July 27, 2026
Good morning, London. I’m Matt Brown and this is Buckle Up. Your weekly update about all things London brought to you by London Ontario Online News, That’s The Loon for short.
Listen to this week’s Episode:
Hello, London. If you’ve listened before, you know that every Monday morning I cohost this program with a member from our team, or a special guest, to give you the information you need to prepare for the week ahead.
On this podcast episode, Susan Toth and I discuss:
What it takes to run a council campaign. You might be surprised by the answer
Jack Moulton from the London Free Press wrote about this last week. You can read it here.
London city council approved a study and continues to consider hiring 11 special constables, pushing the decision to the spring of 2027 and well past the election. Will this become an issue as candidates for council, incumbents and challengers alike, when they knock on doors between now and election day?
London Morning host, Andrew Brown, interviewed Susan Toth about this and you can watch or listen to that interview here.
Craig Needles raised this issue on his podcast during the most recent Friday Round Table. You can listen to that here.
Daryl Newcombe from CTV News continues to lead the coverage for this issue. This time, Daryl reports that London Police Service Chief Thai Truong hasn’t seen the plans. You can watch that segment here.
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Sponsor Highlight: Hamilton Road BIA
Thanks, as always, to show sponsor Hamilton Road BIA. The Hamilton Road Business Improvement Area (BIA) develops, advocates, promotes and invests in the unique community in; Economic Development, Beautification and Marketing and Promotion while simultaneously honouring the rich history and diversity of the Hamilton Road area.
Buckle Up is sponsored by Hamilton Road BIA
www.hamroad.com
Supporting independent local journalism in our community
If you’ve been following what we’ve been up to here at The Loon you’ll know that we are bringing together London voices to deliver fresh content each weekday. Through podcasts, articles, video features, and in-depth analysis, we cover the civic decisions, local issues, arts and culture, and community stories that matter most.
Thank you to the over 65 individuals who have already taken out a paid subscription to support this work. If that’s not you just yet, You can help too. A subscription to The Loon gives you more than news - it gives you the insight to understand your city better while helping sustain independent local journalism for the future. If you’re not in a position to take out a paid subscription , that’s okay too, we’re glad you’re here with us. And, everyone - you can help by following and sharing The Loon, far and wide - with your family, neighbours, colleagues and friends.
The Loon (London Ontario Online News) lineup
New content every day:
We’ve teamed up to send you a new feature every weekday:
Monday - Buckle Up - podcast with Matt Brown - SPONSORED BY HAMILTON ROAD BIA
Tuesday - Ward Tours with Cedric Richards - SPONSORED BY LONDON BICYCLE CAFÉ
Wednesday - City Hall Notes by Mike Donachie - SPONSORED BY SPERO LAW
Thursday - the Forest City Arts and Culture Roundup by Diana Tamblyn - SPONSORED BY DOWNTOWN LONDON
Friday - Reflecting, with Steve Cordes - SPONSORED BY OLD EAST VILLAGE BIA
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.