With the Ontario municipal elections fast approaching, discourse about what the City of Waterloo needs from its mayor echoes throughout the city. This conversation unfolds amidst a political landscape that is continuously disconnected from its constituents.
Too often, decisions are made behind closed doors, city hall meetings are held with minimal attention, and core issues go unanswered as the public simply trudges forward. After four years of living here, I’d describe the city as neglectful of municipal services such as road maintenance and street cleaning. It has cracked under the weight of housing unaffordability and is misguided in its police funding. These are actionable items that need priority on the agenda, yet the political ideas proposed by the electoral candidates are more aligned with federal concepts, that overshadow municipal areas in need of immediate action.
I recently attended a meet-and-greet for a municipal candidate, and what caught my eye was the broad language used in each campaign’s promise. There were many claims akin to “building a change for the future.”
The next mayor that Waterloo elects does not need to exclusively adhere to the large-scale politics that higher levels of government oversee. The election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s mayor in 2025 illustrated this idea, as his campaign promises were tailored to that of the city’s unique problems. Mayor Mamdani reminded us that the duties of a mayor are, firstly, to its citizens — being a public official means that the “public” precedes the “official.” As such, candidates ought to propose detailed commitments based on issues deemed necessary by the citizens and follow them up with tangible results. Waterloo will no longer tolerate empty promises that are only measured by their optics.
Let’s focus on one of the aforementioned issues: the city’s potholes. Waterloo is a city bustling with transit, from its position amongst neighbouring townships as an urban centre to students using public transportation as their main mode of travel. Roads are vital to the flow of how Waterloo operates, so it begs the question: why aren’t their conditions and overall management being addressed? This question is especially prevalent considering how the region experienced a shortage of road salt last winter, risking the safety of all commuters. It’s beyond neglectful to demonstrate such a level of incompetence, as we literally live in a pothole-filled city in Canada. You know, the land of the six-month long winter?
With that being said, the city has a plethora of larger-scale issues that must be addressed. Potholes are a drop in the bucket when compared to the issue of rising homelessness. Nevertheless, a mayor who engages with the smallest problems would give the public faith in their ability to tackle more serious ones.
Therefore, we, as the residents of Waterloo, must make our voices and demands heard—and now is the time to do so. I urge all who read this article to attend upcoming events held by Waterloo’s electoral candidates and speak up on issues you deem to be important, because the first step to making this city thrive starts with us.
Graphic by Anna Koehler
