It’s that Full Council time again, and here’s your edible, consumable update1 made of bite-sized pieces. This is London, Ontario, where life is lovely if you’re in no hurry to turn left and you remembered to pick up coffee before you merged. And, as the divine Oscar2 said, we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars3.
Thanks for reading London City Hall Notes, where we elevate our community by paying attention to what is occurring4 at 300 Dufferin Street and related locations. It’s local, independent and somehow still free, at least for now. And it’s public interest journalism that treats you as intelligent leaders, offering briefings without sensationalism.
This week, we had a Full Council meeting. That’s the key part in the municipal cycle because it’s the magical gate through which ideas must pass to transform into local bylaws5. On Tuesday, a few made it. Here’s where I work through the reporting so far, and add some bits to bring you up-to-date.
That’s why it’s the COUNCIL CATCHUP. It’s an exercise in milestoning.
Let’s go!
Mayor ‘miffed’ with $11.5M boiler costs
I think this is the best work so far this week from our City Hall Reporting Squad6, mainly because of the use of the word “miffed”, which I have immediately stolen. It’s Daryl Newcombe at CTV London, of course, reporting Mayor Josh Morgan’s unhappiness with heating company Enwave7.
The mayor says Enwave should be picking up the tab to install boilers and boiler rooms at the museum, library, City Hall and Centennial Hall8. The heating company, which owns London District Energy, is shutting down a steam pipe, which means that $11.5 million cost for four city buildings.
Drug kits: council votes 13-2 against ban
Here’s an interesting one. Councillor Susan Stevenson failed to find support at committee for motions limiting support for drug users. This is about city-funded agencies, although the City doesn’t fund that aspect of their work, or have any say over it because it’s based on health standards set at Ontario level. It wasn’t clear how a ban could work, but Stevenson wants to see this activity limited, it’s fair to say, and tried to do that in a new way with a motion at Full Council.
She was seconded by Councillor Steve Hillier, but nobody else supported it. We heard impassioned speeches from a few, notably Councillor David Ferreira, who can really get going when he wants to. He should do that more.
Here’s the reporting:
Jonathan Juha, London Free Press
Daryl Newcombe, CTV London
Breakfast, lunch and dinner of champions
Never forget your nutrition breaks, folks.
New life in controversial Cheapside development
As mentioned, this one is in my part of town, so I’ll take care, as usual, and just point you at the reporting here.
The basics: it’s a six-storey apartment building that was refused at the Planning and Environment Committee, largely because it was obvious new residents’ cars would quickly fill local streets. Many in the neighbourhood showed up or wrote in to object, and this one looked dead and done. However, on Tuesday Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis proposed another chance for developers by referring it back to City Staff for revisions - fewer residents and more parking.
And the other Various Things
Let’s go quickly.
Short-term rentals (Airbnbs)
There was much discussion on this, led by Councillors Skylar Franke, Jerry Pribil and Shawn Lewis, with a letter (attached to Item 6.2 here) outlining a good approach to letting families share rooms in Airbnbs. I’ll look out for more on this - it seems to be a workable set-up to support local small businesses and guard against abuse of the system for party houses and the like. That’s what a local council is for - nice one.
Others - mopping up
Mayor’s housing incentive: Back with staff for revisions, as expected.
Micro-modular shelters: Went through as expected.
Background on both of those here.
Various reports on various things: rats and such; the anti-harassment policy (relevant to this, Stevenson had more comments on her own treatment); more, in there somewhere.
Nobody else is reporting on it yet, but the City will extend the terms of its ABC members, as I reported here. The City Clerk’s Office has already written to ABCs about this, moving faster than the local media, amusingly. Or perhaps it’s not a story? Let me know.
Did I miss anything? Me eyes are knackered. Tap me on the shoulder if you need to9.
Quick additional: new transit provider
Another important update from a municipal services meeting this week. It’s not council (and so far I’m focused on council and its standing committees) but it is a key ABC: the London Transit Commission. This body, made up of councillors now because reasons reasons reasons10, met on Monday and agreed a new provider for its specialized service.
As Bryan Bicknell reports for CTV London here, TOK Transit will replace Voyago. That story quotes Councillors Sam Trosow and Skylar Franke, as well as top lad and disability campaigner Jeff Preston. It’s a great report and worth a look. We’ll see TOK Transit around, I’m sure.
Oh goodness me, enough
Thanks for following along! I’m still super-busy and consistently two drinks away from the workhouse but somehow we endure. Back with more soon - look out for your ROUNDUP this Friday!
- Mike
Not edible. Do not eat.
Still earnest at the Grand.
If anybody turns that idea into a children’s book I want half the money.
Send me name ideas.
It’s probably not relevant even to mention that time the sidewalk exploded, but it’s still one hell of a great local story.
Who on earth wants to put a single dollar into Centennial Hall now? Everybody seems to hate the place.
Not in real life, obviously.
Some of them sub-judice so I’m saying nowt.