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← Councillor Ward 7

Jonathan Sher

Candidate for Councillor Ward 7

Elected (official result)

In their own words

This candidate hasn’t listed a campaign website or social account with the Town. That says nothing about them as a candidate — it just means less of their material is published online for us to summarise.

Where they stand

Every candidate in this race is shown against the same 16 issues, in the same order, whether or not we’ve found something for each one. Why we do it this way.

Housing

Will I be able to afford to live here?

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
Show their words & source (a few sentences)
“The provincial freeze on development charge pits the goal to increase housing against the need to provide neighbouroods with key services because lower charges will make it harder for cities to afford new libraries, community centres and better transit. I would advocate for measure that promote both housing and the services to support new residents, especially in Ward 7, where services already badly lag growth.”

Source: London Chamber of Commerce — 2026 Candidate Survey (Jonathan Sher, Ward 7)

Confidence:High

Taxes & spending

What happens to my tax bill, and where does the money go?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Emergency services

When I call for help, will it come fast enough?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Transit

Can I get where I need to go without driving?

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
Show their words & source (a few sentences)
“Council should support LTC plans to provide a booking service for underserviced areas. This will help determine demand. We should support too a long-term plan by LTC to reverse the loss of ridership hit first by the pandemic and later Federal limits on international students. We need to make transit the preferred choice for more people to commute to work and school, and that will mean expanding capacity and frequency.”

Source: London Chamber of Commerce — 2026 Candidate Survey (Jonathan Sher, Ward 7)

Confidence:High

Government

Will decisions be made in the open, and will anyone answer for them?

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

Sher: prioritize which efforts to fund; share data on success to build public support.

  • Pillar Nonprofit Network 2026 candidate survey — Q6: Biggest challenges facing the nonprofit sector & actions candidates would support.
“The tasks are too large and the time is too short. Raising money is a challenge.”

(a few sentences)

Source: Pillar Nonprofit Network — London 2026 Candidate Survey (candidate's own Q&A answers)

Confidence:High

Would seek votes to override strong-mayor vetoes used against London's interests and publicly track use of the powers.

  • Asked how Council should respond to strong-mayor powers, Sher said if a veto harms London's interests he would persuade at least nine other councillors to override it, and push to track and measure the powers' use publicly.
  • Says strong leadership should not mean less accountability; residents must be able to hold the mayor to account.
“If a mayor exercises veto power and in a way that harms the interests of London, I would seek to persuade at least nine other councillors to override that veto, using skills I demonstrated as a journalist. I would also push to track, monitor and measure the use of strong-mayor powers so that Londoners can hold the mayor to account.”

(a few sentences)

Source: London Chamber of Commerce — 2026 candidate survey (Jonathan Sher, Ward 7)

Confidence:High

Sher: conditional yes to multi-year funding, like the London Community Foundation model.

  • Pillar Nonprofit Network 2026 candidate survey — Q8: Support multi-year funding & longer-term partnerships (Yes/No + why).
“Yes — Depending on the organization and the expected outcomes, yes. This would be similar to what the London Community Foundation does.”

(a few sentences)

Source: Pillar Nonprofit Network — London 2026 Candidate Survey (candidate's own Q&A answers)

Confidence:High

Think we’ve got this wrong?

Roads & infrastructure

Will the things I use every day actually get fixed?

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.
Show their words & source (a few sentences)
“The Development Charges Study and the Growth Management Implementation Strategy do this in concert with the development and homebuilding industry. This process has worked well for many years. The fly in the ointment is the Provincial government’s intervention in development charges legislation that will reduce revenue City reserve funds that pays for the growth related costs of new infrastructure.”

Source: London Chamber of Commerce — 2026 candidate survey (Jonathan Sher, Ward 7)

Confidence:High

Economy

Will our main streets and local jobs thrive?

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
Show their words & source (several paragraphs)
“In London with its hospitals, Western University and the Lawson Research Institute, that should include a Biohub incubator that identifies how best to support start-ups by learning from entrepreneurs where we fall short.”

Source: London Chamber of Commerce — 2026 Candidate Survey (Jonathan Sher, Ward 7)

Confidence:High

Environment

Is the candidate protecting the nature we live in?

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.
Show their words & source (one sentence)
“The City should adapt to pressures created by our changing climate; we should install backflow prevention, disconnect weeping tiles and other connections to our waster water system, and continue work on dykes, particularly, the West London Dyke.”

Source: London Chamber of Commerce — 2026 candidate survey (Jonathan Sher, Ward 7)

Confidence:High

Healthcare

Will there be a doctor and a hospital when we need one?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Growth & development

How fast should we grow, and who decides what gets built where?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Social & community services

Who looks after the most vulnerable residents?

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

Sher: collaborate with charities like Indwell on affordable housing, e.g. the South Street site.

  • Pillar Nonprofit Network 2026 candidate survey — Q11: The nonprofit sector's role & what success looks like.
“Some will be involved in the cultural and music sector that in the short term will bring entertainment dollars (for example, the City already supports London as a Music City with staff resources) and in the long term serve as a better magnet to attract economic investment that creates better employment. As someone who has done research and writing for an exonomic development agency, I know that entrepreneurs and established business prefer to locate in cities whose cultural vibrancy helps attract employees.”

(a few sentences)

Source: Pillar Nonprofit Network — London 2026 Candidate Survey (candidate's own Q&A answers)

Confidence:High

Sher: keep supporting Indwell and supportive housing; replace affordable units lost to gentrification into luxury apartments.

  • Continue to support Indwell and other providers of supportive housing
  • Create a program to replace the loss of affordable housing when rental units are gentrified into luxury apartments
  • Lobby Ontario to support those with mental illness and addictions rather than downloading costs to cities
“The city should continue to support Indwell and others providers of supportive housing and create a program to replace the loss of affordable housing when rental units are gentrified to produce luxury apartments.”

(a few sentences)

Source: London Chamber of Commerce — 2026 Candidate Survey (Jonathan Sher, Ward 7)

Confidence:High

Think we’ve got this wrong?

Active transportation

Can I walk and bike safely around town?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Arts & culture

Does the candidate value what makes this place feel alive?

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.
Show their words & source (one sentence)
“The city should restore venues and facilities we have already and decide about whether to replace or restore Centennial Hall.”

Source: London Chamber of Commerce — 2026 candidate survey (Jonathan Sher, Ward 7)

Confidence:High

Data centres

Should energy-hungry data centres be welcomed here?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Water & waste

Is our drinking water safe and our waste handled?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Bylaw enforcement

Are the rules fair, and are they actually enforced?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Think we got something wrong?

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