Stephen Cuthbertson is pursuing a council seat following his withdrawal from the upcoming mayoral election.
Born and raised in Kingston, Cuthbertson works in construction as a project manager and is eager to create affordable housing opportunities in the city.
As a project manager of several businesses in Kingston, Cuthbertson’s work has exposed him to the city’s vulnerable population.
“One of the things that I have to deal with a lot is our tenants will call and say, you know, there’s an unhoused person at the property or in our business, and they don’t know what to do about it, and it just sort of breaks my heart,” said Cuthbertson.
“I know that the city can change the way it operates, and I want to speak towards that change and hopefully make things better for everybody,” Cuthbertson continued.
Cuthbertson said that his background in construction and project management would be an asset when the city makes important decisions on growth and development.
“I do want to take my experience in project management and construction and try and figure out where we’re spending all this money because it just feels to me like we could be spending it more efficiently,” said Cuthbertson.
Cuthbertson said that some of Kingston’s current leaders should be replaced ahead of the upcoming election, suggesting that housing has not been given enough priority.
“It’s not that they can’t; it’s that they didn’t want to, and so we need to find new leadership that wants to, and the reason why I chose Lakeside in particular is because I feel like Lakeside has the most potential of any district in Kingston,” said Cuthbertson.
Cuthbertson is running for a council seat to represent the Lakeside District and believes he can bring about the most change in the district and make existing spaces more accessible.
Ahead of the election, Cuthbertson shared his plans to familiarize himself with Lakeside voters and their needs within the community.
“Most of my evenings are going to be spent walking down the streets and trying to meet people by knocking on doors,” said Cuthbertson.
The upcoming municipal election will be held on October 26, as voters will choose a new mayor, councillors, and school board trustees.
