OrilliaMatters will profile all the candidates seeking election in Orillia in the Oct. 24 municipal election.
After stepping down as a mayoral candidate, Rob Kloostra is seeking re-election as a city councillor, but this time in Ward 1.
The Orillia resident of 30 years has served two terms as a city councillor in Ward 2.
“The reason I’m running in a new ward is because there are a lot of really good candidates in Ward 2,” he said. “I can serve Orillia in any ward.”
During his time on council, Kloostra said he has learned that there are a lot of challenges with the job.
“There are always tasks that you can and can’t handle,” he said. “You need a lot of staff support.”
Kloostra, 50, says he is proud of his tenure at city hall.
“We’ve accomplished a lot,” he said. “We’ve just opened up a state-of-the-art recreation centre, we are opening up the Hydro One grid control centre for all of Ontario, we are working on the plans to do Centennial Drive construction, Laclie Street is finally going to get constructed with a new road, and we are starting on the waterfront lands to continue getting more growth in Orillia.”
After serving the community over the past eight years, Kloostra says he still has a "burning desire" for the job.
“I enjoy interacting with residents,” he said. “I’m a people person, I like being out in the public, I enjoy being a councillor, and being a problem solver.”
If elected, Kloostra says he will be working hard to improve Orillia’s infrastructure, to ensure fiscal restraint and to preserve and protect local parks.
In the next four years, Kloostra says he hopes to use his experience to foster relationships with new council members and Orillia’s next mayor. (Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke is not seeking re-election). He wishes all candidates the best with their campaigns.
“This is a very challenging job,” he said. “I’m always here to answer questions and to help any of the new candidates. They can reach out to me anytime.”
Aside from being a councillor, Kloostra and his wife own and operate Happy at Home Support Services Inc.
“Being a business owner certainly helps,” he said. “There is always something that correlates well with running a city."
Being a small business owner also helps Kloostra relate to other local business owners and the everyday worker, he explained.
“We were probably busier during COVID than we ever were, and we never stopped working,” he said. “We’ve helped with PPE in the past and we were always there to answer questions from anybody.”
Kloostra has been council's appointee to the Downtown Orillia Management Board, the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce, the Orillia Police Services Board, and the Affordable Housing Committee.
He says he will continue to be available to anyone who has any questions or is seeking support. He also says he will continue to do "what’s best for the residents of Orillia" alongside his fellow council members.
Ted Emond and David Campbell are the current Ward 1 council members. Emond has announced he will not run again, leaving Whitney Smith, Campbell, Kloostra, Mathew Lund, Rick Sinotte and Paul Cain in contention for the two positions. To read more profiles on other election news, visit our municipal election page by clicking here.
