The deadline to file or withdraw nominations ahead of the upcoming 2026 municipal election is right around the corner, meaning Waterloo Region is days away from getting a full picture of what to expect on the ballot this October.
That deadline for possible nominees is slated for Friday, Aug. 21 at 2 p.m., with plenty of candidates already having submitted their names for contention, whether it be for mayor, councillor, or school board trustee.
There are a few requirements for those looking to run, including a $200 filing fee for mayoral candidates, a $100 fee for councillor and trustee candidates, 25 required endorsements for mayor and council nominees, and more.
The full details for what’s required can be found on the Region of Waterloo website.
With those key dates around the corner, the region is getting a better look at who could soon be representing their cities and townships in the years ahead.
As of now, the mayoral race is continuing to build, with a full slate of possible representatives throughout the region, including:
City of Waterloo
- Dorothy McCabe (Incumbent)
- Shannon Weber
City of Kitchener
- Davin Alton
- Wazhma Frogh
- George Trihenea
- Berry Vrbanovic (Incumbent)
City of Cambridge
- Ryan Bolender
- Tony Chaves
- Scott Hamilton
- Ihtsham Haq
- Brian Kennedy
- Shahzada Jalal Khan
- Jan Liggett (Incumbent)
Township of North Dumfries
- Rodney Rolleman
- Terry Knarr
- Prabhjap Sandhu
Woolwich Township
- Chane Ballantyne
- Evan Burgess
- Eric Schwindt
Wellesley Township
- Joe Nowak (Incumbent)
- Chris Martin
Wilmot Township
- Natasha Salonen (Incumbent)
- Stephanie Goertz
- Kristopher Wilkinson
- Clive Woolner
Notably, throughout the upcoming mayoral race, current Mayors Sandy Shantz and Sue Foxton have stated that they will not be seeking reelection in the 2026 municipal election.
As for the position of Regional Chair, that seat will be provincially appointed and will not appear on the ballot, all following the adoption of the Better Regional Governance Act back in May.
That position and the way it is being selected have run into controversy in recent months, particularly centred around the possibility of Waterloo Region mayors potentially being named to the position.
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Former Cambridge mayor and regional councillor Doug Craig introduced a motion that’s heading for council in the coming weeks, opposing the possibility of a mayor becoming regional chair. That’s set to head to regional council on Aug. 28.
The list of individuals applying for the position of regional chair has not been made public.
Further details on those running for the positions of regional councillors, city councillors, school board trustees, and more can all be found on the individual township, city, and regional websites.
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