Richie Nanan, BA (Hons), LLB (Hons), is a candidate for Ward 7 Councillor in the City of Kitchener. A Kitchener resident for nearly 30 years and a Ward 7 neighbour for nearly two decades, Richie feels a deep responsibility to give back to the community that shaped him. His candidacy is grounded in a simple belief: everyone deserves to be heard, treated with dignity and welcomed into civic life.

 

Richie believes Council should reflect the people it serves. Regardless of cultural heritage, identity, ability, income, background or circumstances, residents should feel that they belong and that their voices matter in the decisions affecting their neighbourhoods. He brings his legal education, lived experience and understanding of different communities to that commitment.

 

Richie’s family moved to Kitchener in the mid-1990s. Growing up, he watched his father build a small, family-owned landscaping and stonework company from the ground up. It was an early lesson in hard work, dedication and the effort it takes to build a life and support a family. Those lessons continue to shape his appreciation for neighbours and small-business owners working to create a better future.

 

Richie attended Alpine Public School before his family purchased their first home in Victoria Hills. He and his brother attended A.R. Kaufman Public School, now Hillside Public School, and Richie later graduated from Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School. He went on to earn a Police Foundations diploma from Humber College, a BA (Hons) in Law and Society from York University and an LLB (Hons) from BPP University in London, UK.

 

After returning to Kitchener in 2019, Richie experienced a period of uncertainty and personal change. Like many people, he faced disruption and hardship during the pandemic. Those years prompted him to reflect on what mattered most and strengthened his commitment to kindness, public service and giving back. Being present, listening carefully and offering support became central to how he wanted to contribute to his community.

 

Over the past year, Richie has dedicated time to supporting St. John’s Kitchen and Outreach through The Working Centre. This work helps provide a place of welcome, meals and meaningful connections for community members experiencing homelessness or living in vulnerable circumstances. Meeting people from different walks of life has reinforced his belief that every person deserves dignity and respect. For Richie, behind every issue is a person and a story that deserves to be heard.

 

As a first-generation Canadian born to immigrant parents, Richie draws on a cultural heritage rooted in Trinidad and Tobago. He identifies as a person of colour, a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and a person with a disability. These intersecting identities have deepened his appreciation for diversity and his understanding of how people from different backgrounds can experience the same city differently. They also inform his belief that cultural awareness, inclusion and accessibility must be part of everyday civic decision-making.

 

Richie’s decision to run was shaped by a painful experience close to home. He and his family experienced a hate-motivated incident at the home where they had lived for nearly two decades. The incident changed their sense of safety in the place where they should have felt most secure. Richie describes feeling isolated, ignored and unsupported by community leadership in its aftermath.

 

That experience strengthened his conviction that civic institutions must listen, respond and be accountable to the people they serve. It moved him from hoping for change to working for change. Richie wants residents who feel overlooked to know that their experiences matter and that they deserve leadership willing to engage, offer support and take their concerns seriously.

 

His long connection to Ward 7 also shapes his approach. As a fellow neighbour, Richie values being accessible, approachable and involved in the community. He is humbled by the encouragement, feedback and support he has received from residents who appreciate that he lives alongside them and understands Ward 7 as home. Those conversations reinforce his commitment to representing his neighbours with care and respect.

 

Richie has heard residents express frustration and a loss of confidence in local government. He believes rebuilding that trust requires active listening, honesty, transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility. Responsible governance means engaging with the people affected by decisions and making room for the diverse perspectives that strengthen a community.

 

To Richie, public service means showing up for the neighbour who needs someone to listen, the family building a better future, the small-business owner working to keep their doors open, the newcomer looking for a place to belong and the resident who wants to know their voice matters. He believes communities are strongest when people listen to one another, learn from one another and work together.

 

Richie sees Kitchener’s diversity as a strength that deserves greater recognition and representation. By bringing cultural understanding, accessibility and inclusion into local decision-making, he hopes to help build a civic culture where residents feel respected and able to participate. His campaign is an invitation to work together toward a Ward 7 where everyone belongs.

 

For Richie, Kitchener is more than a city. Ward 7 is more than a number. It is home, and he would be honoured to serve it.

 

Vote Richie Nanan for Ward 7 Councillor on October 26, 2026.

 

Time for Change. Time for RN.