Carly Pettinger

“Anyone who walks during the winter knows that our current model of placing responsibility for sidewalk clearing on property owners knows that too often sidewalks are impassable and/or unsafe. For many seniors in our community, they know this and become shut in during the winter - fearing slipping on ice that could land them in the ER or worse, and knowing that a walk is likely to be treacherous. I spoke with a woman who uses a motorized wheelchair the other week and she told me that she has no choice but to go on the roads, which puts her life at risk throughout the winter months. Last year, to get both my kindergartener and baby to and from school each day, I bought an excellent stroller second-hand, wore spikes on my winter boots and still had a heck of a time navigating icy sidewalks and windrows at curb cuts. I know that the City of Kitchener has explored municipal sidewalk clearing and I would do a deep dive into the possibilities with staff and invite Ward 8 residents into the conversation, too. We cannot live in Canada and accept that our neighbourhoods are largely inaccessible for a significant amount of the year. At minimum, we need to advocate for tangible solutions this coming winter like requiring windrows be cleared at crossings.”

Source: TriTAG 2026 Election Questionnaire - Kitchener Ward 8 responses · September 29, 2026