London City Council Meeting - May 12

London city council's May 12 meeting included conflict of interest disclosures on YMCA and Fanshawe items, recognition of Museum Day, approval of procedural items, adoption of the Integrity Commissioner's annual report, changes to delegated authority rules for homeless services contracts, a one-year extension of the Fanshawe downtown campus agreement, approval of e-scooter pilot bylaws and related amendments, debate on a four-storey long-term care and apartment proposal at 945 Bluegrass Drive, approval of the 2026-2031 Housing Stability Action Plan, and approval of the sale of industrial land in Huron Industrial Park to Hitachi Energy Canada.

Topics Discussed

1. INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER REPORT

Council considered the Integrity Commissioner's 2025-2026 annual report. Staff said 2025 billings were about $85,000 including HST, with about $76,000 tied to the current Integrity Commissioner.

Discussion focused on dismissed code of conduct complaints that were not reported publicly. Ms. Paulette said: "The code of conduct provides that when a complaint is dismissed, the Integrity Commissioner shall not report to Municipal Council except in exceptional circumstances... those reports were not put on the Council agenda, so the matter is now closed." Councillor Stevenson responded: "So, I'll follow it up on my own and find a way to bring those forward to the public." The motion carried 15-0.

2. HOMELESS SERVICES DELEGATED AUTHORITY RULES

Council discussed changes to delegated authority rules after questions about homeless services contracts approved without council review. Councillor Lehman said the proposed definitions addressed concerns he had with "the $5 million in homeless funding that was done through delegated authority in 2022, just a week before we were sworn in."

Council approved changes requiring that "needed" mean urgent, defining "short-term service" as six months or less, and requiring reporting on executed contracts, agreements and the rationale for using delegated authority.

3. FANSHAWE COLLEGE DOWNTOWN CAMPUS AGREEMENT

Council approved a one-year extension of the city's agreement with Fanshawe College related to the downtown campus. Staff said the extension "continues to formally protect the city's investment for another year" and "ensures that we have the continuity [of] the continued operation of the downtown campus and of course it's associated economic benefits."

Councillor Stevenson questioned whether a longer commitment should have been secured and pointed to "the state of our downtown and the ongoing safety concerns down there." Staff said the original agreement was expiring "this month" and that enrollment had "exceeded what was contemplated in the business plan." The motion passed 14-0 with one recusal.

4. E-SCOOTER PILOT PROGRAM

Council debated bylaws and amendments tied to the electric kick scooter pilot program, with discussion centered on safety, enforcement, affordability and the lack of a provincial regulatory framework.

Councillor Van Meerbergen said enforcement was a major problem: "It's also very difficult for us to do really any proper enforcement... we're talking about a motorized vehicle. We're talking about real-life injuries, real-life chances of, God forbid, death." Councillor Rawlings said council should ask the province to "move faster on the response to the pilot and come back with an answer on the issue of insurance."

Supporters argued some residents rely on e-scooters as low-cost transportation. Councillor Cuddy said: "I have residents in my ward who cannot cannot afford another way to get to Fanshawe. And this is their sole source of transportation." Councillor McAlister called it "a bit of an affordability issue" and said "an outright ban I don't think is the appropriate way of going about this." Councillor Franke added: "Motor vehicles remain far more dangerous on our streets in terms of the number and severity of collisions and injuries and fatalities."

Council approved amendments including direction to seek provincial action through AMO and OBCM. Recorded votes included Part B carried 11-4, Part D carried 14-1, and the balance of clauses carried 15-0.

5. 945 BLUEGRASS DRIVE DEVELOPMENT

Council debated an application for two four-storey buildings at 945 Bluegrass Drive: a 50-54 unit apartment building and a 224-bed long-term care facility. Staff supported the application, which required an Official Plan Amendment and height relief.

Opposition focused on traffic and neighbourhood fit. Councillor Trosow said: "One of my recurring issues in many of these development projects... has been in my view... the inadequacy of the traffic studies." Councillor Peloza added: "And I think that level of intensity of not just the number of vehicles, but the types of trips needs to be included in a proper traffic study."

Supporters pointed to planning policy and appeal risk. Deputy Mayor Lewis said: "If we refuse this, we absolutely open ourselves up to an appeal at the OLT." Councillor Yurek said: "We need to listen to our planning staff. We need to follow the planning act." A motion related to the project failed 5-10.

Motions

• Motion to move into closed session — Passed, 15-0
• Confirmation of April 28 meeting minutes — Passed, 15-0
• Motion to receive the Integrity Commissioner's 2025-2026 annual report — Passed, 15-0
• Changes to delegated authority rules for homeless services contracts — Passed
• Extension of Fanshawe College downtown campus support agreement — Passed, 14-0 with one recusal
• Bill 188 - YMCA Access Agreement — Passed, 13-0 with one recusal
• Bill 190 - Fanshawe College Agreement — Passed, 13-0 with one recusal
• E-scooter motion Part B — Passed, 11-4
• E-scooter motion Part D (staff report back) — Passed, 14-1
• E-scooter motion balance of clauses — Passed, 15-0
• Bill 195 - Electric Kick Scooter bylaw — Passed, 12-2
• Bill 196 - Electric Kick Scooter bylaw — Passed, 11-3
• 945 Bluegrass Drive motion — Failed, 5-10
• Housing Stability Action Plan 2026-2031 (File 5.2.4) — Passed, 14-0
• Sale of 32.648 acres in Huron Industrial Park to Hitachi Energy Canada Incorporated for $8,984,120 — Passed, 14-0

Attendees

All council members were present, with Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis joining remotely after the start of the meeting.

Members specifically referenced in the meeting notes: - Mayor Josh Morgan - Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis - Councillor Elizabeth Peloza - Councillor Corrine Rahman - Councillor Paul Van Meerbergen - Councillor Susan Stevenson - Councillor Sam Trosow - Councillor Steve Lehman - Councillor Hadleigh McAlister - Councillor Peter Cuddy - Councillor Skylar Franke - Councillor Anna Hopkins - Councillor Steven Hillier - Councillor Jerry Pribil - Councillor David Ferreira