There are three people in the race to represent Ward 7 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.
Bil Ioannidis
Who are you?
I am a husband to my loving wife Laura and father to two teenagers. I have lived in the ward for 50 plus years. I have a financial background as a retirement planner, building affordable homes with HabitatWR and honoured to be your ward councillor for the last 12 years.
Why are you running?
Over the last 4 years Kitchener and ward 7 have seen prosperous growth and significant investments in infrastructure resulting in a better quality of life for all Kitchener residents. Investments in parks, trails, cycling, safer streets. Investments in our environment committing to Green House Gas reduction to supporting our community during the lockdowns. Investments in promoting job growth and economic development by supporting our post secondary school institutions and creating incubator space. Investments in affordable housing and in creating a community inclusive for all.
To support an ever-changing community, consistency with a proven track record and experience matter more than ever. I want to continue investing with our award winning success I helped build to keep Kitchener vibrant in post pandemic world.
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 in our city is affordable housing/homelessness. Affordable housing is one of my biggest strengths. I have sat on the board of Kitchener Housing Inc rent geared to income housing as a board of director and treasurer for the last 12 years and actively community build with Habitat for Humanity Waterloo region the last 2 years. Affordable housing is an issue that cannot be tackled alone. All levels of government need to work together. Property taxes alone cannot support the cause. Nationwide construction costs, borrowing costs are soaring and skilled trades within the construction industry are shrinking. Collaboration at all levels of government, non profit housing and private community partners is what I would focus on.
Homelessness needs compassion. The city has punched above its weight supporting A Better Tent City, providing land to 41 beds women’s shelter and financially supported One Roof. I want to continue investing. The city of Kitchener does not have the capacity to deal with this. The city does not receive funding or have the staff. This is where I feel the Regions expertise and part of their jurisdiction take the lead on this in collaboration with the city in a supporting role.
Colin Maley
Who are you?
Together with my wife Lindsay, we decided to raise our two children right here in Ward 7, on my wife’s childhood dream street of Lorilee Cres. I am an experienced teacher with the WCDSB. I truly love this community and want to work with the residents to do more for it.
Why are you running?
I want to be involved as a councillor, in the decision-making process to create solutions
for local issues we are facing like roads through our community. The new 30 km/h zones have created more safety issues than there were before. I want to work with my constituents and neighbours so that they do not have to jump through hoops to get solutions to problems. I want to work with council on issues like the shortage of affordable housing and I have some creative, outside the box ideas for solutions. I want to give council and Ward 7 my skill and experience at researching all sides of issues. Then if something makes sense, let’s do it. If it doesn’t, let’s tweak it or leave it.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the City of Kitchener and how do you plan to address it?
#1 is housing – not enough that’s affordable. City council can do more and needs to think creatively. Like creating a Development Corporation for housing similar to the way Kitchener Utilities operates for gas and water. We can receive government grants for the city build and rent apartments or condos for low income working residents and their families and not cost the taxpayers. Just one new idea to explore.
#2 is standardizing speed limits. The speed limits on city roads and especially through residential areas past schools are too variable. The City of Kitchener’s own study stated that reducing the speed by 20% only lowered drivers speed by 1-11%. By simplifying the process and using timed lights like in St. Catherine’s or a simple flat 40 km/h would help make our roads easier to navigate.
#3 In Ward 7 the overdue cleaning out of Westheights pond. We need a plan and a timeline. The cleanout is complicated by the storm drain that goes into it. If we use it as a storm pond, we need to maintain it as such and respect the environment.
I have the ideas and the experience at researching solutions for these and other city issues.
Kevin McCrea
Who are you?
I was born and raised right here in Ward 7. To this day my family lives, works and plays in Ward 7.
I have over 25 years experience owning and operating businesses, including a national branded franchise in Kitchener. I currently own a sales agency in the sporting goods industry.
Why are you running?
Ward 7 is an amazing place to call home! Like many of you, I want to keep it that way .. and leave it in a better position than I found it. I know what it means to work hard, wear many hats, be fiscally responsible and execute for success.
I'm Ward 7 for life, so it's in my own interest to do my utmost to help make this neighbourhood the best community in which to live in the entire city.
I’m excited for the opportunity to get to work on behalf of our residents and have already proven to be visible and accessible, something that will not waiver once elected.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the City of Kitchener and how do you plan to address it?
Residents have told me that affordable and accessible housing is high up on their list of priorities. Message received. I fully support, and will continue to support if elected, the trend towards intensification in this city, the concept of the livable neighbourhood which seeks to place all that we need to live, work, eat and play within a 15 minute radius of our homes, and encouraging developers, through various incentives, to designate a portion of any new housing project as “affordable housing”.
Homelessness confronts us every day. It’s a big problem with no easy solutions. Through my talks with many people in our community, I have gained an understanding that our homeless problem is also a mental health issue, as well as an addiction crisis. You can’t just deal with one, you have to address all three at the same time……..it’s kinda like a three-legged stool, if you remove any of the three legs the whole thing topples over. Therefore, if elected, I will work tirelessly to foster a holistic approach that addresses these three interrelated issues simultaneously, as a whole. But, short-term, we’ve got to make sure that these folks have a safe place to live. Winter’s coming.
