart Waterloo Region, True North and Wellbeing Waterloo Region. She has enjoyed volunteering with organizations resembling the Waterloo Ravens (Waterloo Girls Minor Hockey), House of Friendship, Social Enterprise Partners Waterloo Region, Carizon, Junior Achievement of the Waterloo Region and Community Support Connections.
Shannon met her husband Dan when she moved to Waterloo in 1996. Together with their two children Maya and Gabriel, Shannon & Dan are long-time residents of Waterloo and live within the Eastbridge neighbourhood.
Q.2 Why do you suspect you’re the correct person for the job?
I’m determined to guide Waterloo forward to be a more liveable city for all. With greater than 20 years experience working as a business and community leader, I’ve seen and heard first-hand the growing disparities related to affordability, wellbeing, and systemic challenges. I actually have the insights, network, and education to work with our council and city team to introduce more tools and initiatives that may help make this a more liveable city where everyone belongs and thrives.
I actually have the broad experience across the general public, non-profit and higher-education sectors to deliver results that Move Waterloo Forward:
- An experienced collaborator working as Director, Community Relations at Wilfrid Laurier University, Director Community Investments on the KW Community Foundation and Executive Director, Downtown Kitchener BIA.
- A community advisor and advocate on quite a lot of boards and committees including Wellbeing Waterloo Region and the Joint Hospital Community Advisory Group, bringing together community and healthcare leaders to develop a vision for a latest hospital for Waterloo Region.
- A knowledgeable community builder and member of many collaborative initiatives, including contributing to Economic Development Advisory Committees and improving GO Train services in Waterloo Region.
- A continuous learner and educator as a Business faculty member at Conestoga College following the chance to earn my MBA from Laurier’s Lazardis School of Business and Economics.
Q.3 What do you’re thinking that is crucial issue facing your ward and town as a complete?
Waterloo is a sizeable, growing city with an important deal of opportunity. Reasonably priced housing, smart growth, strengthening neighbourhood connections and an inclusive economic and social recovery are our top issues. These are issues that I actually have been hearing from residents across the City and Region, each through my community work and day by day dialogue with residents since I became a candidate on May 2nd.
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for town?
As mayor, I endeavour to assist create a more liveable City for all where collectively we have now:
- created more cost-effective housing options.
- strengthened and connected neighbourhoods to cut back social isolation.
- engaged children and youth of their community to enhance wellbeing and empower them to have a voice of their City as our future.
Q.5 What’s your platform?
My platform, “Moving Waterloo Forward: A More Liveable Community for All”, outlines my commitments to the residents of Waterloo in addition to key priorities on vital issues to our collective community. This plan will ensure Waterloo continues to grow in the most effective interest of all residents and stays the most effective community in Canada to work, learn, live, play and lift a family.
A Future with inexpensive housing and smart growth
Activate a Task Force on Reasonably priced Housing and Smart Growth that may advise on the tools resembling:
- Modernizing zoning bylaws to hurry up constructing a spread of housing options, while protecting green space
- Developing a Community Improvement Plan to encourage inexpensive housing and sustainable infrastructure
- Removing barriers to inexpensive rental housing, including student housing, while maintaining safety standards
A connected community with vibrant neighbourhoods
- Encourage neighbourhood connections by improving parkland space, implementing a pilot fire pit program and activate youth connectors at a neighbourhood level.
- Implement traffic calming, higher maintain roads, trails, and transit nodes to maintain Waterloo connected and protected.
An inclusive economic and social recovery
- Review Waterloo’s customer support delivery model to make sure high-quality service without creating systematic barriers and removing barriers that prevent our most vulnerable residents from accessing the services they need.
- Higher support groups and our most vulnerable residents searching for City services.
- Remove red-tape and improve City processes including more meaningfully engaging with our communities.
A mayor who advocates for Waterloo
- Champion a latest hospital with the technology to support our residents’ growing care needs.
- Lobby for brand new provincial and federal funding for community infrastructure including inter-regional transportation.
- Develop a latest multi-channel public consultation approach to be more inclusive.
I strongly value the role consultation and citizen engagement play in creating a robust community. As my campaign for Mayor continues, I’ll release other priorities and policy statements that reflect our residents’ voices and perspectives on issues that matter in our community.
Q.6 What do you wish to do in your spare time?
Volunteering in my community is my hobby. I enjoy meeting latest people and contributing collectively where assistance is needed. I involve my family and friends as a approach to share these experiences together. I also wish to stay energetic by utilizing our walking and cycling trails, and spending quality time with my husband Dan and our two children Maya and Gabriel.
Q.7 What’s your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
My favourite thing about selecting to live in Waterloo is the connectedness of neighbours helping neighbours and the collaboration across our community to tackle issues and seize opportunities for our city.
Global News has also reached out to Dorothy McCabe but has not received a response as of publication. This copy might be updated as further answers arrive.
