Ken Seiling's remarkable contribution

Ken Seiling's contribution as Regional Chair is remarkable--not merely for the length of time but the steady forward progress that has defined our Region. Ken has been an understated statesman who has provided leadership to successive Councils for challenges facing our community.

Successive provincial governments have made decisions that impact Waterloo Region. Local decisions have enabled this community to rise to these challenges and to handle additional and often evolving responsibilities. Responsibilities such as social housing when it was downloaded to the Region, the implementation of Ontario Works I remember spending an entire summer working on the implementation of this new program. The withdrawal of discretionary supports for welfare recipients-- when the Region stepped in to make sure our most vulnerable citizens had a safety net.

These decisions and so many more have defined our Region as the caring community The kind of community people in Waterloo Region expect from local government. The kind of community that people are proud to call their home town.

After thorough consideration and due diligence, Ken worked to implement ambitious projects such as the LRT that will enable the Region to be at the forefront of progress and prosperity. Ken fostered respectful and effective relationships with successive Provincial and Federal governments irrespective of partisan stripe. This has benefited our Region.

All of these contributions demonstrate the values and ethics that define Ken Seiling as a person, his leadership and by extension, the Councils to whom he has provided that guidance and who have served Waterloo Region for the past 33 years. The Region has also benefited from the engagement of Ken's friends and family. Kathryn has been an ever present support and has had a very successful career as an educator. Together, they have raised five amazing children - Heather, Scott, Amy, Mark and Megan--nine grandchildren—two on order. 

Ken Seiling raised the ceiling on the high expectations that the public expect from Regional leadership. This is recognized not just within our Region but throughout the province and across the country.