There are two candidates in the race to represent Ward 2.
You can find out what ward you're in here.
You can learn about the people running for mayor of Waterloo here.
Sandra Hanmer
Who are you?
I am Councillor for Ward One, City of Waterloo, running for re-election. My family has called Waterloo home for 30 years. I have had leadership roles in health care locally, provincially, and internationally. Currently I work with Capacity Canada. I am an active volunteer leader in a number of local organizations including Grand River Hospital, Kids Ability and Waterloo Girls Minor Hockey Association.
Why are you running?
During my first term I could see that my contributions made a difference. A huge part of what I did was meet with neighbourhood and homeowners’ associations, and other individuals and groups to find out about residents’ priorities for our ward. It was educational to hear their varying viewpoints. I know that at the council table I can address many of the concerns and I am keen to be the voice of Ward One.
As well, I very much support initiatives being taken through the City of Waterloo Strategic Plan, especially safer streets, economic growth, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and indigenous initiatives, anti-racism, and equity. I want to continue to influence the changes coming to Waterloo.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the City of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?
We are going through some tough economic times right now. A priority is to ensure that our tax dollars are spent conservatively and that every dollar we spend brings our community a valuable return.
Hand in hand with the economic climate is the need, throughout Waterloo and in Ward One, for homes that people can afford to own or rent. I will continue to work with community and neighbourhood associations and developers to support planning measures that provide reasonably priced homes, along with amenities like green spaces.
Traffic safety is a paramount concern. We must keep our kids safe around the schools and I support lower speed limits there. But I also want to look at reasonable ways to fairly treat drivers while keeping our many walkers, cyclists, and others safe on our streets.
A community for one and all. I want the ‘living in Waterloo’ experience to be fair to all. I am committed to supporting initiatives that improve communication, break down barriers, foster understanding, celebrate our diversity, and encourage inclusion.
I want to continue to be part of the decision-making that makes what is good, better, and what needs improvements, improved.
Robert Parent
Parent did not submit a photo with the survey answers.
Who are you?
I have worked and lived in KW for 34 years and a resident of Ward 1 for 32 years. After graduating from the University of Toronto, I began my teaching career in downtown Toronto and after 4 years moved to Kitchener / Waterloo. I taught at Kitchener Waterloo Collegiate Institute for 26 years and continue to teach on a part-time basis with the WRDSB.
Why are you running?
Simply put, running for city hall is an extension of my work and volunteerism to date. Currently, I am President of the KW Optimist Club, Executive Member of the Westvale Community Association , and sit on the KW Chamber of Commerce Regional & Municipal Affairs Volunteer Committee. Volunteerism provides many learning opportunities - budgeting/ finance, conferencing, civic engagement - that can be advantageous when representing citizens at city hall. Without active citizenship and volunteers we don’t have fireworks, porch parties, Halloween parades etc. City hall requires experienced community engaged citizens sitting on council.
On a larger scale, my running for city council provides another welcome opportunity to provide increased civic engagement and participation in decisions on behalf of all residents in Waterloo.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the City of Waterloo and how do you plan to address it?
I shall preface my answer to this question by suggesting that rank ordering the most “pressing issue” facing the City of Waterloo is difficult to determine as it presupposes one issue as being more important than another. All issues big or small are important. Of course, in the realm of local politics one’s preferred issue can be another person’s indifference.
Currently, and based upon canvassing and informal survey there appears to be a disconnect between local / neighbourhood wants such as bike lanes/ traffic congestion, maintenance of bike paths and parks, overnight parking, snow removal vs. more substantive city wide issues such as climate change, solutions to affordable housing, homeless/ tent cities , density. To what do we owe this disparity? Perhaps there are those believing the latter as being a regional / provincial issues and therefore out of reach whereas the former, as being a municipal concerns and therefore more a personal interest with immediacy of results.
Whatever the reason, whatever the pressing issue, I will do my best to fulfill my duty to serve the public by seeking the guidance and collaboration from citizens, community leaders and others with the experience and background to affect positive change.
