Annie
PALONE, MLA, MS-UD
I'm running for Sydenham District Council because Kingston needs councillors who understand planning and can navigate provincial constraints strategically.
I bring urban design expertise, climate resilience thinking, community advocacy, and a commitment to liveable, affordable, sustainable growth.
Annie's Priorities
HOUSING DONE RIGHT
Everyone deserves quality housing they can afford – not slum conditions, not displacement, not neighbourhoods gutted by conversions. I'll advocate for strategic growth in the right places, with proper standards, that benefits everyone.
LIVEABLE NEIGHBOURHOODS
Our district's heritage character, tree canopy, walkable streets, parks, and strong community didn't happen by accident. These aren't luxuries – they're what make Sydenham worth living in. I'll work to protect and enhance them even as we grow.
COMMUNITY VOICE AT CITY HALL
We shouldn't need planning degrees to understand what's happening in our neighbourhood. I'll work to make processes accessible, engage residents earlier, and bring your priorities into council deliberations.
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH + ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Protecting our green spaces, urban forest, and ecological assets is an imperative while planning for growth. I'll push for smart development that reduces car dependence, preserves natural areas, and builds climate resilience into our infrastructure and decision-making.
About Annie
For over a decade, I've worked at the intersection of community advocacy, urban design, and strategic engagement in Kingston. As SDA's Planning Liaison, I analyze development proposals, coordinate community feedback, and advocate for smart growth. I helped champion the Student Housing Strategy that Council adopted because I understand that studentification hurts everyone – students living in substandard housing and families priced out of neighbourhoods.
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I'm running because Kingston needs councillors who understand planning and can navigate provincial constraints strategically. The province's sweeping changes to the Planning Act have reduced local control – communities have lost power at the Ontario Land Tribunal, form-based codes are essentially off the table, and residents have been shut out of processes that directly affect their neighbourhoods. This makes it critical to have councillors who can work strategically within these constraints and build relationships with developers to negotiate outcomes we can no longer mandate.
I hold dual master's degrees in Landscape Architecture and Urban Design and serve as Vice-Chair of the Downtown Kingston BIA's Streetscapes & Public Spaces Committee. Through A Palone Design, I work with government agencies and community organizations on strategic planning and communications projects. I've been a Research Assistant to Queen's Professor Emeritus W. George Lovell since 2018.
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My connection to the Sydenham District runs deep – I lived on Traymoor as a kid, my cousins grew up on Earl and Ellerbeck, and my family and I spent years restoring a heritage limestone on King Street E. I'm running because this community deserves a councillor who understands planning, can navigate provincial constraints, and will fight for liveable, affordable, sustainable growth.
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