Stephanie Stretch

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 Camino Wellbeing + Mental Health: 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 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

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 
• Living intergenerationally in the downtown core as a sustainable and equitable housing solution for more than one household
• 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  

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