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Building the Future of Kitchener: A Conversation with Mayor Berry Vrbanovic · Behind the Business

• 0:00
  Ian McLean: Welcome to another episode of Behind the Business, presented by Gore Mutual.
• 0:04
  Ian McLean: I'm your host, Ian McLean, President and CEO of the Greater Kitchener Waterdoo Chamber of Commerce.
• 0:09
  Ian McLean: This podcast is recorded on the traditional territory of the neutral Anishinabe and Hoden Ashone peoples.
• 0:15
  Ian McLean: Each week I sit down for candid conversations where we go beyond the boardroom and behind the business to uncover the real stories of Waterdoo Region's business community.
• 0:25
  Ian McLean: Today we're sitting down with someone who truly needs no introduction, City of Kitchener Mayor Barry Vervanovic.
• 0:41
  Ian McLean: Born in Croatia and raised right here in Kitchener, Barry has dedicated over three decades to public service.
• 0:46
  Ian McLean: First as a city councilor, now serving as his third term as mayor.
• 0:50
  Ian McLean: His leadership has helped shape Kitchener into the dynamic, innovative, and inclusive city it is today.
• 0:55
  Ian McLean: In this episode, we talk about what drives his vision for Kitchener's growth, how we're preparing for a population of a million, and what's ahead in the upcoming State of the City address.
• 1:04
  Ian McLean: From lessons in leadership to reflections on community, this conversation is all about the heart, hustle, and humanity behind local government.
• 1:11
  Ian McLean: Join me in this episode as we go behind the business with Mayor Barry Vervanovek.
• 1:17
  Ian McLean: Well, we're excited to have you here today, uh, Mayor Barry.
• 1:20
  Ian McLean: Thank you so much for making time out of your busy schedule.
• 1:22
  Ian McLean: Thanks, Ian.
• 1:23
  Ian McLean: It's uh it's always a pleasure and look forward to today's conversation.
• 1:27
  Ian McLean: Now, we've known each other for 127 years.
• 1:30
  Ian McLean: No, we've known each other a long time, but there was a time before politics where you worked inside of uh as a as a political staffer, and then you were uh uh in Toronto and doing some other roles.
• 1:42
  Ian McLean: Um, but you started in admin and IT.
• 1:45
  Ian McLean: Talk a little bit about your early career and and was how did that kind of shape um and help you realize that public service was something you wanted to get into?
• 1:55
  Berry Vrbanovic: Yeah, you know, it's interesting.
• 1:56
  Berry Vrbanovic: I mean, when we think back to uh to high school and then into university and ultimately starting out a career, did a range of things, right?
• 2:03
  Berry Vrbanovic: Worked for the city, uh Cameron Heights Pool as a totroom clerk, Kitchener Public Library as uh as a page, uh, but also as private sector, did some custodial stuff for a while, uh, worked at Sears in Men's Rose, was a Labatz rep in university.
• 2:17
  Berry Vrbanovic: That was the thing that we had in common this year.
• 2:19
  Berry Vrbanovic: We almost forgot about that one.
• 2:21
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, and then um, you know, and worked actually during the summers in university in the clerk's department, worked on the very first municipal code in the province of Ontario.
• 2:33
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, and that was through municipal world, um, and worked with the city clerk and the city solicitor and so on.
• 2:39
  Berry Vrbanovic: Fascinating uh work, and it continued on.
• 2:42
  Berry Vrbanovic: I was of that generation when uh computers first showed up and uh was the guy who kind of understood them.
• 2:48
  Berry Vrbanovic: Really, all I did was have the skill set of saying, Have you turned the PDF yet?
• 2:52
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um But all that ultimately led to uh an opportunity to uh to join the city team.
• 2:58
  Berry Vrbanovic: I uh I ended up working for planning for a short period of time on the first fire station location study, which was computer modeling to determine where Kitchener's fire stations should go, and then ended up in IT for five years.
• 3:10
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, client services, tech support, helping coordinate the move from the old city hall into the new one.
• 3:15
  Berry Vrbanovic: And then somewhere along the line, uh got the political bug after having volunteered on some campaigns and said, you know what, uh I've always kind of been interested, and there was an opportunity there.
• 3:27
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, Mayor Cordello was retiring.
• 3:30
  Berry Vrbanovic: The ward counselor and the ward I lived in and the ward I was gonna move into were running for mayor, so there was like no incumbent competition, which could be a little awkward as a staff person.
• 3:40
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um and I said, you know what?
• 3:42
  Berry Vrbanovic: What the heck?
• 3:43
  Berry Vrbanovic: Let's let's give it a shot.
• 3:44
  Berry Vrbanovic: And 31 late years later, uh, between council and mayor, here we are.
• 3:49
  Ian McLean: Now, uh first of all, uh break that 31 years down, because it because you've you've this is your for fourth term?
• 3:56
  Berry Vrbanovic: It's my third term as mayor, so 20 years as a counselor and 11 years as mayor so far.
• 4:00
  Berry Vrbanovic: You don't look that old.
• 4:01
  Berry Vrbanovic: You're you're you're very kind.
• 4:04
  Berry Vrbanovic: I mean, I'm I'm not sure that I have any less hair, maybe a little bit than when I started.
• 4:08
  Berry Vrbanovic: But but grayer hair for sure.
• 4:10
  Ian McLean: But you still look the same after all those years.
• 4:13
  Ian McLean: Um what has kept you, I mean, you know, this this podcast is about about business and but also leadership, right?
• 4:20
  Ian McLean: So what has kept you motivated?
• 4:22
  Ian McLean: Like uh and I did say, you know, I did seven years in uh as a city counselor and and you know grew up in a political family.
• 4:30
  Ian McLean: Um there's got to be a motivation that keeps you going after all those years because because it's it is a grind.
• 4:35
  Ian McLean: I mean, you know, you won't say it, I will.
• 4:37
  Ian McLean: It it being in political life is not easy, it it takes a lot of time and energy.
• 4:42
  Ian McLean: Um, what's kept you motivated all through that time?
• 4:44
  Ian McLean: Because there must have been some you know down times or or you know times when you get frustrated or or just plain old tired.
• 4:52
  Ian McLean: What has kept you motivated after all those years?
• 4:54
  Berry Vrbanovic: You know, I I would probably say it's been three things, Ian.
• 4:58
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um as you know, I wasn't born in in uh in Canada.
• 5:03
  Berry Vrbanovic: I was born in what was then Yugoslavia, today is is Croatia, came here as a as a two and a half year old.
• 5:09
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, and I've always had this sense of gratitude uh towards the country that welcomed my family back in uh in 1969.
• 5:19
  Berry Vrbanovic: And um public service, whether on the staff side and certainly on the elected side, has been uh a way to to give back to the country that welcomed us and gave us an opportunity.
• 5:32
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um secondly, I would say it's it's the people in general.
• 5:36
  Berry Vrbanovic: I mean, as you know, from your time in politics or even in the the role that you you're in now or the role that your father helped, um it's such an amazing opportunity to connect with people in the community, to be that connector that helps um unlock pathways towards solutions for problems.
• 5:55
  Berry Vrbanovic: Uh and you can't always solve every problem, but you want to at least make people feel like they've been heard, um, that you've tried.
• 6:04
  Berry Vrbanovic: And most people, 99% of them, uh accept that, even if they, you know, ultimately don't get what uh sometimes uh they're they're hoping for.
• 6:14
  Berry Vrbanovic: And I would say the last one is, you know, and we both grew up in in this community and and we're youth at one time.
• 6:20
  Berry Vrbanovic: Some would are some would argue that we still try to think that we're youth.
• 6:24
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um and and it's really about, you know, I get energized by the young people I come into contact with in this role and their dreams and hopes and aspirations, uh whether it's in this community, whether it's for our world overall, and the ability to help shape a community, and by some of the things I've been involved in, you know, communities both nationally and and internationally, um, in order to create a better place for all of them, um, in particular when it comes to Kitchener youth, uh, so that you know they can grow up here, they have a great quality of life, they can get educated here, and ideally stay here after school.
• 7:05
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, you know, even if they leave for a little period of time, they come back and um and build a life here.
• 7:11
  Berry Vrbanovic: Like that's that's really what uh what motivates me.
• 7:16
  Ian McLean: Now, I and I I there's lots of different political styles, right?
• 7:20
  Ian McLean: And so I mean your style has I mean some of us are probably less uh less um um approachable or or uh or warm-hearted.
• 7:31
  Ian McLean: You're a giant teddy bear.
• 7:32
  Ian McLean: What are you talking about?
• 7:33
  Ian McLean: But but I mean you look around, and then some sometimes politicians use the they're the the tough talking, straight, straight guy, or you know, or whatever.
• 7:42
  Ian McLean: Like there's lots of different personas that people have.
• 7:45
  Ian McLean: One of the ones is that that I've always been fascinated by is uh, and you've been able to have particularly in Kitchener councils, you've been able to have a more collegial, kind of approachable, community-first approach, not only yourself, but that's filtered through by and large to to your council.
• 8:06
  Ian McLean: Uh, I was not necessarily part of that in Waterloo.
• 8:10
  Ian McLean: We didn't necessarily have that, and certainly my first term, it was much more combative, and we were in a very difficult time in those.
• 8:18
  Ian McLean: But your style has been that approachable community first style.
• 8:21
  Ian McLean: Uh what how did you like why that style?
• 8:24
  Ian McLean: I mean, it it was that uh is that part of the upbringing?
• 8:27
  Ian McLean: Is it who you modeled when you because you would have, if you worked for the city and you were watching and active in the community, you would have seen all kinds of different styles of leader.
• 8:37
  Berry Vrbanovic: Absolutely.
• 8:38
  Berry Vrbanovic: And uh, you know, it it's a question that I've certainly been asked before, and and I and I think back to my life and and the people who have been uh role models for for me.
• 8:47
  Berry Vrbanovic: And you know, for all of us, we think back to those teachers, for example, that influenced us, um, whether it's in grade school, high school, post-secondary.
• 8:56
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, certainly there were some of them, you know, and it was really cool recently as an example.
• 8:59
  Berry Vrbanovic: Yeah, I saw that on your screen.
• 9:00
  Berry Vrbanovic: Yeah, you know, I agree.
• 9:01
  Berry Vrbanovic: My grade seven teacher had his 80th birthday and I got to uh go there.
• 9:07
  Berry Vrbanovic: It was actually on World Teachers Day uh that his birthday took place, and and so it was really cool to be able to uh in my role go and thank him, but also recognize him.
• 9:17
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, I think of people, for example, in my time at the city, um, who I got to know partially because their kids went to grade school with me.
• 9:26
  Berry Vrbanovic: So Mayor Cardello, um, whose style I think, you know, I'll say two mayors who actually influence me.
• 9:34
  Berry Vrbanovic: Mayor Cardello is one in terms of his connection with the people.
• 9:40
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, and then Mayor Zare, who obviously influenced me in my time uh as a counselor, um, and you know, his approach, strategic, fiscally responsible.
• 9:53
  Berry Vrbanovic: And I would say I've tried to take a bit of of both of them.
• 9:56
  Berry Vrbanovic: I think of people like like John Sweeney, quite frankly, whose campaigns I worked on when I was in high school.
• 10:04
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, and we've often talked about this.
• 10:06
  Berry Vrbanovic: You know, your your father actually is someone who um, you know, I often looked up to.
• 10:12
  Berry Vrbanovic: Uh, you know, we didn't have a lot of interaction because I was I was younger and not in politics yet at that time.
• 10:19
  Berry Vrbanovic: But when I think back to the things that he did, the values that he he held, and how he presented himself, um, you know, those are some of the people who I would say I've I've looked to to help inspire my own leadership.
• 10:33
  Berry Vrbanovic: And then, you know, along life's journey, there's other people that come in the role, people like uh David Johnson, obviously, when he was here as president and subsequently as as governor general.
• 10:44
  Berry Vrbanovic: And since, you know, periodically you you talk and you connect and and and they inspire you.
• 10:49
  Berry Vrbanovic: Folks like uh former uh police chief Brian Larkin, uh, you know, a great leader, and and all of those folks are folks who have a little bit of from a little bit of everything.
• 10:59
  Ian McLean: Yeah.
• 11:00
  Ian McLean: Now listen, you know, and and what our our viewers would and listeners would would may not know, the mayor of of Kitchener or a municipality is also the is not only the lead head of council, but is actually the the head of the organization.
• 11:19
  Ian McLean: Now, you hire a CAO and they ultimately do most of the day-to-day and it all filters down from there.
• 11:25
  Ian McLean: But you effectively are the CEO of one of the largest organizations in the region of Waterloo.
• 11:30
  Ian McLean: City of, you know, City of Kitchener is a is a big outfit.
• 11:33
  Ian McLean: Uh lots of employees, uh lots of tentacles into the community, obviously.
• 11:38
  Ian McLean: What are the business fundamentals of of running a city well?
• 11:42
  Ian McLean: Because I mean, yes, you're you're to a large extent, your your your revenue is coming from the from the taxes and property taxes and variety of other taxes, but you still it's still a business that needs to run.
• 11:53
  Ian McLean: You still got budgets, you still got HR issues, you still got um, you know, economic development, you've got all a variety of things.
• 12:01
  Ian McLean: What are the what are the things that you take as the as that the what are the important parts of business fundamentals of running a city?
• 12:08
  Berry Vrbanovic: Yeah, listen, I mean, uh as you point out, the municipal act in Ontario says, you know, mayors are actually the chief executive officer of of the municipal corporation, although, you know, none of us use that title.
• 12:19
  Berry Vrbanovic: Other I think there's one or two in Ontario that that actually put it on their their business card, and and uh we all hire CAOs or city managers to uh to lead um the organization from an operational point of view.
• 12:31
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um I would say to you as we as you know you you think about that, it's really about three things.
• 12:37
  Berry Vrbanovic: Because we, as you point out, we are a large organization.
• 12:40
  Berry Vrbanovic: We have about 2,300 full-time equivalents, almost 3,000 staff, uh, but serving 304,000-ish residents in the city of Kitchener.
• 12:50
  Berry Vrbanovic: And then, of course, as you know, I I'm also a member of regional council in a region of about 700,000.
• 12:56
  Berry Vrbanovic: And and so, but in in my mayoral role, it's it's really thinking about the people, the systems, and the the long-term vision um that goes with running the city and how we as a council work collaboratively together along with our staff team in order to uh to address those things.
• 13:17
  Berry Vrbanovic: You know, obviously looking after your people is important because um, you know, this is certainly not a one-person show.
• 13:24
  Berry Vrbanovic: It's not a 10-person show or a hundred-person show.
• 13:27
  Berry Vrbanovic: It really is a team, and we often talk about Team Kitchener and how we we work together um to accomplish that.
• 13:34
  Berry Vrbanovic: Very fortunate to have uh a solid uh corporate leadership team from a staff perspective and a council that I publicly, and and I'll do it again in my state of the city next Tuesday, that I publicly acknowledge for the sense of collaboration um and partnership in terms of you know trying to move the priorities of the city forward.
• 13:58
  Berry Vrbanovic: That doesn't mean we always agree um on everything, but we find a way of common language and and often, you know, uh uh something that approaches consensus.
• 14:08
  Berry Vrbanovic: Consensus doesn't mean unanimity in terms of moving things, uh moving things forward.
• 14:14
  Berry Vrbanovic: And uh I think that's really important, you know, from the employment point of view, it's it's about attracting, retaining talent, it's about looking after them.
• 14:23
  Berry Vrbanovic: So, you know, one of the things that uh was a challenge was obviously during COVID and you know how how we made sure we looked after our staff team.
• 14:32
  Berry Vrbanovic: Well, we were also looking after uh uh each other.
• 14:34
  Berry Vrbanovic: And so it's really about um you know working hand in hand with council and in particular our CAO and corporate leadership team to uh to drive that.
• 14:43
  Ian McLean: Now Kitchener is seeing there's two parts to this.
• 14:48
  Ian McLean: The region is growing fast.
• 14:51
  Ian McLean: The Kitchener has has has you know has been um seeing pretty substantial growth.
• 14:58
  Ian McLean: Um I think there's been a transition.
• 15:01
  Ian McLean: At one point, you know, Waterloo was, you know, insurance and sort of the financial services.
• 15:07
  Ian McLean: Kitchener was more the manufacturing hub.
• 15:10
  Ian McLean: Um that's the way it was when I was growing up.
• 15:12
  Ian McLean: It's it certainly has changed.
• 15:14
  Ian McLean: The entire region has changed.
• 15:15
  Ian McLean: We still have advanced manufacturing, but now we've got uh and still have insurance and financial services, but we got a whole bunch of other stuff too: agriculture, food processing, uh, you know, technology, and and there's multiple strands in technology.
• 15:31
  Ian McLean: One of the things that and so I want to ask you about the evolution of the of Kitchener in your time as mayor.
• 15:37
  Ian McLean: One of the things that that strikes me is um as we go into small business weeks, one of the reasons we want to talk to you about about the importance of chamber members, but broadly uh small business being the engine of every community, not just Kitchener, but every community across the province and the country, is small business is the engine of employment.
• 15:57
  Ian McLean: Um even when we think of manufacturing and technology, many of those businesses in those uh in that are in those spaces now are what I would say are small, maybe medium size, but ultimately if you're not a large business, you're a small business.
• 16:13
  Ian McLean: And and in small business week, we say, look, 95% plus of all businesses would fall into that small, uh, small and medium size, and and even our chamber membership, 75% of our businesses have 50, 50 percent, 50 employees or less.
• 16:28
  Ian McLean: And that would be the same in every community across the country.
• 16:32
  Ian McLean: So the vast majority of businesses are that small business, and I think that's changed over time.
• 16:37
  Ian McLean: There were larger employers that employed more people years ago.
• 16:42
  Ian McLean: So I I want to what's your the uh over the arc of your not only your time here but as is as an elected official, um uh we've moved how the the talk about the transition in in the economy and the types of jobs, because I think it lends itself to the the demographic we have here of young people and and technology and sort of the future of the economy, but it's also changed the shape of Kitchener as a city.
• 17:08
  Berry Vrbanovic: 100%, 100%.
• 17:09
  Berry Vrbanovic: And and I, you know, I I I go back to your initial reflection of you know how each of our cities, the one that you were uh you know part of as a as a council member, and the one that I've been part of have have changed.
• 17:22
  Berry Vrbanovic: And I think one of the strengths of our region has been that we've you know always diversified.
• 17:30
  Berry Vrbanovic: We've had um strong growth in in all sectors, you know, at different points in time, because as the economy goes through fluctuations, typically not all sectors uh are affected in the same way at the same time.
• 17:46
  Berry Vrbanovic: And so the fact that, you know, we're about 20% manufacturing still, 20% tech and innovation, you know, a large percentage, around that same number, maybe a little less in in terms of financial services and insurance and so on, and then a smattering of of the other things has actually always has always helped us.
• 18:03
  Berry Vrbanovic: I think we've always proved ourselves, in particular in Kitchener's case of of being resilient, because as that manufacturing sector moved elsewhere, whether it was to Mexico, whether it was to uh overseas, whether it was to the United States, we needed to to reinvent ourselves.
• 18:19
  Berry Vrbanovic: And as you know, we've uh had a history of of in investing in that and and being part of that equation.
• 18:26
  Berry Vrbanovic: So I think you know, under Mayor Zare, the initial $110 million Economic Development Investment Fund, it led to the attraction of University of Waterloo and School of Pharmacy.
• 18:37
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, it led to investments in Communitech, it led to the new library, um, supports for small businesses and so on.
• 18:44
  Berry Vrbanovic: Back in 2020, as we were going into the pandemic, uh Council and I created a new $110 million fund, partially funded from the debt room of that initial one, partially funded from land holdings that we have, recognizing that we can never take our foot off the accelerator pedal from an economic development point of view.
• 19:05
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um there's cities across the country and around the world that certainly want to tap into what you know former Governor General David Johnson often referred to as what's in the water in Waterloo Region.
• 19:16
  Berry Vrbanovic: And so we need to make sure that we stay at the forefront of our game.
• 19:21
  Berry Vrbanovic: And that has become even more important uh, quite frankly, since January of this year.
• 19:26
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um I think it's critical that we as communities uh work together with our provincial and federal government counterparts and diversify even more so.
• 19:39
  Berry Vrbanovic: This isn't going to happen overnight, and there will be some pain in this.
• 19:43
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um I think actually, as challenging as some of the things that we're dealing with are right now, it's also providing an opportunity for Canada to rethink our approach on some of these things and take advantage of, for example, trade agreements that we've had, like the Canada Europe Trade Agreement and others.
• 20:02
  Berry Vrbanovic: Totally unusual.
• 20:03
  Berry Vrbanovic: And haven't really utilized them because we went the lane of least resistance, which is our neighborhood of the South.
• 20:08
  Berry Vrbanovic: And now we've got to do it a little differently because they're playing a different game, and guess what?
• 20:12
  Berry Vrbanovic: So will we.
• 20:13
  Berry Vrbanovic: And what we're finding in doing that is um, you know what, we have lots of great partners in Europe, partially because of the history of immigration, that are saying, you know what, we like Canada, and actually we'd rather do business with you guys.
• 20:27
  Berry Vrbanovic: And and so there's it well, it'll it'll be a journey, but we will get there.
• 20:32
  Berry Vrbanovic: I'm very confident.
• 20:33
  Ian McLean: You know what's interesting?
• 20:33
  Ian McLean: I I you know I I was in Australia at the World Chamber of Congress in Melbourne, and the entire four-day conference, the word Donald Trump never got said once by anyone on the podium, nor did tariffs, those words, but the whole conference was about that.
• 20:49
  Berry Vrbanovic: Yep.
• 20:50
  Ian McLean: The relationships of saying, How can you do business?
• 20:53
  Ian McLean: And so when I was talking to Europeans or Australians or New Zealanders or South Koreans that were there, they're all looking for you know, for for for those new markets.
• 21:02
  Ian McLean: So I I do I do think it is one of one of our strengths.
• 21:06
  Ian McLean: And and you're right, it's gonna take some say take some time, but I think we're uniquely positioned here in Waterdo region for the reasons that that you're articulating.
• 21:14
  Ian McLean: Listen, uh and and this is something that I don't think people get.
• 21:19
  Ian McLean: Is is Waterloo, yes, German heritage and and uh all that, but even dating back to when I was in, I guess, elementary school, there was a history of this community having uh you know, lots of immigration, lots of newcomers coming here.
• 21:36
  Ian McLean: You think about and there's Portuguese community, big Portuguese community and Ukrainian and lots of cultural groups were here, but I don't think people really knew.
• 21:45
  Ian McLean: But there immigration has fueled this region, the growth of this region.
• 21:51
  Ian McLean: It is one of the things that that sets us apart is that we are welcoming and we we do all those things.
• 21:57
  Ian McLean: And so there's been some challenges with immigration, and certainly with with the idea of growth, but but Canada needs, we don't we're not having enough babies that we can't do it all on our own.
• 22:10
  Ian McLean: We need to have immigration.
• 22:12
  Ian McLean: And I I wonder, you know, and it still needs to be done responsibly, and we've got some challenges now, but but you know, if you how would you characterize Kitchener's growth and and the influence of our immigrant and our newcomers or or when I say first generation um uh citizens here in Waterloo Region and in Kitchener, how has that um you know developed the not only the culture but the economy?
• 22:41
  Berry Vrbanovic: You know, I mean, I obviously bring, I guess, uh a bit of a unique perspective to it um in that I'm as I pointed out, I'm a first-generation immigrant.
• 22:50
  Berry Vrbanovic: We came in in 1969 when Brian Adams was living, I guess, the summer of 69.
• 22:56
  Berry Vrbanovic: We arrived in the winter of 69 in February to Winnipeg and said, you know what, one winter here is a great city, one winter here is enough.
• 23:05
  Berry Vrbanovic: We moved to Ontario, um, lived in Hamilton for seven years, and I moved here in 77.
• 23:10
  Berry Vrbanovic: I was in grade six and uh and have been here uh ever since.
• 23:14
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um listen, we we all know that it this country, we're all settlers except for our our First Nations peoples.
• 23:23
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, and whether you're here as a first generation person like myself or a family that's been in here for multiple generations, um immigration diversity has shaped this community, it's shaped this country.
• 23:35
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um and and one of the strengths, I think, of of us as a country, and that's different, for example, than South of the Border is whereas you know they've always historically been more of a melting pot, we've been more of a mosaic where we've taken the best of everybody and you know tried to create this mosaic, this beautiful piece of art, taking the best foods, the best cultural things, the best practices, and and build something that we can all be proud of.
• 24:02
  Berry Vrbanovic: But this community, I I believe, and and if you think back to the successes that we've had, has largely been because of these different waves and how they've shaped the growth that's happened in the community.
• 24:16
  Berry Vrbanovic: Whether we talk about, you know, the initial Germans and Mennonites and so on who arrived here in the 1800s to other waves of immigrants, um, you know, during big construction phases where you had a lot of Europeans with skilled trades and so on that moved here.
• 24:32
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, you know, if you went into Schneider's back in the old days, there were lots of Croatian, Portuguese and and others that sort of immigrated in the 50s, 60s, 70s that were working in there.
• 24:42
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, and and you've seen that play out in in in different sectors.
• 24:46
  Berry Vrbanovic: And I think it um it's done a couple of things.
• 24:49
  Berry Vrbanovic: It's it's shaped how we've uh moved forward as a community.
• 24:54
  Berry Vrbanovic: I think they've brought forward, particularly when it comes to small business, um, a culture that often in Europe, South America, Africa, and so on is more small business independent based, whether it's you know a family-run business or 20, 50 people like you talk about in terms of many of your your residents.
• 25:15
  Berry Vrbanovic: And I think that's helped drive some of the startup culture, for example, that that exists here as well.
• 25:22
  Berry Vrbanovic: And certainly, you know, I mean I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the role that University of Waterloo, for Laurier, absolutely and other and Constituer College have played in creating that uh culture.
• 25:32
  Berry Vrbanovic: But I think it is in the DNA of the people who have been here and and absolutely and that's that's really helped shape, I think, the the kinds of things we've we've seen come out of this community and really helped us develop into the kind of place where people want to live, work, and play going forward.
• 25:56
  Ian McLean: Well, now that I know that you lived in Winnipeg in the winter 1969, guess where I lived in the winter of 1969?
• 26:04
  Berry Vrbanovic: Not Winnipeg.
• 26:05
  Ian McLean: Winnipeg.
• 26:06
  Berry Vrbanovic: Come on!
• 26:06
  Ian McLean: My dad was executive director of the Manitoba Bicentennial.
• 26:09
  Ian McLean: We lived there from 1969 to 1970 before we moved here in 1971.
• 26:14
  Ian McLean: I can't believe that.
• 26:15
  Ian McLean: And we worked at Labasse together.
• 26:16
  Ian McLean: This is getting crazy.
• 26:17
  Ian McLean: Yeah, yeah.
• 26:17
  Ian McLean: We've known each other for how long?
• 26:18
  Ian McLean: Well, 35 years we've known each other.
• 26:22
  Ian McLean: Listen, uh fat the economy is fast changing, and we've been through a lot as a region.
• 26:28
  Ian McLean: We've both been around when the the downturn in some of the some of the auto um parts manufacturers, uh rubber, you know, um BF Garbridge and other things shut down.
• 26:40
  Ian McLean: But it was always replaced, and we still have manufacturing, and and I think it's I'll say it again: 20% of our local economy is advanced manufacturing.
• 26:47
  Ian McLean: 20% of our employment is advanced manufacturing in the supply chain.
• 26:52
  Ian McLean: So making stuff is pretty important to Water to Region, and then we layer in the technology that's coming and the innovation that's coming and all of those other things.
• 27:02
  Ian McLean: It very much I always say to my council or chamber colleagues: Water to Region is much more like a Toronto or a Vancouver because we've got multiple business sectors that most communities don't have, but it's fast changing.
• 27:17
  Ian McLean: There's lots of lots of change coming.
• 27:19
  Ian McLean: Um, and so staying competitive is key.
• 27:22
  Ian McLean: Um and I think about this more from an economic development.
• 27:26
  Ian McLean: Tony Lamanti and his gang have done a great job of bringing foreign direct investment in so people to invest in Waterloo region, but also helping the businesses that are here grow and get bigger and expand.
• 27:37
  Ian McLean: Um what do you think that Kitchener needs to do specifically to focus on um uh you know uh ensuring that we're continuing to attract people here, that we're getting the investment, uh, and and you know, keeping that investment culture here in in Kitchener?
• 27:56
  Ian McLean: Because you're doing a lot of those things, whether it's through through the connections with Communitech and the and the college and the universities, um, but what are the things how do we keep that going and what are the things we need to do?
• 28:10
  Berry Vrbanovic: So listen, I I I think one of the strengths that we've had historically, um, you know, and and this is an another debate for another day, but has been the fact that, you know, we're a region that's made up of different sized communities that give people life, quality of life choices and options.
• 28:29
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, and each of those sized communities also tend to attract different kinds of businesses um in into the area.
• 28:36
  Berry Vrbanovic: For Kitchener specifically, um, you know, we've always had to kind of reinvent ourselves from the beginning.
• 28:43
  Berry Vrbanovic: I I you know I go back and a little lesson in Latin, right?
• 28:46
  Berry Vrbanovic: I mean, what's the the the Latin slogan that's on Kitchener's crest?
• 28:50
  Berry Vrbanovic: Ex industria prosperitus through industry prosperity.
• 28:54
  Berry Vrbanovic: And I think that very much uh to this day, you know, we we started as a village in 1854.
• 29:02
  Berry Vrbanovic: To this day, um, I think that that Latin saying still applies in terms of um, you know, who we are, what we do, what we create, how the community continues to involve.
• 29:14
  Berry Vrbanovic: And and so our strength really has come from our ability to adapt, to lead, to stay competitive, um, to focus on inclusive growth, um, always making investments for the future in things like infrastructure and in facilities, you know, whether it was when the auditorium was built after the Second World War, whether it was Ascend in the Square when it was built in the 80s, or whether it's, you know, the new cow and recreation center that we're uh in the midst of building in uh in Southwest Kitchener right now.
• 29:45
  Berry Vrbanovic: All of those things have helped create the kind of community that companies want to be in because they know that that will help them attract the kind of talent that they need to be successful in terms of living, working, and playing.
• 29:58
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, you know.
• 29:59
  Berry Vrbanovic: Of the one of the I remember when Google um opened their first building and former Prime Minister Trudeau was there and you talked to people.
• 30:08
  Berry Vrbanovic: And part of the strength there was you had people working at Google, some who, you know what, wanted to get on the LRT and go home to their condo, you know, in either farther down in Kitchener up in Waterloo.
• 30:20
  Berry Vrbanovic: You had others who wanted to live in the suburbs because they wanted a little more land.
• 30:24
  Berry Vrbanovic: They had a young family, they want a backyard to be able to play with.
• 30:27
  Berry Vrbanovic: And others who, you know what, wanted a hobby farm and uh and be able to do that.
• 30:32
  Berry Vrbanovic: And yes, there were some that, you know, wanted to commute back and forth to Toronto, and that's a project we continue to work on to this day in terms of improving those links uh on the Toronto Waterloo Region Innovation Corridor.
• 30:44
  Ian McLean: Listen, uh first of all, I want to give you kudos for your Latin.
• 30:48
  Ian McLean: I failed, I failed Latin in grade 10, so I'm giving you full kudos that you can still speak it.
• 30:54
  Ian McLean: And I think you're right.
• 30:56
  Ian McLean: One of the strengths that uh underlines all of this is as much as investments in infrastructure, talent fuels the economy, and we are we are positioned as a as a place that people want to come to.
• 31:08
  Ian McLean: The Behind the Business Podcast is made possible through the support of our title sponsor, Gore Mutual.
• 31:13
  Ian McLean: Proudly Canadian, Gore Mutual has stayed true to one purpose for more than 185 years: insurance that does good.
• 31:20
  Ian McLean: It's the reason they exist.
• 31:22
  Ian McLean: They believe that when we focus on being good, doing good, and spreading good, we all thrive together.
• 31:28
  Ian McLean: We're grateful for their continued commitment to our local communities and the positive impact they make every day.
• 31:33
  Ian McLean: For more information, visit goremutual.ca.
• 31:37
  Ian McLean: Listen, yeah, and I I know you're not gonna break news on the Behind the Business podcast, but your city of our state of the city address is coming up on the 21st.
• 31:49
  Ian McLean: Um and so without giving away the full story, what are some of the themes or ideas that are gonna be most on top of your mind or that you're excited to share um from the uh w with respect to Kitchener this year?
• 32:04
  Berry Vrbanovic: Yeah, you know, I mean, listen, uh as I said earlier, um the change in our relationship and I won't even say with the country, I'll say in our change in our relationship with the government south of the border this year has certainly um created challenges for us as a country, for us as a community, for for many individuals.
• 32:25
  Berry Vrbanovic: And so it's a year that's really really reminded us of of one fundamental thing, and that's that the strength of uh us as a community lies in our people, our ability to come together, and our ability, quite frankly, to support local, uh, which has been, you know, a big part of the theme.
• 32:43
  Berry Vrbanovic: It's been part of our our our uh response to um you know the the tariff situation and the and and the relationship with the US.
• 32:52
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um and I think you know it it speaks to the notion that whether it's through good times or or through bad, we've always risen to the to the occasion.
• 33:02
  Berry Vrbanovic: It's in our DNA.
• 33:03
  Berry Vrbanovic: And so the speech will really focus on on this support local piece, um, on you know, how we've already built a strong foundation, um, how we have a diverse economy, a robust infrastructure.
• 33:16
  Berry Vrbanovic: But there are things that we also need to double down on in terms of investment um at this time.
• 33:22
  Berry Vrbanovic: And um, you know, we're even hearing that from other orders of government as they grapple with what are those strategic investments they need to make.
• 33:30
  Berry Vrbanovic: Not unlike the recession of 2008 when the federal government worked with local governments on large-scale infrastructure projects, because that was going to have the biggest impact for the federal government in terms of turning the economy around and and you know, from the G7 countries, we were one of the best ones to do that.
• 33:49
  Berry Vrbanovic: I think, you know, we're seeing that same kind of dialogue and that same kind of focus happening um, you know, both federally and and provincially.
• 33:58
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, you know, we need to continue to to look for ways of of providing collaboration across sectors, continue to work with each other.
• 34:07
  Berry Vrbanovic: We've been very fortunate here with Waterloo Region EDC and you know, leaders like Tony Lamantilla, uh, who's been uh a huge um I mean he's just been awesome, quite frankly, and grateful that he stayed an extra year to help us as a community.
• 34:23
  Berry Vrbanovic: But people like you and Greg in the chambers who have worked closely together with him in terms of helping us tackle some of these challenges that that came up during COVID and and you know continue to work on them going forward.
• 34:37
  Berry Vrbanovic: And so the theme of the state of the city is really going to focus on how we have and how we continue to support each other.
• 34:45
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, and there will also be some focus, I'll say, on on um the role that arts and culture plays in all this as well, because it is something that council has prioritized.
• 34:55
  Berry Vrbanovic: Uh, and you've seen it this past summer, and I have to give a shout out here to Steve Roth and our special events team who knocked it out of the park this year from what everybody uh the feedback we've been getting, and obviously a lot of it with community partners, whether it's Oktoberfest, which we're in the midst of or just finished actually this past weekend, uh, in terms of when people will be listening to your podcast, um, or uh blues that had their 25th anniversary.
• 35:20
  Berry Vrbanovic: Yeah, lots happening.
• 35:22
  Ian McLean: Yeah, lots going on.
• 35:23
  Ian McLean: Okay.
• 35:23
  Ian McLean: Um and and just as last question, then I will go to our to the rapid fire section of this.
• 35:30
  Ian McLean: But uh so you know, you you've got multiple audiences, right?
• 35:34
  Ian McLean: You got your ratepayers and neighborhood associations.
• 35:37
  Ian McLean: Business is a big, big part.
• 35:39
  Ian McLean: And um, you know, you know, business needs to do its part moving forward in this period of uncertainty economically by and by doing our best to when we find more certainty to invest in our business and create the job.
• 35:53
  Ian McLean: So business has its own job to do.
• 35:56
  Ian McLean: But what role do you see the business for the business community playing in shaping the city's future?
• 36:02
  Ian McLean: Like because there always has been a role.
• 36:04
  Ian McLean: I mean, every everything that we look at, whether it's the University of Waterdo, was started by you know Titans of Industry and the arts and culture, you talk about the center in the square, you think about and you just mentioned the Cowan uh uh sports center.
• 36:17
  Ian McLean: I mean, there are businesses big and small that have invested.
• 36:20
  Ian McLean: The Kitchener Rangers are owned by the community, they're they're supported by the community and small business.
• 36:25
  Ian McLean: I mean, that's been part of it.
• 36:27
  Ian McLean: But how where do you see the business community fitting into this?
• 36:30
  Ian McLean: What I think is a is a it's a it's a a change point in our in our history.
• 36:36
  Ian McLean: And I I think this, you know, the the new administration in the U.S.
• 36:40
  Ian McLean: has seen to that, that it's not just a change between Canada and the U.S., uh, which I think will be long st or like more permanent in nature, but it it it's globally it's changed as what's the role the business community can change in shaping the city's future and that broader landscape.
• 36:57
  Berry Vrbanovic: You know, it's it's interesting because in your your initial comment there, you sort of referenced different constituencies and businesses versus residents and so on.
• 37:05
  Berry Vrbanovic: And I would actually tell you that I see all of that as actually being one group, because at the end of the day, what are businesses?
• 37:13
  Berry Vrbanovic: Businesses are people.
• 37:14
  Berry Vrbanovic: Some are, yes, they happen to be owners, some happen to be the leaders of the organization, some are the workers in the but at the end of the day, they're all people trying to make a living, trying to help build community and lives and uh and and move forward.
• 37:27
  Berry Vrbanovic: And so, you know, I I think of the people, the kinds of people that have helped shape our community.
• 37:33
  Berry Vrbanovic: And yes, I referenced um, you know, the Cowan Recreation Center and their generous donation.
• 37:38
  Berry Vrbanovic: You know, I'd be remiss if I didn't think of other ones like the Schlegel family uh in RBJ Schlegel Park that the center is in.
• 37:45
  Berry Vrbanovic: If I think of um folks like uh the Conrad family who donated the theater in Downtown Kitchener to us, which will be part of um the state of the city speech.
• 37:55
  Berry Vrbanovic: And this really goes on and on.
• 37:57
  Berry Vrbanovic: And so I say all that because business, quite frankly, is one of the foundations, in my view, of the community, because business is people, and people are that foundation.
• 38:10
  Berry Vrbanovic: And so um it's it's really about looking at finding, you know, what are the right spots for different individuals and based on their skills, their needs, their desires, their hopes and dreams.
• 38:22
  Berry Vrbanovic: Our role as leaders, whether it's at in the you know, in the business world through the chamber, like yourself, or whether it's at the municipal, provincial, or or or federal level of of government, it's to provide an environment that allows people to see their hopes, dreams, and aspirations come to fruition.
• 38:39
  Berry Vrbanovic: And often part of that is is through business.
• 38:42
  Berry Vrbanovic: And so that that's uh the the mechanism that provides for people going forward.
• 38:48
  Ian McLean: All right.
• 38:49
  Ian McLean: Well, we could keep going on and on and on, but I know for a fact that no one's listening to a two-hour podcast.
• 38:56
  Ian McLean: So we're gonna kind of start to wrap it up.
• 38:59
  Ian McLean: Listen, uh last couple of quick questions, and then we're gonna go to a rapid fire, um, which I ask everybody the same set of questions at the at the end.
• 39:08
  Ian McLean: But what's but maybe just quickly, what's something about your role as mayor that people might not expect?
• 39:14
  Ian McLean: Like, I mean, I think everyone may have in their own mind what being mayor means and what what you do.
• 39:18
  Ian McLean: What's what's something that would be um the unusual or or that people might not expect?
• 39:25
  Ian McLean: And it and you know, maybe more from the human perspective than than than political.
• 39:30
  Berry Vrbanovic: Yeah, listen, I I think um I think people would be surprised as to um and this is not a complainter in in any way because I love what I do.
• 39:42
  Berry Vrbanovic: I literally love almost everything of what I do.
• 39:46
  Berry Vrbanovic: But it it it is a significant commitment, right?
• 39:48
  Berry Vrbanovic: And and uh, you know, I probably do 500 events a year and all the meetings and like all that kind of stuff, right?
• 39:55
  Berry Vrbanovic: And um, you know, one one of the things we often joked about is you know, what what what's the thing they don't know about in the mayor's office, right?
• 40:02
  Berry Vrbanovic: And it's like for those who don't know, I'm like a huge Disney fan, right?
• 40:05
  Berry Vrbanovic: So you come to my office and there's all sorts of Disney stuff.
• 40:09
  Ian McLean: I can I can verify your office is filled with that.
• 40:12
  Ian McLean: Yeah, yeah.
• 40:13
  Ian McLean: So but um Yeah, yeah.
• 40:15
  Ian McLean: Well, and you know what?
• 40:16
  Ian McLean: You're ever present, and and there's there's others, you know, Chair Redman and others are and Dorothy McC, you know, Merrick McCabe.
• 40:25
  Ian McLean: It's a job where you're you're always on because people want to see their leaders at the events, and and the number of events you go to, it just uh it does kind of leave me shocked at how you uh how you can fit it all into a day, but good for you.
• 40:38
  Ian McLean: Listen, um so this is maybe uh maybe stealing a another piece of your state of the city, but when you think about the future of Kitchener uh and our community 10 or 20 years from now, what what's the legacy you hope to leave behind?
• 40:54
  Ian McLean: Because uh, you know, well, maybe you'll still be married 10 years, 20, I don't know.
• 40:59
  Ian McLean: We're gonna be getting a little old.
• 41:01
  Ian McLean: So I can assure you that I'm not gonna pull a hazel.
• 41:04
  Ian McLean: What what what do you where do you think we'll be in in say 15, 20 years?
• 41:11
  Berry Vrbanovic: You know, listen, I I think um we will once again as a community prove our resiliency um through the challenges that uh that that we're facing uh here in our community and as a country right now.
• 41:24
  Berry Vrbanovic: There's obviously a lot of things globally that are playing out that our our national leaders are are are having to deal with, and and and that will certainly um you know I I'm a cop, not half full, but three-quarterful kind of guy.
• 41:39
  Berry Vrbanovic: I'm hoping that we will find positive pathways uh towards some of these geopolitical issues going forward.
• 41:45
  Berry Vrbanovic: But I think through the the resiliency, we will once again uh continue to punch above our weight as a city, as a region, uh going forward.
• 41:55
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, I think the business community is going to be uh a critical part in terms of helping shape that, whether it's you know, an individual business, a small ma and pa shop, or or you know, large corporations like like Google, for example, who is you know employing over 1,500 people in our region now, or Toyota that you know throughout uh our region and beyond is employing probably over 8,000 people.
• 42:20
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, these are the the things that are going to help shape how we continue to evolve as a community.
• 42:30
  Berry Vrbanovic: And um I can certainly tell you as long as I have the privilege and the honor of continuing to serve, it will be focused on finding ways um to continue to grow and develop our economy, to uh enhance the quality of life, and to ensure that we continue to punch our weight on a national and global level.
• 42:53
  Ian McLean: Well, some of us are pikers and can't keep up to the 31 years of of office.
• 43:00
  Ian McLean: But but we're all you know, we're all um you know players at different stages along the way.
• 43:06
  Ian McLean: You're you'll your your influence will be felt for years uh because of because you've been doing it for so long.
• 43:12
  Ian McLean: And uh kudos to you for for uh continuing on.
• 43:16
  Ian McLean: You're like the Energizer Bunny.
• 43:18
  Ian McLean: Like I I I it makes me tired sometimes when I see your social media posts and say, oh my god, how many events did he go to today?
• 43:26
  Ian McLean: But good for you.
• 43:27
  Ian McLean: Listen, uh, and and as I said before, some of this is a little bit about leadership and about the personalities of leaders.
• 43:34
  Ian McLean: Uh and we always ask this same set of questions because it's always fascinating to see how how leaders respond to them.
• 43:40
  Ian McLean: So if if we could go, you could go back and tell your younger self something, what would it be?
• 43:46
  Berry Vrbanovic: Listen, always maintain your integrity, uh, be authentic, respect people and treat them the way you would want to be treated.
• 43:54
  Berry Vrbanovic: You do those three things, no matter what you do in life, whether it's personal relationships, professional relationships, that will put you on a highway to success going forward.
• 44:05
  Ian McLean: Uh okay, and those are excellent, actually.
• 44:09
  Ian McLean: I can make notes of those and come back to those in the next stage of my life.
• 44:13
  Berry Vrbanovic: I'll throw in a live love laugh because I think that's important too.
• 44:16
  Berry Vrbanovic: Uh, who or what inspires you most?
• 44:19
  Berry Vrbanovic: That's um listen, that's uh that's a good question.
• 44:25
  Berry Vrbanovic: And and you know, I I talked about some of those individuals um along the way.
• 44:30
  Berry Vrbanovic: I'd be remiss if I didn't reference, you know, obviously our parents, but in particular my late mom who passed away last year.
• 44:36
  Berry Vrbanovic: I mean, she grew up in a country um when the communists arrived in in World War II, and it wasn't a pretty time um in the former Yugoslavia then.
• 44:46
  Berry Vrbanovic: And uh I'll never forget uh the day I announced that I was going to be running for mayor, and Jeff Hicks interviewed her um uh while I was in the green room getting ready to do my speech that I was announcing that I was I was running, and um and then afterwards he asked the question he because of that interview, uh he said, Well, your mother described herself as a revolutionary in my interview with her earlier.
• 45:14
  Berry Vrbanovic: Is that the kind of mayor you're gonna be in?
• 45:16
  Berry Vrbanovic: Like, I'm dumbfounded thinking, like, how the heck do I respond to this?
• 45:19
  Berry Vrbanovic: I said, number one, I said, if you're gonna bring a parent to something like this, give them media training uh first.
• 45:25
  Berry Vrbanovic: But secondly, um, you know what, I'll just say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
• 45:30
  Berry Vrbanovic: And and and she always instilled certain core values, like the ones I talked about a moment ago, um, that I think have served me well as uh as a human being.
• 45:43
  Ian McLean: If you weren't in your current career, what would you be doing?
• 45:46
  Ian McLean: What would you be doing instead of being mere?
• 45:48
  Ian McLean: I and yeah, yeah, I mean, I will take as gospel that you love your job and you wouldn't want to do anything else.
• 45:53
  Ian McLean: Yeah.
• 45:53
  Berry Vrbanovic: But if you weren't doing that, what would you do?
• 45:55
  Berry Vrbanovic: So, you know what?
• 45:56
  Berry Vrbanovic: I mean, I likely would have continued in IT because that's where I was, and that that was you know a path to success back in in the day when you and I were were younger.
• 46:07
  Berry Vrbanovic: Knowing what I do now and some of the volunteer work I've done globally, um, I love international uh development work.
• 46:14
  Berry Vrbanovic: And uh, you know, someday when I'm re older and retired, uh that's something maybe I I hope to do a little bit more of.
• 46:23
  Ian McLean: Um are you and this is this is always are you other than behind the bits?
• 46:27
  Ian McLean: Oh, my head! No, no, you can't use that one.
• 46:30
  Ian McLean: Are you reading a book or what podcast do you listen to?
• 46:34
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um I I do like the Hurly Burly, uh, which is uh for all of a sudden political hacks uh on throughout the political spectrum, it's always a good place to go.
• 46:44
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um lately I haven't been doing a whole lot of reading because by the time I get home at night, uh you're you're and you're done reading all your city and your regional reports and stuff.
• 46:54
  Berry Vrbanovic: There's not a whole lot of uh of time uh up.
• 46:57
  Berry Vrbanovic: I did, I mean, it's a while back now, but one of the awesome ones was that whole Tuesdays with Maury series, yeah, uh, which was fantastic.
• 47:05
  Ian McLean: Yeah.
• 47:05
  Ian McLean: Well, I'm I'm with you.
• 47:06
  Ian McLean: I mean, I by the time you get into newspapers and reading reports of various things, I try to read, but the only time I really read is when I'm on vacation.
• 47:14
  Ian McLean: It's when I when I kind of really tune out.
• 47:16
  Ian McLean: But uh, so the Hurley Birdie is a great podcast for those uh that that want to get their dose of politics.
• 47:22
  Ian McLean: Uh and I I this is gonna be.
• 47:24
  Ian McLean: You're gonna get me in trouble.
• 47:26
  Ian McLean: I know you are gonna get in trouble.
• 47:28
  Ian McLean: I'm gonna give you a political action.
• 47:29
  Ian McLean: It's the same question for everyone.
• 47:31
  Ian McLean: What's your favorite local business here in I'll say Kitchener, Waterloo Region, but in Kitchener?
• 47:37
  Ian McLean: What's your favorite business?
• 47:38
  Berry Vrbanovic: Is all of the above uh we'll say all of the above, but like what's your favorite restaurant or listen, I I I do um have an appreciation for things that are locally owned, whether it's a a small mom pa shop, um, you know, coffee shop restaurant, or those that are sort of local chains, but not sort of the national or international chains.
• 48:02
  Berry Vrbanovic: Um, you know, I I do like to start my days uh many mornings at uh at matter of taste, and I and I and I raise them only in the dangerous world of raising anyone because earlier this morning, um Minister Gregor Robertson, who's in town today, uh I guess finished his CBC interview and went next door, and I saw him in there and I gave him a shout out at uh I joined him for an announcement this morning and gave him a shout out because I think that's also spoke to his values, which is locally owned, downtown, sustainable uh small businesses.
• 48:37
  Ian McLean: Okay, and uh for our listeners, uh you you don't have to work hard to find where you are, but if they wanted to get in touch with you or learn more about uh about the city kitchener, what you're doing, the work that you're doing, how do people find uh www.kitchener.ca in terms of my city work.
• 48:54
  Berry Vrbanovic: If you want to learn about sort of some things nationally with cities, www.fcm.ca or globally www.uclg.org, on Twitter or X, I guess, at Barry Online, email mayor at Kitchener.ca.
• 49:08
  Ian McLean: Uh love to hear from you.
• 49:09
  Ian McLean: Uh and you always catch him on his social media and you're very active on that.
• 49:13
  Ian McLean: Listen, we could have gone on forever, but thank you.
• 49:15
  Ian McLean: I know how busy your schedule is.
• 49:17
  Ian McLean: Thanks for making some time and and talking about the importance of uh of the community broadly, but also the role the business plays as we go into Small Business Week and the importance of individuals and and and business and in Kitchener and beyond.
• 49:31
  Ian McLean: So thanks for spending time with us.
• 49:33
  Berry Vrbanovic: Oh, and thank you, Ian, because you know what?
• 49:34
  Berry Vrbanovic: This kind of thing is so important in this changing environment of media and how people take in information.
• 49:41
  Berry Vrbanovic: Podcasts have become an important way, particularly of getting local news and you doing this with uh local leaders is uh is a big part of it.
• 49:49
  Berry Vrbanovic: And I know it takes a commitment, so thank you for doing that.
• 49:52
  Ian McLean: Joining us for another episode of Behind the Business, proudly presented by Gore Mutual, insurance that does good.
• 49:58
  Ian McLean: New episodes drop every Thursday, so be sure to tune in next week.
• 50:02
  Ian McLean: You can also visit greater kw chamber.com to catch up on past episodes anytime.
• 50:07
  Ian McLean: We'll see you next time as we continue to go behind the business.