2022 Ontario municipal election: Meet Kitchener’s Ward 10 council candidates

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.

There is a large list of people who have entered the race to replace Marsh in Ward 10, including Aislinn Clancy, Peter Davis, Daniel Fife, Stephanie Stretch, Lana Hiscock and Phong Tran.

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 as received.

What follows are the responses received from those running for councillor in Kitchener, with the candidates being listed in alphabetical order.

Aislinn Clancy

Q.2 Why do you believe you are the right person for the job?

I believe I would be the best candidate for city councilor because I live in the ward and I have the most relevant experience professionally and personally. My experience as a volunteer, advocate, social worker, settlement worker and academic has prepared me to be an effective representative who can advocate for the values of our ward on council.

My business degree has prepared me to understand and address the fiscal responsibilities as a councilor and be a voice for local entrepreneurs. I will be able to balance our values of compassion with the need for accountability and responsible governance. While my degree in social work, settlement work and social work experience will help me deeply understand the ever changing needs of constituents. I have the skills to listen, support and walk with diverse groups to ensure our community needs are met and everyone can reach their potential.

Also, in my work as a volunteer with various climate focused NGOs, I’m prepared to take action to reduce our carbon footprint and adapt to the impact of climate change. I have connections in the community and knowledge about the solutions working in other municipalities to reduce carbon emissions. For the past several years I have been lobbying government representatives related to climate policy. I’m prepared to work to build relationships and move policy forward by working with all those on council and collaborating with various levels of government, in a respectful and gracious manner.

Finally, as a mother, friend, neighbour, partner and ally, I work in my everyday life to make sure my kitchen table includes everyone. Inclusion should be reflected in your relationships, not just your words. I hope to bring the voice of many diverse communities to the city council. I hope to do so by building community, staying connected to folks in the ward, and enjoying life in Kitchener as the number one fan and ambassador for the city. When we are all cared for, housed, welcome and empowered, the whole city will thrive.

Q.3 What do you think is the most important issue facing your ward and the city as a whole?

The rising cost of living is having a heavy impact on many folks in Kitchener. The rising rents in the city are leaving more and more people homeless or at risk of homelessness. When faced with homelessness, folks can easily become addicted to the poisoned drug supply on the streets leading to even greater consequences such as crime, health issues and death.  Homelessness is impacting our whole city, as it is a reflection of how we care for our most vulnerable and causes disruptions as people find ways to survive. I would work with our development partners to meet the housing needs of our community, collaborate with local landlords to find greater accessibility to units and address rising rents. I would invest in eviction prevention and support for those needing emergency housing help, because eviction prevention is addiction prevention. Finally, I would collaborate with local partners to invest in solutions such as those utilized by A Better Tent City, the Working Centre, House of Friendship, YWCA and others.

Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the city?

The city has made many targets to address the climate crisis (increasing the tree canopy and reducing our carbon by 50% by 2030). I hope to collaborate with local experts, various levels of government, constituents and stakeholders to encourage a transition off of fossil fuel. We can change the way we build to ensure that our city is sustainable, healthy, inclusive and prepared. We can implement adaptations for renters, homeowners, vulnerable folks and living beings so that we can be prepared for increasingly intense weather systems, extreme heat and geopolitical shifts. I hope Kitchener can be a leader in developing neighbourhoods that care for each other and the planet.

Q.5 What is your platform?

I would like to encourage development that is in line with our city’s needs and values. I’m excited that the city is growing, but I think the council needs to have a strong vision for how we grow. We can set expectations as to how buildings are built, what development can contribute to the community and how projects could adapt to fit the neighbourhoods they are in. I will support development that has affordable units, built using sustainable practices and addresses the missing middle.

Many municipalities are working to set clear expectations on building using sustainable practices. We can learn from other cities about what has worked in their effort to transition off fossil fuels.  We will need to look at the business model for our local utility to ensure we have a secure source of income in the coming years and a secure source of energy to provide for citizens. Studies show that we can expect an increasing demand for energy, due to an increasing population and transition to electrification. There are many novel business ideas to ensure we can offer stable and renewable energy, while generating revenue to provide for citizens.

Homelessness is an increasing issue in Kitchener. As rents rise, so too does homelessness and crime. I would encourage partnerships between various levels of government to create a rapid response to the current needs of the community for shelter, care and connections. I would work with renters and landlords to ensure folks can continue to access affordable housing that is safe and stable.

Q.6 What do you like to do in your spare time?

When I am not working, volunteering, parenting and learning, I like to run on the Spurline, swim at Kiwanis, rollerblade the Iron Horse, bike to my destination, dance at city hall, hike at Breithaupt Park, eat locally, savour summer and spend time with friends from all over the world. I like to enjoy learning about various cultures, to speak Spanish and French, to visit parks and green spaces. I like to tell jokes and make people laugh (the Irish genes).

Q.7 What is your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?

I love so many things about this city and ward, nicknaming myself the “Ambassador of Kitchener” as I encouraged friends from out of town to move here. When friends visit, I like to highlight our cultural diversity, telling stories about the communities of refugees and immigrants who have made Kitchener home over the years to make it what it is today. We might visit parks and enjoy the array of families and eat some beautiful food. I usually bring people for a tour on our family ebike. We travel along the spur line to a coffee shop, live music venue or market. I enjoy highlighting for folks the murals that went up around DTK as well as introducing them to the heritage homes and friendly neighbours.

Daniel Fife

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 lawyer and also work as a deputy judge of the Small Claims Court; instructor at WLU and as a mediator. I have worked in Ward 10 for 31 years and have lived here for the last six. I am the father of six adult children. As well as my law degree, I hold an undergraduate degree with a double major in political science and economics.

Q.2 Why do you believe you are the right person for the job?

I believe an effective councillor is one who can solve problems and advocate on behalf of the residents and the city. I have a wealth of experience – both professional and personal- that shows I can do both effectively.

Q.3 What do you think is the most important issue facing your ward and the city as a whole?

The homeless and affordable housing. The encampments are a necessary short-term solution but they must end – for both their residents as well as for the benefit of everyone who lives or owns a business in the city. A lasting solution requires providing an alternative place to live so that everyone can have a home. That is a necessary step to address the underlying problems including mental health and substance abuse. We also have to address affordability of housing by continuing to encourage growth to increase supply of housing for residents of all income levels. The city cannot solve these issues on its own but must have an strong and effective voice to collaborate with the Regional, provincial and federal governments.

Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the city?

As well as addressing the issues of the homeless and affordable housing, the city should build on the progress it has made over the last 10-15 years to enhance the energy of vibrancy of the downtown core. I envision attracting more businesses, residents, businesses and tourists to the downtown by promoting the use of an expanded LRT system, bike trials and lanes, and temporarily or permanently closing some of the streets similar to when seasonal festivals are happening now.

Q.5 What is your platform?

I have entered the race since I believe I can make a substantial contribution as a councillor. I am very receptive and respectful to different points of view and committed to trying to improve the lives of residents in my ward and the city. For more details, please see fife4ten.ca.

Q.6 What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy many sports as a spectator and participant. I am active and committed to fitness including golf and daily walks with my dog, Atticus, through Victoria Park. I also enjoy history and current events.

Q.7 What is your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?

First and foremost, I love living in the heart of downtown. Not only can I enjoy the local restaurants and other businesses, but I can walk to my law office which is in a heritage building on Queen Street. The Auditorium holds a special place for me since it has found a way to maintain its historical charm while expanding and improving to keep up with the changes of the city as well as the continued success of the Rangers.

Lana Hiscock

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’m Lana Hiscock, I am 31 years old and I grew up in Newfoundland. About six years ago I moved to the KW region to continue graduate studies in chemistry and should be finishing my PhD this year. I first moved to ward 10 in 2018

Q.2 Why do you believe you are the right person for the job?

I believe that I am the right person for several reasons. One of my biggest motivators is compassion – I want to solve issues, like homelessness or housing unaffordability, so that we and our neighbours can have a better quality of life. I also believe that my voice, that of a lower-income, renting, transgender woman, is not one that has been heard on council. My presence would challenge the status quo and give representation to those whose voices have not been heard.

Q.3 What do you think is the most important issue facing your ward and the city as a whole?

I believe the most important issue we are facing is housing unaffordability and availability, since this affects a whole range of other issues. The encampment we have at Victoria/Weber is an issue in and of itself, but it is a symptom of a broken system. We will need to work with other levels of government to fix the systemic issues that allow and encourage such inequalities to grow. Fixing the housing crisis will affect other social determinants of health such as childhood poverty, drug addiction, mental health conditions, and will make our society stronger and healthier as a result.

Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the city?

1. Solve chronic homelessness through a housing-first policy.
2. Develop in a sustainable manner that takes into consideration factors like gentrification, climate, traffic, amenity deserts, walk-/bike-ability, density.
3. A city where housing is affordable and plentiful, and neighbourhoods are safe, walkable, and beautiful.

Q.5 What is your platform?

1. Housing for All – no one should be without housing, no preconditions. This would be achieved using the “Housing First” model that many locales in North America and Europe have implemented to drastically reduce homelessness.
2. Affordable homes means healthy neighbourhoods – One of the top concerns on the minds of many of the people I speak to is the skyrocketing costs of keeping a roof over one’s head. In order for our neighbourhoods to be healthy and the people within them living productive and healthy lives, we need housing costs that are affordable. If you are making the minimum wage, you should be able to keep a roof over your head. It’s as simple as that.
3. Urban Development favouring people over cars – For too long we in North America have developed our cities with the suburban car driver in mind. That period of time is coming to an end and we need to see urban development that centers alternative modes of travel take priority. This means more bike lanes, better walkability, getting rid of amenity deserts, achieving 15-minute neighbourhoods, expanded public transit both within and from the region, and fewer parking lots taking up important real estate that could be used in ways that would better influence the community.

Q.6 What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy listening to music, usually classical (baroque, Bach mostly), working out, and meeting lots of new people.

Q.7 What is your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?

My favourite thing is that it feels like I was born here – sort of. I transitioned at the same time as I moved to Kitchener, and I’ve spent my entire life as the “real me” here. The love and acceptance I’ve found here is a beautiful thing, as are the new friends I’ve made and the “found family” I now have. The people of this city are what makes it great.

Stephanie Stretch

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, Stephanie Stretch (nee Seibert), have strong roots in Kitchener’s Ward 10, this is where I was born, raised, and currently reside with my family in the downtown area of Ward 10.

I live and work in Kitchener with my husband, two daughters, dog “Snoopy,” and my in-laws. I have over a decade of professional experience working in the not-for-profit sector, where I directly support and advocate for children, youth, and families with Pathways to Education at Carizon Family and Community Services. I have also worked for Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region, and am a dedicated volunteer — giving back to the city as a board member, coach, emergency shelter worker, emergency daycare provider for essential workers, and settlement worker for local NFPs including: Reception House, The Working Centre, Moppet, Truth and Reconciliation Community Committee, and Stanley Park Optimist Ball

Q.2 Why do you believe you are the right person for the job?

I want to see a change in politics. I’m tired of seeing it at its worst and want to see it at its best. I want to help people and I want to have a larger impact on my community. It would be my honour to represent you at City Hall. I am a qualified and passionate person with a desire to positively impact the community that I love and live in. I am committed; I believe that the constituents of Ward 10 are its greatest asset and will benefit from my voice at city hall. This is my second time running in a municipal election, further confirming my dedication to local change-making through elected office.

I have been endorsed by a wide variety of community members — including local leaders in business, academic, arts, youth, newcomer, and indigenous initiatives — who trust me to represent them and their diverse needs at city hall. I intend to do just that. I am the only candidate on Ward 10 endorsed by the Waterloo Regional Labour Council which represents 33 unions with over 26,000 workers in many fields, including education.

Q.3 What do you think is the most important issue facing your ward and the city as a whole?

Socially responsible growth and community development: an ecological approach to place-making considers the environmental, economical, and social determinants of a thriving city and weaves them together to create a strong social fabric.

Lack of ecological planning and sustainable action has resulted in highly visible social breakdown in Kitchener, including: a ballooning homeless population and the proliferation of encampments, affordability and access concerns across demographics, and the marginalization of indigenous, racialized and equity deserving voices in our community.

Affordability is top of mind for people living in Ward 10, and a successful city councillor will advocate on behalf of her residents’ quality of life — a quality of life where people receive value for their dollar, and are able to make choices about how they participate in public life and how they utilize public infrastructure. Traditional and social infrastructure are deeply intertwined where an ecologically sustainable city is concerned: a city that prioritizes its citizens’ quality of life invests in interdependent and innovative, green and socially responsible projects simultaneously to build a livable city that meets the needs of its diverse residents.

Publicly-funded projects must display environmentally responsible infrastructure and operational acumen. I will insist on net-zero and carbon-zero public projects: be they facility, transit, park, care, para-medical, medical, or emergency response infrastructure investments. I am a climate champion and will push for the city to follow the region’s initiatives with Transform WR’s plan. I am encouraged where I see local not-for-profits, municipally supported organizations, and — to an extent — private developers invest in responsive projects that are environmentally sustainable, socially and fiscally responsible, and tailored to the needs of citizens. Accessible and timely capital projects by The Working Centre and the Kitchener Public Library — that expand on needed resources like shelter, housing, affordable community participation and education — are positive examples.

Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the city?

I hope that we will make meaningful progress on immediate issues that have long-term implications, including:

• General affordability
• A robust and sustainable social service that expertly and compassionately meets the needs of the most precarious people in our community — including the unhoused
• Increased democratic and social engagement in the community by citizens who feel energized by an inspiring vision for the city, and holistically represented by their municipal officials

Equity-deserving groups will largely guide my priorities on long term municipal issues and future planning. These voices include but are not limited to: youth, indigenous peoples, racialized individuals and groups, newcomers, people who are precariously housed and unhoused, and people living on a limited income.

My priorities will be the priorities of many principled citizens — a thriving community where everyone can have a home, find healing, economic and social opportunity, and democratic agency.  Within these principles is room for myriad conversations and actions that include representatives from all walks of life and social status — but my immediate priorities will be informed by systemically underrepresented voices.

Q.5 What is your platform?

My campaign is guided by three principles that I embody as a candidate:

• Experience
• Fresh Ideas
• Sustainability.

Experience: Over a decade of professional experience working in responsive social service in downtown Kitchener

• Motivated by a deep commitment to equitable access and a welcoming city where people can thrive, belong, articulate and collaborate on shared vision
• A valued and effective employee of Carizon Family and Community Services: Pathways to Education — a community-based, National organization focused on long-term Community Development through access to education via social, academic, financial and advocacy supports to students and families living in under-funded areas in Kitchener
• A thoughtful and motivated team member at Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region focusing on affordable housing solutions and community development right here in Kitchener

A lifelong resident of Kitchener, with a community profile built from grass-roots participation and thoughtful community development

• A second-term candidate for City Council recognized by her peers, the press, and elected officials for an innovative 2018 campaign that emphasized the gender gap in municipal representation — culminating in an innovative event that drew municipal, regional, and provincial candidates and incumbents together to support equitable participation in local politics
• A board member, coach, emergency shelter worker, emergency daycare provider for essential workers, and settlement worker for local NFPs including: Reception House, The Working Centre, Moppet, Truth and Reconciliation Community Committee, and Stanley Park Optimist Ball

Fresh Ideas: More than just words: a demonstrable history of deep understanding and sustainable action on emergent ideas and community values

• Researching, initiating, hosting, and attending anti-racism and Indigenous workshops, working groups and trainings
• Integrating directives and learnings responsibly into social and professional practices where the stakes are real: when working with youth, newcomers, diverse families, people living in low income areas, traumatized individuals, and people experiencing compounding complexities
• Welcoming and settling Syrian Refugees, and supporting the family reunification, permanent housing, and economic success of the Al Othman family in Kitchener
• Building relationships and working in socially innovative fields that adapt to the changing needs of the people living in Kitchener – especially where education, housing, access to food, anti-racism, indigeneity, system navigation, and newcomer settlement are concerned
• Responding with compassion, collaboration, and clear thinking in times of crises
• Looking forward and initiating flexible, responsive policies, practices and projects that will serve future citizens

Sustainability: A dedicated proponent of ecological sustainability: weaving together the essentials of a livable, meaningful, green and robust civil society and city for generations to come

– Fiscal responsibility and affordability

• A deep understanding of the housing crises, and how inequities in the market affect citizens from all walks of life: young people, newcomers, citizens experiencing homelessness, seniors, and families
• Practical knowledge of the Federal, Provincial, Regional and Municipal economic models and responsibilities that impact local affordability and access to housing, employment, education, and healthcare
• Dedicated to balanced decision-making at community and intergovernmental levels that result in affordability, and equitable access to the resources all citizens of Kitchener require to make a safe and sustainable home in the city

– Social responsibility and togetherness

• Fiscal responsibility as community care: ensuring that the city invests wisely and collaboratively on behalf of present and future generations
• Investing in community services and supporting local initiatives that build into the social fabric of Kitchener
• Protecting human rights, honouring indigeneity, demanding equity, and retooling systemic structures to create a balanced and fair administration that serves people of all walks of life
• Having the courage and resiliency to make structural changes that support an inclusive bureaucracy

– Environmental sustainability and investment

• Building up, building human, and ensuring a robust countryside line: protecting and celebrating urban and rural agriculture, complex ecosystems, and humane access to green spaces
• Insisting on environmentally responsible infrastructure that is ecologically innovative, and prioritizing these projects for our city centre — be they public or private enterprise
• Considering our place in a world of rapidly changing climate: Kitchener as a global city whose ecological and economic future is tied to a collective response to our warming climate

Q.6 What do you like to do in your spare time?

Play. I love to play silly imagination games with my kids. I enjoy coaching and playing sports like volleyball and basketball.  I stay physically active in my day-to-day by hiking, biking, playing pond hockey, canoeing and swimming. I take my dog for long walks and revel in green spaces. I have a passion for nachos in a pub after the game, hanging out with friends, supporting live music and attending community events. I like to paint and love poetry. You can find me at the Kitchener Market on most Saturdays, wandering and taking my time picking my haul.

Q.7 What is your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?

Ward 10 is where all the action is. I love it here. This is where Kitchener’s greatest successes and hardships are collocated. There is a beautiful tension to the downtown area that is worth celebrating and acting on — a complex, cosmopolitan city centre that is reconciled to itself daily via the trails, cultures, conversations, intentionalities, events, initiatives, and neighbourhoods that connect and bind a ward and city together.  Ward 10 is a hopeful ward, a bellwether area that wears its heart on its sleeve: I feel home here.

Phong Tran

Editor’s note: Phong Tran provided the following in response to the questions:

I have lived in many cities, but no place as long as Kitchener. This city has been home for the past 20 years, especially in Ward 10.

My family and I immigrated to Ottawa at the height of the Vietnamese Boat People. It was a struggle to learn a new language and adjust to a new culture. Winter in Canada was fun for the first week, then it got real. I graduated from Glebe Collegiate High School then moved to Manhattan, New York to start my film career. In the early ’90s I moved to Toronto to work on Imax features, and TV series. A catastrophic event happened in (911 & SARS) that brought the film industry to a halt.

In 2002, I moved to Kitchener with my wife Dawn.   We saw an opportunity to start a business, so in 2004 we opened Matter of Taste Coffee Bar in the Downtown core.

For over the past 20 years living and operating business Downtown, I have seen many changes and faced many challenges. The most recent is the COVID-19 pandemic.  During this time, we needed to maneuver quickly and find ways to survive. Our biggest supporters were our neighbours and our local communities. We are still here because of their support. I am so appreciative of the love.

Being an entrepreneur for most of my adult life, I made many mistakes and fell many times. The most valuable lesson I learned is to keep moving forward and not be afraid of failures. I want to bring this energy to the City Council. I want to keep pushing the City forward.

This is why I am running for City Council.

Downtown Kitchener is transforming into a high-density urban center and with this come urban challenges.

For the next four years, my priorities are:

1. Safety and beautification.
2. Promoting a walkable Downtown:

– preserving green spaces,

– creating parks,

– arts and cultures.

3. A master vision for development of Downtown.

We have many smart people in our city. Let’s use their expertise.  Let’s forward these conversations into actions.  Let’s take action.

For the past few years, I have taken up woodworking, joined a KW Woodworking Club till the pandemic hit. I am also a novice sailor, working on my skills and confidence in navigating the waterway and working with mother nature.

Global News has also reached out to Peter Davis but has not received a response as of publication. This copy will be updated as further answers arrive.