Waterloo Candidates
Waterloo Candidates
More about who is running, how to contact them, and their priorities
This is the fourth in a series of posts highlighting contact information, social media, and website details for candidates locally. Today’s post focuses on Waterloo candidates.
I have listed all of the candidates alphabetically, by ward. Candidate names are linked to their website, if they have one. I have also included a direct statement or quotation from candidates’ websites or social media that outlines their priorities or platform (when available).
If you’re looking for more information about this Fall’s election, check out Waterloo Region Votes.
Mayor:
Email: robevansmayor@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robevanscanada/
Phone: +1-519-807-0085
Can also be found on: Facebook
Priorities: Improve housing affordability for all residents; Continue stability and renew innovation at City Hall; Manage growth, aid post-pandemic recovery, and enable our long-term vision; Drive sustainability, both economic and environmental
Email: dmccabewaterloo2022@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorothymccabe/
Phone: +1-226-790-2696
Can also be found on: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
Priorities: A More Affordable and Livable City; A Greener, More Sustainable City; A Big Idea City
Email: team@kyppsaunders.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kypp-saunders-12440b123/
Phone: +1-519-591-2769
Quote: “As a small business owner I understand the frustration when it comes to red tape and increasing taxes, as a renter I know the stress of finding affordable housing. As your mayor, I won't just listen but I'll take immediate action that creates a meaningful impact and creates a more inclusive and prosperous Waterloo for everyone.”
Email: info@shannonweber.ca
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/shannon-weber
Phone: +1-226-850-0600
Can also be found on: Instagram and Twitter
Priorities: A Future with Affordable Housing and Smart Growth; A Connected Community with Vibrant Neighbourhoods; An Inclusive Economic and Social Recovery; A Mayor Who Advocates for Waterloo
Ward one:
Email: hanmer4waterloo@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-hanmer/
Phone: +1-519-574-0061
Can also be found on: Instagram and Twitter
Priorities: Housing; Parks; Traffic safety; Economy
Email: robparentward1@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-parent-5828a4a3/
Phone: +1-519-725-2309
Priorities include: Property Tax Rates and Spending; Costs of paid parking; Review the use and placement of bike lanes; Leash-free dog park; Parks Maintenance; Mid-size apartment construction
Ward two:
Khaled Berbash
Email: berbashkhaled@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-berbash-43830228/
Phone: +1-519-498-7737
Can also be found on: Facebook
Email: royce@roycebodaly.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/royce-bodaly-298145a2
Phone: +1-226-338-6068
Can also be found on: Facebook and Twitter
Quote: “In my first term on Council I vowed to validate that trust by working hard to tackle big issues and to amplify your voice at City Hall. I am seeking to continue serving my community through hard work, leadership and honest, transparent and timely communication.”
Ward three:
Email: hans.roach@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/hans-roach-75108b227
Can also be found on: Instagram and Twitter
Quote: “My Vision for Waterloo and Ward 3 is to grow our vibrant economy, increase our quality of life and to uphold our community pride. My Mission is to help ensure that Waterloo provides quality public services in a competent, respectful and timely manner.”
Madelyn Steiss
Email: votesteiss@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddy-s-057922170/
Can also be found on: Facebook and Twitter
Ward four:
Email: maryssabarras@gmail.com
Phone: +1-289-527-3467
Can also be found on: Twitter
Priorities: A climate friendly city; Pedestrians and cyclists first; Community living; Housing; A great place to work; Better local government
Email: freeman4ward4@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/diane-freeman-p-eng-fcae-23757326
Phone: +1-519-885-7208
Can also be found on: Facebook and Twitter
Quote: “During my terms on Council I have worked hard to provide support to issues related to Ward 4 including the construction of the East Side Library, development of a priority trails network, increased investment in neighbourhoods and affiliated associations, and approval of the new Hospice in North Waterloo to name just a few.”
Obinna Obi
Email: obiward4@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obinna-obi-5b1b6547/
Phone: +1-519-781-2788
Can also be found on: Facebook
Ward five:
Joe Brenner
Email: joe.m.brenner@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-brenner-06621146/
Phone: +1-519-888-6830
Can also be found on: Facebook
Email: blayr.ward5@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blayr-hogg/
Priorities: Housing; Climate change and sustainability; Roads; Traditional infrastructure; Social infrastructure; Local business
Bob (Obie) Oberholtzer
Email: bobie1935@gmail.com
Phone: +1-519-884-7620
Email: jenvasic2022@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jen-vasic-29189535
Phone: +1-519-504-5831
Can also be found on: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
Priorities: Sustainability, equity, and safety; Getting out and connected; Advocacy and communication
Ward six:
Email: jcassels.waterloo@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cassels-65b52531/
Can also be found on: Twitter
Quote: “Jonathan believes that collaboration, communication, and compassion are the foundation of strong local government. And he believes everyone deserves a voice in the decisions that impact their lives.”
Karen Fischer
Email: karenfischer4ward6@icloud.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-d-fischer-08315644/
Phone: +1-226-338-7740
Can also be found on: Facebook
Email: vote4marylou@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-lou-roe-4a512543/
Can also be found on: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
Quote: “I will help build a stronger community through: Integrity, Accountability, Community Building.”
Email: matthew@matthewschwarze.ca
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matthew-schwarze
Can also be found on: Twitter
Ward seven:
Bruce Polan
Email: bpolan.for.ward7@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-polan-63a27916/
Phone: +1-519-897-6938
Email: hello@wrightward7.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juberzilla/
Can also be found on: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
Priorities: Champion climate action at the City of Waterloo; Advocate for strategic and sustainable municipal services; Create space for equity in local decision-making; Seek out opportunities to meaningfully engage youth in municipal issues
Waterloo Catholic District School Board for Waterloo/ Wellesley/Woolwich. Vote for up to two.
Linda Cuff
Email: lindacuff4wcdsbtrustee@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-cuff-a5824913b/
Phone: +1-519-497-2819
Can also be found on: Twitter
Email: nike@hpqc.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nike-dattani/
Phone: +1-226-789-7977
Can also be found on: Facebook and Twitter (protected account)
Priorities: Safety in schools; More separation between politics and education; Modernizing and improving financial decisions; Making Canadian education more comparable to world-class public schools I've seen in other countries
Sally Fuentes
Email: sally.fuentesm@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-fuentes-9a8278211/
Conrad Stanley
Email: voteconradstanley@outlook.com
Waterloo Region District School Board for Waterloo/Wilmot. Vote for up to three.
Email: cristina.bf@pm.me
Phone: +1-519-571-4942
Can also be found on: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
Quote: “I will work for an educational system where the only agenda is to help learners thrive; strengthening individual skills, broadening collective contribution and nourishing the student’s purposes while maintaining a space of belonging and trust.”
Madan Dheer
Email: madan_dheer@outlook.com
Phone: +1-519-498-1311
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecovoca/
Priorities include: Create opportunities for children to work in school gardens; Enable schoolchildren to cook healthy fresh foods; Provide parents/guardians who choose not to send their children to public school with at least some funding to the cover costs of educating their children
Email: martinmirt2022@gmail.com
Phone: +1-519-404-9185
Can also be found on: Facebook and Twitter
Priorities: Developing fundamentals; Community resources; Diversity of opinion
Quote: “Cindy Watson had heard from parents about radical instruction in our schools that was psychologically harming students as it taught whites are implicitly racist oppressors. I have to ask, where are we today when parents concerned about what is being taught, is something the board recognizes as a threat to our students.”
Email: scott@scottpiatkowski.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottstagerpiatkowski/
Phone: +1-519-577-2554
Can also be found on: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
Priorities include: Ensuring that students and staff continue to be safe during the ongoing global pandemic and equipped with the tools and resources that they need to recover from its impact; Continuing to work to ensure that equity is at the centre of everything that the WRDSB does; Working to put the conditions in place to increase graduation rates so that they are at least equal to the provincial average
Franklin Ramsoomair
Email: jayfr99@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/fram5
Phone: +1-519-500-3198
Can also be found on: Facebook
Email: george@georgeschmidt.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-schmidt-55b334123/
Phone: +1-519-574-9903
Priorities: Parental rights in education; Increased focus on students; Back to basics education; ‘Education’ not ‘indoctrination’; Ensure safe and secure facilities
Quote: “Left-leaning progressives are radicalizing Canadian children and youth through the education system and using them as “Agents of Change” to advance a global agenda to deconstruct societal norms. Sadly, many School Board Trustees and educators are willing to play Russian roulette with the majority of students by putting political correctness before the genuine welfare of the students they are trusted to oversee.”
Email: marie4trustee@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-snyder-b297a718/
Phone: +1-519-578-7981
Can also be found on: Facebook and Twitter
Quote: “I'm running for WRDSB Trustee to be part of a team that helps to ensure optimal student achievement. My particular focus is on enhancing special needs programs despite reduced funding and on making greater strides in getting better access to mental health resources in schools.”
Email: kathleenwoodcock2022@gmail.com
Phone: +1-226-929-3101
Can also be found on: Facebook and Twitter
Email: denhalled@gmail.com
Can also be found on: Facebook and Twitter
Priorities: Equity; Violence and safety; Mental health; Environment
I shared information about the Waterloo candidates for Regional Council in my previous post.
Remember! The next municipal election takes place on Monday, October 24, 2022.
People can vote in-person at advance polls and on election day in Waterloo.