July 20, 2026
Good morning, London. I’m Matt Brown and this is Buckle Up. Your weekly update about all things London brought to you by London Ontario Online News, That’s The Loon for short.
Listen to this week’s Episode:
Hello, London. If you’ve listened before, you know that every Monday morning, I cohost this program with a member from our team, or a special guest, to give you the information you need to prepare for the week ahead.
On this podcast episode, Steve Cordes and I discuss:
The mayor of London is asking his colleagues to explore a 2 year pilot project that would see The City of London, not London Police Service, hire and supervise 11 Special Constables at the cost of $2 million per year. A council committee recommends that staff report back on this idea in early 2027.
City Staff are recommending against a planning application that, if approved, would bring a large amount of office space to Westmount Mall, potentially counter to the plans council has for London’s downtown. A council committee wants to hold off on any decision until council can here from Carfax Canada directly.
Norm Debono wrote about this in the London Free Press.
Daryl Newcombe from CTV London covered the committee debate here.
Jack Moulton from the London Free Press covered the debate here.
Wild fires raging in Northern Ontario and Quebec and how they have real life consequences for all of us, not just from an environmental perspective, but from a social and economic perspective as well.
As a Special Edition for The Loon, was posted last Thursday. Specifically, an interview that Dr. Carol Dyck participated in for another project of mine over on The Matt Brown Podcast back in August of 2025. What Dr. Dyck has to say might be even more relevant today than it was 11 months ago. You can get it here.
Sponsor Highlight: Hamilton Road BIA
We’re very excited to announce that this week we welcome The Hamilton Road BIA as a new supporter of The Loon.
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
Buckle Up is sponsored by Hamilton Road BIA
www.hamroad.com
Supporting independent local journalism in our community
Let’s celebrate a milestone for The Loon - a complete lineup of 5 show sponsors! One for every day of the week.
These sponsors are supporting The Loon because they recognize that, as local news becomes harder and harder to find, staying informed about the issues that affect our community has never been more important. We are grateful for their support. It is allowing us to build the foundations we need to build to make the work that we do sustainable.
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 60 individuals who have 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.
The Loon (London Ontario Online News) lineup
New content every day:
We’ve teamed up to send you a new feature every weekday:
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
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.