Waterloo Region 2026 municipal candidates emerge

Waterloo Region’s 2026 municipal election is starting to come into focus — and the biggest surprise is not just who’s running. It’s also one office voters won’t get to choose anymore. Nominations opened on May 1 for the October 26 election, and early filings already show a mix of incumbents defending seats, challengers jumping up a level, and a few long-serving local figures heading for the exit. ### What’s actually on the ballot? Residents across Waterloo Region will vote for mayor, local councillors, regional councillors, and school board trustees on October 26, 2026. But the regional chair race is gone. Ontario’s Better Regional Governance Act, 2026 changed that office from elected to appointed for the next term, so nominations for regional chair are no longer being accepted. (kitchener.citynews.ca) ### Why is the missing chair race such a big deal? Because it changes one of the highest-profile choices on the ballot. In Waterloo, the city’s election page now explicitly says nominations for regional chair are no longer accepted and that any earlier filings are deemed withdrawn. That means voters still choose regional councillors, but not the person who will lead regional council. Basically, one of the region-wide democratic contests has been pulled out mid-cycle. (kitchener.citynews.ca) ### Which mayoral races already look real? Cambridge is the clearest one so far. Incumbent Jan Liggett is in, and Ward 7 Councillor Scott Hamilton filed to challenge her on May 1. CityNews also lists Brian Kennedy, who leads the Downtown Cambridge and Preston Towne Centre BIA, as another mayoral candidate. That gives Cambridge an early three-way shape, even though the nomination window stays open until August 21. (waterloo.ca) ### What about Waterloo itself? Waterloo is simpler right now. The city’s certified candidate page shows Dorothy McCabe filed for mayor on May 1, with no other mayoral challenger listed yet. Council races are more active — Ward 2 already has Asma Al-Wahsh, Shawn Humes, and Ying Susan Jiang, while Ward 5 and Ward 6 each have two names on file. (kitchener.citynews.ca) ### Where are the big exits? Two of them are in the townships. CityNews says North Dumfries Mayor Sue Foxton is stepping away, and Woolwich Mayor Sandy Shantz has also said she will not seek re-election after 12 years as mayor. That opens the door to real succession fights in places that usually revolve around familiar incumbents. (waterloo.ca) ### So who’s moving into those openings? In Woolwich, current councillors Eric Schwindt and Evan Burgess are both listed as mayoral candidates. In North Dumfries, current councillor Rod Rolleman is listed for mayor. Wilmot also looks competitive early, with incumbent Natasha Salonen facing Stephanie Goertz and councillor Kris Wilkinson. (kitchener.citynews.ca) ### What’s still unresolved in Kitchener? The biggest unanswered question is Berry Vrbanovic. CityNews says Kitchener’s mayor had not announced by May 12 whether he will run again. But challengers are already lining up — including David Alton and Wazhma Frogh in the CityNews roundup — so Kitchener could shift fast once the incumbent makes a call. (kitchener.citynews.ca) ### Bottom line The early picture is uneven, but the pattern is clear — more open seats, more challenger energy, and one major office removed from voters entirely. Between now and the August 21 nomination deadline, the names will change. The structure of the election already has. (waterloo.ca) (kitchener.citynews.ca)