Another Waterloo regional councilor does not seek re-election. Globalnews.ca

Waterloo Regional Council will have a very different look next year, as a fifth councilor has announced that he will not seek re-election this fall.

Sean Strickland, who represents Waterloo on the council, joined Helen Jowett and Carl Kiefer (Cambridge), and Elizabeth Clark (Kitchner), as well as Waterloo Mayor Dave Jarowski, in announcing that they would vote on electoral ballots in October. But will not.

All mayors in the region receive one seat on the council, as well as four councilors from Kitchener and two each from Waterloo and Cambridge, and a further regional president.

Strickland has been in public office for over 20 years, initially being elected to the Waterloo Regional District School Board in 1993, before being elected to the city and regional councils in 1997, before they split.

He served as a regional council from 2000 to 2015 and again from 2018 till now.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to represent the citizens of Waterloo in various elected capacities over the past 25 years and to work alongside some of the most brilliant colleagues and staff,” Strickland said.

“Over the past few years, we have strategically focused on community development and it has been exciting to see projects like the creation of ION help set our region up for a prosperous future.”

In his announcement, Strickland said he has been appointed as executive director of the Building Trades Unions of Canada, a national association of trade unions.

For those who wish to include their names on the ballot, candidates for the October 24 election have until August 19 to fill out their paperwork.