Eda Dede
City/Township Council · Waterloo Ward 5
Back to candidatesThis candidate finalized their responses after this guide and scoring methodology was published.
Housing & Homelessness 3 questions
Housing & Homelessness
How should municipalities and the Region balance providing permanent housing with the management of encampments in public spaces?select up to 3 per part
A. Pathways to permanent housing
- Prioritize rapid acquisition or conversion of existing buildings
- Partner with non-profit and supportive housing providers
- Use publicly owned land for permanent or interim housing
B. Interim management of encampments
- Establish and maintain clear minimum standards (sanitation, safety, outreach)
- Expand the hours and capacity of extreme-weather shelter protections beyond current levels
- Require that enforcement actions be linked to the availability of adequate indoor alternatives
C. Accountability and collaboration between levels of government
- Establish clear regional leadership with coordinated municipal roles
- Actively advocate to the province for defined funding triggers and program supports
- Publish ongoing performance metrics (e.g. housing placements, shelter bed access)
Please describe one concrete policy, program, or decision you would support to address both encampments and permanent housing.candidate's own words
Sustain a housing first strategy, working together with the different levels of government for adequate funding.
Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on housing?candidate's own words
We need to be advocates for livable basic income.
Getting Around 4 questions
Getting Around
How should municipalities use existing street infrastructure to better prioritize walking, cycling, and public transit?select up to 3
- Reallocate space on selected streets (e.g. road diets, transit lanes, protected bike lanes)
- Adjust signal timing, curb use, or intersection design
- Prioritize active transportation improvements during routine resurfacing
What role should public transit play in regional growth, and how should future transit investments be prioritized?ranked from highest to lowest importance
- Invest in rapid transit to anchor growth
- Use transit to shape land use
- Prioritize expanding coverage area
- Prioritize maximizing operational efficiency
- Prioritize lower-cost or incremental transit improvements
Do you support the municipality taking responsibility for snow removal from sidewalks adjacent to private properties?single choice
Yes, sidewalks should be cleared alongside roads as part of regular winter maintenance
Do you support expanding fare-free transit for the Region?single choice
Yes, for specific groups
Please describe one criterion or principle that should not be compromised when making transit investment decisions.candidate's own words
Accessible transportation for everyone!
Climate & Sustainability 3 questions
Climate & Sustainability
How should municipalities and the Region incorporate climate and sustainability into policy, including development and infrastructure decisions?select up to 3 per part
A. Perspective on climate change
- Climate change is an urgent and defining crisis of our time; reducing greenhouse gas emissions should be a primary consideration across municipal decision-making
- Climate change needs action and local governments can contribute in a few areas, but this is an issue better addressed at provincial and federal levels
- Commitments passed by previous councils, like the 50x30 pledge or declarations of climate emergencies, should guide current council decision making
B. Building and development standards
- Where possible, require or incentivize energy efficiency standards in new development, beyond current provincial minimums
- Require green infrastructure as part of development approvals (e.g. stormwater management, tree canopy, permeable surfaces)
- Use development agreements to require climate sustainability measures as a condition of approval
C. Infrastructure and capital planning
- Require climate risk and lifecycle cost analysis in major capital decisions
- Prioritize active transportation and transit investment
- Require climate change mitigation and adaptation impact assessments for large growth decisions (greenfield expansions, settlement boundary changes)
Food Systems & Security 3 questions
Food Systems & Security
In the context of growing pressure for economic development and the connected loss of farmland, what role do municipalities and the Region hold in promoting local food livelihoods, production, and processing?ranked from highest to lowest importance
- Promote and support low-barrier spaces for local producers to distribute and sell food
- Partner with other levels of government to develop local food hubs that reduce costs and barriers for small businesses
- Encourage and support local landowners to rent to newcomer farmers
- Develop a local food strategy, including research on how land-use change affects the food system
- Leave local food livelihoods to the private market
How should municipalities and the Region approach food insecurity and affordability?select up to 3 per part
A. Access to food
- Partner with local charities, non-profits, and other organizations to strengthen access to food and redistribution of surplus food and produce for low-income residents
- Support local food procurement for school food programs, including processing/preparation infrastructure, food literacy, and youth learning opportunities
- Support programs to prepare food for those who are unhoused or unable to cook
B. Access to land for growing food
- Make public lands (Regional and municipal) available for sustenance food provisioning, including in urban and peri-urban spaces as cities expand
- Enable access to land and resources for local people who want to grow their own food (e.g. the community-garden model)
- Encourage and support private landowners to make lots available for food provisioning
Growth & Planning 4 questions
Growth & Planning
How should councils weigh the long-term cost of maintaining existing infrastructure when making decisions about outward growth and expansion?ranked from highest to lowest importance
- Use development phasing tied to infrastructure capacity
- Limit outward growth unless full lifecycle infrastructure
- Prioritize infill and intensification where infrastructure
- Require detailed cost and risk analysis before approving
- Proceed with outward growth to address housing supply
How should councils balance provincial and regional mandates for increased housing density with neighbourhood opposition and local infrastructure constraints?select up to 4 per part
A. Planning & zoning tools
- Expand as-of-right zoning to reduce case-by-case political decisions on housing forms
- Focus incremental density near transit, schools, and commercial areas
- Allow small-scale housing forms city-wide as-of-right (e.g. up to four units per lot)
- Eliminate parking minimum requirements
B. Managing neighbourhood opposition
- Use public engagement to inform design, not to veto density
- Phase or adjust density in response to neighbourhood concerns about design or servicing capacity
- Require demonstrated city-wide benefits to justify local impacts
C. Infrastructure & servicing
- Approve density where infrastructure capacity already exists
- Pair density approvals with targeted infrastructure upgrades
- Use development charges or conditions to fund needed upgrades
Budget & Taxes 5 questions
Budget & Taxes
Do you think the Region's or municipality's budget process should be more transparent and accessible to residents?single choice
It should be more transparent and accessible
Municipal and regional costs have generally risen faster than revenues restricted by property tax rules and limited local revenue tools. How would you balance tax increases against maintaining service levels and long-term financial sustainability?select up to 3 per part
A. Revenue approaches
- Moderate, predictable tax increases to maintain service levels
- Actively pursue provincial and federal transfer funding and grants
- Exploring new local revenue tools where permitted by provincial legislation
D. Growth & cost recovery
- Ensure new development pays a greater share of long-term infrastructure costs
B. Service levels
- Maintain current service levels, even if taxes rise
- Adjust service delivery models to reduce costs without reducing access
C. Capital & infrastructure
- Prioritize maintenance and state-of-good-repair over expansion
- Require lifecycle cost analysis before approving any new infrastructure
About the Candidate1 question
About the Candidate
Why are you running for this position?candidate's own words
I have been heavily involved in serving communities in the past decade and have track record on finding practical solutions to complex issues. I believe when we sit down and listen, we can always find an solution.