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 Kitchener, the region’s largest city, will elect councillors in 10 wards as well as a mayor to form city council.
There will be at least three new faces in place, as Ward 3 Coun. John Gazzola, Ward 5 Coun. Kelly Galloway Sealock and Ward 10 Coun. Sarah Marsh have chosen not to seek re-election.
In Ward 2, Coun. Dave Schnider is seeking a third term in council but he will be facing some stiff competition from Derrick Rabethge and Asher Shazad.
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 Kitchener, with the candidates being listed in alphabetical order. (This page will be updated if more candidates choose to respond.):
Derrick Rabethge
Q.2 Why do you believe you are the right person for the job?
I am a young professional at 31 years old and have lived and grown up in Kitchener and specifically ward 2 my entire life. I attended Crestview until grade 5 and then was one of the First students to ever go to Lackner Woods public school when in grade 6, I then went to Stanley Park followed by Grand River for high school where I graduated with Honours.
After high school I attended the University of Waterloo and majored in Drama and Speech communication with a minor in History. I graduated from Waterloo with Honours. I also studied and have my fight certifications with FDC( Fight Directors Canada) at the advanced level while studying at Rapier Wit down in Toronto to help advance my acting/stunt career.
My first job was in Ward 2 at what was the Charlie’s Food Basics in the Ottawa and Lackner plaza. I started there when I was 15. When I turned 16 I took my NLS (National Lifeguard Service) designation so that I could be a lifeguard and swim instructor. I applied and worked both for the YMCA( one session) and for the City of Kitchener specifically at Lyle Hallman and Idle wood pools(outdoor facility) for 8 years. I was a Head Instructor Guard which made us in charge of the facility and responsible for all the other guards, instructors, and patrons; there could be anywhere around 200 people at the peak of summer at one time. I also Taught Water Aerobics and was and still am certified as a Bronze examiner and Standard first Aid Examiner for the LSS(Life Saving Society). Head guarding and working for the city helped put me through school it was a remarkable job which allowed for a lot of personal growth and building of important life skills such as Leadership, conflict resolution, Parenting/Dealing with Children of many ages, teaching/Instructing, Responsibility, Emergency situations and stress management.
Working for the city while I enjoyed it, opened my eyes to many of the shortcomings in leadership, Health and safety and wastefulness. This was the community services department that I worked in and I imagine if it is happening there it is happening in many other departments as well as at the council level. I also feel that through my study as an actor and communications skills are one of the most important skills for this job. Being able to discuss and formulate responses to questions but also listen to what people actually have to say. I think the biggest reason is that I have grown up and lived my whole life here and care about the things and people in my community and want to make sure my community is heard.
Q.3 What do you think is the most important issue facing your ward and the city as a whole?
Housing Affordability/Rent/Homelessness
Let’s start with the elephant in the room: Housing. Housing in Kitchener has shot up and become completely unaffordable for most individuals especially in the younger demographics between 25-35. Home ownership is becoming a smaller and smaller dream for people nowadays. which forces people who have grown up in this community out of the city. Many people, myself included, are facing this issue. People want in many cases to stay and raise their families in the same communities that they themselves grew up in and it is devastating and heartbreaking to see people have to move out of their community hours away or in some cases provinces away. On top of that it also chases away talented and hardworking community members, as well as prevents prospective talent from coming to the city.
Not only is housing expensive but rent in most cases is also out of control. In some scenarios you have people paying more money in rent a month than what they would actually be paying via a mortgage. I do understand that the argument is that a down payment is required and that is the struggle many individuals have from getting into a home, but how is someone supposed to be able to save for a decent down payment when housing prices are unrealistic and you’re paying mortgage sized rent?
These problems are extremely evident by our current homelessness problem that has cropped up on Victoria Street and the encampment in Victoria Park. These encampments can lead to many unhealthy and unsafe community situations for both people living in and using the encampments as well as other residents of the city. The people within these encampments are all there for varied reasons, some struggle with mental health, some addiction, some are just down on their luck, or have found themselves unable to keep up with the ridiculous pricing on rent and unaffordable housing. The council and the city should be looking into how to actually alleviate and fix this problem without breaking the bank. Many of the council members seeking reelection have been involved for 8-12 years or more, and it is under their leadership, inaction and poor planning that have resulted in this crisis.
Some possible solutions I think could alleviate this situation for everyone would be to zone and build more housing, of all types, not just allow builders to build $800,000-$900,000 homes because that’s where the money is. Cutting down of red tape that has slowed the ability of housing to be built. Look at possible rent controls. The allowance of private citizens being allowed to buy their own plot of land and shop around for their own builder of their house would also bring prices down. The city sells builders plots at just under $25,000 a pop. Cutting out the need for marketing and real estate teams from the builder’s bottom line means less cost which should also bring down housing prices.
If people in Ward 2 have suggestions and or thoughts on this particular issue I would love to hear from you. At the end of the day, I want to be your representative. It is not just about my platform and what I want or can do. I am your hand and your voice in council so let’s make our community better together.
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the city?
I think this kind of leaks back into the previous question: we need to build more housing and remove red tape to alleviate some of these housing supply and demand issues which will have an impact on price. This will also help to slow though not fully solve the homelessness issue. I think we can get many of these people proper housing and some mental health/Addiction help that would improve that situation. I think we want to keep the feel of the size of the city. We are building more housing but staying away from super high/tall towers. I also want to commit to making the city a safe and amazing place to raise families and not just bring in talent from other parts of the country and the world but also keep our citizens living in the communities that they grew up in. We want to have as little waste as possible when it comes to people’s tax dollars and not raise taxes on a whim unless completely necessary to stay in line with high quality service.
Q.5 What is your platform?
Taxation: This will be simple and sweet, I am not for the increase in property taxes in the city, I have not been elected yet, however, I would be very interested to take a look at the books. I have a feeling that there is a lot of bureaucratic waste and money that could be moved around and better served in other areas. I think it is appalling that the answer council or any other government body has to just raise taxes and throw money wastefully at a problem is unacceptable. I had a constituent while I was canvassing say, “I have to balance out my household budget and make everything livable within my means I can’t just raise my salary when things get more expensive.” It is irresponsible of the city to be raising taxes on its citizens unless it is absolutely necessary on paper, which until I see the numbers, I have heavy doubt on the necessity.
Schools/Safety: I have been hearing from a lot of people that are upset with how the city planning, along with the Region and the WRDSB are approaching problems surrounding new schools, and existing schools that due to poor planning and logistics has left a dangerous mess for both parents and their children that attend or will be attending these school. A newly planned high school in our ward has been approved but not finalized so I would love to hear more thoughts from the community surrounding this new Catholic high school. I have also been told that our current councilor has been pretty tone deaf and refusing to listen to community concerns around Chicopee Hill Public School. The city and the region need to find some way to make this school and getting to this school more reasonable the poor planning that got us here in the first-place can’t be reversed the school has been built now, however it should not take a child or parent getting hit by a car for the city and region to finally realize this is a problem
Working with the Regional Council and the Police/Police Checks: I was deeply upset when a few months ago I went to the Waterloo Regional Police Headquarters to get myself a police check so as to be able to apply for a license I needed in order to work Bluesfest. The police informed me that they no longer will provide police checks in person and only will do them online. I pushed back a little but left upset and confused after being told it would take up to a month. People in our community who want to volunteer whether that be with the school, senior’s centers, or for work need police checks. before the pandemic you could walk in and get one in 10 minutes. now it’s taking them a month to see that most people have no rap sheet. I made it my mission to get this terrible policy fixed, a policy most community members aren’t even aware of changed. The speed of the test is one issue but my bigger problem with it is the fact it’s a barrier for many people in our community. Not everyone has easy access to technology, and even if they do may not be able to use it due to their Age, Disability or whatever other reason. While I think having an online application process is not a bad policy, not providing people who wish to walk in and be served at Police services is not acceptable. both options should be available, and I am going to fight and work with the Regional council to get this terrible policy reversed.
Conclusion: These are just a few of my concerns and policy thoughts, I am happy to champion and or listen to any other concerns people in the community have regardless of how big or small the concern. One thing I want to bring back to the council and our Ward is actually listening and communicating so we as a community can actually get things done. I am simply your representative, as an Actor we all have agents, but the old adage goes nobody is going to advocate for you as well as you yourself. This position I am Acting on your behalf to be you and push and fight to get things done. If I have to shake the Tree at the city that’s what I am willing to do. They will listen because I refuse to give them the option of not listening. I am not looking to schmooze at events and make friends, I have plenty of those. I look forward to hearing from any and all community members.
Q.6 What do you like to do in your spare time?
I am a pretty well-rounded guy. I enjoy film and theatre heavily as that is the industry in which I work in. I enjoy camping and the beach in the summer, the family spends a lot of time up at Killbear Provincial Park which is 30 minuntes outside of Parry Sound. I have been an avid chess player since I was about 5 years old and that helped grow my love for other board games, video games, and anything that requires some kind of strategy or tactics like Magic the Gathering for example. I enjoy a night out dancing once in a while to help shake off stress at any of KW’s nightlife establishments. Spending a lot of time with family and friends. Family is important to me and I think to many of us family is one of the most important things in life, spending time with the ones that you love.
Q.7 What is your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
People always ask me when they inquire about my acting/stunt career if I have any plans on moving to Toronto, Vancouver, or cities in the U.S. like Los Angeles or Atlanta. I always laugh and tell them, “no. Why would I want to go live in one of those cities when we have an amazing city right here?” Kitchener has the feel of being a big city without being Toronto. It’s close to the airport and has its own airport. It’s within driving distance of the border. Best of all it is an amazing city and community to raise a family and grow up in. I should know since I grew up and spent my whole life here, I would like to in the near future raise a family of my own in this community.
Dave Schnider
Q.2 Why do you believe you are the right person for the job?
I’m a lifelong Kitchener resident, currently living in Ward 2. During the eight years I’ve served on council, I’ve built positive and respectful relationships with our staff and my fellow councillors. I’m a collaborator and with just one vote on council decisions, I work to find balance and middle ground to be move things forward. I have a strong record of responding to resident concerns and for attending and promoting Ward 2 and City wide events.
Prior to being on Council, I had a long radio career where I participated in promotions and events that assisted many charities and agencies. It made me aware and responsive to the needs in our community. My radio career connected me with many people in our community who I am still connected with today.
I love this community and appreciate the opportunity to contribute to keeping and growing Kitchener as a great place to live, work and play. During my radio days, a co-worker nicknamed me, the “Friendly Neighbourhood Schniderman”, it’s something that means a lot to me and I try to live up to that by being positive, optimistic and approachable.
Q.3 What do you think is the most important issue facing your ward and the city as a whole?
In Ward 2, the most common issue I hear about is speed on residential streets. We’ve begun to address that by implementing a 40 km/h speed limit on residential streets.
In the city as a whole and also in Ward 2, affordable housing along the entire housing continuum and homelessness. It’s beyond Kitchener’s jurisdiction to build and operate affordable and supportive housing, but we’ve done things within our jurisdiction to contribute to it. We donated land for the YWCA supportive housing complex on Block Line Road, provided land, water and hydro for the A Better Tent City program and waived fees and secured a loan for the oneROOF Supportive Housing project and created a $2 million Affordable Housing Reserve Fund to help create more affordable and supportive housing. Other larger city issues include climate change, job creation and improving on equity, diversity, Indigenous and inclusion concerns
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the city?
To keep Kitchener an amazing city to live, work and play in. To have a strong supply and variety of housing options including affordable and attainable units to make up for the deficit we currently have and meet future demand. To continue the work being done on anti-racism, Indigenous issues, diversity and inclusion so everyone feels like they belong. To be ahead of reaching our climate change goals. To continue improving and enhancing our parks and trails. To continue the great work being done to attract new jobs and help current businesses grow. To continue to have great festivals and events and adding to the diversity of them.
Q.5 What is your platform?
Listen to you and respond to your concerns: When you contact me, I’ll respond and make sure your voice and concerns are heard. Over the last 8 years, I’ve gained experience and built respectful relationships with our staff. I’ll work with them to investigate your issue to get results and answers for you. I may not always be able to get the exact result you were hoping for, but I’ll do my best to help find a balanced solution. You’ll get an informed answer and explanation to your questions.
Respect and value your tax dollars: Focus on your top issues and having the services and facilities you want, balanced at price you’re comfortable with. Keep our roads, infrastructure, parks and trails a top priority. Support saving costs through partnerships, sponsorships and new technologies. Keep supporting investments that address affordable housing, climate change and sustainability. Support what brings economic, environmental, social and cultural value to our city and improves service levels to you.
A caring and inclusive Kitchener: I will continue to strongly support making and keeping Kitchener a place where everyone belongs, feels welcome, included, and has a say in. I supported the creation of Kitchener’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Team and Citizen Advisory Committee and am committed to moving forward on their recommendations. I served on Kitchener’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee to find ways within Kitchener’s jurisdiction to support the creation of affordable and supportive housing options and support investments and incentives to create them.
Strong economic development and a vibrant Kitchener: Support efforts and investments to bring more and new jobs across all sectors to Kitchener and that help current employers grow their operations and workforce. Support having a wide variety of arts & culture offerings, our great free events, festivals and concerts and adding to the diversity of them. Value our great spaces, parks, trails and recreational facilities. Support increasing our supply of affordable and attainable housing all along the housing continuum. I want Kitchener to continue to be a great and vibrant city to live, work and play in.
Q.6 What do you like to do in your spare time?
I’m the PA voice for and a long-time fan of the Kitchener Rangers, so I love anything to do with the Rangers. Cooking is something I love to do. I enjoy reading, mostly biographies. I enjoy getting out on our city trails. I like helping out at my wife’s restaurant in Elmira doing behind the scenes jobs like dishwashing.
Q.7 What is your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
The kindness. Kitchener is a city of good neighbours. It’s like a big, small town.
Global News has also reached out to Asher Shazad but has not received a response as of publication. This copy will be updated as further answers arrive.