February 11th, 2025
Marit Stiles and the Ontario NDP are on your side with a plan for Southwest Ontario
KITCHENER - Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles joined NDP's Kitchener-Waterloo team Catherine Fife (Waterloo), Jodi Szimanski (Kitchener – Conestoga), Brooklin Wallis (Kitchener Centre) and Jeff Donkersgoed (Kitchener South–Hespeler) to announce her plan for Southwest Ontario and Niagara Region.
“After seven long years of Doug Ford, living in cities and towns across Southwestern Ontario is more expensive than ever. It’s harder to find a home you can afford. It’s harder to pay your grocery bill. It’s more challenging to see a family doctor, and so many schools are in need of repair. Ford has failed to deliver for people – but in this election, we can change that.
As Premier, I’ll get to work investing in Kitchener-Waterloo and building up Southwest Ontario, so that we can make life more affordable.”
Marit Stiles and the Ontario NDP’s plan for Southwestern Ontario and Niagara includes the following for Kitchener-Waterloo:
- Providing a recurring Monthly Grocery Rebate that is based on how much the cost of essential groceries like milk, bread and vegetables have increased under Ford and is tied to income and the number of people in your household.
- Real rent control to protect tenants and keep costs from climbing. Average rent in Kitchener-Waterloo for a 2 bedroom has grown 45% since Ford took office.
- More doctors and nurses for southwestern Ontario: Over 76,000 people lack a family doctor in Kitchener-Waterloo. Across the Southwest, 400,000 people don’t have a doctor, and that will rise next year as more doctors retire and leave the system. Further, we’ll ensure funding continues for the planning of a new regional hospital in Kitchener-Waterloo.
- Fix schools. In Kitchener-Waterloo, close to 45% of the region’s public schools are below a state of good repair. Our children deserve safe, well-maintained schools where they can learn and grow without disruption – our plan will clear the backlog province-wide within 10 years.