Ride with Candidates: Mike Wisniewski – Kitchener Regional Council

For the 2026 municipal elections, CycleWR volunteers have been taking municipal electoral candidates on bike rides to show off the best and worst of the cycling infrastructure in their ward/city/region.

Below is a summary written by CycleWR volunteer Joseph Brannan, on their ride with municipal candidate for Kitchener Regional Council, Mike Wisniewski.

Disclaimer: CycleWR is a non-partisan organization that does not endorse a party or candidate. Summaries are written by volunteers or candidates and may not reflect the mandate or views of CycleWR. For more information, contact us at hello@cyclewr.ca.

Note: Joseph and Mike forgot to take a picture on the ride. Mike supplied the picture above – definitely a moment of Zen!

We began our ride on the Iron Horse Trail from Willow River Park, heading towards Waterloo, where we eventually looped back towards Kitchener on the Spur Line Trail. Asked about his stance on CycleWR’s prorities of bridging gaps in major routes, and a specific Regional cycling budget, Mike said that he wasn’t opposed to new cycling infrastructure, but would prefer to see it paid for by corporate taxation, rather than regular property taxes. I queried how this would be done, whether this proposal would be based on a separate property tax rate for corporate-owned property. Mike said that he wasn’t sure yet what would be specifically possible as a framework for this idea. 

Regarding CycleWR’s proposal for Region of Waterloo bylaws to align with upcoming Ontario provincial e-bike regulation changes, Mike’s stance was that there should be greater freedom of access for all e-mobility devices, and that bylaw enforcement money could be better spent elsewhere.

Mike mentioned that he does not drive, but gets around by a mix of transit, taxis, walking, and occasionally by bike. I was puzzled by his stance that improved bike and active transportation infrastructure wouldn’t be a priority for him, but he said that he sees himself as “very independent” and that he would need to balance needs from across the community if elected.

Mike described himself as a “fiscal conservative”. Asked about Doug Ford’s intent to remove portions of bike lanes in Toronto, at a cost likely to exceed $48 million, Mike said that the idea is “just ridiculous. If the lanes are there and already paid for, leave them in.” He said that removing lanes is a waste of money, and seems to be motivated by pettiness.