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Name: Steven Edwards

What position are you running for? Councilor Ward 10

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?

Fiscal transparency and responsibility. Working alongside our city partners to ensure we are working together towards a sustainable goal.

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.

I would prioritize a fresh, innovative approach to city governance with a focus on fiscal transparency and responsibility.

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?

We need to work together alongside all appropriate partners and organizations to ensure our city is a safe, affordable, livable space for all.

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

I feel the vacant downtown buildings need to be repurposed, with support of the Federal and Provincial governments, to reduce the number of derelict spaces and encourage housing development.

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?

The city needs to work alongside its partners that specialize in culture and the arts to ensure growth and development of cultural facilities.

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?

There is an issue in our city with local transit struggling to provide reliable access to their services. While much has been done to improve our transit infrastructure we need to continue to work alongside residents and city partners to ensure all residents can access these transit services.

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?

Cutting out the red tape. At current it is very difficult to open and successfully run a small business in the city of London without a long wait time for permits and substantial investment up front as there are a lot of licenses that need to be obtained and this causes difficulty for small business owners to start up their projects. There are many city bylaws that are outdated and need to be reviewed to encourage entrepreneurship.

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?

Teamwork is key to this goal, as well. Working alongside the Indigenous partners to ensure all views are heard and the commitments are met.

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?

Fiscal transparency and responsibility.

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?

Work alongside our city partners to ensure the Climate Emergency Action Plan continues to be followed and prioritized.

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

We require fiscal transparency and responsibility in the City of London – and it is my promise to encourage this to the best of my abilities as a City Councillor.

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?

Focus on our designation of the UNESCO City of Music to encourage strong community involvement in arts and culture.

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