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Name: Peter Cuddy

What position are you running for? Councilor Ward 3

What do you see as the principal opportunities and obstacles facing London’s economy over the next Council term? What should the City do to support business growth, job creation, entrepreneurship and investment, and how should it work with employers, Western University, Fanshawe College and others to attract and retain the talent London needs?

The primary obstacles we are facing today are tariffs and trade barriers. London is a manufacturing centre in automotive, food processing and health care. With our close proximity to the US, London will be challenged to replace this burgeoning market.
Mayor Morgan has also identified this as a obstacle, and is working across the border with US mayors of border cities to find solutions. As well, he has been on delegations with Premier Ford and Prime Minister Carney to Washington to bring London’s concerns to Congress.
Western and Fanshawe are leaders in academia and skilled trades development. With Fanshawe as a primary stakeholder in Ward 3, it has been my privilege to work closely with
President Devlin on several training initiatives. As a former TVDSB trustee, I understand the value of working with both public and Catholic boards to improve the safety and security of our children on our roads, and to assist in placing schools in areas where they are required most. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fine work performed by LiUNA 1059, and the high level of training that they provide to their respective trades.

London now has a new Downtown Plan. Which elements would you prioritize and what results should Londoners expect to see during the next Council term? Please address the downtown business environment, public spaces, housing and office conversions, cultural and civic destinations, safety, transportation and implementation accountability.

The new downtown plan has features that may have been missing in previous strategies. The relocation of city hall to downtown has been a plan that I have advocated since becoming councillor in 2022. I brought a motion forward to that effect several years ago. Relocating city hall to an area would assist local businesses thrive and prosper, as well as allowing them others to start.
Museum London is a stellar organization with strong leadership and board. The same can be said for The Grand Thestre, which attracts thousands of visitors outside our city to enjoy dinner, theatre and keep our economy vibrant. Canada Life Place is the anchor to our downtown. It operates at a gold standard level, attracting world class performers and our own London Knights. I encourage my Ward 3 residents to embrace their downtown.

London faces an urgent health and homelessness crisis. Residents, employees and businesses also have concerns about violence, property crime, public disorder and confidence in public spaces. These conditions require related but distinct responses. What actions would you support in each area, and what responsibilities should fall to the City, police, the health system, other orders of government and community partners?

London cannot solve the addiction and homeless crisis on its own. Our tax dollars are insufficient for this type of healthcare. London and other municipalities require the federal and provincial government to step up and share the burden of cost.
For our part, we must continue to build affordable housing and low cost rental units. Not only for those returning from addiction recovery, but those who are are on ODSP and cannot afford rent increase, lest they will be forced onto the streets. London passed its Renoviction bylaw in 2025, having developed one of the most comprehensive and complete bylaws for residents threatened by eviction.
Since 2022, London has hired 72 new police officers to our ranks. This has resulted in faster response times and fewer road fatalities. The Open Air Drug Strategy resulted in over 1600 drug seizures the first year.

What changes would you support to increase housing supply and affordability and create neighbourhoods with access to employment, services, transportation and public amenities?

We have made tremendous strides with affordable housing in London.
In Ward 3, I was fortunate enough to work with St. Vincent DePaul on the planning, construction and soon to be completed affordable housing unit on Huron Street at Fallon road. When completed in January, 2027, this development will house those who have jobs but have been unable to locate adequate housing for their families.
City council has been working closely with Mayor Morgan on increasing our housing starts. This term, we have approved 50,000 “permissions” to builders, a remarkable achievement in just a few years. In Ward 3, I have had the opportunity to work with developers who are building on infill sites, areas that have been neglected but are suitable for housing. The opportunity to give Londoners more choices for housing has been a priority for this council.

London’s cultural facilities, venues and public spaces are essential to the life of the city, and several face age, capacity or funding pressures. What cultural infrastructure should be prioritised during the next Council term, and how should the City decide where to invest?

I would like to see the city make better use of Dundas Place as a venue for the arts.
This space would be ideal for pop up venues and short term events. I would like to attract more artist to the downtown by means of rental incentives. Again, relocating city hall to our downtown core would, in my opinion, attract more arts and cultural venues.

London’s economic success depends on reliable local, regional, national and international connections. How would you improve local transit and service to major employment areas and shift workers, intercity bus and air links, and passenger rail? What should businesses and employees be able to expect in terms of frequency, reliability and access?

The addition of Porter Airlines to London’s International Airport has been a huge step in the direction of improving ou transportation links. Our expanded bus links, especially along the Oxford Street corridor in Ward 3, will provide improved services from downtown to the airport.
London has no control over rail links. We need to to the federal government for improved rail service for both freight and passenger service. In the event that a high speed link is implemented, London needs to be at the table. I have and will continue to advocate for improved LTC services to manufacturing and residential areas of Ward 3. I have residents who are unable to take public transit because the LTC scheduled do not line up with the shifts. We need to work with industrial and the LTC to align those goals.

What changes would you make to municipal approvals, regulation, procurement and customer service to make it easier to invest, build and operate a business in London?

We have instituted a system entitled “Pathways to Approval” that eliminates much of the red tape City Hall has suffered in the past. What used to take months for approvals has now been cut to weeks or even days. There has been a cultural change to city hall which has allowed staff bring about these changes.

London City Council approved the 2025–2035 ReconciliAction Plan in May 2025, committing the City to 155 actions over ten years. What should the next Council do to translate these commitments into a clear, properly resourced implementation plan developed with Indigenous partners? How would you advance reconciliation through economic development, procurement, planning, cultural investment and municipal services?

During this past term of Council, we had our first ever joint Council meeting with Oneida of the Thames. This was a remarkable meeting, as we discussed safe clean water and land boundaries. A priority for me is to continue the dialogue with other First Nations, and build on our success to reduce pollution and improve the safety of our drinking water. Their concerns should not be taken lightly, as we have an obligation to the First Nations communities to protect and preserve their culture and way of life.

London’s growth depends on roads, transit, water and wastewater systems, emergency services and community facilities. How would you determine which investments proceed first, pay for growth fairly and maintain competitive property taxes?

The city’s Master Mobility Plan and the Parks and Recreation Master Plan provide the playbook for how we are to proceed over the next 5, 10 and 15 years. Along with professional engineers and planners, as will as Finance, we have built a guideline for future growth in London. We are replacing our infrastructure that is at “end of life” cycle as quickly as we are able, dedicating resources to keep electrical,, waste water clean drinking water flowing. The occasional sink holes are warning how fragile our infrastructure is and how it requires constant upkeep to be sustainable for future generations of Londoners. This is an undertaking that requires both Federal and Provincial assistance.

London City Council approved the Climate Emergency Action Plan in 2022. The Plan calls for a 55 per cent reduction in community-wide greenhouse-gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. Which elements of the Plan would you prioritise, accelerate or change during the next Council term? How would you ensure that climate action strengthens resilience, affordability and economic competitiveness for residents and businesses?

The city will not be hitting the targets that we set in the CEAP.
Our BRT is over budget and late for delivery. Furthermore, the increase in ridership is not expected to meet its original targets. Circumstances beyond our control, including the province’s need to use more natural gas for electricity power generation, has negatively impacted our target. While the best interests of preservation were considered, asking the taxpayer to give more to meet these targets was an unacceptable step. We need our Provincial and Federal governments to assist us with achieving these original goals.

How should Council respond when strong-mayor powers are exercised, and how would you use your role as a councilor to provide effective scrutiny and accountability?

City council needs to understand that only the Mayor has been elected in a city wide mandate. Since Strong Mayor Powers were enacted by the provincial government, Mayor Morgan has acted prudently and respectful of council when he has used those powers. In my opinion, he has never abused them.
I would encourage the incoming council to respect the Strong Mayor Powers as the previous council has done.

What role should arts, culture and the creative industries play in London’s economic and community development? How should the City support cultural organisations, artists, venues, festivals and creative businesses while ensuring that municipal investment produces lasting public value?

London relies on our generous donors to provide funding for many of our arts and cultural venues. While the city does fund through our arts and culture grants, we are blessed with having companies and individuals who contribute to support the arts. Our UNESCO designation makes London an attraction for many rising artists. Museum London and the Grand Theatre, mentioned earlier, are fine examples of how we as a city can support, grow and advocate for the arts.

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