Elections
STEPHANIE STRETCH
- Green Party Nomination Contestant, 2023 Kitch Centre
- KITCH CITY COUNCIL Ward 10, 2022
- KITCH CITY COUNCIL Ward 1, 2018
Vote Stretch 2022 Kitch City Council Campaign Ward 10
Profile
Over a decade of professional experience working in responsive social service in downtown Kitchener
- Motivated by a deep commitment to equitable access and a welcoming city where people can thrive, belong, articulate and collaborate on shared vision
- A valued and effective employee of Carizon Family and Community Services: Pathways to Education -- a community-based, National organization focused on long-term Community Development through access to education via social, academic, financial and advocacy supports to students and families living in under-funded areas in Kitchener
- A thoughtful and motivated team member at Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region focusing on affordable housing solutions and community development right here in Kitchener
A lifelong resident of Kitchener, with a community profile built from grass-roots participation and thoughtful community development
- A second-term candidate for City Council recognized by her peers, the press, and elected officials for an innovative 2018 campaign that emphasized the gender gap in municipal representation -- culminating in an innovative event that drew municipal, regional, and provincial candidates and incumbents together to support equitable participation in local politics
- A dedicated volunteer, giving back to the city as a board member, coach, emergency shelter worker, emergency daycare provider for essential workers, and settlement worker for local NFPs including: Reception House, The Working Centre, Moppet, Truth and Reconciliation Community Committee, and Stanley Park Optimist Ball
More than just words: a demonstrable history of deep understanding and sustainable action on emergent ideas and community values
- Researching, initiating, hosting, and attending anti-racism and Indigenous workshops, working groups and trainings
- Integrating directives and learnings responsibly into social and professional practices where the stakes are real: when working with youth, newcomers, diverse families, people living in low income areas, traumatized individuals, and people experiencing compounding complexities
- Living intergenerationally in the downtown core as a sustainable and equitable housing solution for more than one household
- Welcoming and settling Syrian Refugees, and supporting the family reunification, permanent housing, and economic success of the Al Othman family in Kitchener
- Building relationships and working in socially innovative fields that adapt to the changing needs of the people living in Kitchener – especially where education, housing, access to food, anti-racism, indigeneity, system navigation, and newcomer settlement are concerned
- Responding with compassion, collaboration, and clear thinking in times of crises
- Looking forward and initiating flexible, responsive policies, practices and projects that will serve future citizens
A dedicated proponent of ecological sustainability: weaving together the essentials of a livable, meaningful, green and robust civil society and city for generations to come
Fiscal responsibility and affordability
- A deep understanding of the housing crises, and how inequities in the market affect citizens from all walks of life: young people, newcomers, citizens experiencing homelessness, seniors, and families
- Practical knowledge of the Federal, Provincial, Regional and Municipal economic models and responsibilities that impact local affordability and access to housing, employment, education, and healthcare
- Dedicated to balanced decision-making at community and intergovernmental levels that result in affordability, and equitable access to the resources all citizens of Kitchener require to make a safe and sustainable home in the city
Social responsibility and togetherness
- Fiscal responsibility as community care: ensuring that the city invests wisely and collaboratively on behalf of present and future generations
- Investing in community services and supporting local initiatives that build into the social fabric of Kitchener
- Protecting human rights, honouring indigeneity, demanding equity, and retooling systemic structures to create a balanced and fair administration that serves people of all walks of life
- Having the courage and resiliency to make structural changes that support an inclusive bureaucracy
Environmental sustainability and investment
- Building up, building human, and ensuring a robust countryside line: protecting and celebrating urban and rural agriculture, complex ecosystems, and humane access to green spaces
- Insisting on environmentally responsible infrastructure that is ecologically innovative, and prioritizing these projects for our city centre -- be they public or private enterprise
- Considering our place in a world of rapidly changing climate: Kitchener as a global city whose ecological and economic future is tied to a collective response to our warming climate
Stephanie's Reflections
United By A Common Goal
There needs to be a change in politics. Steph knows the value of being connected. That's why she's running for this position. Help her help you.
Get Involved
Join Steph and get involved in her campaign. Knocking on doors, delivering election material, word-of-mouth, and hosting an event are some ways of helping us achieve our goals together.
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Values You Believe In
"The people of this community are its greatest asset. I’m excited to encourage and support projects that improve our neighbourhoods: to deepen peoples’ sense of themselves and their relationship to this dynamic city."
Vote on October 24, 2022
Region of Waterloo Municipal Election
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Thank you!
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I live and work on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and Attawandaron (Neutral) peoples on the Haldimand Tract: the land promised to the Six Nations peoples that encompasses six miles on each side of the Grand River. Originally 950,000 acres was set aside for the Haldimand Tract, today approximately 48,000 acres remain. The colonial processes by which I came to live on this land were and are deeply unjust, and have caused and continue to cause great harm to the original people of Turtle Island. Today and each day I reflect on my privilege, and on how I can practically mobilize the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action in my life, in my work, and in all I do.
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