City Councillor Mary Rita Holland to run for NDP in Kingston and the Islands

KINGSTON — Kingston City Councillor Mary Rita Holland will run for Ontario’s New Democrats in Kingston and the Islands in the 2022 provincial election. Holland will be acclaimed as the NDP’s candidate for Kingston and the Islands at a nomination meeting on Feb. 16, where she will be welcomed by NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.

Quotes

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath

“Mary Rita is a strong leader who is committed to working for families in Kingston and the Islands. From making homes more affordable, to building up the health care system so everyone in Kingston can have a family doctor, Mary Rita puts the priorities of the people in her community first. As deputy mayor, she’s been a powerhouse champion for her community — and as an MPP, Mary Rita will fight for more public services families depend on, real action on climate change, and a province that finally puts everyday people first.”

Mary Rita Holland, NDP candidate for Kingston and the Islands

“I love this community, and I know we can make it even better for the people who live here. Doug Ford was cutting health care and education before the pandemic. And during this pandemic, when our hospitals and schools needed more support than ever before, Ford kept cutting. Our small business struggled while Ford favoured big box corporations. Steven Del Duca isn’t the answer. He and the Liberals had 15 years to help. Instead of making life better, they left home care, long-term care and our hospitals on their knees. People in Kingston and the Islands deserve better than that. They deserve a government that’s here for them, focused on making sure everyone can have the kind of life they’re working hard for. An affordable life with excellent health care and the best education for our kids.”

Biography

• Holland is the Deputy Mayor of Kingston, and has been the City Councillor for Kingscourt-Rideau since 2014.
• Holland has served on a range of committees and boards, including the KFL&A Board of Public Health, Kingston Access Services, and the Cataraqui Creek Conservation Authority.
• Holland co-chaired the Mayor’s Task Force on Housing and served on the Housing and Homelessness Advisory Committee, as well as the City’s Environment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Committees.
• Holland holds a PhD from the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University where she also works as an Adjunct Instructor.
• Holland has lived in Kingston and the Islands for the last 20 years and is raising her teen daughter here.