Kitchener Centre: 6 challengers look to unseat relatively new MPP

A relatively new MPP will look to retain her seat in Kitchener Centre in this provincial election.

The candidates in Kitchener Centre are (in alphabetical order by last name):

• Sebastian Butnar-Stoica, Ontario Party.
• Aislinn Clancy, Green (incumbent).
• Rob Elliott, Progressive Conservatives.
• Colleen James, Liberal.
• Christopher Nuhn, Independent.
• Paul Simoes, New Blue Party.
• Brooklin Wallis, NDP.

Sebastian Butnar-Stoica, the Ontario Party candidate, is a vehicle service technician. The Ontario Party's motto is "freedom, family and faith" and the party was started by former Conservative MP Derek Sloan.

Aislinn Clancy, the Green candidate, is the most recent MPP for Kitchener Centre. She won a byelection in November 2023 to replace outgoing NDP MPP Laura Mae Lindo. Prior to winning the byelection, she served as a Kitchener city councillor after winning a seat in the October 2022 municipal election. Before that, she was a social worker in the Waterloo Catholic District School Board.

Rob Elliott, the PC candidate, also ran as the PC candidate in the 2023 byelection. His bio on the website for the company Counsel Public Affairs, a consulting firm, says he has 15 years of experience working in government and public affairs. During the byelection, Elliott's team confirmed he lived in Keswick, located north of Toronto on Lake Simcoe. Elliott's team did not respond to a request from CBC K-W to confirm he still lives there in this election.

Colleen James, the Liberal candidate, is currently a Region of Waterloo councillor who has taken leave for the duration of the campaign. Prior to that, James founded Divonify Inc., a consulting firm for equity and inclusion.

Christopher Nuhn is running in the election as an independent candidate, meaning he has no party affiliation. He says on his Facebook page that his "agenda is Kitchener first, party politics last."

Paul Simoes, the New Blue Party, ran in the November 2023 byelection. He runs a martial arts business.

Brooklin Wallis, the NDP candidate, ran in the October 2022 municipal election in Kitchener. A transgender activist, Wallis is a board member at Spectrum, Waterloo Region's Rainbow Community Space.

Riding history

The riding has existed since 1999 and was created from the ridings of Kitchener and Kitchener-Wilmot.

The first Member of Provincial Parliament to serve the riding was Progressive Conservative Wayne Wettlaufer, who held the seat in Kitchener from 1995 to 1999, then Kitchener Centre from 1999 to 2003.

In 2003, Wettlaufer lost his bid for re-election to Liberal John Milloy. Milloy served as the riding's MPP, and served in several cabinet positions, until 2014, when he did not seek re-election. In 2014, TV broadcaster Daiene Vernile ran for the Liberals and won.

Lindo defeated Vernile in 2018 and served until July 2023, when she stepped down from the role.

A byelection was held in November 2023, which was won by Green candidate Aislinn Clancy.