Meet Kelly DeRidder
Raised in Kitchener Centre, Kelly DeRidder is committed to representing the riding with hard work, integrity, and fiscal responsibility.
With a technology career as an automation and engineering project manager, she understands the community’s innovative spirit and aims to bring meaningful change to the area.
Kelly is focused on simplifying complex issues, balancing strategy with execution, and connecting with constituents to ensure their voices are heard and actioned in Ottawa.
Through her outreach and collaborative approach, Kelly has gained widespread support cultivating strong relationships across Kitchener Centre’s diverse cultural communities.
She is dedicated to bringing fresh energy and strong leadership to Kitchener Centre, advocating for policies that promote prosperity and opportunity for all residents.
She is supported by her devoted husband and is a mother to an exceptional daughter. Her strength derives from her family and community, and she is committed to providing Kitchener Centre with the logical and necessary result-driven representation it requires.
A Letter From Your Member Of Parliament
Dear Residents of Kitchener Centre,
It is with immense gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility that I write to you today as your newly elected Member of Parliament. Representing our vibrant, resilient, and diverse community in the 45th Parliament is the honour of a lifetime.
Kitchener Centre is not just where I was raised—it is where my heart belongs. From my days at J.F. Carmichael and Forest Heights to my education in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics and Automation at Conestoga, and through nearly two decades in project management, this community has shaped me. It has given me the values of hard work, perseverance, and compassion—values I promise to carry with me every day into Parliament as your representative.
I want to begin by thanking each of you who placed your trust in me. Your stories, concerns, and aspirations are my guiding light in Ottawa. Whether you are a small business owner in Kitchener’s downtown, a parent stretching every dollar to keep their family fed and clothed, a senior struggling to make ends meet, a newcomer that has chosen to build their future in this City, or a young graduate seeking stability, I am here to serve you.
My platform is grounded in five core commitments—pillars that reflect our community’s priorities. They form the path forward that we must take together:
1. Affordability for Families and Seniors
The cost of living is spiralling. It is affecting us all—families, young professionals, and seniors alike. We must implement real solutions, such as lowering taxes, increasing support for essential services, and creating policies that make home ownership and basic needs attainable again.
2. Safe and Compassionate Communities
We face a drug and mental health crisis in our city. This is not just a public safety issue—it is a human one, and the desire to become a part of the solution is what drew me into politics. I am committed to increasing access to mental health services, expanding treatment and rehabilitation programs, and ensuring there are significant consequences for repeat and violent offenders. We must repeal harmful policies that allow criminal activity to go unchecked while uplifting those who seek a better path.
3. Jobs, Innovation, and Economic Growth
Kitchener Centre is a hub of innovation—from green tech and advanced manufacturing to the arts and artificial intelligence. We must fuel this potential by investing in key industries, supporting our small businesses, and ensuring local talent has every opportunity to succeed and stay here in our Region.
4. Support for Families and Children
Every child deserves to grow up in a safe, nurturing environment. As your MP, I will fight for the dignity and safety of every family, particularly those living in underserved areas in our communities, where children are forced to witness criminal activity on their doorsteps. We MUST do better—for them, and for all of us.
5. Listening First, Acting Always
You elected me to work and to deliver on your behalf. I will always listen. I will always act. I am here for the single parent, the struggling senior, the hardworking student, and the entrepreneur with a dream. My office is your office.
Affecting real lasting change is not the work of one person; it is the work of a community united in vision and purpose. I invite you to be a part of the conversation, to hold me accountable, and to bring your ideas forward. Together, we can build a stronger, safer, and more affordable future for Kitchener Centre.
With humility, dedication, and hope,
Kelly DeRidder, MP
Kitchener Centre