London civic election: Mayoral candidates, in their own words

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We requested the 10 mayoral candidates in London’s 2022 municipal election to reply a survey to assist voters measurement up the folks operating for the highest job. The ward-by-ward candidates’ solutions can be read here. Listed below are the mayoral candidates’ solutions, unedited apart from fashion:

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1. The basics 

a) Josh Morgan

b) Age: 44

c) Occupation: Deputy Mayor, Ward 7 City Councillor, Recruitment and Development Officer – Local Government Program at Western University

d) Family: Married to Melanie Morgan (Elementary School Principal) together they have 4 children Ainsley (14), McKenna (11), Max (6) and Archer (almost 2)

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2. Do you live full-time in the city?

Yes I have lived full-time in London since 1998. I came here to attend Western University for Economics and Political Science, fell in love with the city and never left.

3. What are your top three priorities, if elected?

Housing and affordability, mental health and addictions and core area revitalization, creating safe, inclusive, vibrant neighbourhoods.

4. How would you describe your politics? 

I am a collaborative leader that brings voices together, makes clear decisions, and delivers results. I respect your hard eared tax dollars and work to add value with every dollar spent. I support helping the most vulnerable in our community. I believe local government is about coming together to make life enjoyable and affordable for Londoners. I don’t have any current partisan affiliations and the members of my campaign represent a wide range of perspectives. I believe in surrounding myself with people who will challenge me. I believe politics is a force of good in our community and I work every day to set a positive example for my children.

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5. What is your vision for London? 

London is the capital city of Southwestern Ontario and will be a major influencer in shaping our region and province. We are emerging from the pandemic as an economic and entertainment hub, attracting world-class musicians, performers and events to our city. We are a center for job creation and innovation. We can be a city of vibrant, inclusive neighborhoods where Londoners have a greater say in shaping the communities in which they live. I am committed to building a city where our children can afford a home, feel safe, get a good paying job, and have a high quality of life. 

6. Do you support the London Plan, particularly the intensification target and focus on public transit? 

Yes I support the core components of the London Plan, however it falls short on creating London’s share of the 1.5 million homes needed in the province of Ontario. We need to update the London Plan to ensure we meet can meet the housing demand our city is facing. This includes new robust targets for increased density in the core and for new incentives for intensification in our transit villages. This needs to be coupled with a comprehensive new city-wide Master Mobility Plan to ensure Londoners can move around our city efficiently. 

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7. What would you do to address London’s housing crisis?

We have a massive housing supply challenge in our city. I will commit to ensuring London meets and exceeds our share of the province’s goal of building 1.5 million new homes over the next debate. I will be setting aggressive targets, bringing in new intensification incentive programs, updating development policies and processes, and fostering innovative partnerships and approaches. We will leverage the relationships I’ve developed with the federal and provincial governments to access the significant funding available to accelerate housing starts. We will also address the housing needs for our most vulnerable Londoners by creating new affordable spaces with wrap around supports and renewing and expanding our social housing stock. We will develop innovative programs to ensure the next generation of Londoners can afford a place to live.

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8. What sets you apart from other candidates? 

My experience and track record sets me apart from the other candidates. As mayor, I would allow for a seamless transition and council’s work will start on Day 1. I have served on council for 8 years. As budget chair I oversaw our first and second multi-year budgets that brought in service review, paid down debt, and kept taxes stable. As deputy mayor, I fostered a collaborative approach and brought diverse voices together. As a board member of the Canadian Federation of Municipalities, I represented London on the national stage, fostered collaborative working relationships within the federal and provincial governments, and secured significant investments for London. I understand how city works, I care about the people here, and I know how to get the job done.

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1. The fundamentals:

a) Title: Johanne Nichols

b) Age: My age is just not related

c) Occupation: Retired Registered Nurse and Widow

d) Household: One Daughter Very profitable in her chosen profession, One Son, Retired police officer, My Daughter In Legislation is a retired Registered Nurse, My two grandsons each work in London.

2. Do you reside full-time within the metropolis?

Born, raised and nonetheless full time resident of London

3. What are your prime three priorities, if elected?

Downtown (Dundas Place) resurrection: Return of retailers (tax and rental incentives)
Aggressive options to homelessness
Extra backed inexpensive housing

4. How would you describe your politics?

My politics are versatile.

5. What’s your imaginative and prescient for London?

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I envision London as a affluent metropolis, with very low unemployment.

6. Do you help the London Plan, notably the intensification goal and concentrate on public transit?  

I’ll help intensified plan however not at expense of abutting neighbourhoods. I severely query public transit growth. I’ve been casually monitoring bus occupancy and even at peak hours, most are lower than half full. We’d like London transit to not be a fiscal drain on taxpayers tab.

7. What would you do to handle London’s housing disaster? 

No reply

8. What units you aside from different candidates?

What units me aside from others is that I will likely be a fiscally accountable mayor who respects the tax payers cash as a lot as, if no more, than my very own funds. I plan to donate roughly 80% of my wage to three charities.

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1. The fundamentals:

a) Title: Sean M. O’Connell

b) Age: 46

c) Occupation: At present between jobs

d) Household: No kids 

2. Do you reside full-time within the metropolis?

Sure, I’ve lived in London for 30 years.  

3. What are your prime three priorities, if elected? 

Transit, inexpensive housing, and legislation enforcement. In reality, town of London is going through quite a few challenges. Every weight equally in my thoughts.  

4. How would you describe your politics?  

It isn’t simple to explain one’s politics, however I consider in authorities establishments and the rule of legislation. I subscribe to the tenets of secularism, equality, financial and political freedom, in addition to freedom of the press or speech because the values that the majority Canadians have loved for the previous 100 years. I perceive that democracy is below menace. I’ll defend it, as my grandfather’s era as soon as did. By no means thought I’d should say that however right here we’re. I consider in collaboration and cooperation. Essentially, I do know we should work collectively to maintain our society sturdy and united within the face of adversity. Due to this fact, management issues.  

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5. What’s your imaginative and prescient for London?  

I envision a metropolis the place mass transit is built-in transit whether or not strolling, biking, in a bus or automobile. The place our elevated inexperienced areas present areas for enjoyment and leisure. A metropolis that creates architecturally important buildings and hubs of exercise for companies. Above all else a metropolis that promotes and creates the next high quality of residing. Although these could appear beliefs, London can get there, with clear established priorities, political will, and sources. It takes idealism to check a greater future. London ought to reside as much as its namesake. It’s time to finish the ideological hypocrisy that cripples metropolis council and do what folks elected them to do. Construct a greater metropolis.  

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6. Do you help the London Plan, notably the intensification goal and concentrate on public transit?  

Sure, I help the London Plan. The intensification goal is a purpose, not an absolute. I’ll full the BRT system because it was initially envisioned with a north and western route. London can not transfer ahead with half a transit plan. I’ll pursue seamless, protected bicycle lanes and never a hodgepodge strategy that wastes sources. Public transit ought to be fast, protected, and dependable. We can not assist the atmosphere get well with out greener methods such a zero emission buses. The bus fast transit system was designed to cut back our carbon footprint by enabling residents to journey with out the necessity for his or her automobile. By way of intensification, I might pursue extra inexperienced areas, boulevard inexperienced lanes and enhance our tree cover purpose to 40%. We’re the Forest Metropolis for a purpose. 

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7. What would you do to handle London’s housing disaster? 

A technique I can alleviate the housing disaster is by changing industrial zoned areas into residential. There are many unused buildings that may both be transformed into housing or demolished for different sources of housing. Requiring a minimal of 40,000 new houses within the subsequent decade will likely be difficult. It means discovering areas for intensification and championing tasks which might be economical, protecting of the atmosphere and helpful. Nonetheless, constructing isn’t the one difficulty. London wants agency lease controls, which suggests petitioning the province to legislate, which I might do. Nonetheless, town’s potential to incorporate bonusing for inexpensive models has been eliminated by the province. I’ll nonetheless search for tasks that provide sorts of bonusing, however will probably be tough with out the provincial authority to implement it. The definition of inexpensive wants to alter as 80% of market worth isn’t inexpensive.  

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8. What units you aside from different candidates?  

I used to be skilled by one of the best professionals within the Home of Commons (UK) in insurance policies, practices, and requirements. I understand how governments are speculated to perform with respect for the person, working alongside unions and for the larger public good. I began working after the more serious expense scandal within the UK. I noticed corruption first-hand and did my half to assist parliament obtain accountability. Since returning to Canada, I’ve been dedicated to working for this metropolis both within the administration or as an elected official. I’ve the worldly expertise essential to handle this metropolis and information council. I firmly consider, as soon as elected, that my insights, management, and expertise can be a profit to London.  

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1. The fundamentals

a) Title: Khalil Ramal

b) Age: 62

c) Occupation: Sociologist, Impartial entrepreneur, politician

d) Household: Partner: Nisrine Salameh, Pediatrician, Son: Jawad, a Legislation Scholar

2. Do you reside full-time within the metropolis?

Sure, since 1989

3. What are your prime three priorities, if elected?

Eliminating homelessness, bringing good paying jobs to London, recovering inexpensive housing, sufficient transportation and security.

4. How would you describe your politics?

All actions are about Individuals. Individuals come first. Politics is on the service of individuals, not the opposite means round.

5. What’s your imaginative and prescient for London?

A protected, inexpensive, strong, welcoming, and vigorous metropolis that may correctly home its steadily rising and various group.

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6. Do you help the London Plan, notably the intensification goal and concentrate on public transit?

I help and welcome any initiative that promotes a London by Londoners, with Londoners and for Londoners

7. What would you do to handle London’s housing disaster?

I’m already working with a gaggle of outstanding specialists, and never for revenue organizations to construct inexpensive houses with particular consideration to acquiring federal funding and different sources which town to this point has didn’t reap the benefits of. As an alternative, forms over current forms was created and the usage of these funding alternatives was stalled indefinitely.

8. What units you aside from different candidates?

I’ve the management, multidisciplinary expertise, the detailed information, the help of key specialists and the human, technical, scientific and group sources required to get the job achieved.

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1. The fundamentals

a) Title: Sandie Thomas

b) Age: 50

c) Occupation: Entrepreneur

d) Household: Mom of two grownup kids and 4 grandchildren. One in all my grandchildren is epilithic with autism and is non-verbal.

2. Do you reside full-time within the metropolis?

Sure

3. What are your prime three priorities, if elected?

Homelessness is unacceptable. It’s unacceptable to these experiencing it, it’s unacceptable to me once I see it, and it ought to be unacceptable to council. We have to discover methods to assist folks rise above residing on the streets of this stunning metropolis.

Sustainability. The way forward for any nice metropolis begins on the grassroots stage. I need to make it potential, or not less than simpler, for communities to create and implement initiatives that can enhance residing circumstances for everybody.

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Taxes. As mayor, I’ll work carefully with council and group leaders to unearth funds that could possibly be higher spent. That doesn’t essentially imply pulling funding from sure tasks, but it surely’s essential to verify the funds are getting used the easiest way potential.

4. How would you describe your politics?

Neighborhood pushed. As mayor, I might get out of metropolis corridor as typically as potential to go to with and speak with all of London’s communities. That’s the one option to inform what folks really want and the way they actually really feel.

5. What’s your imaginative and prescient for London?

To be a metropolis with equal alternatives and equal entry for everybody and to drive a metropolis that will likely be rising and sustainable for years to come back.

6. Do you help the London Plan, notably the intensification goal and concentrate on public transit?

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The London Plan is a transfer in the proper course, however it isn’t sufficient. We’re will nonetheless behind in constructing our metropolis to be a greater place for everybody, together with companies. If we are going to actually need to be a greener metropolis, then we must adapt the electrical autos, even via our transit system. Once we plan, we have to additionally look into the longer term for our metropolis to actually develop and be sustainable. Then we might want to study the fast transit system and see tips on how to implement the electrical trains – there are grants from the federal authorities to assist. Waterloo and Kitchener have been recipients of this grant and you may see these cities feeling and looking extra vibrant.

7. What would you do to handle London’s housing disaster?

We might want to convey all voices to the desk; enterprise, group leaders, specialists from different cities who might need concepts we haven’t but found. We are going to petition the provincial and federal authorities for extra funding, whereas bringing all voices to the desk. With a purpose to handle this disaster, we want all voices with a view to implement change.

8. What units you aside from different candidates?

Lived expertise, folks pushed and group centered. What units me aside from the opposite candidates? I consider that being a Black Ladies who has lived within the metropolis for over 12 years, I’ve been the place many individuals are — attempting to satisfy their primary wants — and that offers me a distinct perspective about what folks’s wants are proper now. I’ve the proper fairness lens on to see issues within the grander scheme and with the ability to actually communicate for the folks and be the folks’s mayor.

Candidates that didn’t reply to the survey: Brandon Ellis, Dan Lenart, Carlos Murray.