Latest news with #JoshMorgan
CTV News
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Community celebrations in London's improved parks
As London's neighbourhood parks undergo improvements through the Neighbourhood Parks Improvement Fund, the city announced each improved park will host a celebration. The upcoming events will feature music, games and activities. Josh Morgan, mayor of London said the improvements are about the people from the community enjoying the space. 'This is really exciting because it's not something the City of London has done before, is invest in an infrastructure asset and then say, actually we want everyone to come out and really enjoy it together because that's what it's all about,' said Morgan. The first event will be hosted at Murray Park, on June 25 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The park, one of the first to be improved, has added seating and a new basketball court. The fund supports 23 park improvements, with $4 million allocated to the project. Improvements are expected to be completed by 2027, with 10 projects being constructed this year. 'A lot of people like to spend time in parks, and something we hear a lot as public officials is, 'please make these improvements, please improve the public spaces we use,' and this is an example of us being able to do that,' said London City Councillor Skylar Franke.
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
‘Great success': London police report progress in Open Drug Use crackdown
After just two months in action, London police say early results from the city's Open Air Drug Use Strategy show encouraging signs of progress. 'A great success so far, we're moving in the right direction,' said London Police Deputy Chief Scott Guilford. According to data presented at the latest London Police Services Board meeting, between April 8 and May 31, officers responded to 1,280 calls for service related to the initiative. In 540 of those cases, prohibited substances were seized. Guilford said the low number of criminal charges, just 11 during that period, is a sign the program is striking the right balance. 'It's great to see our officers getting these substances off the street,' said Guilford. 'But what's equally encouraging is that we're engaging with people, hundreds of them, and only a small number of those encounters have resulted in charges.' Mayor Josh Morgan said he's heard firsthand how the strategy is already making a difference. 'Downtown residents and business owners have told me directly they're noticing a change,' said Morgan. 'People are feeling safer, and that's exactly what we hoped for.' Police Services Board Chair Ryan Gauss echoed that sentiment, stressing the importance of the early data. 'This is just the beginning,' said Gauss. 'There's more work ahead, but we're seeing positive results. People are being helped, and the community, especially in the downtown and midtown areas is feeling heard and supported.' London police say a full review of the initial data is underway and that findings will help shape the next phase of the strategy. A follow-up report is expected in three months.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘They have a lot to share': Green Bench program taps into the wisdom of the elders
Soaking up the wisdom of the elders at the Green Bench program, Kiwanis Seniors Centre. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London) They're often an untapped resource in modern society. But a new program at Kiwanis Seniors Centre in London has special guests soaking up the wisdom of the elders. It's called the Green Bench program, and it was introduced in recognition of June being Seniors' Month. People are invited to sit with a senior on a bench and take in their life experiences. The new program is attracting the likes of London Mayor Josh Morgan, London Police Chief Thai Truong and even CTV London meteorologist Julie Atchison. Anyone is invited to sit with a senior, ask questions and learn a thing or two about life, said Kiwanis Seniors Centre and Hamilton Road Seniors Centre Supervisor Janice Hamilton. 'They are initially storytellers. They love to share what they've been through. They're one of the generations that have seen the most amount of change in their lifetime, and they're resilient, and they're fun-spirited most of the time and they have a lot to share,' said Hamilton.
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Mayor ‘confident' property tax increase will come in below target— and then some
It took some budget wrangling, but Mayor Morgan believes next year's tax increase will be under 5 per cent. CTV London's Daryl Newcombe reports. It took some budget wrangling, but Mayor Morgan believes next year's tax increase will be under 5 per cent. CTV London's Daryl Newcombe reports. Mayor Josh Morgan is now expressing confidence he can get the 2026 property tax increase below 5 per cent, and that doesn't include an additional $8.45 million available from last year's massive surplus. On Wednesday, members of the Budget Committee wrangled over a number of proposals intended to reduce next year's tax increase that currently stands at 7.4 per cent in the multi-year budget. Coun. Susan Stevenson's request for a business case about reducing the size of the Heritage Planning Department sparked a lengthy debate about Civic Administration's internal service review process. 'When it comes to the service review, council doesn't play a role,' argued Stevenson. 'When do we get to look (at department budgets) line by line? When do we get to hear about the departments? What they're doing, what they're focused on, and why the numbers are up?' A number of councillors emphasized that staffing levels are part of Civic Administrations ongoing service review process. 'When they've done the review and when they do it again next year, if they identify that there are some changes needed in the Heritage Department that's the appropriate time for that to come forward,' explained Coun. Skylar Franke. 'I have full confidence and trust in staff to be able to do that in a transparent and regular manner.' But Stevenson suggested the tax relief being demanded by many Londoners will require a deeper dive into municipal spending, 'We are going to have to find areas to cut costs. That is just for sure. What [cuts] are we going to look at if we don't want to look anywhere?' Mayor Josh Morgan Mayor Josh Morgan presenting a report to the Budget Committee on June 11, 2025. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London) During 2024-2027 Municipal Budget deliberations, Civic Administration's internal service reviews have provided savings of $14 million in 2024, $6.8 million this year, and $6 million (so far) for 2026. The mayor defends the internal process that includes right-sizing municipal departments and services, 'In 2016, council developed the robust service review process that has returned well over $250 million to Londoners and avoided tax increases. This is the department by department review [and] zero based budgeting.' The Budget Committee meeting also included a presentation by the mayor about mandatory Development Charge (DC) exemptions for affordable housing and other qualifying developments. A letter from Ontario's Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing confirms that the City of London is not required to continue setting aside millions of dollars each year to offset the exemptions. Savings to the property tax supported budget, water budget, and wastewater budget will total $10 million in 2026—and avoid a $32 million projected shortfall in 2027. 'This is very positive! I really appreciate the lobbying work that you (the mayor), the folks at AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario), and our staff have done,' said Coun. Sam Trosow. However, Stevenson said provincial policies have not changed since budget deliberations a few years ago when she tried to convince colleagues that offsetting the DC exemptions was unnecessary. 'The fact that this was available to us, the fact that clarity is coming so late, I think is a little bit concerning,' she asserted. 'You can say this is fact, but those aren't facts,' responded Morgan, who added that the province's clarification was necessary for London and other municipalities to discontinue backfilling the exemptions. 'The only people who can interpret the [Development Charges] Act with the authority that gives us the courage to take these sorts of actions are the people who pass that legislation, which is the provincial government,' he told Stevenson. Achieving the mayor's tax target of below 5 per cent will require about $13 million in new revenue and/or savings. Morgan said his target is now within striking distance, 'We've got boards and commissions who have said they're looking for savings, so with their help, the continued work of our staff, [and] the continued work of this council through the budget process, I'm confident that we can get under five [per cent] now.' In addition, council set aside $16.9 million from last year's massive budget surplus for tax relief purposes in 2026 and 2027. Utilizing $8.45 million each of those years would further reduce the 2026 tax increase by about another 1 per cent. Morgan will release his draft budget Oct. 27. The public will then be asked to provide input prior to budget deliberations by council in late November.
CTV News
10-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Mayor's lobbying suddenly yields $10M savings in 2026 budget from Development Charge exemptions
A letter from Ontario's Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing confirms that the City of London is not required to continue setting aside millions of dollars each year to offset mandatory exemptions to Development Charges (DCs). One day before an important Budget Committee meeting at City Hall, Mayor Josh Morgan said the clarification represents a permanent reduction of about $10 million from the 2026 Budget—and even more in subsequent years. 'This is the result of months and months of discussions with the Province of Ontario about municipalities' obligations under DC legislation to backfill for exemptions,' Morgan explained. Based on a philosophy that growth pays for growth, DCs are municipal fees on new construction that are intended to offset the cost of expanding services and infrastructure required by a growing city. Development Charges contribute to expanding roads, water and sewer infrastructure, community centres, firefighting, policing, and library facilities. There are exemptions for certain developments, including affordable housing and non-profit housing. Municipalities across the province, including London, have been backfilling the exemptions with property taxes and budget surpluses believing it was an obligation under the Development Charges Act (DCA). That is no longer the case. The letter from the Ministry reads, '…the DCA does not require municipalities to fund statutory and non-statutory exemptions and discounts.' According to Morgan, the savings will total $10 million in permanent savings in the 2026 municipal budget: Property Tax supported Budget: $6.4 million (0.7 per cent impact on tax rate) Water Budget: $500,000 (0.5 per cent impact on water rate) Wastewater Budget: $3.1 million (3.2 per cent impact on wastewater rate) The mayor says the province's interpretation of the Act will also avoid a looming shortfall in 2027. 'An important piece to this is future [budget] pressure that we had not budgeted for,' added the mayor. 'About $32 million of pressure within all of those [three] budgets which would have meant significant pressure of about 1.5 per cent on the property tax side, and over 5 per cent on the wastewater side.' Although property taxpayers may be off the hook for covering the exemptions, the need for service and infrastructure improvements stemming from DC-exempted developments must still be met. The mayor says money left over from exemptions in previous years will give city hall some breathing room until a longer-term funding model emerges from senior levels of government. 'There will be need for support for the DC fund and DC funded projects in the future,' Morgan acknowledged. 'That won't come this year or next year, but at some point we're going to need support. What I will say is the province of Ontario has done a really good job of actually starting to ramp up water and wastewater infrastructure spending.' Morgan said he will be including a business case in his draft budget this fall related to the DC exemption savings. The mayor has set a property tax target of below 5 per cent in 2026. The Budget Committee will receive a presentation by the mayor on June 11.
