London is a city full of possibilities. Like many other medium-sized Canadian cities, London is struggling with issues of affordability, sustainability, housing and racism. While these large and overlapping issues can be intimidating, they are an opportunity for our community to come together and address them with bold action.

The following are areas that I’ve heard residents want addressed. I believe they need to be prioritized, in order for us to thrive as a Ward 11 community and city.

Affordability

  • The cost of living is going up while wages are stagnant. In order for all Londoners to thrive, Council must continue to invest in universal services and spend taxpayer dollars wisely.
  • Many city services help residents save money, such as transit which is $2.25 a ride and much more affordable than driving a private vehicle. Or borrowing books from the library, which is more affordable than purchasing new ones. 

I commit to ensuring the community benefits from development, seeking more funding from higher levels of government for local services, and investing wisely in services that save you money.

Environment

  • London has experienced ever increasing incidents of severe flooding and heat waves, as well as increased tick populations. These are a result of climate change, and will only continue to worsen unless addressed. 
  • An example of investing in the green economy and saving Londoners money is the Greenway Pollution Control Centre upgrades. The City received federal funding for upgrades and the efficiency improvements saved Londoners $600,000 a year in energy costs. These types of projects create jobs, reduce emissions and save you money.

I commit to investing in the green economy on projects such as rapid transit, cycling infrastructure, tree planting and deep energy retrofits. I also commit to being on track to meet City Council's 2030 climate targets.



Housing

  • Council has a target of 3,000 new affordable units by 2026, but the number of Londoners on the waiting list is over 6,000, with over 1,300 individuals on the "by-name" list (homeless). 
  • Affordable housing, with supportive services, is an asset to Londoners and should be distributed throughout neighbourhoods in the ward and the city, such as the new units on Base Line Road.

I will work with the community, city staff, organisations and developers to ensure more units in medium and high rise buildings are designated affordable; ensure the supportive services needed are available in the community; and advocate for more federal and provincial funding for truly affordable housing.


City & Community Services 

  • Did you know that municipalities collect the least amount of taxes (compared to provincial and federal government) and offer you a wide range of services like road maintenance, garbage & recycling pickup, recreation, libraries, snow removal, transit and so much more?
  • Council can also continue to find cost savings by cancelling unnecessary spending. A great example is in 2021, $212 million of taxpayer dollars were saved by cancelling the Wonderland Rd expansion. 
  • As residents and taxpayers, you want to know your taxes are being well spent and offer you the services you need.

I commit to helping you navigate City Hall services, approve budgets that work for Londoners, and get the best value for the services you’re supporting with your taxes.


Welcoming & Safer Community

  • London has been the recent and historical host of some horrible hate crimes and hate speech, directed towards a variety of communities including 2SLGBTQQIA+, Muslim, Black, Asian, Indigenous, women, cyclists and low-income people.
  • Many Ward 11 residents have also regularly experienced the impacts of crime and have voiced concerns about public safety.
  • While London feels safe to some, it is not a welcoming community for all - yet. London needs to continue investing in building an inclusive city, in programming, events, education and supporting affected communities.

I commit to working with the community to make it safer, by investing time and money into community programming and social services that make a difference, as well as work with affected communities to understand what they need from their elected officials to feel safe.