‘Tremendous loss:’ London, Ont. city manager set to retire

The City of London, Ont., will have a new top civic employee in 2024 as city manager Lynne Livingstone confirmed to Global News she would be retiring at the end of the year.

Livingstone emailed colleagues Thursday morning announcing her decision to step away from the public sector at the end of 2023.

Speaking with Global News, Livingstone said she has been considering retirement for a while now and feels it is the best time to hand the reins off to someone else.

“We’ve come to a place of some key milestones being met and I think it’s a good time to be able to help the city transition to new leadership,” Livingstone said Thursday.

Once she steps away in December, Livingstone will have amassed over 30 years in public service, over half that time with the City of London. She began her career at the London Psychiatric Hospital before holding progressively more senior roles with the province in various ministries, including the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

Livingstone joined the city in 2007 as director of Neighbourhood and Children’s Services and became the managing director of Neighbourhood, Children and Fire Services in 2012. She was appointed deputy city manager in the summer of 2019 before taking the top job on March 2, 2020.

It was only a couple of weeks later the COVID-19 pandemic swept across North America, upending everyone’s lives. Mayor Josh Morgan told Global News the early days of the pandemic were handled smoothly, thanks largely to Livingstone.

“Her leadership through that period was phenomenal,” said Morgan. “Her leadership… brought focus and guidance to all of the different agencies that were providing the city-wide response.”

For her part, Livingstone credits not only the pandemic response but the work accomplished during her entire tenure to her colleagues.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the people that I work with and the community partners that we’re working with to try and do that good work together for our community,” said Livingstone.

“I value public service… what I will always carry with me is the people that I work with each and every day.”

Most recently, Livingstone has helped shepherd the Whole of Community Response, helping to turn three summits hosting 70 agencies and over 200 people into a plan that includes up to 15 hubs for those on the streets to assist in transitioning into housing.

“If you point to all of the leaders in this coalition, they all point to Lynne Livingstone as someone who is humble, who provided guidance and leadership and brought the group together,” Morgan said.

“It is a tremendous loss for the leadership in our organization.”

Once 2024 comes around, Livingstone says she looks forward to spending more time with family and friends.

When it comes to finding Livingstone’s replacement, Morgan says it is too early to say how the process will work. While the new strong mayor powers allow Morgan to choose the next city manager, he says he plans to work with council to find Livingstone’s replacement.

“This is a decision about the leadership of the city, and we make those decisions together,” Morgan said.