Londoners are gearing up to head to the polls on Oct. 24 for the upcoming municipal election as residents of the Forest City will elect their next desired mayor, city councillors and school board trustees.
Sixty-one candidates are running in 14 wards across the city, including nine in Ward 1.
The incumbent Michael van Holst is seeking a third-straight term on council, but eight challengers are on the ballot.
With a lot of new faces coming to the table, Global News has reached out to all those in the running and emailed a list of five questions on some of the key issues in the city from combating homelessness, addiction and mental health issues to affordable housing.
The responses for every candidate who replies will be shared below. You can find all of the published ward candidate responses on this page.
Here are the answers received from through running for councillor in Ward 1:
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Michael van Holst (incumbent)
Q1. Over the summer, the group The Forgotten 519 put out a call to action to come up with urgent solutions to address London’s homelessness crisis. If elected, how would you tackle homelessness, addiction and mental health issues in London?
Homelessness is not just a problem for the people experiencing it but for everyone who feels the impacts. We must recognize that the housing first model won’t work if we have no housing available.
Two years ago, I pushed for a pilot of temporary mobile shelters like those which now sit vacant behind Ark Aid Mission. These should be allowed so we can contain the problem in the short term. Mental health and addiction supports are a key to assisting those who will otherwise continue to find themselves on the streets.
I propose that we redirect the long-term financial commitment of 50-year affordable housing units at 20 per cent discount from traditional developers toward short term projects built by organizations that provide supportive housing. The city is building and selling an important development at 18 Elm St. We should use the money to build another and repeat the process in all parts of the city.
In the past I proposed we build projects on the city’s agricultural land so participants would have the opportunity to garden and work in greenhouses. Harm reduction shouldn’t be our only approach to addiction.
Q2. London business owners have recently highlighted some of the economic challenges they’re facing particularly in the downtown core. What strategies do you propose to revitalize London’s downtown core to help businesses thrive?
My priority is not downtown but the struggling business corridors in Ward 1 which include Hamilton Road plus sections of Adelaide, Commissioners and Wellington Streets. That said, downtown businesses thrive when people are there to spend money. Approving high-rises makes sure there are local residents to frequent local businesses.
Unfortunately, few people I talk to who live outside the downtown want to go there. One reason is too much construction happening at once (combined with blocking off Dundas Street for cars). The bigger reason is their discomfort with the high degree of drug use and homelessness which can be addressed with the solutions I suggested above.
Q3. Affordability in the housing and rental markets is the most pressing issue for many Londoners. If elected, what changes would you push for to ease the burden on Londoners when it comes to the cost of living?
Higher taxes increase the cost of living so, obviously, more fiscal responsibility on the part of council will help. For instance, I opposed us sending $100,000 off to Quebec, spending an extra $2.3 million on a ‘fancy’ bridge at Ridout Street, and actions that were likely to have us end up in court. Council overspends because it fails to balance multiple priorities.
The biggest impact we can make on housing is to increase the supply. It can be done if we:
- Speed up the approvals process for builders by expanding, automating, and refining the building department.
- Exploit all land opportunities including closed schools, underused LMCH holdings (like Allen Rush Gardens), surplus lands and properties left over after widening Wellington Road.
- Allow maximum height and intensity when design elements compensate adequately.
- Redirect the future funds for 50-year affordable housing projects into the present for the supportive housing projects needed now.
- Have the HDC continuously build great projects like 18 Elm St. and sell them to fund the next project.
- Recognize the need for more co-ops and geared to income housing.
- Respond quickly to complaints, like bedbugs, that make housing undesirable.
Q4. London is in the process of building three legs of bus rapid transit, but challenges remain for the north and west end of the city. What is your vision for the next phase of public transit in the city?
Average Londoners were always clear on their must-haves for transit and access to the industrial areas, greater frequency, improved reliability and more shelters. These should be prioritized as the next phase.
Bus rapid transit (BRT) is more of a nice-to-have but the key to receiving a lot of money to fix the infrastructure under the roads.
The north route was considered a flawed choice and can be revisited after we see the existing projects in action. We need to stay open to new ideas because big, often empty, busses may not be the future of public transit. Electric buses won’t make up for poor service and the real greenhouse gas benefit comes from getting people out of their cars which only happens if the service is effective.
Q5. What is your vision for London in the next 10 years and how do we get there?
I want us to view London as a clean, beautiful place with abundant opportunity for career and recreation. You should feel safe everywhere, get around easily, and appreciate your fellow citizens enough to be involved as a volunteer. You should be confident local government is doing their job well, and feel free to create a great life for yourself and your family.
To get there we need to:
- Use common sense and prioritize our spending on actions that create tangible gains,
- Create transit access to the industrial areas,
- Take action to reduce crime,
- Have a more focused full-time council like every other city our size.
- Make London the best place to be a volunteer because city hall can’t do it all alone,
- Increase the housing supply relative to the demand to make life more affordable,
- Create supportive housing for those with mental health problems so our downtown and green spaces don’t become a psychiatric ward,
- Use a better approach to addiction than just harm reduction.
Julie Reynolds
Q1. Over the summer, the group The Forgotten 519 put out a call to action to come up with urgent solutions to address London’s homelessness crisis. If elected, how would you tackle homelessness, addiction and mental health issues in London?
I believe in a pathway of support that starts with climate controlled shelters with access to toilet and washing facilities. It ends with people in permanent housing and working, or receiving, the appropriate benefits. In between is where the real work happens and would depend on each case.
Addictions go down the deterrence and rehab path, that allows them to fail and keep trying without losing their bed. Mental illnesses receive the appropriate therapies and medications. Low to no income individuals receive retraining if needed and are provided with affordable units.
Q2. London business owners have recently highlighted some of the economic challenges they’re facing particularly in the downtown core. What strategies do you propose to revitalize London’s downtown core to help businesses thrive?
With all due respect to every part of London, I will say this; Ward 1 has gone without consideration for far too long. Our businesses are struggling, our spaces are falling apart, and no one has looked our way. I will support any actionable plans that I believe will benefit the core that are brought before the council, but Ward 1, or the city as a whole, will be my primary concerns in terms of items I’ll be bringing forward.
Q3. Affordability in the housing and rental markets is the most pressing issue for many Londoners. If elected, what changes would you push for to ease the burden on Londoners when it comes to the cost of living?
I’d like to mandate a non-negotiable minimum percentage of affordable units, both residential and commercial, in all future developments. Affordability would be based on ODSP/OW rates or average local startup financing, and unit sizes and types would be varied.
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We need to strictly enforce absentee landlord legislation, tax empty and undeveloped properties, and look at allowing backyard dwellings for those related to the residents of the main house. London housing also has a plan, and funding, to alleviate some of this burden, we just need a council that forces it forward.
Q4. London is in the process of building three legs of bus rapid transit, but challenges remain for the north and west end of the city. What is your vision for the next phase of public transit in the city?
These plans seem to be in a constant flux, and without knowing what type of a council we’ll have for the next four years, it’s hard to create a detailed plan.
What I hope to see is a system that is actually rapid with multiple buses, of whatever size, running more frequently than half an hour. I want to see all industrial areas properly serviced so those without vehicles can fill those decent paying plant vacancies, and reduce our unemployment rate. I want to see kids on school buses instead of city buses regardless of what block they live on.
I don’t want anyone in this city having to leave an hour and a half before they start work in order to get there in time.
Q5. What is your vision for London in the next 10 years and how do we get there?
I would like to see each community, or Ward, become a thriving, walkable community with all resources within a short distance. I want to see every area, and its businesses, thriving. I want to see policing be community based where the officers are accountable to the communities they serve, and work to gain their trust and confidence. I want our green spaces kept green, I want our farms to keep producing, and I want our canopy goal to be the best in the country.
I want a council that understands what an amazing city we can be if we just focus on the entire city, instead of our personal goals. I want council members that know it’s a position of service, not a pay cheque or a career stepping stone. I believe one of the best ways to accomplish this is to focus on getting people civically engaged and taking control of our council the way democracy was intended. People have the power and I will make it part of my job to teach them how to use it.
Ryan Cadden
Q.1: Over the summer, the group The Forgotten 519 put out a call to action to come up with urgent solutions to address London’s homelessness crisis. If elected, how would you tackle homelessness, addiction and mental health issues in London?
I see the National Housing Plan as a great start in the battle against homelessness. I believe the municipal government could help by using municipal owned land to build emergency facilities and supportive housing or look at selling that land to non-profit organizations at a discount that will use the land for those purposes, or for creating low-cost housing.
During the pandemic, the temporary use of facilities such as community centres and arenas were used to help support the homeless, but I think we need a long-term strategy. We also need to look at creating fair labour market conditions, and municipal tax breaks for young renters and homeowners to ensure they are not forced into homelessness in the future.
Q.2: London business owners have recently highlighted some of the economic challenges they’re facing particularly in the downtown core. What strategies do you propose to revitalize London’s downtown core to help businesses thrive?
I think we need a tax on abandoned buildings to force landlords to either build on their property, or sell to someone who will. Also, I believe a review of the active transportation and transit systems is needed to ensure that London is safe and accessible for all.
Q.3: Affordability in the housing and rental markets is the most pressing issue for many Londoners. If elected, what changes would you push for to ease the burden on Londoners when it comes to the cost of living?
I would push for city hall to not allow developers to hold us hostage. Also, I believe the municipal government could help by using municipal owned land to build emergency facilities and supportive housing or look at selling that land to non-profit organizations at a discount that will use the land for those purposes, or for creating low-cost housing.
Q.4: London is in the process of building three legs of bus rapid transit, but challenges remain for the north and west end of the city. What is your vision for the next phase of public transit in the city?
The city needs a full revamp of the transit system. I fear for women, elderly and youth who must take transit at night with buses that are often late or too full to accept them. We need a full review of our system to ensure it is efficient and accessible for all.
Q.5: What is your vision for London in the next 10 years and how do we get there?
My vision for the next 10 years in London is to create a safer and more accessible place to live. For too long we have had people with mental health issues who have nowhere to receive support. Too often have we heard stories of people’s cars, garages or even houses being broken into with nowhere to go for guidance or peace of mind.
We deserve safer and more accessible active transportation and transit systems to ensure that when our residents do decide to make green choices for transportation that they are safe to traverse our city.
Hadleigh McAlister
Q.1: Over the summer, the group The Forgotten 519 put out a call to action to come up with urgent solutions to address London’s homelessness crisis. If elected, how would you tackle homelessness, addiction and mental health issues in London?
I think that the City of London needs to recognize that it is not operating a small Southern Ontario town anymore. We are major city of nearly half a million people and our priorities need to shift accordingly.
Like many other major cities in Canada, London is in the midst of a housing crisis, and we need a council that will fight for more affordable options for all its residents, including providing shelter for people currently experiencing homelessness. The city cannot do this alone, we need to work with all levels of government to put more funds into healthcare and housing.
To truly assist people experiencing homelessness we need to adopt a more compassionate and holistic model. This will require an infusion of funds to bolster our social services, build and staff supportive housing, and offer addiction and mental health supports.
Q.2: London business owners have recently highlighted some of the economic challenges they’re facing particularly in the downtown core. What strategies do you propose to revitalize London’s downtown core to help businesses thrive?
I assisted my family in running the store they had in downtown London, on Talbot Street, for many years, so I understand the challenges that businesses are facing downtown. Unfortunately, the issues facing the core have gotten worse not better over the years. Thefts, vandalism, and empty storefronts have become common features and we need to change that. We need to bolster our police presence, increase our by-law enforcement, and provide business incentives to encourage development.
Q.3: Affordability in the housing and rental markets is the most pressing issue for many Londoners. If elected, what changes would you push for to ease the burden on Londoners when it comes to the cost of living?
Housing is one of my top priorities and we need to take decisive action on it. We need policies that end exclusionary zoning, support infill projects, stabilize rent prices, license landlords, and adopt speculation and vacancy taxes.
Q.4: London is in the process of building three legs of bus rapid transit, but challenges remain for the north and west end of the city. What is your vision for the next phase of public transit in the city?
London is one of the fastest growing municipalities and transit projects need to accommodate that growth. I want to see an integrated bus network brought online, that is efficient and sustainable, for all Londoners. We need to be looking at what Kitchen-Waterloo and Ottawa have been able to put in place for public transit.
Q.5: What is your vision for London in the next 10 years and how do we get there?
I would like to see more equality in the way that London is governed.
I’m running for council because I want to see more attention paid to a part of city that is often forgotten and neglected. Time and time again I hear from Ward 1 residents that they don’t feel like anyone cares about them. This needs to stop and I will be that strong advocate for Ward 1 to ensure that we are on equal footing with the other wards.
We all want to see our city prosper and we should be working together as a unified council to give equal attention to all wards.
Oberon Godden
Q.1: Over the summer, the group The Forgotten 519 put out a call to action to come up with urgent solutions to address London’s homelessness crisis. If elected, how would you tackle homelessness, addiction and mental health issues in London?
My idea to help homelessness is to have a social work outreach program that would hit the streets and help the homeless find shelter, food and navigate out existing social services.
Q.2: London business owners have recently highlighted some of the economic challenges they’re facing particularly in the downtown core. What strategies do you propose to revitalize London’s downtown core to help businesses thrive?
I believe the downtown could be revitalized by having affordable apartments for rent instead of just expensive condos where people live and shop and work elsewhere. I would first put a tax on vacant buildings and encourage construction to revitalize old apartments into attractive rentals.
Q.3: Affordability in the housing and rental markets is the most pressing issue for many Londoners. If elected, what changes would you push for to ease the burden on Londoners when it comes to the cost of living?
Affordable housing is an important concern for many residents. I’m in favour of subsidized tract housing available to households making under $100,000.
Q.4: London is in the process of building three legs of bus rapid transit, but challenges remain for the north and west end of the city. What is your vision for the next phase of public transit in the city?
I believe transit would run more efficiently if it ran 24-hours.
Q.5: What is your vision for London in the next 10 years and how do we get there?
My vision for London in the next 10 years is to be a more inclusive, affordable city with a booming economy.
Shirley Wilton
Q.1: Over the summer, the group The Forgotten 519 put out a call to action to come up with urgent solutions to address London’s homelessness crisis. If elected, how would you tackle homelessness, addiction and mental health issues in London?
Affordable housing is at a critical level where homelessness is at an all tone high.
Municipally, we need to give subsidies to homeowners so they can rent out units to decrease the numbers of people on the streets.
Building affordable housing is crucial but the red tape is what holds back developments and taxes should be reduced so housing can be affordable. If mortgage rates are high then developers should receive a break so they can reduce the cost of housing passed down to the tenants. The affordable housing act stipulates government subsidies are available but need to be implemented quicker to reduce the wait tones.
City hall needs to revamp old buildings for temporary to permanent placement for families.
Q.2: London business owners have recently highlighted some of the economic challenges they’re facing particularly in the downtown core. What strategies do you propose to revitalize London’s downtown core to help businesses thrive?
Businesses in the downtown core need a break on taxes to thrive and be able to renovate their businesses so they can thrive in the downtown core and likely expand.
Q.3: Affordability in the housing and rental markets is the most pressing issue for many Londoners. If elected, what changes would you push for to ease the burden on Londoners when it comes to the cost of living?
Cost of living has impacted Londoners. Raised prices of hydro, gas, and taxes should be removed and decreased costs for low income earners should not be cut off and receive reduced rates on services.
Q.4: London is in the process of building three legs of bus rapid transit, but challenges remain for the north and west end of the city. What is your vision for the next phase of public transit in the city?
Transit is a big issue and electric trains would help the outer regions of London to reach the inner parts of the city. We need to expand affordable transit so people can get out of London and enjoy other municipalities and make it affordable.
Q.5: What is your vision for London in the next 10 years and how do we get there?
The next 10 years for London will undoubtedly see greener initiatives changing how we live.
We need to increase housing and reduce the carbon foot print (by) introducing solar. Our transit needs to be increased but with electric transportation to reduce emissions. Sustainable electric vehicles will require updates on our energy sectors.
London has always been known for its trees and we need to plant more and increase recreation so people can enjoy time with family. Cleaning up parks, the Thames River, and pollution is important as our wildlife depends on it.
Londoners are always searching for outside help but we need to ban together to bring about change. We cannot do it alone, outreach programs need to thrive so people can enjoy this amazing city we call London.
Janette Cameron
Q1. Over the summer, the group The Forgotten 519 put out a call to action to come up with urgent solutions to address London’s homelessness crisis. If elected, how would you tackle homelessness, addiction and mental health issues in London?
A new facility that offers withdrawal and detox, rehabilitation and mental health support, as well as next step planning all under one roof would be helpful.
To cut costs, I would network with suppliers, Habitat for Humanity, businesses wanting to help, and utilize channels of government for funding assistance. I would like to invest and utilize individuals currently residing in our correctional facility, on house arrest, Ontario Works and those needing community hours. This is a win win.
London would save on labour costs, the production of housing would be possible, and an abundance of struggling individuals would be offered an opportunity. An opportunity to strengthen their skills, learn a new trade, rehabilitate through a work release program, and help rebuild a struggling community.
I would love to add tiny homes and communities using the same type of labour platform. I would like to expand strip mall owners and give one floor buildings the opportunity to build on top, adding room for apartments where safe and necessary.
Q2. London business owners have recently highlighted some of the economic challenges they’re facing particularly in the downtown core. What strategies do you propose to revitalize London’s downtown core to help businesses thrive?
Nothing in this city is going to get better unless we get people proper care. Our downtown is scary, dark, grungy and creepy as hell. Our streets are lined with homeless and addicts and vacancies are everywhere. Incentives need to be given to new business. Vacant building owners need to be taxed.
There are no nightclubs, dance bars unless we party with students. People are bored.
Q3. Affordability in the housing and rental markets is the most pressing issue for many Londoners. If elected, what changes would you push for to ease the burden on Londoners when it comes to the cost of living?
It’s supply and demand. Get building, approve projects quicker, utilize resources for cheaper costs on material and labour, and have a rent cap on landlords. Stop renovation evictions. Stop the greed. Work with the builders, contractors and unions. I’m sure some of them have huge hearts and are just itching to help!
Q4. London is in the process of building three legs of bus rapid transit, but challenges remain for the north and west end of the city. What is your vision for the next phase of public transit in the city?
Public transit isn’t on the top of my mind right now. To be honest, I don’t see the big need for it right now. It’s going to be expensive and a mess. People are dying of hunger, sleeping on our streets, shooting each other, stabbing each other, overdosing on drugs, street workers selling their sole for money and drugs, and wait times at our ERs are insane. There’s break ins, theft, domestic violence, bullying and assaults in our schools.
I do agree with adding more transit, but at what cost? The price tag scares me.
Q5. What is your vision for London in the next 10 years and how do we get there?
My vision is pretty simple, and we don’t have no 10 years or it will be 10 times worse.
We need to place focus on the budget and rework some numbers to include a facility that offers full support to homeless, addicts and mentally ill individuals. We need tax breaks for home owners and our elderly and community gardens to help feed families in need. Unfortunately, I believe money has been used in an unprofitable, unplanned and careless manner over the years.
I see the potential for London to be smarter, safer and have the ability to contribute compassion back into our community. I see London with clean streets, no needles or people struggling on our streets. I see people with food and basic necessities. We are needing to streamline support and resources.
I see London putting their foot down and finally taking back our streets that we have feared for too long. I see streets without knives, guns, drugs, homeless, mentally ill, and families not scared to leave their homes. Hire trained professionals as support staff to help with overdoses and mental health crisis to alleviate some pressure off of our over worked police force. If we tackle the issue at hand, the drugs, homelessness, and mental health, we probably won’t need to hire another 50 police at 5 million a year. I see a brighter London if we start from the ground up and stop spending stupidly. How do we get there? It’s called priorities.
Put people first. Stop spending money on projects that will have London grow. We obviously can’t take care of who we have right now.
— Questions by Global News’ Jaclyn Carbone and Maya Reid.
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