Welcome to London Ontario Online News, everyone, and please accept our sincere thanks for the merest click to support this local media company. We’re now four months into The Loon’s first flight and ever so grateful to everyone who’s supporting us. Our subscribers are amazing, and everyone says “what a lovely person” after they leave the room. That’s what I heard, anyway.
This is your weekly local news ROUNDUP, designed to keep you ready to chat about what’s happening in Canada’s London. And, as a London Leader, this equips you to make good decisions for us all. It’s a simple idea and somehow it’s still free. Hi.
And this is London, Ontario, where the rain was welcome last night, just not quite THAT much rain, thanks very much to the weather gods. Now my roses have had a drink I can turn my mind to other things, knowing that, here in this vibrant, opinionated city, it can be hard to keep up. But don’t worry - we’ve got you.
Read The Loon, right?
Yep, and let’s go.
Soundtrack of the week
Every week we have some sounds in our ears as we read, at least until we click on anything. This week, with much tension building as we select new political representatives, let’s keep it smooth and level with a slow-building song by Australia’s INXS.
At some point soon we’ll do a reader survey and we’d love feedback on features like this. Do they add anything? We’re adapting and will stay nimble.
You know we’re going straight to the main event, of course.
Let’s get political.
Election 2026
With advance polls now open and just three (argh - quick edit - error fixed) weeks left until we know the outcome, our municipal election is perhaps running a little hotter, especially when it comes to mayoral challenger Susan Stevenson. Take this, for example:
Mayor Josh Morgan blasts Susan Stevenson for campaign announcement on Truth and Reconciliation Day
And there are questions about Stevenson’s use of a City location for that same announcement. Here’s CBC on that.
A quick summary:
Mayoral candidate Susan Stevenson’s campaign announcement outside London city hall prompted questions about compliance with city policy prohibiting campaign events and materials on municipal property.
Stevenson said she did not believe she broke the rules, while rivals Josh Morgan, Kirsten Krose and Tariq Khan said the restrictions were clear. Candidate Mustafa Zeboon, who has filmed campaign videos at City Hall, said he was unaware of the policy.
Stevenson’s announcement was about financial disclosure. She promised quarterly spending reviews, an independent auditor general, a fraud and waste hotline, and a review of senior administration costs.
Well then.
Is this a turning point in the campaign? Could be. This could be the point when Morgan gets tougher and challenges his rivals more forcefully. We shall see.
Stevenson has been popping up a lot, including later today with The Loon’s own Steve Cordes as he continues his series talking with mayoral candidates. Look out for that this afternoon.
More? I suppose we’d better.
The busy busy busy election continues. Here are a few more bits that might help you make good decisions.
All-candidates mayoral debates
The mayoral contest is increasingly being portrayed as a two-horse race, so let’s share this LFP report of a debate from Hyde Park featuring them all. Remember you can also enjoy the Rogers tv mayoral debate, supported by The Loon.
From Ward 7
And here’s the all candidates meeting in Ward 7, covered by the Free Press. From that story, by Jack Moulton:
Describing himself as “one of the best journalists in Canada,” (Jonathan) Sher took credit for persuading city council to build the Adelaide Street underpass and for exposing wasteful city hall spending in his time as a reporter for The London Free Press.
There’s a photo on Mr. Sher’s Instagram that shows the crowded field.
Climate questionnaire
Candidates have been completing questionnaires at an incredible rate, and I freely admit I’ve lost count. Maybe I’ll round them all up sometime, but I don’t see how any voter could read them all. Better to focus in areas where you have questions or a particular interest, I’d suggest. Here’s one that affects us all, though: the Climate Action London questionnaire.
There’s a lot of clicking around. They have sections for the various wards and it’s unclear who has responded where, but it will provide insight if you can find your candidate(s).
The questions are about improving transit, meeting affordable housing targets, restoring climate funding, increasing walking, cycling and transit use, enforcing building height and density limits, creating a lobbyist registry and temporarily halting AI data centre development.
Let’s leave the election aside and take a look at some wider issues.
Six bucks on your hydro bill
London Hydro is asking for a rate hike, and you can read more here.
Higher speed limits on highways
Ontario’s highways keep getting faster. Here’s a CTV story.
Final wave of Ontario highway speed limit increases takes effect today. Here’s what you need to know
None of the latest changes seem to be near London but some of those that took effect at the end of August - notably the 401 - are part of the wider program and here is the full list on the Province’s website.
Manufacturing
And the London Economic Development Corporation hosted a conference for manufacturers to discuss the issues they’re facing, notably tariffs. Here’s a video report from Rogers tv’s local community news service.
From The Loon
We’ve had a heck of a week, including Diana Tamblyn’s remarkable piece about Lara St. John yesterday and Cedric Richards’ popular statement about cycling on Tuesday. Later today, Steve Cordes will be back with his Susan Stevenson interview, and Matt Brown is cooking up lots more for Monday’s Buckle Up podcast, taking a close look at Stevenson’s statements.
New content every day - thanks for following The Loon!
Downtown housing
Mayor Josh Morgan was there at the launch of a downtown housing project involving the Bud Gowan Building, part of the City’s efforts to put empty buildings to better use.
Here’s Rogers tv with some video about it.
Addictions recovery funding
Mission Services of London is receiving $1.1 million to expand aftercare for men completing addiction treatment at Quintin Warner House, including $500,000 from the RBJ Schlegel Family Foundation and $600,000 from an anonymous donor.
The funding will support housing, counselling and job skills as graduates transition to independent living, restoring transitional housing capacity to 17 beds. The program has been renamed the Wilfred Schlegel Aftercare Program to honour one of the organization’s founders.
From CTV: Mission Services of London receives $1.1M for addiction recovery aftercare
Two dead in separate incidents
It’s been a violent week, with two deaths reported in shocking incidents. That’s a shooting and a stabbing - allegedly, in both cases with charges now laid.
Victim identified, charges laid in downtown London murder
Second-degree murder charge laid after London stabbing victim dies
Education
A CTV story to concern us all: London faces ‘unprecedented job cuts’ as teacher’s union considers strike: OSSTF president
And the “new” school board CEOs are mostly the same people as before. Good reporting from Queen’s Park from the Postmedia people there. LFP link.
The Lightning Round
Stories to check in on, if you like.
IKEA is open and, according to this, they do indeed have the meatballs.
London’s getting a rocket engine testing facility. TO INFINITY AND BEYOND
Happy Friday
I think that’s more than enough to fill our minds for now. Remember it’s for skimming and there is no quiz. Follow along with most of it, most of the time, and you’ll be OK. We’ve got you.
That’s our ROUNDUP for the week. Do you like it? Please react if you can - click a link, share a post, or tell us a thought you might have about it. We really have been making this up as we go along. And, it’s a viable local business. Keep watching us grow.
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Thanks again!
The Loon (London Ontario Online News) lineup
Local independent journalism bringing you new content every day.
Find our editorial standards and policies here.
Meet the Londoners who team up to send you a new feature every weekday:
Monday - Buckle Up - podcast with Matt Brown
SPONSORED BY HAMILTON ROAD BIATuesday - Ward Tours with Cedric Richards
SPONSORED BY LONDON BICYCLE CAFÉWednesday - City Hall Notes by Mike Donachie
SPONSORED BY SPERO LAWThursday - the Forest City Arts and Culture Roundup by Diana Tamblyn
SPONSORED BY DOWNTOWN LONDONFriday - Reflections with Steve Cordes
SPONSORED BY OLD EAST VILLAGE BIA
Also on Fridays: the local news ROUNDUP.
Every other Saturday: The Matt Brown Podcast. It’s the show about all things local, and maybe some other stuff too. SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE.