Economic Growth Strategist
Community Development Scientist
Proven Community Leader​

CINDY WARD HAS THE VISION TO IMAGINE A BETTER KITCHENER - AND THE EXPERIENCE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
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Cindy Ward has the experience, creativity, and proven leadership to deliver real results for Kitchener. With a background in entrepreneurship, community building, psychology and science, she brings evidence-based, compassioonate and practical solutions to the tremendous challenges facing our city today.

Her vision for a thriving Kitchener is rooted in action — advancing economic development, affordability, public safety, environmental responsibility, and community well-being. Cindy understands people, sees the bigger picture, and has the leadership to turn strong ideas into meaningful change.
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"My love for the City of Kitchener runs deep! It's time for a leadership change - My City needs me!  I will lead our great City into a future that provides stability, accountability and opportunities for everyone!"​

My priorities

MY GOALS FOR A STRONGER KITCHENER 

01
Big Plans for Small Business
Small businesses are the backbone of a strong local economy and a vibrant, connected community. As Mayor, I will draw on my extensive experience as a lifelong and award-winning Entrepreneur to develop REAL support for entrepreneurs and main street businesses with three clear priorities: training, infrastructure, and access to funding. By investing in real small business success, we can create jobs, strengthen neighbourhoods, and build a more resilient local economy.

02
Building Kitchener's Economic Future
My background in business, economic development,  financial markets and behavioural science has given me the experience to navigate boardrooms and drive investment. As Mayor, I will bring this strategic leadership to City Hall - advancing economic growth in our mid-size business sectors while championing our partnerships with technology, innovation and our world-class Universities, so we can continue to turn local talent and research into jobs, investment, and opportunities.

03
People First Housing
With a “people first” approach, I will take decisive action on housing insecurity, unfair renovictions, and the displacement of people from the communities they call home. I am disgusted by a system that treats housing as a commodity and people like cattle—moving families, seniors, and vulnerable residents around whenever someone sees an opportunity to make more money. A family should not be renovicted simply because a landlord can get more rent from someone else. No one should be pushed out of their neighbourhood because housing has become unaffordable.
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From multigenerational families and single parents to seniors, young people, newcomers, workers, and those experiencing homelessness, every resident deserves a safe, stable, and welcoming place to call home—and the opportunity not just to live in Kitchener, but to thrive here. The people who live in our neighbourhoods are not obstacles to development; they are the community we are building for, and they deserve a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape their lives.

04
Water Security for Every Resident
Water insecurity is a growing concern for residents, and it demands serious, decisive leadership. As Mayor, I will champion research-driven water planning, insist on strong accountability, and ensure responsible land use and development that protects our environment and secures a safe, sustainable, and abundant water supply for every resident for many generations to come. We don't need to develop for the sake of developing. Water ALWAYS comes first!

Growth should mean building communities--not simply stacking townhouses around an industrial site and calling it a neighbourhood. People need parks, trees, trails, community gardens, community centres, local businesses, small shops, gathering places, and the infrastructure that makes a neighbourhood feel like home. I will not support rushing headlong into a future that sacrifices water, green space, livability, and long-term planning for short-term growth. Kitchener deserves development that serves people, not development for development’s sake.

05
Celebrating Voices, Arts & Culture
Many of you might know me at the orginal founder of the Boathouse in Kitchener's Victoria Park in 2004. I am a pre-eminant champion of music, arts and culture in this great city. Arts and culture are essential to a vibrant, inclusive city. They create opportunity, fuel local economic growth, and give people the chance to build independence while sharing their stories, traditions, and talents. I am a firm believer of collaboration and collaborative spaces. As Mayor, I will increase support for arts and culture that reflects every community and helps every resident find purpose, pride, and connection.  More art, more festivals, more theatre, more music, more storytelling. More connected communities!

06
Community Gardens, Trees, Parks & Trails
I champion gardens as places for education, food-sharing, and community building. I also support exploring opportunities for community gardens near encampments and other vulnerable communities, paired with the right partnerships and supports, so people can gain access to fresh food, learn new skills, and build a stronger connection to the land and community and develop a sense of purpose. I also believe that healthy tree canopies, parks, gardens, and green spaces are essential to the well-being of a city, giving people places to get outside, garden, walk, bike, connect with nature, and connect with one another. Investing in trails, parks, trees, and accessible outdoor spaces helps create a healthier, more vibrant Kitchener for everyone.

07
Fiscal Responsibility & Accountability
While honouring the history and identities of the communities that make Kitchener strong and magnificent, I believe our two-tier system can work better. Two-tier governance should not mean duplicated services, wasted dollars, or unclear accountability. As Mayor, I will insist on a rigorous review of the budget, identify duplication and unnecessary spending, and demand greater transparency about where every taxpayer dollar goes.

I am a smart, careful financier, and I believe fiscal responsibility means getting the greatest possible value from every dollar—not simply cutting services. We need to invest wisely in the parks, roads, infrastructure, transit, housing, services, culture, and community spaces that allow Kitchener to grow into a healthy, vibrant, and welcoming city while protecting the unique identities that form the great melting pot that is the City of Kitchener.​

8
Talk to me:  I fight for YOU
Listening isn't a campaign tactic for me - it's how I understand people and make decisions.  Kitchener is family to me. I feel a deep connection to every resident, to every community, and to every building. A little-known fact: I drove a taxi in K-W for 10 years while earning my BA, MA, and PhD. My love for the City of Kitchener runs deep! When one resident is hurting, it affects us all.

As a Community and Social Psychology researcher, I am  deeply interested  in understanding what people truly need and want—not what we assume they need or want. I will create meaningful opportunities to hear from residents across every neighbourhood and community, listen without judgment, and report back publicly on what I hear and what we can do about it.

As Mayor, I will listen, lead, and fight for a city where every person is seen, supported, and given the opportunity to live with dignity, hope, and belonging.​

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"A stronger Kitchener starts with listening, leading, and putting our community first."