Hello, everyone, and here’s a late submission this Wednesday from The Loon. We’ve just experienced the final London City Council meeting of the term, so I delayed my usual column from noon until now to follow along. And, in the end, it was much the same as all the other meetings in our Council Chamber: more soporific than terrific, but still important. So, off we go.
Here’s where you get an update on today’s events, plus a whole bunch of things I gathered earlier. Scroll down for:
An update from the Full Council meeting, with all 15 members of council present
Josh Morgan pledging more work to tackle homelessness
More and more debates to help you choose, oh wow
And a quick look at the ward races
This, of course, is City Hall Notes, freshly delivered like this morning’s mackerel by London Ontario Online News, the local media start-up that empowers citizens with a voice and shares useful information during challenging times. We’re all tired because it’s the fall of an election year but we endure, and we continue to pay attention, because this matters.
It’s Election Day a week from Monday and we’re watching closely.
Let’s tell the tale of 100 Stanley Street.
Council votes for demolition
The biggest story of this last meeting of the term was clearly the future of the heritage home at 100 Stanley Street. Council voted 12-3 this afternoon to approve demolition of the heritage house, backing the planning committee’s recommendation but not the advice of City staff. Councillors Anna Hopkins, Sam Trosow and David Ferreira voted against and spoke in favour of saving the property.
It’s known as “Nan’s house” after long-time owner Nan Finlayson, who was in the public gallery for today’s decision. It’s a Queen Anne-style home dating to 1893 and, for now, stands at the southeast corner of Stanley Street and Wharncliffe Road South. Council voted to expropriate it in 2020, with Finlayson compensated and moving to a home nearby, to make way for widening Wharncliffe and replacing the CN railway bridge.
Demolition has long been on the cards, but was called into question at the Planning and Environment Committee on September 29, when a staff report suggested it could be saved. However, after discussion at Planning, members voted 4-0 for demolition, against a staff recommendation.
Today’s vote seems to end years of debate over the house’s future.
More from the council meeting
The meeting opened in a solemn way, marking the passing of former councillor Gord Hume and former MP and MPP Irene Mathyssen, with colleagues paying tribute.
As the group worked through its business, Committee chairs presenting to council could perhaps be forgiven some sentimentality. There was a bit of a tone as they thanked colleagues for what could be the last time. We’ll find out on the 26th who’s coming back and, with all respect to all present, however strong their comeback campaigns, everyone in politics knows how it goes and there was definitely something unusual in the air.
The other most significant news story of the day related to $350,000 of funding allocated under the snappily-titled Housing Stability Services Procurement and Delivery Framework of Services and Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampments Initiative - wow, just say UHEI. Council agreed to a package of funding for homelessness services, as we’ve discussed here previously, including $100,000 for 519Pursuit’s street outreach and help connecting people with services, $65,000 for London Cares’ Community Safety and Neighbourhood Engagement Team, and $130,000 for Ark Aid Street Mission to stabilize its drop-in services. Councillor Susan Stevenson voted against.
Mayor Morgan closed the meeting with words of recognition for Councillors Jerry Pribil and Steve Hillier, who are not seeking re-election. (Pribil served one term as a councillor and Hillier served two). Each gave a short, emotional speech, to applause in the room. (The mayor did not object to the applause or demand ‘jazz hands’ instead.)
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Here we go with more news stories and good-to-knows from local government. (You’d have had this by noon if it wasn’t for the council meeting.)
Election 2026
Josh Morgan fights back
Homelessness issues continue to provide a battleground in this election, particularly last week, when Susan Stevenson tackled the issue (and I wrote about it here). Incumbent mayor Josh Morgan came out fighting at a press conference on Tuesday, outlining some policies and pledges.
Morgan’s homelessness platform promises 200 additional supportive housing spaces and lobbying Ontario to expand London’s micromodular shelter, addiction treatment capacity and provincial recovery hub, and double Ontario Works payments.
He also argued that London should maintain its current approach while seeking provincial support, noting that shelter funding will expire by April 1. Challengers Kirsten Krose and Susan Stevenson question his reliance on provincial lobbying, calling for more municipal action, clearer costs and partnerships, and attention to existing funding and treatment gaps.
You can find some reporting from the Free Press here and CTV here.
Election issues and debates
We all consider political issues through our own lenses, and there’s a good example of that this week, in religious issues. London’s faith groups want to hear from candidates: LINK
And we’ve had a few debates, so what are a few more? Mayoral candidates are debating each other all over the place these days, in one form or another, and here are some examples:
CBC London Morning debate: Morgan and Stevenson clash on property taxes. LINK
Macdonald Cartier Club debate: all 12 mayoral candidates came together at the Ramada on Exeter Road. LINK (LFP reporting)
CTV News debate: Morgan, Stevenson and Krose in “tense” exchanges. LINK
Kate Dubinski and Kendra Seguin of CBC London put together this fun look at six mayoral candidates, asking them questions like “Where do you buy groceries?”
Here’s the Down Ballot Debate - held at the London Club on September 30, and organized by mayoral candidate John Feher, this event included more of the 12 mayoral candidates, and featured a few other faces from the current election. Here’s the embed:
You can head to Matt Brown’s post on Monday for the Rogers tv debate (and links to recordings of all the ward candidates meetings run by the Urban League of London).
It’s easy to find out about your candidates and make a good choice. Please show leadership and be well-informed. I hope we’re helping at The Loon.
Ward races
As well as the one for the mayor, 14 seats on council remain up for grabs, and I’m sure you’re familiar with issues in your ward. And, here are two of CBC London’s recent ward profiles, which have all been excellent.
In Ward 2, Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis is seeking re-election. Three of the four candidates for that seat took part in this piece.
In Ward 6, they’re talking transit in this story as Sam Trosow runs again, facing three challengers.
That’s all for now
Thanks so much to everyone following and supporting The Loon, and I hope it has helped you find your way through local government issues in 2026. I appreciate everyone who has provided encouragement!
I’ll keep watching all the way to Election Day and, like everyone else, I can’t wait to see what happens. It’s been quite a ride.
Back soon
- Mike
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