Victoria's Values
Community
Strong communities are built when neighbours know, support, and look out for one another. Too often, we recognize the dogs on our street before we know the names of the people who live next door. Creating opportunities for residents to connect is essential to building a vibrant, resilient community.
Community involvement has been a part of my life from an early age. At just eight years old, I began volunteering with the City of Waterloo, delivering neighbourhood association newsletters, often needing my parents to lift me up so I could reach the mailbox. By the time I was 18, I had already spent a decade volunteering in a variety of community roles.
Today, I continue that commitment by helping organize events with the Lincoln Heights Neighbourhood Group and serving as co-chair of my child's School Council. These experiences have reinforced my belief that strong communities are built through connection, participation, and shared spaces.
As your representative for Ward 5, I will champion the creation and support of more "third spaces": welcoming places outside of home and work where residents can gather, build relationships, and strengthen the sense of belonging that makes a neighbourhood thrive.
Examples of policies I would support include: *
- Consult with Indigenous leaders and seek ways to proactively fulfil our responsibilities under UNDRIP and the TRC.
- Advocate for more Community gardens. The Community Garden Council and the Waterloo Region Community Garden Network support community and school gardens across the region.
- Support the Community Safety and Well-being Plan. The Region’s community-led CSWB Plan works on four priorities, including combatting hate, creating safe and inclusive spaces, mental health and addiction, and intimate partner and gender-based violence.
- Support the “We All Belong Here” campaign. Launched in October 2025 by the Region and the Combatting Hate Action Table under the CSWB Plan.
Responsibility to the Basics
Building a strong foundation while moving our city forward means paying attention to both the big picture and the everyday details. Local government is responsible for many of the things we often take for granted: our roads, sidewalks, parks, libraries, recreation facilities, local businesses, festivals, and the way our neighbourhoods grow and develop. These may not always be the most exciting topics at council, but they have a direct impact on our quality of life every single day.
I have been an advocate for safer streets and active transportation, delegating to the City Council on an issue related to road safety and infrastructure changes. My educational background in public healthcare has given me a broad perspective on the importance of strong public services, community well-being, and cultural vitality. As a City Parks tree-planting volunteer and a regular supporter of local businesses, I understand the value of investing in both our environment and our local economy.
As your councillor, I will make thoughtful, balanced decisions that prioritize affordability, strong public services, environmental sustainability, and a thriving small business community. My focus will be on building a city that works well today while preparing responsibly for the future.
Examples of policies I would support include: *
- Consider additional/alternative financial tools to fund long-term infrastructure maintenance.
- Support living wage policies for municipal staff and mandate living wages in municipal contracts.
- Adopt municipal climate budgeting, tagging capital and operating decisions against emissions and climate risk, so the claim that climate action aligns with growth gets tested in the budget process.
- Implement a vacant home tax. Ontario extended the authority to impose one to all single- and upper-tier municipalities as of March 27, 2024, and Toronto, Ottawa, and Hamilton already levy one. The Region could adopt a vacant home tax to return empty units to use and fund affordable housing.
Communication
Strong communities need strong communication. Too many residents feel disconnected from what is happening at City Hall or unsure about how decisions are made. I believe local government works best when people have access to clear information, meaningful opportunities to participate, and confidence that their voices are being heard.
I've seen firsthand how important community communication is. I help manage our neighbourhood Facebook page, which shares local updates and helps neighbours stay connected. I also helped secure funding for community message boards in two local parks, creating new ways for residents to learn about events, programs, and opportunities to get involved.
As your councillor, I will work to make municipal government more transparent, accessible, and responsive. That means clearly communicating not just what decisions are being made, but why they are being made. It also means improving how residents find information about council, city projects, public consultations, and community events. Everyone deserves a voice in shaping the future of our city, and everyone should be able to easily stay informed about the decisions that affect their daily lives.
Examples of policies I would support include: *
- Ensure that all council meetings are open to the public, unless there is a truly pressing need for the meeting to be closed, per the municipal guidelines.
- Host regularly scheduled (monthly, quarterly, or yearly) town halls.
- Continue and expand the Region’s open data portal, with budgets, major contracts, and council voting records published in machine-readable formats.
* Credit to Vision Waterloo Region for policy examples.
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