Downtown London BIA Q & A

Office Vacancy & Downtown Economic Health

Downtown London BIA Position: Our BIA believes that reducing office vacancy and increasing downtown employment is critical to the long-term economic health of downtown.

Q - What specific actions will you take to attract employers, support office-to-residential conversions where appropriate, and increase daily activity in the downtown?*

A- My goal is to bring more business to London. Many years ago we were the sector leaders for insurance, banking, oil and gas, manufacturing, and intermediaries. It’s time we reprise that role of being sector leaders, whether that is in graphic design and game development, technology, health care, or environmental technologies. I plan to set out to find new and upcoming businesses and bring them to London. By working with landlords I hope to be able to create a program that supports new businesses and ends our downtown vacancies.  

To address empty properties, I will work with developers to either convert their properties into housing, or to offices that they are renting. To do that I will use the available tools, as well as out of the box ideas that go beyond grants but include looking at the city as being an investor, creating an asbestos abatement team, evaluating zoning, and if necessary punitive measures like vacancy tax.

To draw more people to downtown we have to make people feel safe. It needs to be clean and beautiful. We need to give people a reason. I am a big supporter of the Arts and Culture, and we need to continue to create events, and venues that draw people to downtown and our city. 

Cleanliness & Sustainable Funding for Downtown Services

Downtown London BIA Position: Our BIA believes that a clean, well-maintained downtown requires sustained municipal investment and coordination with BIA-led services.

Q - Will you support ongoing or increased municipal funding for enhanced cleaning, maintenance, and public realm services in the downtown?

A - Yes, I will support ongoing funding for enhanced cleaning, maintenance of public realm services and increased funding if appropriate. 

Mental Health, Addiction & Homelessness

Downtown London BIA Position: Our BIA believes that addressing mental health, addiction, and homelessness requires coordinated, compassionate responses that also ensure a safe and welcoming downtown.

Q - How will you balance investment in social supports with ensuring safety, accessibility, and economic stability in the downtown?

A - To address those dealing with homelessness and mental health, I want to re-evaluate our current social services and look at what is being offered and where the gaps  and inefficiencies are. Ideally we need to have an emergency response center, a long-term housing option that allows individuals to live with dignity in the life style the choose, and a rehabilitation style shelter where they are helped to reintegrate into society with job skills, life and financial skills, as well as mental health and addiction recovery services. 

Addressing the unhoused in our community is not the only matter, we need to address the distribution of illegal substances on our streets and need to have better presence of, and more local police. While special constables are an idea, they lack the authority required to address the issues. Emanating a strong no tolerance of illegal activity in the downtown and our city, makes businesses feel that downtown is a safe place for their business and their employees. Additionally , we need better bus routes and dedicated special buses to community located ‘park and ride’ locations to increase accessibility to downtown for both those who work, or are coming to enjoy concerts and events. Furthermore, more parking downtown that is low cost. London is not Toronto, and should not be charging $20 or $30 to park downtown for events or even the day. There needs to be a recognition that downtown is competing with the malls and shopping centers that are only 10 minutes away and have free parking.  

Parking & Downtown Accessibility

Downtown London BIA Position: Our BIA believes that accessible, convenient, and well-managed parking is essential to supporting downtown businesses and visitor activity.

Q - What is your approach to parking in the downtown, and will you support policies that improve access, affordability, and reinvestment into the district?*

A - Yes, I will support policies and reinvestment into the downtown. We need more parking garages instead of parking lots, and to work with landowners to create deals for the lots to be used by employees and tenants at low fees. Furthermore, there needs to be a recognition that downtown is competing with the malls and shopping centers that are only 10 minutes away and have free parking. London is not Toronto, and should not be charging $20 or $30 to park downtown for events, or the day. 

Supervised Dispensing & Downtown Impacts

Downtown London BIA Position: Our BIA believes that provincial policies related to supervised consumption, safe supply, and pharmaceutical dispensing have direct impacts on public spaces, business environments, and perceptions of safety in the downtown. We also believe that services with significant street-level impacts should not be concentrated within BIA commercial corridors.

Q - If elected, how would you advocate to the Province and work with local health partners to ensure that programs related to medication dispensing and substance use are delivered in a way that supports both client care and safe, well-managed public spaces in the downtown, including appropriate consideration of location?

A - I am opposed to safe supply sites and feel that they do not help, but rather promote the continued use of illegal substances. If we are to maintain a program I would mandate that users may not leave the site until they are no longer intoxicated and that the province and dispensing health providers are responsible for the cost of all distribution, supervision and street response units to deal with those who are intoxicated. I would mandate that they must host multiple narcotics anonymous meetings daily in a separate space near the facility to provide higher level council support. I would locate the site in an isolated remote location away from the downtown and residential areas. 

Working in Partnership

Downtown London BIA Position: Our BIA believes that strong collaboration between the municipality and BIAs is essential to a successful downtown.

Q - If elected, how will you work with the Downtown London BIA as a partner in economic development, placemaking, and policy decisions that impact downtown?

A - I would maintain open dialogue and invite the BIA to participate with input in planning and policies which have a direct impact on the downtown. I would weigh the BIA’s input as well as that of the general public and the city as a whole and move forward with the best decision for the city

Downtown Plan Implementation & Investment

Downtown London BIA Position: Our BIA believes that the City of London’s Downtown Plan provides an important roadmap for strengthening the downtown and that its success will depend on sustained implementation, accountability, and appropriate municipal funding to advance its actions.

Q - If elected, will you support moving forward with the actions identified in the Downtown Plan, including allocating the funding and resources necessary for their implementation?

A - I believe that I can support the downtown plan both through resource allocation and funding.  The downtown is the heart of a city and it needs to be repaired and brought back.