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Meinen would use half the vacant-registry revenue to buy distressed downtown buildings for non-profit housing (Toronto MURA model).

• Half the registry revenue funds buying distressed downtown buildings for non-profit housing
• Modelled on Toronto's MURA model
• Owners converting empty offices to housing pay nothing while they build

Confidence:High

Sharifu: wider housing range — affordable, townhomes, apartments, additional units — using existing land and underused properties.

• Wider range of housing options: affordable housing, townhomes, apartments, additional residential units
• Better use of existing land and underused properties
• New neighbourhoods need transportation, roads, cycling, parks, schools, jobs from the beginning

Confidence:High

Gutierrez would maintain and refine Community Improvement Plan incentives for office-to-residential conversions and fast-track approvals.

• Maintain and refine Community Improvement Plan incentives for office-to-residential
• Also cover Class B/C modernization
• Fast-tracking approvals

Confidence:High

Sher: the development-charge freeze pits housing against services — advocate for both, especially in Ward 7.

• Provincial freeze on development charges pits housing goals against services
• Lower charges make it harder to afford libraries, community centres, better transit
• Advocate for measures promoting both housing and the services new residents need, especially in Ward 7

Confidence:High

Backs more housing forms — duplexes to mid-rise — near transit and jobs, plus more affordable and non-profit housing.

• Asked how to increase housing supply and affordability, Ahsan said allow more housing forms — duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, mid-rise apartments — especially near transit, jobs and existing services, without unnecessary planning delays.
• Wants more affordable and non-profit housing via city land, incentives and partnerships, plus transit, parks, schools and childcare delivered with new neighbourhoods.

Confidence:High

Hajar backs office-to-residential conversion where market conditions make sense, removing obsolete office inventory to add residents.

• Support office-to-residential conversion 'where the building and market conditions make sense'
• Older office buildings may have a stronger future as housing or mixed-use
• Removing obsolete office inventory reduces vacancy, adds residents, creates customers

Confidence:High

Kazzah would accelerate affordable and missing-middle housing approvals, allow more homes near transit, and use surplus city land.

• Accelerate approvals for affordable and missing-middle housing
• Reduce unnecessary delays and fees
• Allow more homes near transit and services; use surplus city land for affordable/supportive housing partnerships

Confidence:High

Says taxpayers can see what their bill bought: fix what we own first, cut consultant spending, ledger every major capital project.

• Asked how to prioritise infrastructure and pay for growth fairly, Meinen said Londoners aren't angry about the tax bill so much as when they can't see what it bought; he would fix what the city owns before buying new, stop paying consultants for what staff know, and ledger every major capital project.
• Exception to growth-pays-for-growth: waive development charges on non-profit supportive and deeply affordable housing.

Confidence:High

Opposes shifting growth-related infrastructure costs onto existing taxpayers; growth should pay its fair share via development charges.

• Asked how to pay for growth fairly, Sharifu said development charges should fund growth-related infrastructure and those costs should not be unfairly shifted onto existing taxpayers.
• Says growth should pay its fair share, existing infrastructure must be maintained, and taxpayers should get value for every dollar.

Confidence:High

Keeping property taxes low is a priority to keep Londoners' cost of living under control

• Asked whether keeping property taxes low is a priority; said yes, framing it around the cost of living for Londoners.

Confidence:High

Ahsan: give up lower-priority projects and politically attractive spending; vote against growth where infrastructure isn't funded.

• Give up lower-priority projects and politically attractive spending
• Vote against or delay growth where needed infrastructure is not properly funded
• Growth without planning leaves the bill with existing residents

Confidence:High

Wants infrastructure built and growth paying fairly, without unnecessary pressure on residential and commercial property taxes.

• Asked about infrastructure, growth and taxes, Hajar said the City should ensure those who benefit from growth contribute fairly to its cost.
• Says this should be done without placing unnecessary pressure on residential and commercial property taxes.

Confidence:High

Kazzah, a CPA, would scrutinize spending and demand measurable value from every tax dollar while protecting essential services.

• Scrutinize spending, reduce inefficiencies, demand measurable value from every tax dollar
• Protect essential services
• Prioritize public safety, road/infrastructure repairs, housing, core services when delaying costs more

Confidence:High

Would close LTC's 6,000-hour service gap for shift workers, finish BRT on schedule and add a northwest park and ride.

• Asked how to improve transit and connections, Meinen said close the LTC gap (24,000 service hours identified as priority, 18,000 funded), which hits shift workers hardest, finish BRT on schedule and add a northwest park and ride.
• Standard: frequency you can plan a job around, reliability you can plan a business around, with public reporting on service.

Confidence:High

Sharifu: better local transit to employment areas, including service for shift workers and people commuting outside traditional hours.

• Better local transit to major employment areas
• Service for shift workers and people commuting outside traditional hours
• Improve frequency, reliability, direct connections; integrate rapid transit with local routes

Confidence:High

Sher: support LTC booking service for underserviced areas; expand capacity and frequency; lobby for high-speed rail.

• Support LTC plans for a booking service for underserviced areas to determine demand
• Expand capacity and frequency; make transit the preferred choice for commuting
• Lobby the federal government not to exclude London and Southwestern Ontario from high-speed rail

Confidence:High

Would improve transit frequency and reliability to employment areas, hospitals, campuses and industrial zones, including shift hours.

• Asked about transit and connections, Ahsan said improve frequency and reliability to employment areas, hospitals, industrial zones, Western, Fanshawe and other major worker destinations, and make transit work for early, late and shift workers.
• Supports continuing rapid-transit improvements while also fixing the conventional bus network most Londoners use daily.

Confidence:High

Wants better transit to employment areas for shift workers, plus stronger intercity bus, rail and airport connections.

• Asked how he would improve transit, Hajar said he would prioritize improving transit to major employment areas, especially industrial and commercial areas hard to reach without a vehicle.
• Wants reliable, frequent bus connections to Toronto, Pearson, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton and Windsor, stronger passenger rail and frequent London airport connections to major Canadian cities.

Confidence:High

Would prioritize service hours and frequency on high-demand routes, employment-area connections and reliable transfers.

• Asked about transit and connections, Kazzah said prioritise service hours and frequency on high-demand routes, employment-area connections, reliable transfers, real-time information and transit priority where it produces measurable benefits.
• Wants public route-level performance data and a demand-based transit link to London International Airport plus a mobility hub with VIA and intercity buses.

Confidence:High

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

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Would hold Council accountable for Downtown Plan delivery with clear, regular public updates on progress, spending and results.

• Asked about Downtown Plan implementation accountability, Sharifu said Council must deliver 'action, not just another plan,' with clear, regular updates on what has been completed, what remains outstanding, how much has been spent and whether the plan is producing measurable results.
• Would require every major action to be reported with who is responsible and what taxpayers got for the money.

Confidence:High

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

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This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

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Would make Council accountable for Downtown Plan delivery: each major action gets a department, timeline, budget and public report.

• Asked about Downtown Plan accountability, Ahsan said Council must be accountable for implementation: each major action gets a responsible department, a timeline, a budget and a public progress report.
• Wants downtown to be busy, clean, safe and welcoming day and evening, with suitable vacant offices converted to housing.

Confidence:High

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

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This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

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Would publish a public project ranking — unlocks growth, safety obligation, existing demand — and make growth pay for growth.

• Asked how to prioritise infrastructure and pay for growth, Meinen said publish the project ranking against three questions: does it unlock approved growth, is it a safety or maintenance obligation, is it already carrying demand.
• Growth should pay for growth; wants realistic forecasts, the province to backfill its exemptions, and phased release of 1,476 new hectares tied to servicing.

Confidence:High

Would rank infrastructure by need, safety and condition, maintain existing assets first and make growth pay its fair share.

• Asked how to prioritise infrastructure and pay for growth, Sharifu said rank by need, safety, economic impact, population growth and asset condition — and repair what London already owns before taking on projects it cannot afford to maintain.
• Supports growth paying its fair share through development charges, with costs not shifted onto existing taxpayers.

Confidence:High

Says provincial development-charge cuts threaten infrastructure revenue, risking slower projects or big tax hikes.

• Asked how to prioritise infrastructure and pay for growth, Sher said the provincial intervention in development-charge legislation will reduce reserve revenue that pays for growth-related infrastructure, risking slower new infrastructure or much higher property taxes.
• Otherwise endorses the Development Charges Study and Growth Management Implementation Strategy process, which he says has worked well for many years.

Confidence:High

Ahsan: stop approving growth then catching up on infrastructure — transit, sidewalks, roads, parks planned and delivered alongside homes.

• Stop approving growth then catching up with infrastructure afterward
• In 2030 residents should point to working transit, sidewalks, roads, parks delivered alongside homes
• Better sequencing: clear public plans for roads, transit and services with funding and timelines

Confidence:High

Says growth should pay for as much of growth as possible by maximizing development charges and controlling costs.

• Asked how London should pay for growth, Hajar said growth should pay for as much of growth as reasonably possible by maximizing development charges and other growth-related revenues.
• Also wants to keep London competitive by controlling infrastructure costs.

Confidence:High

Kazzah: as Ward 7 grows, roads, transit and infrastructure must keep pace — safer streets, less congestion, reliable connections.

• Roads, transit and infrastructure must keep pace with Ward 7 growth
• Residents need safer streets and less congestion
• Reliable transportation options connecting them to work, school, essential services

Confidence:High

Meinen would bring a vacant-commercial-building bylaw with escalating fees so owners lease, sell, or redevelop empty floors.

• Vacant commercial building bylaw within first six months, modelled on St. Catharines and Oshawa
• Escalating annual fees so owners lease, sell, or redevelop instead of leaving floors empty
• Active-construction relief: owners converting empty offices to housing pay nothing while they build

Confidence:High

Sharifu: turn growth into economic opportunity for residents — obstacle is infrastructure and transportation keeping pace.

• Biggest opportunity: turn growth into economic opportunity for residents
• Biggest obstacle: infrastructure and transportation keeping pace with growth
• Better transit and regional connections; easier for small businesses and entrepreneurs to operate

Confidence:High

Gutierrez would enforce London Plan Policy 799_14 to keep large offices downtown and scale flexible/co-working space.

• Attract employers by enforcing London Plan Policy 799_14 to keep large office downtown
• Scale flexible/co-working space
• Improve employee experience through coordinated safety foot patrols, lighting, cleaning, wayfinding

Confidence:High

Sher: a Biohub incubator with hospitals, Western and Lawson — support start-ups, commercialize research, target training with Fanshawe.

• Biohub incubator leveraging hospitals, Western University, Lawson Research Institute
• Support start-ups by learning from entrepreneurs where London falls short
• Further partnership between Fanshawe, industry and LEDC to target training for new or growing business

Confidence:High

Would get the basics right for business: reliable infrastructure, serviced employment lands, reasonable taxes, faster approvals.

• Asked what the City should do to support business growth, Ahsan said get the basics right: reliable infrastructure, serviced employment lands, reasonable taxes, faster approvals and a business environment where projects can actually get moving.
• Wants Western and Fanshawe much more closely connected to local employers through co-ops, apprenticeships and applied research, plus help for underemployed newcomers.

Confidence:High

Wants London among Ontario's easiest places to start and grow a business, with a single point of contact at City Hall.

• Asked what Council should do to support business growth, Hajar said the City should concentrate on making London one of the easiest places in Ontario to start, operate and expand a business.
• Proposes predictable planning and a genuine single point of contact for businesses navigating City Hall, plus employer-driven pipelines linking education with local opportunities.

Confidence:High

Would implement London's 2026-2030 Economic Development Strategy with annual targets for retention, investment, jobs and permits.

• Asked what the City should do to support business growth and jobs, Kazzah said implement London's 2026-2030 Economic Development Strategy with annual targets for business retention, investment, jobs and permit timelines.
• Wants sector tables with employers and small businesses, one accountable point of contact, serviced employment lands, and work-integrated learning tied to local labour needs.

Confidence:High

Calls the 200-action climate plan a 'wish list' off pace for 55% target; would rank actions by cost per tonne and report publicly.

• Asked about the Climate Emergency Action Plan, Meinen called the 200-action plan a 'wish list' — emissions down 22% against a 55%-by-2030 target and 'nowhere near on pace' — and would rank actions by cost per tonne reduced and report publicly.
• Prioritises actions that cut emissions and save money: finishing BRT, closing the LTC service gap, City-building energy retrofits, stormwater capacity and tree canopy.

Confidence:High

Would prioritize climate actions that also improve affordability: transit, efficient buildings, resilient infrastructure.

• Asked about the Climate Emergency Action Plan, Sharifu said prioritize the parts of the plan that also improve affordability, resilience and economic competitiveness — particularly transportation, energy-efficient buildings, resilient infrastructure and natural infrastructure.
• Notes emissions were 22% below 2005 levels in 2024 but significant progress is still needed toward the 55% 2030 target; expanding reliable transit and cycling can cut emissions while lowering costs.

Confidence:High

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

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Would adapt to climate pressures: backflow prevention, disconnecting weeping tiles and continuing dyke work, including West London Dyke.

• Asked about the Climate Emergency Action Plan, Sher focused on adaptation: install backflow prevention, disconnect weeping tiles and other wastewater connections, and continue dyke work, particularly the West London Dyke.
• Would also partner with upper levels of government to slow the pace of climate change.

Confidence:High

Would target emissions cuts that also lower costs: energy efficiency, retrofits, transit, tree canopy, flood and heat protection.

• Asked about the Climate Emergency Action Plan, Ahsan said focus where emissions cuts also lower long-term costs and boost resilience: energy efficiency, building retrofits, transit, active transportation, tree canopy, local energy and heat/flood protection.
• Says climate action should be practical, measurable and connected to affordability and economic competitiveness.

Confidence:High

Wants the 200-action climate plan narrowed to initiatives with the largest practical emission cuts, prioritizing efficiency and resilience.

• Asked about the Climate Emergency Action Plan, Hajar said the next Council should be more disciplined, prioritizing initiatives that deliver the largest practical emission reductions while lowering costs and supporting growth.
• Names building and energy efficiency, transportation and climate resilience as first priorities, and says every initiative should be evaluated against clear measures.

Confidence:High

Kazzah opposes an AI data centre: heavy water/electricity demands, limited long-term jobs, and pressure on infrastructure and utility rates.

• Would not support an AI data center
• Significant demands on water and electricity
• Limited long-term employment benefits; potential pressure on infrastructure and utility rates

Confidence:High

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

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Sharifu: on homelessness focus on safe, supportive housing and better coordination across housing, mental-health and addiction services.

• Focus on getting people into safe, supportive housing
• Improve coordination between housing, mental-health, addiction and social services
• City leads on housing and local coordination; province and feds must provide health and housing funding

Confidence:High

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

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This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

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Says homelessness needs housing plus health services; city handles housing, province must fund mental health and addictions.

• Asked about the homelessness and public-safety crises, Ahsan said homelessness requires housing, shelter, outreach, mental-health and addiction services with better agency coordination; the city leads on housing while the province must do its part on health.
• Says police should focus on violence and crime, while the city handles lighting, parks, sanitation, by-laws and public-space design; 'we need both' compassion and public safety.

Confidence:High

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

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Backs Housing Stability Action Plan and Hubs, requiring measurable outcomes like housing placements and returns to homelessness.

• Asked about the homelessness and public-safety crises, Kazzah said support the Housing Stability Action Plan, effective Hubs and highly supportive housing, while requiring measures like housing placements, returns to homelessness and neighbourhood impacts.
• Police should focus on violence, weapons, trafficking and repeat property crime — not serve as the default mental-health system — with the province funding health, supportive housing and income supports.

Confidence:High

Hajar wants downtown easy to access by transit, walking, cycling and vehicle so people feel comfortable spending time there.

• Focus on consistent daily activity rather than occasional events
• Make downtown easy to access by transit, walking, cycling and vehicle
• Support ground-floor businesses and services people use regularly

Confidence:High

Treats music and creative industries as an economic export sector, not a plaque — they fill hotel rooms, restaurants and storefronts.

• Asked about the role of arts and culture in economic development, Meinen said music and creative industries fill hotel rooms, restaurants and storefronts and often keep Western and Fanshawe grads in town — 'treat them like the export sector they are.'
• Favours one front door for venue/festival licensing and permits, protecting small venues, and putting every cultural dollar on a public ledger.

Confidence:High

Would maintain and improve existing cultural facilities and invest in public spaces for festivals, performances and community events.

• Asked which cultural infrastructure to prioritise, Sharifu said maintain and improve what London already has, plus invest in public spaces that host festivals, performances, art and community events.
• Favours adaptive reuse of underused buildings for affordable artist and cultural-organisation space, with investment decisions driven by community need, accessibility and impact.

Confidence:High

Would restore existing venues and decide Centennial Hall's fate — replace or restore — and grow sustainably with partners.

• Asked what cultural infrastructure to prioritise, Sher said restore venues London already has and decide whether to replace or restore Centennial Hall, capitalising on the UNESCO City of Music designation.
• Would listen to the arts community on priorities, then seek partnerships, managed costs and matching funding from private foundations and other governments.

Confidence:High

Would fix existing cultural facilities first, weighing condition, accessibility, safety, capacity and long-term operating costs.

• Asked what cultural infrastructure to prioritise, Ahsan said take care of existing facilities first, assessing condition, accessibility, safety, capacity and long-term operating costs before building anything major.
• Wants underused municipal buildings made available to artists and community groups, and full public disclosure of capital plus operating costs and expected benefits.

Confidence:High

Says Centennial Hall's future — reinvest, replace or fold into a new facility — should be one of the first major decisions.

• Asked which cultural infrastructure should be prioritised, Hajar said Centennial Hall should be one of the first major decisions, tied to decisions about the City Hall campus.
• Says Council should decide whether to substantially reinvest in Centennial Hall, replace it, or incorporate its functions into a new facility, and wants a transparent city-wide cultural infrastructure plan.

Confidence:High

Calls arts and culture central to economic and community development, driving jobs, visitors, investment and downtown vitality.

• Asked about the role of arts and culture, Kazzah said they should be central to London's economic and community development — creating jobs, attracting visitors and investment, and supporting downtown revitalisation.
• Wants stable, transparent cultural funding, affordable performance/exhibition space and year-round programming across the city.

Confidence:High