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 Cambridge, the region’s second-largest city, will elect councillors in eight wards as well as a mayor to form city council.
There will be at least three new faces in place, as Ward 4 Coun. Jan Liggett is running for mayor and Ward 5 Coun. Pam Wolf is seeking one of two seats on regional council. Ward 3 Coun. Mike Mann has chosen not to seek re-election.
In Ward 6, Coun. Shannon Adshade is seeking a third term in council but he is facing off against four others for the job.
To help 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 list of seven questions and in the coming days, the responses for every candidate who replies will be shared.
What follows are the responses received from those running for councillor in Cambridge, with the candidates being listed in alphabetical order.
Shannon Adshade
Q.1 Please give a brief background of yourself including what you do for a living and how long you have lived in the area? (If you are an incumbent, please state how long you have held the position.)
I am a retired special education teacher and have lived in my Ward for 20 years. I am the incumbent having served two terms 2014-2018, 2018-2022 as Cambridge Ward 6 councillor.
Q.2 Why do you believe you are the right person for the job?
I believe I am the right person for the job as Ward 6 Councillor because I have had the honour and privilege of serving my community for eight years which I would like to do for another four years. This experience and knowledge is invaluable in determining our ward and city needs and wants. Also, as my campaign slogan states I believe I can provide ‘Experience, Leadership and Commitment.’
Q.3 What do you think is the most important issue facing your ward and the city as a whole?
The most important issue facing my ward is speeding and dangerous driving in our neighbourhoods. I get more calls on this matter than any other. We need to reduce speed limits in residential and school zones to make our roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Another important issue is growth and development in my ward. Cambridge is going to grow for sure but we need to ensure this growth and development is compatible with surrounding neighbourhoods and the city as a whole.
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the city?
One important issue facing the city, and part of my long term goals, are improving are present inadequate recreation facilities. We have made great progress in this regard with the new recreational complex and soccer fields on Linden Drive, doubling the Preston Auditorium and adding 4 new rinks to the Sports Park on Franklin Boulevard. However, we need to ensure this improvement continues to make Cambridge a better place to live.
Another important issue and long term goal facing the city is bringing efficient ION Rail and long overdue Go Train Service to Cambridge. We need to lobby the provincial and regional governments to ensure this happens.
Furthermore, another long term goal is the city must work with the Region and Province to build more homes and affordable housing. This is a real need for new homes and for affordable homes in the city. Finally, I would like to see increased police presence in Cambridge and in our downtown cores. Having officers on foot patrol in our downtown cores would be very beneficial in deterring crime.
Q.6 What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time I like to be involved with and watching Sports. I am a real hockey, baseball, football, basketball and soccer fan.
Q.7 What is your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
My favourite thing about living in my Ward and City is meeting the many incredible and good people residing in Cambridge.
Eian Campbell
Q.1 Please give a brief background of yourself including what you do for a living and how long you have lived in the area? (If you are an incumbent, please state how long you have held the position.)
My name is Eian Campbell, and I am 58 years old. I am a lifelong resident of Ward 6. I was born in Cambridge in 1964 and attended Stewart Avenue PS and Glenview Park Secondary School located within ward 6. My children are currently attending those same schools.
I am employed as the director of operations for Crown Verity located in Brantford. I am also the vice-chair of operations and board member for the CITT. The CITT is Canada’s most valued source of supply chain logistics certification courses in Canada.
Combined I have over 25 years operational management and board member experience during which time I developed many cost-effective solutions to operational challenges. This experience combined with my grassroots experiences within the city of Cambridge makes me the ideal candidate for city councillor in Ward 6.
Q.2 Why do you believe you are the right person for the job?
I am a lifelong citizen of Ward 6. I understand the concerns of not only the citizens in Ward 6 but also the city of Cambridge. Cambridge is a wonderful city to raise a family. The city will be experiencing tremendous growth in the coming years with the enormous housing development in the southeast section of the city (Dundas Street and Regional Road 97). This much needed housing development will greatly increase vehicle traffic within the city and demand for local social services such as family doctors, emergency care at the hospital, social services, and local athletic fields I want to represent the citizens of Ward 6 and their concerns and present cost-effective viable solutions to these issues.
Q.3 What do you think is the most important issue facing your ward and the city as a whole?
As a citizen who has lived in Cambridge and specifically ward 6 for 58 years, I have working knowledge of the concerns of the citizens in this ward. Some of these concerns in recent months have been:
- The proposed high-rise development with access of Water Street S between Birch Street and Churchill Park. Citizen concerns are centered around the many requested deviations to the building by-laws by the developer as it relates to number of floors, number of parking spaces and size of parking spaces.
- The proposal to place small “pods for people” in Churchill Park.
- Proposed bylaw rezoning of Clover Ave in Cambridge from single family dwelling.
- The lengthy delays of the ION train service to Cambridge.
The city of Cambridge is also dealing with the following:
- Mental health and wellbeing for all citizens including the homeless
- Attracting new business and manufacturing to the city
- Creating and maintaining public parks, trails, playgrounds, and greenspaces
- Transparency and accountability of their elected officials
My local knowledge and business and board member experience will enable me to listen (to) the concerns of the citizens of ward 6. I will work tirelessly to communicate these concerns to council and facilitate timely solutions to these concerns.
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the city?
My long-term goals for the city are:
- Attract more industry to our city.
- Implement an effective transportation strategy to that enables the citizens to efficiently move throughout the city. This includes the ION train in Cambridge before 2032.
- Develop a plan to address homelessness within the city.
- Transparency and accountability with our elected officials.
- Continued community pride as shown by environmental stewardship and preservation of our heritage buildings.
Q.5 What is your platform?
My platform is to listen to the concerns of the citizens of Ward 6 and effectively communicate these concerns to council and develop effective solutions to these concerns. This needs to occur in a transparent and accountable manner. I am a recognized professional in the logistics community and I would bring this same professionalism as a city councillor for Ward 6 in Cambridge.
Q.6 What do you like to do in your spare time?
In the past I have coached Cambridge house league soccer and was an official for Galt Minor Hockey. Now I enjoy watching my children play sports. I also enjoy playing golf and slo-pitch softball.
Q.7 What is your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
My favorite thing about living within ward 6 in Cambridge is the quick and easy access to the local schools, parks (Churchill Park), trails (Cambridge to Paris Rail Trail), downtown shops.
Bill Conway
Q.1 Please give a brief background of yourself including what you do for a living and how long you have lived in the area? (If you are an incumbent, please state how long you have held the position.)
My full time job is as a Project Manager for an industrial automation company Rockwell Automation located in Cambridge. I am also a Trustee for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, I was first elected to represent Cambridge and North Dumfries in 2014 and re-elected in 2018, I served as the chair of the board from 2018-2020
I have lived in Cambridge all my life and live in Ward 6 with my family
Q.2 Why do you believe you are the right person for the job?
I believe my experience as a Project Manager for nearly 25 years with two of Cambridge’s largest industrial automation employers, along with my eight years’ experience as a trustee for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board representing Cambridge and North Dumfries, with two years as Chair of Board, demonstrates my knowledge and experience in both business management and municipal government. That along with being engaged in the community through fundraising efforts with the United Way Waterloo Region, 100 Men Who Give a Damm Waterloo Region and Walk a Mile in their shoes in support of the YWCA, makes me an excellent choice to represent the people of Ward 6 on Cambridge City Council for 2022-2026
Q.3 What do you think is the most important issue facing your ward and the city as a whole?
In Ward 6, I have heard from residents about their concerns with speeding in particular around the multiple schools which are located along Myers Road, with the request to adding speed bumps and speed cameras in the school zones to increase safety. Furthermore, across Ward 6 I have heard of concerns of speeding in residential streets and those not adhering to making full stops at stop signs with the request for more Police presence.
I have heard from residents with the concerns with the proposed development along Water St S and how that will impact the adjacent neighbourhood and the loss of green space
In the city as a whole I see the following as the major issues
- Housing affordability both to purchase and rent, there is also an increasing number of seniors who are unable to afford housing due to pensions not meeting the rising costs of inflation.
- The increasing homelessness of all ages
- The need to increase support to the most vulnerable in our community with more services and programs
- Ensuring that development that is sustainable and responsible
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the city?
I believe reducing homelessness and supporting our most vulnerable with services and programs are two key areas that need to change in the coming years. These should be of high priority with specific goals and timelines to reaching these goals while reporting back to the council of Cambridge on progress
More programming for Seniors and specific strategies on addressing the pressure that Seniors have (been) facing in dealing with increased housing costs.
I believe that recreational services need to be improved; this would mean more investment in sports facilities, parks and sports fields, and increased bike trails and bike lanes, skate parks.
Q.5 What is your platform?
By voting for me, Bill Conway, I will be the voice on important issues, challenges and opportunities along with supporting city services that makes Cambridge a better place to live. I will be committed to collaborating with those I represent in Ward 6, local businesses, community organizations, and advocating for Cambridge interests at all levels of government. My focus will be on being a responsible steward of city assets and accountable spending of taxpayer’s dollars, supporting and advocating for those working with the most vulnerable, development decisions that are sustainable and responsible, promoting our city’s architecture and natural beauty including rivers, trails, parks for citizens and tourism
Q.6 What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy spending time with family and friends, I stay active by lane swimming, biking on the many trails in Cambridge along with playing hockey I am a member of Toastmasters and serve on the club executive.
Q.7 What is your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
Cambridge and Ward 6 is a community that cares and looks out for each other and is welcoming to newcomers to our city. We have many beautiful natural areas to enjoy with our rivers, trails and parks
Adam Cooper
Q.1 Please give a brief background of yourself including what you do for a living and how long you have lived in the area? (If you are an incumbent, please state how long you have held the position.)
Raised in England, I emigrated to Cambridge in 1988 and attended Galt Collegiate Institute and Conestoga College. I have lived in Ward 6 for 11 years. For 20 years I have run my own web marketing business along with stints in the hospitality and publishing field.
Q.2 Why do you believe you are the right person for the job?
For five years I have been a successful and prominent advocate for the rights and interests of the people of Cambridge. I have a well-documented history of passionately and intelligently delegating at both the regional and municipal levels, proving myself to be a reliable, respected and compassionate advocate for the people of Cambridge.
I have worked together with many community leaders and elected officials to be a strong voice for those that are feeling the significant social and financial effects of existing failing policies. I will continue this journey to tirelessly advocate for more effective solutions to our many issues that directly affect all who live within our beautiful city.
I believe in a safer, better Cambridge for all and will continue my work toward this goal when elected to council.
Q.3 What do you think is the most important issue facing your ward and the city as a whole?
– Safety in downtown areas and neighbourhoods, particularly for our seniors and children
– Addiction/homelessness and mental health related social issues. We need to bring all levels of gov’t to the table to seriously address this issue while prioritizing the rights and safety of the local community.
– Speeding issue in many parts of Ward 6
– Property crime
– Residential and commercial break-and-enter incidents
– Housing crisis and current cost of living
– Irresponsible, predatory development such as the proposed condo development backing onto Highman Ave. While we need more housing, we need to ensuring responsible development decisions that respect existing residents and protect our valuable heritage areas and natural assets.
– Lack of recreation options for youth
– Lack of nightlife to attract locals and tourists to our cores
– Heavy truck traffic through our core areas
– Maintenance of parks, pools and trails
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the city?
I wish to expand on our current efforts to turn our multiple beautiful downtown cores into vibrant, appealing areas for visitors and locals alike. To encourage more ‘walkable’ downtown areas that are safer, more inclusive, more pedestrian oriented and thus more desirable to large swaths of our population.
The recent closure of two downtown areas to vehicle traffic over the summer has seen an incredible response from our community as these once empty areas became home to live entertainment, singing and dancing, and families enjoying our local food and drink establishments. Most of all, these initiatives brought people together.
I believe in building on successes like this. We have an amazing community so lets bring more of Cambridge together!
I also believe in prioritizing the safety of the residents of Cambridge. Many in our community, especially seniors, no longer feel safe walking our downtown areas and neighbourhoods. Businesses are leaving because of this.
Property crime has skyrocketed over the past four years along with increased vandalism and break and enter incidents. This situation is unacceptable and we all deserve better. Let’s work together to make a better Cambridge, a Cambridge for everyone!
Q.5 What is your platform?
I believe that Ward 6 and indeed Cambridge as a whole is in need of a council that understands above all else that they serve the people and businesses of Cambridge. There is a sense of frustration among residents who are feeling disillusioned with a council that has minimized and dismissed their legitimate concerns while forwarding their own personal agendas.
I wish to return trust and honesty to a council that has an unfortunate history of not fulfilling it’s promise to act in the best interests of those that they have been tasked with representing.
For far too long, the interests of developers, special interest groups and ideological agendas have been placed ahead of the residents of our city. I will bring a fresh ‘residents first’ culture to city hall along with a greater focus on public consultation, transparency and respect for public opinion.
I have faith that by working together with all levels of government and by listening to the needs of the residents of Cambridge we can all enjoy a safer, better and more prosperous Cambridge.
Q.6 What do you like to do in your spare time?
I am an avid aviation enthusiast and enjoy scuba diving, bike rides on country roads, traveling, live music, trivia nights, dressing up for Halloween and walking/riding beautiful trails. I am also a TRMA award nominated musician and regularly perform live throughout Cambridge.
Q.7 What is your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
In Ward 6 you will find many attractions that bring the community together and make it such a wonderful place to live; attractions such as beautiful parks, stunning waterfronts and breathtaking trails. Our ward also encompasses many thriving and growing communities that represent the great diversity found within our city.
I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible in the upcoming weeks as I work toward making ward 6 and Cambridge as a whole an even better place to live!
Kris Langford
Q.2 Why do you believe you are the right person for the job?
We have a failure of leadership at all levels of government, it’s too full of politicians and not regular people. I served in the military and now I work in trades, I have no interest in being a politician, my goal is to be a representative. As someone who served in the military, I believe that public service is the greatest honour a person can have and that someone elected by the people needs to work tirelessly for the people; public service is to be selfless not selfish. I grew up in Cambridge and live in ward 6, the people here are my friends, family and neighbours, their concerns are my concerns.
Q.3 What do you think is the most important issue facing your ward and the city as a whole?
Ward 6 specifically has been abandoned by its current councillor, so we haven’t been represented at all at council. This has led to the closing of Hancock Pool against our wishes councils continued support for the montrusty development by Burlington-based LJM Development.
This would see five 15 story apartment buildings built at a waterfront choke point at Water St (Hwy 24) and Highman Ave. This 991 unit building which comes with 1176 parking spaces has been opposed by residents every step of the way, and has fallen on deaf ears of council. Because our current councillor has negated any responsibility to the ward basic municipal concerns like traffic and speeding on residential streets is being ignored.
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the city/region?
Cambridge as a whole its housing/homlessness and again the lack of leadership of local government.
We need to make sure Cambridge is affordable for the people who live here. We have seen what happens when cities become unlivable to the people who work in and service them.
Q.5 What is your platform?
My platform is the principles of Hard work, Housing and Humanity.
The hard work is in the part of the elected official. You work for the people, not the other way around. Housing includes rent, the cost to purchase a home and basic shelter of those unhoused. Without shelter (housing first) you can’t deal with any other social issues. Humanity should be in all policy decisions, they need to be people centred not political or profit driven.
Q.6 What do you like to do in your spare time?
I’m a local filmmaker so a lot of my truly spare time is taken up with that. I’m both a huge fan of the performing arts and soccer so I’m either at some type of theater event or attending soccer games.
Q.7 What is your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
I grew up in Cambridge and my time in the military let me see a lot of the country and other parts of the world which let me really appreciate not just how beautiful the city is but how great the people are. Cambridge is not just the buildings and business, it’s the people.