There are six people in the race to represent Ward 3 on Kitchener city council.
CTV News Kitchener reached out to all of the candidates to get a better idea of who they are, why they are running and what they think is the biggest issue in the community.
All candidates were sent the same three questions.
You can find out what ward you're in here.
You can learn about the people running to be the mayor of Kitchener here.
Rosanne Berwick
Who are you?
I am Rose! Rosanne Berwick. I have lived in the region for my entire life. I have been living in the ward for over 6 years & committed to being here. I am a strong advocate for everyone. I’m a businesswoman with a plan. You can learn more at: Vote4Rose.ca
Why are you running?
Trustworthy & Accountable. I am committed to returning power to the voters, we deserve better. I am committed to getting Ward 3 the results it needs. I have a proven track record of getting results. I am running to restore faith to voters, faith that they can rely on their elected officials to get the job done! Faith that they can reach out to their officials and get a response and not be left ignored. I’m here to bring everyone together again and create a truly prosperous area to call home. A vote for me is a vote for someone who actually cares about individuals and the collective community as a whole, I’m your special weapon at city hall to get the results you deserve!
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the City of Kitchener and how do you plan to address it?
Affordable housing, I’m committed to working with all levels of government from City Council to Regional Council, to Mayors and MPPs and MPs to get this problem solved. We need proper leadership and an effective plan to get us back on track. I am here to advocate and fix the current downfalls our ward faces and get us on a path for prosperous advancement. Businesses suffer when they can’t find employees resulting in our local economy suffering, we need affordable homes for people to live so that individuals can prosper and then businesses can do business and our community can improve. Without affordable housing, our ward faces unprecedented levels of issues ranging from homelessness to increased crime to fire code violations (homes with much more people in them than is structurally safe and sound). I believe we are in the midst of a severe rise in crime and feel that our winter maintenance operations can be drastically improved, I am committed to making us the safest and most pleasant place to live, work, and play. A Vote for Rose is a Vote for a Trustworthy & Accountable candidate! You can call me anytime to discuss my housing affordability strategies 519-503-7117.
Jason Deneault
Who are you?
I’m Jason Deneault, and have lived in Kitchener’s Ward 3 for 18 years. I work in long-term care (for over 20 years) am a former Workplace Union Chair and Financial Secretary and am a vocal advocate for Healthcare. I live and work in Ward 3, and care about our community.
Why are you running?
I decided to run because I believe it is important that our community has a Councillor who has their pulse on the Ward. I will always advocate for the needs of the ward and city, and for what is best for our community. I’ve had the opportunity to lobby and rally for better working and living conditions of those in long-term care. I am not afraid to ask tough questions and will always listen to the concerns of community members. My experience as a Union Leader at my workplace and within my local Union has prepared me for this role: to listen, to advocate, to question, to fight, ultimately this is why I’m running. I want to be the voice for our diverse community.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the City of Kitchener and how do you plan to address it?
The most pressing issue facing the city is the lack of affordable housing and the rising number of homeless citizens. I believe the two are connected, but neither have easy or quick fixes. Both have individual challenges and as a society, we must have the will to create change. As a city councillor, I will work with developers to ensure they create affordable units in new builds. Affordable housing does not necessarily mean low-income housing. Affordability means something different to everyone, but the city must look at those most impacted. In Ward 3, one of the biggest concerns I have heard door knocking has been the number of homes owned by out-of-town buyers. Long-time homeowners are concerned in these cases because many times the property becomes unkempt and overgrown in the summer, and sidewalks are not being shoveled or salted in the winter. More importantly, it decreases the amount of affordable housing options for families or individuals living in our city. If elected, I will introduce a motion for an out-of-town homebuyer’s tax, allowing more opportunity for local home buyers.
I look forward to tackling these and other issues if elected in October.
Matthew Griffin
Who are you?
I am a lifelong resident of the Waterloo Region having lived in Kitchener for 10 years. I am an active volunteer with multiple organizations in the Region and beyond, including time spent leading my church’s volunteer group in Elmira as well as a stint at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
Why are you running?
Since 2008, I have been like many others who live in the Region who must commute to cities like Cambridge and Ayr as well as cities outside of the Waterloo Region to get to their jobs. However, as we have seen this year as well as in recent years, with the world as it is now, this is becoming less viable. Many of us would prefer to work in a job in Kitchener but there are few jobs available with our skill sets. If elected, my main priority would be to revitalize the manufacturing and skilled trades sectors so that anyone, regardless of skill or ability can find a job in their own hometown.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the City of Kitchener and how do you plan to address it?
One of the most notable things that we have seen with local businesses, especially the specialty retail stores, cafes and restaurants is that they are unable to find people to hire or have employees who stay for only a short period of time. They would like to find people to work for them long term but can’t find what they seek. Yet at the same time, many people who must commute out of the city to get to their jobs such as jobs in manufacturing and skilled trades, don’t have the skills that are suited for working in such places. Thus, our city has created a schism where we have types of businesses that people want to run and types of businesses that people want to work for. Regarding the former, I would introduce incentives for businesses who offer jobs to people who really need them in order for them to keep running. Regarding the latter, I would introduce initiatives to promote the growth of the local manufacturing sector because the costs to open such businesses are lower in Kitchener than in places like Cambridge in addition to having lower taxes. So that awareness will go a long way.
Devon Harnarain
Who are you?
For the past 22 years I have called Kitchener home where I live with my wife, Jillian, two children, Liam and Daisy and our Miniature Dachshund, Louis.
I have worked at the YMCA of Three Rivers and currently work with the House of Friendship as the Manager of Community Resources.
Why are you running?
Ward 3 is changing and needs a Councillor who represents this change. Someone who is approachable, accountable, compassionate, courageous, and an advocate for justice. I am a true believer that everyone is unique, and these different lived experiences is what makes our community a great place to live. I believe everyone deserves to have their voice heard, and value when we unite, especially when thinking about the community we want.
Being your Councillor will not be about what I want but rather what WE want as a community.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the City of Kitchener and how do you plan to address it?
Community Wellbeing.
With the recent spike in inflation, our community has seen an increased costs of living, rising food insecurity and increased dependence on our healthcare system. I will work with non-profits, businesses and local leaders to ensure everyone is treated in a respectable manner.
• Advocate for a subsidized public transit fare system to support students and working families.
• Given that food insecurity and poor diet have been linked to chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension and have and impact on mental health, I will work with community partners to reduce food waste and seek ways to divert surplus food stocks to local food aid agencies. Addressing this issue will reduce the stress on our public health system and allow for some re-investing in other local initiatives.
• Working the Ontario Living Wage Network to encourage local businesses to sign on to become living wage employers, with minimum wage being at least $18.
• Advocate for new public “rent-geared to income” affordable housing units and fair and equitable rent control
• Advocate for realistic penalties for absentee landlords. Such penalties could range from licensing fees to fines for non-compliance for interior and exterior violations that negatively impact tenants’ lives.
Marijo Howard
Who are you?
As a resident of Kitchener for over five decades I have always lived in Ward 3. I hold B'ED, a BA and a Diploma in Business and Design. I began my career in business holding increasingly senior roles in Sales, Marketing and Public Relations before entering the field of education.
Why are you running?
Community involvement has always been a passion of mine starting at a very young age. I have had the honour and privilege of sitting on numerous boards and volunteering for many organizations in our region all in the hopes of making life better for our citizens. Inspired by my over 40 years of working with members in our community, I am now motivated to put my business acumen, focus, energy and enthusiasm toward serving all citizens of Ward 3 as their representative in City Council, as well as a Councillor overseeing the entire City of Kitchener. In doing so my goal is to ensure that all members of the community feel they have a voice that is heard.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the City of Kitchener and how do you plan to address it?
I feel affordable housing solutions and food insecurities, especially for our vulnerable seniors and families with young children to be the biggest issues facing our ward and our city at this time. We also need to address the mental health issues many are facing and put supports and strategies in place to help those in need cope and see more successes on their journey.
I believe we need to work with a number of community partners and in conjunction with multi-tiered levels of government in order to come up with sustainable solutions. I believe we need to come together as a community in order to try and solve the crises facing our residents. We need to become better at being proactive vs. reactive to many of these issues.
Bryan Richardson
Who are you?
My name is Bryan Richardson and I’m running for Ward 3 Councillor in Kitchener. I’m a local business owner and community volunteer dedicated to making our community a safe and affordable place to live.
Why are you running?
I love this community, and the issues that affect this city affect those I care about most as well. I want to ensure a safe and affordable community for all Kitchener residents. No one should have to choose between a roof over their heads and food on the table.
As a local business owner, I have a very constructive view of helping to run the city through that lens, which includes practical problem solving and fiscal responsibility.
Times have been a challenge for all of us, and as a business owner we were hit hard.
To my team and I, it wasn't "if" we would succeed, but "how". By always finding the "how" of every challenge, we thrived.
I want to bring that drive to our council.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the City of Kitchener and how do you plan to address it?
Affordable housing has become the top issue in this city, and we're seeing the effects across the region. People forced from their homes, people unable to afford rent, people in tent cities. All of this adds up to a community in need.
I plan to ensure that affordable housing initiatives are at the forefront of policy. We must revisit our zoning laws so that we can build proper and appropriate housing by area, and develop a plan to increase housing density in a way that improves the quality and accessibility of our neighbourhoods without sacrificing what makes our neighbourhoods great.
Without this, we will continue to see an increase in crime as more and more people will have nowhere to go but the streets.
It will affect our local economy, as people can no longer afford to shop local with so much of their income devoted to rent, as the average 1 bedroom apartment is now $1800/month.
We have an amazing community, and already many are rising up to help, but if we don't fix this issue through all levels of government, starting with the municipality, we will see the effects trickle into every aspect of our lives.
