Meet Jan
Jan Liggett’s life’s work has been devoted to making Cambridge a safe, healthy, and prosperous community. She has dedicated her time and energy to raising a family here, to volunteering across a wide spectrum of organizations and causes, and to running a successful nationally known business.
Jan has been especially immersed for the past four years as Mayor of Cambridge and as a Councillor at the Region of Waterloo representing the city’s interests. Her mayoralty was founded on her experience in serving the citizens of Cambridge as an elected Councillor for eight years. During this time, Jan worked to hone her knowledge and skills, to meet with other regional, provincial and national elected officials and government personnel, and to study the complexities and commitments of the role of Mayor. She was well informed and ready to shoulder the challenges of elected office then, and is even more prepared to continue leading for the next term as Mayor of Cambridge.
Jan as Mayor
Councillor Liggett was elected to her term as Mayor of Cambridge in 2022, and assumed office during the Covid-19 pandemic, a global health emergency that was declared over in May 2023. As a leader, it was Jan’s obligation to steer the community through this upheaval, and to rebuild trust and revitalize our businesses, industries, and services.
Jan has been at the forefront of seeking solutions to our community’s mental health, homeless, and addiction challenges and has worked with all levels of government to advocate for assistance that benefits everyone. As Mayor, she spearheaded See Me, Hear Me – Unheard Voices, a conference hosted by the City of Cambridge that brought together professional experts in the fields of mental health and addiction, as well as those with personal and lived experience.
Jan initiated the 2026 Nuclear Summit: “Rise to the Occasion”, and as host welcomed over 200 delegates to the City of Cambridge for a symposium of government officials, industry leaders, skilled trades representatives, and post-secondary partners from across Ontario. The Honourable Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Mines, delivered the keynote address. Under Jan’s leadership, the city continues to establish itself as a centre of excellence for the burgeoning nuclear sector, one of the province’s essential industries.
Annually, she has represented Cambridge at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and at its most recent conference, the Ontario Big City Mayors’ (OBCM) caucus delegated Jan to launch Solve the Crisis – Reaction to Recovery with the provincial ministries responsible for financial aid and legislation.
Jan as Regional Councillor
At the Waterloo Region tier of government, Jan has supported multiple files, including but not limited to:
- Affordable housing
- Transit
- Water security
- Planning and zoning
- Safety and security
As the second largest municipality in the region, Cambridge’s interests are voiced and well defended.
Jan as Cambridge Councillor
Councillor Liggett was elected to her first term on Cambridge City Council in 2014 and was re-elected by voters in 2018. Her eight years of service to her community was an opportunity to build on her skills as her constituents’ representative at council, and learn how to fulfill her role effectively.
Jan applied her acquired knowledge and experience of how municipal government functions in order to serve and improve the lives of constituents not only for her Ward 4 residents but right across the city as well. A believer in life-long learning, Jan earned her second credit in municipal law at the college level to strengthen her role as an advocate.
In addition to her all-council duties, she was a member of numerous committees that focused on long range planning, infrastructure, and budgeting. Jan’s comprehensive knowledge and deep dive into multiple portfolios of municipal government prepared her for the all-encompassing role as Mayor.
Jan as Businesswoman
Jan Liggett was a businesswoman and co-owner of Garden Gate Ltd. and Benabec Architectural Precast, companies that had a nation-wide client base. She was a founding member of the international Ornamental Concrete Producers Association and served as co-president for one term. Until the sale of the companies in 2024, she and her husband, Les Kadar, were commercially invested in Cambridge for over four decades. They donated extensively to not-for-profits and charities throughout the region.
As business owners, they felt supporting the community was important and employed staff through hard-to-hire programs offered by organizations such as The John Howard Society. Their two companies provided opportunities and an environment of dignity to people who may have a mental illness, disability, or both, a limited education, or sometimes a criminal past, any of which could make it challenging for them to find work.
Jan remains committed to the importance of building solid relationships, of customer service, of meeting payroll, of sound budgeting, and especially of value for money.
Jan as Volunteer
Before being elected to council, Jan volunteered extensively within the community. For over 15 years she was a member of the Grand River Conservation Authority’s Grand Strategy Heritage Working Group. She was vice chair of the Legacy Cambridge Task Force, a committee of council, and co-authored the Heritage Master Plan recommendation report which was then adopted as the City of Cambridge’s Heritage Master Plan. She served as a member of the Blair Village Heritage District Plan committee, the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, and its advisory subcommittees for the Public Art Competition at the new city hall and the city’s Public Art Policy, all committees of council.
Jan was co-founder of the Grand River Valley Coalition, a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the heritage river valley from the pressures of encroaching development and gravel quarries within Blair. The group swelled to over 5,000 concerned citizens as the movement to conserve gathered momentum.
Jan was the first person to recognize the need to safeguard the river valley lands now known as rare Charitable Research Reserve, a beautiful and culturally significant environment. This pristine ecosystem is home to an array of flora and fauna, some of which are ranked significant nationally, even globally. Jan’s leadership and long-range vision ensured that the reserve is now secure and focused on conservation, ecological restoration, research, and education while also providing passive recreation opportunities to the surrounding community.
Jan is a passionate and committed environmental activist. When she mounted a challenge at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), precursor to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), her thorough presentation, which was up against tough opposition, won her portion of the case. For her achievement, she received public statements of respect and esteem from opposing legal counsel. Her strong defense ensured that archaeological sites are preserved until such time as they can be dealt with in the appropriate manner. Artifacts that might have been damaged or lost are now given the respectful treatment they are owed thanks to Jan’s diligence and far-sightedness.
Jan is a founder and member of the Grand River Environmental Network (GREN), a regional initiative, and still advises advocacy groups on best practices.
As someone who cares deeply about community wellbeing, Jan founded a philanthropic organization, The Fallen Sparrows Fund, to address the financial strain on families facing childhood illness. This humanitarian initiative was created to provide monetary assistance to local families with critically ill children, and to relieve the pressure of illness-related expenses not covered by government agencies, insurance, and employment benefits. Originally under the umbrella of the Kiwanis Club of Cambridge, the Cambridge Kiwanis Fallen Sparrows Fund is tended by the Waterloo Region Community Foundation and supported through community donations.
As a past board member of the Kiwanis Club of Cambridge, one of Jan’s initiatives was to present opportunities for the public to hear speakers who brought their understanding and knowledge to various topics, and especially to sometimes contentious matters. One such series was on aboriginal issues. Jan believes the key to better understanding is through communication and the sharing of ideas. The speaker series epitomized that ideal.
For many decades, Jan has contributed financial support as well as her time and expertise within the fields of art, culture, heritage, and social issues. She has always volunteered with passion and commitment to make Cambridge a better place, now and for the foreseeable future.
Jan at Home in Cambridge
Jan Liggett and her family have lived and thrived in Cambridge for over 45 years, and with her husband, raised two children here. Like many families, they have faced physical health challenges over the years. Jan is a survivor of breast cancer and always available to lend an ear to someone who needs to talk about their experience.
Jan is committed to her extended family, including four grandchildren. She takes a keen interest in their schooling, their extracurricular activities, and all the community resources required by active young families.
Jan is equally dedicated to ensuring that aging seniors are included in all aspects of our community, from contributing to decision-making, to staying physically and mentally active, and to just simply getting out and about with easy access and mobility options.
Jan is eager and prepared to work hard to secure a safe, healthy, and prosperous community for everyone of all ages in Cambridge.
Before being elected, Jan Liggett received:
- The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
- YWCA Women of Distinction Award, Arts and Culture
- Ontario Heritage Trust Award, Heritage Community Recognition Program
- Bernice Adams Award, Communications
Jan strives for constant self-improvement, and both encourages and inspires her family, friends, and community to do likewise. Her generosity of spirit and her drive to communicate are the principles that guide her.