Some candidates in the Ward 13 council race are candid about the condition of London’s downtown area.
First-time candidate and realtor Andrew Crook aims to tackle what he describes as the “decay” affecting downtown London.
“I started really seeing all the suffering going on and turning a blind eye is really hurting all of us, that’s what pushed me to this,” he said.
Council candidate Andrew Crook says the state of downtown is the top issue in Ward 13. (Andrew Lupton/)
Crook highlighted issues like open drug use in public areas, as well as trash and debris cluttering back alleys, contributing to what he calls a “general sense of malaise.”
“The back alleys are full of garbage and litter and there’s this general sense of malaise,” said Crook.
‘No one feels safe’
Ward 13 candidate Schelley Bisson lives downtown and said problems related to homelessness and open drug use must be addressed by the next council. (Andrew Lupton/)
Schelley Bisson, who works in restaurant management, shares concerns about the current state of downtown London.
“It needs more enforcement, it’s in crisis,” said Bisson, residing near Dundas and Wellington streets. “There’s been nine overdoses outside my house this year. No one feels safe coming downtown.”
has not independently verified Bisson’s claim about the number of overdoses outside his home.
Tony Biviano, a retired General Motors employee also running for Ward 13, describes downtown as “rotten to the core.”
“As the downtown goes, so does the rest of the city, and it’s bad right now,” he said.
A survey indicated that homelessness and homeless encampments were among respondents’ top concerns, with over 400 out of 712 individuals identifying them as major issues. Open drug use was noted by 175 respondents as a top-three concern.
Incumbent points to city investments
Incumbent Ward 13 council candidate David Ferreira says misinformation is being circulated about the city’s efforts to address problems in the core. (Andrew Lupton/CBC news)
David Ferreira won his seat last year by just 34 votes during his first campaign. As he competes against six challengers again, Ferreira often finds himself correcting what he believes is misinformation regarding city actions aimed at improving downtown issues.
“There’s a lot of misinformation out there,” said Ferreira. “There’s a lot of people trying to use that to score political points and it’s not helping us at all. We need to get rid of the politics of it all and really start following the evidence and the data.”
While acknowledging that more work is needed, Ferreira highlights steps already taken by city officials to address various challenges affecting downtown.
He refers to a plan approved by council earlier this year aimed at assisting but notes it requires $48 million from future councils for implementation.
Ferreira also directs voters’ attention toward a report set for release in 2025 that evaluated London’s overall response regarding homelessness. It essentially concluded that while many measures have been helpful-such as establishing two homelessness hubs-they still fall short.
The city funded a micro-modular shelter south of Highway 401 while providing significant funding for organizations like London Cares and Ark Aid Street Mission.
(continued) – please see below
Ferreira stated these initiatives have made an impact but expressed interest in fully implementing what’s called Whole Community System Response-a plan aiming for long-term development involving multiple hubs-though progress has been insufficient thus far.
br >If re-elected, Ferreira pledges commitment towards achieving complete execution on that agenda.
“All downtowns are facing challenges similar to those confronting ours,” he mentioned.
Additionally,
Ferreira pointed out data from their report revealing London’s homeless population increased by only nineteen percent since twenty twenty-two; notably lower than Ontario’s average rise which stands at twenty-five percent. span > If we want real changes moving forward senior governments must take action because extensive healthcare support along with proper housing solutions are necessary.” He continued: “We’re accommodating everyone we can using available resources.” “However without prioritization from provincial or federal authorities major transformations will be limited.”His campaign lays out numerous motions outlining priorities intended upon assuming office amongst them includes clearer reporting methods addressing responses geared towards homelessness plus strategies identifying vacant facilities combined with expanding rent-based assistance frameworks.
Currently police adopt gradual tactics tackling instances concerning street-level drug usage beginning through educational outreach transitioning thereafter toward raised enforcement alongside potential charges.
