Since you asked...

I respond to the question that many have been asking me lately.

After much thought, I have decided that I will not run in this year’s municipal election.

When I ran in 2018, I had a vision for Kitchener and ward 9 to become more inclusive, engaged, and supported. During and since that campaign, I have had the opportunity to connect with amazing individuals and organizations working on those same goals. I have become more involved than ever in local issues and municipal politics, often sharing updates on important civic issues via social media. I became very involved in issues around housing and city-building. I co-founded Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard (WR YIMBY), a grassroots community group that urges the cities of Waterloo Region to adjust their zoning to allow for more housing, especially affordable housing.

As I consider how I can best work towards those goals of inclusivity, engagement, and support, I have decided to continue my advocacy efforts through WR YIMBY and to support engagement through continuing my council and community updates. With that in mind, I have recently joined Substack, with the email newsletter Citified, which focuses on urban issues and local politics. I hope to dig a little deeper into some of the big issues facing our community like housing, active transportation, and climate change. And, during election season, I will definitely be sharing candidate information, updates, and my own thoughts on the election.

Running a campaign is an experience you’ll never forget!

I want to thank those of you who have reached out offering to help with my campaign, if I did decide to run. I can’t help but feel a bit like I am letting some of you down, but please know I truly appreciate your support. I encourage you to put that support behind someone who has a positive vision for our community and challenges the status quo.  

When I reflect on what kind of candidate would garner my support, I want someone who is not only willing to advocate for a more engaged, equitable, and affordable community but also values collaboration and understands how best to work with others (residents, staff, councillors) to achieve the change they want to see. I plan on using my time and energy to support candidates that reflect these values, people like Colleen James who is running for Regional Council (Kitchener).

I believe that elected officials must not only care deeply about the issues, but know how to collaborate with others to create real change.

I know that it can feel intimidating to run a campaign, so if you are considering running and have questions, please feel free to reach out. Having run and lost, I am fully aware of the work that’s involved; but there are many benefits too, even when you are not the successful candidate. 

Again, I want to thank everyone for your support. I feel honoured to have had a chance to connect with many of you over the last four years. While I’m not running this time around, I look forward to continuing to engage in the issues important to our community as we work towards building a more equitable city and region.