My fellow Londoners, you are all fabulous. That’s the best I can come up with to open a ROUNDUP that closes a week of people subscribing to London Ontario Online News in encouraging numbers. What an exciting time - welcome aboard, thank you, we appreciate you, and wow.
Please know it’s been a super-healthy start and we will keep going with vim, vigour and vitality while continuing to encourage more people to support. Your ROUNDUP stays free and we’ll phase in some paid-for content as we figure this out. But, know this: supporting the Loon provides resources to independent local journalists with these Values and we will make every dollar count.
Special thanks to Founding Members, who have been making larger donations - we see you and will send you a note soon. And I know I said “no hugs” but you get special privileges.
We’re feeling immense gratitude, and taking heart from the support of our community. Thank you.
Ugh, sincerity
Anyway, off we go with another Friday ROUNDUP. For anyone just joining, I’m Mike and I work in strategic communications. I love to help leaders make good decisions, and part of that involves watching the news extremely closely. And, once a week, I take just the local news, and offer this briefing to subscribers, who are community leaders by definition, of course. Together, we all get better. It’s all about that public interest.
And this is London, Ontario, where the World Cup excitement seems higher than before, possibly due to Canada putting six goals past nine-man Qatar, and possibly due to the launch of London Ontario Online News, a media startup that actually exists now. Could be both, I dunno. Mibbies eh, mibbies nut.
This week, you’ve had Matt Brown chatting with Lisa Brandt on Monday, Cedric Richards and me in Ward 7 on Tuesday, and Diana Tamblyn recommending books and a cool local venue on Thursday. Later this afternoon you’ll receive a reflective video blog from Steve Cordes (catchup edit: Steve’s post is here). That’s five committed Londoners using their voices to tell local stories and I hope it’s something you feel good about supporting.
Soundtrack of the week
We’re going Full Disco this week in support of the Scotland football team and the Tartan Army1 who follow them. This is an anthem for the travelling support , who will be singing it later today when their lads take on Morocco - eek!
Let’s boogie2!
(This should keep playing until you click a link. I usually advise people to do a first read-through, and to select pieces of interest on a second pass.)
The Fee-FA World Cup
Let’s start with a brief visit to the FIFA World Cup, where Canada beat Qatar 6-0 in the national men’s team’s first-ever win at the tournament. Here’s a TSN story that sums it up, and something from CBC that focuses on the injury to Ismaël Koné. Yay Canada - what an incredible moment in Canadian soccer.
I was also overcome with a sense of irony on noting this was the high-scoring game for which so many North American sports fans had pined, amid moans that soccer is dull and there should be half a goal for a corner kick, or somesuch piffle. Somehow, it was a fairly dull game in which Canada simply put Qatar to the sword. In this expanded World Cup, some teams simply don’t meet the standard. There are so many included now that the group stage thins the herd from 48 teams to… 32 in the knock-out stage3.
That’s going to create more one-sided contests and it’s not a good look for FIFA’s changes this tournament. And don’t get me started on the “hydration breaks”.
Locally, here’s Mayor Josh Morgan getting into the spirit on socials, and props to Tourism London for running a fan event on July 4.
But this is not a sports column (though maybe we should have one?). Let’s get to the news.
Local government and the election
You’ve had most of this already this week in City Hall Notes here, which is led by that important Downtown 10-year masterplan and also peters out mid-story because the meeting was still running. Here’s the outcome:
Development charges
The CTV headline includes the word “vague4”, which is not a good look for a decision of our Full Council, particularly in a meeting that some participants saw as hastily-arranged. However, we do have reporting on the outcome of that dev charges thing on Wednesday morning. Herewith CTV and LFP.
Here’s a useful summary from my A.I. model:
Council is considering cutting development charges by as much as 50% to qualify for a new federal-provincial infrastructure funding program aimed at boosting housing construction.
The program would provide access to billions in infrastructure funding for municipalities that significantly reduce the fees charged on new residential developments. Supporters argue lower charges could help reduce building costs and encourage more housing supply at a time when affordability remains a major concern.
The debate centres on who should pay for growth. Development charges have traditionally helped fund roads, water systems, wastewater infrastructure and other services required by new communities. Critics of reducing the charges warn that if government funding does not fully replace lost revenue, existing taxpayers could be left carrying a greater share of the cost.
Wait, what? Isn’t this administration that sings “growth pays for growth”? This is quite a story and will stick around for a bit. I’ll keep updating our lovely subscribers, so make sure you’re one of those. Ayethankyew.
London leads cross-border railroad pitch
Meanwhile, Mayor Josh Morgan’s team has been putting something big together. It’s a joint pitch from Ontario and Michigan politicians and it’s all about better passenger rail. This is very much on-brand for Morgan, who’s made wider cooperation in government a major part of his time as mayor.
This one picked up a bunch of news hits: London Free Press, CBC and CTV. Those reports talk about a pitch for Canadian federal money, backed by a meeting in London.
And, while he’s talking to folks from Chicago to Quebec City, Morgan has also developed something of a platform on his website, here. This quote sums up the offering:
“We're seeing record numbers of new housing going up, parks and community spaces being revitalized, and innovative programs like office-to-residential conversions and micro-modular shelters marking real progress on some of the hardest problems we've faced.”
Mayor Josh Morgan
That platform was one of my recent updates to the MEGAPOST, which is here and features 62 candidates across all city and school board races. I’ll do another update next week, but it may be that we have our dramatis personae for the summer.
Let’s take a break
I hear the Talbot Street Bridge has fed upon its natural prey: any vehicular conveyance taller than 3.3 metres. This isn’t news, of course5, but is one of the unusual facets of London life that remain worthy of note. My heart goes out to the poor bugger having a bad time as a result of this. I don’t link to socials much, but you can find a pic of the roof-shaving here.
Apropos nothing, and legally distinct from the previous paragraph… looking out of the window is always better than following your GPS.
Back to the news.
Healthcare
We’ve seen some stories from a new report about London Health Sciences Centre. “Governance failures” is the understatement doing all the lifting here. There’s reporting from the London Free Press and CTV London, but to hear the tale told best, we will look to wise head Craig Needles, local news veteran over at Blackburn Media. He interviewed the key man, and introduced it thus on his Bluesky:
Travel scandals, insider deals, lawsuits, criminal investigations - it has been a messy run for LHSC, but they’re turning the page. Supervisor David Musyj joined me to talk about the new board, shocking oversight failures and what’s next.
That’s 42 minutes of discussion. Get yourself a stiff drink and be ready for Feelings. Good luck.
Housing
This stays our most significant local issue, at least to hear the politicians tell it6, and here are two stories about renting:
We’re cooking now. Almost done.
And the Lightning Round
Seven more stories for you. SKIM THEM:
Andrew Lawton MP popped up with a national policy pitch this week. The story is here, and the idea is to ditch the tax on used vehicle sales. Andrew’s a former radio broadcaster locally and the MP for Elgin-St. Thomas-London South7. He has an extensive Wikipedia page, if you want to find out more about him.
I don’t usually do ICYMI posts but DO NOT MISS this story, about construction in Boler, which I also mentioned on Wednesday. That’s going to cause constipation for a whole section of the city’s roads. I also drove up Western Road this week and bloody hell it’s a summer to buy new sneakers and hang up the car keys.
Further valid commentary on education cuts, this time from a TVDSB student. LINK
Hitachi bought a local biz and it’s creating 100 jobs. LFP
The Dream Lottery winner is happy, despite the win interrupting a round of golf. LINK
Jeremy Hansen, London’s own astronaut8, gave this awesome interview.
And not London, but a great story. Why are these guys searching for pirate ships? Because they arrrrre9.
Meet the locals
Independent storytellers in your area:
The street view: Cedric Richards’ Southwestern Ontario Journal.
Comment: Steve Cordes’ Community Matters.
Discuss: Matt Brown’s podcast.
Reflect: Larry Cornies’ audio blog.
Culture: The Beat Magazine and TheatreInLondon.ca.
Biz: London Inc.
Sports: Gameday London.
Enough
Phew, that’s a lot for free and I should cut it down in future. For now, there’s your skimmable, munchable guide to local news and I’m off to have a Friday. Tonight there is a Scotland World Cup tie and that will involve further boogies.
We’re not saying we’re going to win it, but…
No Scotland no party
Steve Clark’s Tartan Army
We’ll never get this time again, y’know. Let’s make the most of it.
- Mike
The London Ontario Online News lineup
New content every day
We’re teaming up to send you a new feature every weekday:
Monday - Buckle Up - podcast with Matt Brown
Tuesday - Tour with Cedric Richards
Wednesday - City Hall Notes by Mike Donachie
Thursday - the Forest City Arts and Culture Roundup by Diana Tamblyn
Friday - Reflecting - with Steve Cordes
And free on Fridays: the ROUNDUP, briefing you on the stories you need to know, gathered in one place. Regular analysis of the issues affecting London and the region.
Here’s a BBC story that explains the Tartan Army well. Just know that one Boston bar said it was like experiencing three St. Patrick’s Days at once.
Sport = permission for men to show emotions, and boogie.
Yes, I’m aware this has benefited Scotland, sssshhhh
“Vague”, like “Craig”, is a source of endless amusement to me because the southern Ontario accent makes them rhyme with “egg”. Never change, you guys.
I mean, it can be. Here’s a hit from last July, when it ate a City of London truck, of all things.
Cost of living cost of living cost of living
Snappy.
HE WENT TO SPACE. This still blows my mind every time I think about it.
I regret nothing. I apologise for nothing.