How I Serve Ward 10

A city where people can afford to stay

Affordability is part of almost every conversation I have.

Families are paying more for food, housing and everyday necessities. Young people are wondering whether they will be able to build a future here. Seniors are concerned about remaining in their homes and neighbourhoods. Renters are facing limited options, and local businesses are managing rising costs of their own.

Municipal governments cannot control every pressure affecting household budgets. For example, we do not set interest rates nor do we determine construction costs, but we can make a difference. We do make important decisions about property taxes, housing approvals, land use, infrastructure and how public dollars are spent.

The City must use those tools carefully and effectively. 

My record

I helped approve a 2026 City property-tax increase of 2.2 per cent—approximately $29 for the average household, or just over $2 a month. This modest increase both maintained the services residents rely on while keeping the increase in line with inflation.

Responsible financial management is not about cutting for the sake of cutting. It is about getting good value from every dollar, maintaining essential services and making thoughtful investments that prevent larger costs in the future.

Housing is also central to affordability.

During this term, the City supported 11 affordable-housing projects representing more than 420 new homes and approximately $59 million in municipal investment. Five of those projects are in Ward 10.

They include projects led by organizations such as Indwell, The Working Centre, Reception House, Kitchener Housing and other community partners. These developments will provide affordable, supportive and accessible homes for people with different needs and at different stages of life.

This work has involved more than approving buildings. The City has supported community housing providers through funding, land, fee waivers, development-charge exemptions and hands-on assistance to keep projects moving forward.

As a Council, we have also supported changes that make it easier to build a wider range of homes. Kitchener now permits up to four residential units on properties across the city, helping create more options such as duplexes, triplexes and additional dwelling units. City staff have also significantly reduced site-plan approval times so viable projects can move forward more efficiently.

These are practical municipal actions. They will not solve the housing crisis on their own, but they show what can happen when the City focuses on the tools within its control.

What comes next

There is much more to do.

I will continue working to:

• protect essential City services while keeping tax increases reasonable and predictable;
• support non-profit, supportive and affordable-housing providers;
• expand housing choices for renters, families, seniors and people entering the housing market;
• help projects move from approval to construction more efficiently;
• plan new housing alongside the water, transportation and community infrastructure it requires; and
• work with the Region, provincial government and federal government to bring more housing investment to Kitchener.

My goal is straightforward: Kitchener should be a city where people at different income levels and stages of life can find a home, build a future and remain part of their community.

Practical action for a safer and healthier Ward 10 

I live downtown. I know its strengths, its challenges and the people who care deeply about its future.

Ward 10 is home to residents, businesses, restaurants, cultural organizations, social services, students, visitors and some of our city’s most important public spaces. It is also where many of our community’s most complicated social and economic pressures are visible.

People have been clear that they want to feel safer downtown. Business owners need timely support when incidents occur. Residents and visitors want public spaces that are clean, active and welcoming. People experiencing homelessness, addiction or mental-health crises need appropriate services and effective responses.

These needs are not in opposition with each other.

These needs are not in opposition with each other.

My background in social services has taught me that compassion must be paired with clear expectations, coordination and practical action. No single organization or order of government can address these issues alone.

My record

I have worked to advance Kitchener’s Downtown Safety and Security Action Plan—a long-term approach with measurable actions intended to improve safety, health and confidence in the downtown core.

As a member of the Downtown Kitchener BIA Board and the Downtown Action and Advisory Committee, I have worked with businesses, residents, City staff, service providers, Waterloo Regional Police and other community partners.

One initiative I am especially proud to support is the Downtown Safety Ambassadors program.

Council approved four permanent Ambassador positions. The Ambassadors provide a visible presence downtown, respond to non-emergency concerns, de-escalate situations, conduct wellness checks and connect vulnerable people with services. They also assist businesses and residents with situations that do not require a police response.

The City and the Downtown Kitchener BIA have both invested in expanding this work. This is the kind of practical collaboration our downtown needs: people on the street who know the community, can respond appropriately and can connect each situation with the right resource.

I believe this coordinated approach is making a difference. I also know that the work is not finished.

What comes next

Downtown safety requires sustained attention. It cannot be addressed through one temporary program, one enforcement action or one level of government.

I will continue working to:

• maintain and evaluate the Downtown Safety Ambassadors program;
• improve coordination among the City, the Region, police, the BIA and community service providers;
• give businesses and residents clear ways to report concerns and access timely help;
• support well-maintained streets, sidewalks and public spaces;
• use lighting, design, activation and other proven approaches to make public areas feel safer;
• advocate for appropriate mental-health, addiction, homelessness and supportive-housing responses from the governments responsible for those services; and
• ensure the Downtown Safety and Security Action Plan remains accountable, measurable and responsive to changing conditions.

I want a downtown where residents feel at home, businesses can succeed, visitors feel welcome and vulnerable people are connected with meaningful support.

That requires both care and accountability. It also requires consistent leadership and the willingness to keep people working together.

Building places where people can connect and belong

Ward 10 is one of the most established and diverse parts of Kitchener.

It includes downtown, the East End and several longstanding residential neighbourhoods. It is home to renters and homeowners, students and seniors, newcomers and families who have lived here for generations.

It is also home to many of Kitchener’s most important public and cultural institutions, including the Kitchener Public Library, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Centre In The Square, THEMUSEUM, the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium and community organizations serving people from across the city.

Ward 10 contains 32 parks, including some of Kitchener’s oldest. These spaces are essential neighbourhood infrastructure. They provide places to play, rest, exercise, meet neighbours and find relief from the heat.

Strong neighbourhoods do not happen automatically. They require attention to roads, sidewalks, parks, trees, recreation, accessibility, culture and the everyday services that allow people to participate in community life.

My record

I supported a 2026 City budget that includes $1.5 million for new neighbourhood parks and $3.3 million for tree planting.

These investments matter in an established ward where parks and public infrastructure may be older, where available land is limited and where population growth is placing new demands on existing spaces.

I also serve on the Climate Change and Environment Committee and the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee. These roles help me bring environmental sustainability and accessibility into conversations about how our city grows and how public spaces are designed.

My work with the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, THEMUSEUM, the Multicultural Centre and downtown organizations reflects another part of strong neighbourhoods: the arts, culture, recreation and community programs that give people reasons to participate and connect.

A neighbourhood is more than a collection of buildings. It is the relationships, shared spaces and local institutions that make people feel that they belong.

What comes next

I want to see a new park in the East End and meaningful improvements to Ward 10’s existing parks.

I will continue working to:

• move the East End park from an idea toward a clear and achievable plan;
• renew aging parks, playgrounds and neighbourhood infrastructure;
• increase Kitchener’s tree canopy and protect mature trees;
• create more shade and green space as our summers become hotter;
• improve accessibility in parks, public facilities and pedestrian routes;
• ensure new development contributes to complete, livable neighbourhoods;
• support community-led projects and local organizations; and
• expand opportunities for people of all ages to participate in arts, culture, libraries, recreation and sport.

As Kitchener grows, our social and community infrastructure must grow with it.

That means planning not only for buildings and roads, but for libraries, parks, recreation facilities, cultural spaces and programs. It means making room for young people, families, seniors and everyone in between to find their place in the community.

I want Ward 10 to remain a place where people know their neighbours, enjoy their public spaces and feel connected to the city around them.