Kitchener South-Hespeler: Active 1st-time MPP seeks to hold onto her seat

The incumbent in Kitchener South-Hespeler has served one term, but is hoping to retain her seat as she faces four other candidates.

The candidates in Kitchener South-Hespeler are (in alphabetical order by last name):

• Jess Dixon, Progressive Conservatives (incumbent)
• Jeff Donkersgoed, NDP.
• Ismail Mohamed, Liberal.
• Jessica Riley, Green.
• John Soule, New Blue Party.

Jess Dixon is the incumbent and the Progressive Conservative candidate has served one term, winning the election in 2022. Prior to that, Dixon was an assistant Crown attorney. During her first term, Dixon advocated for funding for child witness centres and she co-led a provincial subcommittee on intimate partner violence.

Jeff Donkersgoed, the NDP candidate, is a secondary school music teacher with the Waterloo Region District School Board. He is also an organizer with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation.

Ismail Mohamed, the Liberal candidate, is a community services facilitator with the City of Kitchener. He previously ran in this riding in 2022.

Jessica Riley, the Green candidate, is an environmental advocate and works for a company that specializes in international sustainable food packaging.

John Soule is the candidate for the New Blue Party. CBC K-W was unable to find information about Soule including any information on the party's website or personal websites or social media feeds.

Riding history

This is the newest riding in Waterloo region. It was created in 2015 following changes to the riding at the federal level in 2013. It covers an area that was previously part of the Kitchener-Conestoga, Kitchener Centre, and Cambridge ridings.

The first MPP was Progressive Conservative Amy Fee, who was elected in 2018. She did not seek re-election in 2022, which is when Dixon ran and won the seat.