Students
Constituents, residents, neighbours, employees, volunteers, entrepreneurs and community builders.
Kingston's post-secondary students are constituents, residents, neighbours, employees, volunteers, entrepreneurs and community builders. I believed this when I ran to be the Councillor in Sydenham District, home to Queen's University.
Students contribute enormously to Kingston's economy, culture and identity. They also face many of the same pressures as other residents: high rents, limited housing choices, unreliable transportation, food insecurity and difficulty accessing health and mental health services.
My approach has always been to listen to students, include them in decisions and treat them with the same respect as every Kingston resident.
My record
I established and chair Kingston's Post-Secondary Working Group, bringing together students, institutions, community representatives and municipal leaders.
The working group gives everyone a place to identify shared concerns, improve communication and develop practical solutions. It reflects a simple principle: decisions affecting students should not be made without students at the table.
I brought forward a motion calling for a comprehensive student housing strategy for Kingston.
Our housing challenges cannot be solved by simply approving more expensive market housing. We need a coordinated plan that considers affordability, the location and type of new housing, transportation, neighbourhood stability and the needs of both students and permanent residents.
Purpose-built student housing can reduce pressure on family homes, but it has to be part of a broader strategy that delivers housing that is genuinely affordable and appropriate.
I also brought forward a motion to establish landlord licensing in Kingston, requiring rental properties to meet clear standards for safety, maintenance and habitability.
We are creating a registry of landlords who will be required to give their student renters information and support related to safety and general rights. And I'm continuing to advocate for better living conditions.
The Fines for Food motion I brought through council has collected parking fine money that was used to support food banks and food programs. Money was provided to the Student Food Bank, turning parking fines into food.
I want students to see Kingston City Council and other agencies as places where their voice counts, not just institutions that make decisions about them.
I have consistently encouraged students to register as delegates and speak directly to Council and to the Police Services Board, and other organizations on issues that matter most to student life, from transportation access to housing conditions to food security. When students share their own experience directly, it changes the conversation and leads to better decisions.
Too often, discussions about students begin with complaints. I believe they should begin with respect.
Students should understand their responsibilities as neighbours, but they must also be treated fairly by the City, landlords, institutions and the wider community. Constructive relationships are built through communication, education and consistent expectations, not stereotypes or blame.
The work ahead
As Kingston plans for its future, the City must continue working with students and our post-secondary institutions to:
Students should be able to study, work, volunteer and participate fully in the life of our city. They should feel safe speaking to municipal leaders and confident that their experiences will be taken seriously.
Kingston benefits when students are treated as partners. As Mayor, I will keep working to make our city more affordable, inclusive and connected, for students and for everyone who calls Kingston home.