All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes

Julie Wright

City/Township Council · Waterloo Ward 7

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All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes
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

Most people who are chronically homeless need a lot of support to access and remain housed. We need provincial and federal prioritization for the expansion of outreach and addiction supports and sustaining operating dollars for supportive housing. We cannot achieve this kind of support with property taxes.

Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on housing?candidate's own words

I support basic income for society's most vulnerable. It's a pathway to dignity.

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
No response
What role should public transit play in regional growth, and how should future transit investments be prioritized?ranked from highest to lowest importance
No response
Do you support the municipality taking responsibility for snow removal from sidewalks adjacent to private properties?single choice
No response
Do you support expanding fare-free transit for the Region?single choice
No response
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
No response
B. Building and development standards
No response
C. Infrastructure and capital planning
No response
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
No response
How should municipalities and the Region approach food insecurity and affordability?select up to 3 per part
A. Access to food
No response
B. Access to land for growing food
No response
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
No response
How should councils balance provincial and regional mandates for increased housing density with neighbourhood opposition and local infrastructure constraints?select up to 3 per part
A. Planning & zoning tools
No response
B. Managing neighbourhood opposition
No response
C. Infrastructure & servicing
No response
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
No response
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
No response
D. Growth & cost recovery
No response
B. Service levels
No response
C. Capital & infrastructure
No response
About the Candidate3 questions

About the Candidate

Why are you running for this position?candidate's own words

I care deeply about my community and my journey began with advocacy with and for the neighbourhood association I co-founded with my neighbour. As that advocacy deepened, I realized that I had the capacity to do more and so I ran for council, successfully, in 2022. I love to solve problems, big and small, and truly believe that we can do great things together–as a community. Now I am seeking re-election.

How does the current two-tier structure of municipal and regional government affect the Region's ability to make coherent decisions on housing, planning, and infrastructure?candidate's own words

Structural reform deserves serious study before the next election cycle

Please describe one specific area where you think the governance structure helps or hinders good decision-making.candidate's own words

Currently, there is very limited oversight of growth and the cumulative impacts to our watershed. As of Statistics Canada's July 1, 2026 estimate, the combined population of Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo is 664,490 across one continuous urban area. The urban core and townships have different needs and create different pressures for the local environment. Our previous strategy was to observe a countryside line that protects some of the best farmland in the world and critical moraine that recharges our overall water supply. While navigating the current water supply issue, we've ignored the longer term impacts to the Grand River Watershed which supports more than 1M people. We must consider the thresholds of this watershed and consider what growth means upstream and downstream of our community.