October 26, 2026
Good morning, London. I’m Matt Brown and this is Buckle Up, sponsored by the Hamilton Road BIA.
It’s Monday, October 26, and this is your weekly update about all things London - it’s brought to you by London Ontario Online News, that’s The Loon for short.
Listen to this week’s episode:
Steve Cordes is back to co-host again this week. Of course you know Steve as one of the 5 co-owners here at The Loon as well as the producer and host of Steve’s Reflections, the video blog that runs every Friday.
Like I said off the top, it’s Monday, October 26 and you know what that means - it’s vote day.
Steve’s here with us now to share some insight and some reflection on London’s 2026 Municipal Election. So let’s go.
On this episode, Steve and I discuss:
Voter turnout
The themes that have emerged over the course of the past 5 months
The trouble with taxes and the record 4-year incread (approx. 25%)
The London Chamber of Commerce is looking for return on investment
Change is in the air - even the incumbents are promising change
A big thank you to humble leader Joe Preston, Mayor of St. Thomas, for his service
Ward races to watch
And more…
As results come in, you can join Steve and me live on Rogers tv. Programming starts at 8p.m.
The polls close at 8p.m. The Loon’s Steve Cordes is joining political insiders Adam Thompson and Steve Peters on a panel that I am hosting over on Rogers tv.
We’re live at 8p.m., analyzing the results as they come in and we hope you can join us.
Sponsor Highlight: Hamilton Road BIA
Thanks, as always, to our show sponsor, Hamilton Road BIA. Through advocacy, investment, beautification and promotion, the BIA works to strengthen the Hamilton Road community while celebrating the rich history and diversity that make the area unique.
Buckle Up is Sponsored by Hamilton Road BIA
www.hamroad.com
Supporting independent local journalism in our community
Construction:
Friday, October 16, 2026: Wellington Gateway Project Update | Wellington Road (between Wellington Crescent and Thomas Janes Drive) (london.ca): A new temporary diversion road is open on Wellington Road between Wellington Crescent and Thomas Janes Drive to keep traffic moving while crews tackle major underground infrastructure replacements beneath Wellington Road as part of the rapid transit project.
Monday, October 19, 2026: York Street Reopens | York Street (between Wellington St. and Colborne St.) (london.ca): York Street between Wellington and Colborne has reopened to traffic as the underground utility renewal project nears completion, bringing upgraded water, stormwater, and sewer capacity to downtown.
Friday, October 23, 2026: MTO Highway 401 Interchange Improvements & Overnight Closures | Highway 401 at Colonel Talbot Road (london.ca): The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is continuing interchange improvement work at Colonel Talbot Road, requiring overnight closures and detour routes for bridge and road work.
Festivals, Theatre & Community
All Week (Oct. 26 to 31): Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors | Grand Theatre (471 Richmond St.)
Nightly through Oct. 31: Pumpkins After Dark | Storybook Gardens (1958 Storybook Ln.)
Opens Thursday, Oct. 29 (runs through Nov. 8): The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical | Palace Theatre (710 Dundas St. E)
Film & Cinema
All Week (Oct. 26 to 31): Specialized Halloween & Horror Screenings | The Hyland Cinema (140 Wharncliffe Rd. S)
Special note: The 10th annual Forest City Film Festival is officially in the rearview mirror after its biggest and best run yet. Huge congratulations and much appreciation to the organizers, filmmakers, and volunteers.
Music & Concerts
Tuesday, Oct. 27: Waylon Wyatt: Dustpiles World Tour (with Noah James) | London Music Hall (185 Queens Ave.)
Thursday, Oct. 29: Loreena McKennitt: The Mask and Mirror | Centennial Hall (550 Wellington St.)
Friday, Oct. 30:
Owen Riegling: In The Feeling Tour (with Dalton Davis) | Centennial Hall (550 Wellington St.)
Hot Mulligan: North American Fall Tour | London Music Hall (185 Queens Ave.)
Sports
All Week (Oct. 26 to 31): Western Mustangs Fall Athletics (Varsity training & conference matchups) | Western University Campus (1131 Western Rd.)
Thursday, Oct. 29 (7:00 PM): London Knights at North Bay Battalion | North Bay Memorial Gardens (Away)
Friday, Oct. 30 (7:05 PM): London Knights at Sudbury Wolves | Sudbury Arena (Away)
Last chance to see what the candidates have to say:
The Rogers tv Mayoral Debate
Christine Taleski, Rogers tv: London: Mayoral Debate - The Local Campaign
The Urban League’s 14 All Candidate Meetings Now Available for Viewing
You can learn more about these meetings here.
Rogers Television has been broadcasting each of these meetings regularly over the course of the election. The Loon was thrilled to partner with the Urban League this year.
We wrote many of the questions asked at these meetings and helped promote the events, too. For a grassroots, not-for-profit, volunteer-led organization, the Urban League of London has really gone above and beyond with this initiative.
All 14 Ward All-Candidate Meetings are available on the Rogers tv YouTube channel.
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 - City 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 BIAAlso 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.
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 everyone who has 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.
