NDP candidate Debbie Chapman running for Kitchener Centre by-election

Meet one of your Kitchener Centre candidates, Debbie Chapman. She’s running for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the upcoming by-election.

The election date is set for Nov. 30.

Chapman follows in the former MPP for Kitchener Centre footsteps, Laura Mae Lindo, who stepped down from the position in July.

For the last five years, Chapman has been serving on Kitchener City Council. One of her main focuses during that time was affordable housing. Chapman also teaches urban politic courses at Wilfrid Laurier University and is an active delegate for Waterloo Regional Labour Council.

“My experience as a city councillor over last five years will allow me to be more effective at Queen’s Park and effect change there,” said Chapman.

Chapman volunteered as the president of the Cherry Park Neighbourhood Association and has worked alongside other local organizations in the past.

“I look forward to being part of a bigger team, the team that has the resources and ability to really dig deep into topics and come up with ideas and be creative and do more for the people of Ontario. I will not abandon the people of Kitchener,” added Chapman.

Chapman said being on city council, she saw firsthand some of the changes the Ford government made at the municipal level and how it effected their ability to get things done.

“He modified the Ontario Land Tribunal and that whole process, so its harder for people to appeal a decision made at city council around development projects,” said Chapman. “There just things that have changed dramatically in ways that public engagement and one’s ability to represent our constituents are becoming harder and harder to do.”

Some of Chapman’s focus running in the Kitchener Centre by-election is on affordable housing, fair wages, public health care, smaller class sizes, and climate change.

“Our goal is in two years, when we have a general election, is to take that majority government away from him and that would put everyone on a more equal playing field,” said Chapman.

In those five years on council, Chapman said she’s only seen 27 affordable units be approved and that was just in the last six months.

Chapman said the units are not affordable as affordable housing means 80 per cent of the unit’s market value which can come out to around $1,500/month if the rent for a one bedroom is listed at the average price right now, which is closer to $1,800/month.

“If that’s what were looking for then I think we need to rethink what our role is here with affordability concerned, “said Chapman.

“If you take 30 per cent of a full-time minimum wage it works out too approximately close to $860/month for rent and that what we define as affordable. We need to do more purpose build affordable rental units at that price because people are being left behind, people are ending up homeless.”

Advance voting started this week with the by-election date for Kitchener Centre set for Nov. 30.