September 7, 2026
Good morning, London. I’m Matt Brown and this is a holiday special edition of Buckle Up, Sponsored by Hamilton Road BIA. It’s your weekly update about all things London brought to you by London Ontario Online News, that’s The Loon for short.
Back in June, incumbent Hadleigh McAlister and challenger Roger Caranci joined the podcast to tell us all about why each of them thinks they should be the candidate elected to serve as the Ward 1 city councillor for the 2026 - 2030 term.
You can listen here:
This is a holiday encore edition of an episode that was originally published as an episode on The Matt Brown Podcast. Which, as you might know, is being added to The Loon line up as a regular feature. You can watch for a new episode to drop (at a minimum of) every other Saturday beginning in late September.
At the time of this recording, there were 5 candidates running for mayor and 33 candidates running for one ward seat or another. These days, momentum seems to be building in many of the ward races, and for the city wide race too.
Today, 12 candidates are running for mayor and there are over 100 individuals running for one council or trustee seat or another. Some believe this could translate into greater interest and possibly higher voter turnout.
To find out for sure, we’ll just have to stay tuned.
Thanks for listening.
ADVERTISEMENT
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
The Loon (London Ontario Online News) lineup
New content every day:
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
New episodes of The Matt Brown Podcast will drop, at a minimum of, every other Saturday. SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE.
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.
London Ontario Online News (The Loon) is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and to support our work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber and share this post far and wide.
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 70 individuals who have already taken out a paid subscription to support this work. 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.
