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Name: Steve Lehman

What position are you running for? Councilor Ward 8

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?

London has experienced tremendous growth during the last four years. We have the opportunity to enhance our position as the economic centre of Southwest Ontario. Of course commercial and industrial property tax must remain competitive. We need to have efficient mobility for our job market and factories getting product to their customers, with quick access to 401 corridor and well planned transit to industrial areas. It is important we get our downtown back. I am encouraged with the amount of tall, high density buildings completed and soon to be shovel ready. Nothing like a 50 storey tower to show London is serious about attracting talent especially tech workers and business. I believe London strength is its diversity with our medical industry, Western & Fanshawe, agra business, tech business, defense and auto etc. We need to leverage this advantage and enhance our marketing efforts abroad especially as the US is not welcoming for trade. Finally we need to get a council seat on the London Airport Board. London Airport is the only international airport operating 24/7 west of Toronto. The city and the airport must do a better job of partnering and marketing this important asset for business and job growth in London.

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.

A vibrant healthy downtown is the key to a great city. We have our challenges as other big cities across Canada. However we must bring the heart of London back. The retail world has changed with brick and mortar moving long ago to the suburbs and now online. I believe the key to rejuvenation is getting people living downtown. As in the question above I am so encouraged to see the amount of residential towers being built and planned for the core. Office to residential also is an important piece to change empty vacant buildings into active living. Young professionals want to live and work in an urban centre. The money will follow the people. Business will go where the workforce wants to live, retail and entertainment will follow. Downtown Toronto near King was a ghost town back in the 80’s. The boom in condo building since has turned that area into the must go place in Toronto. We can do the same here.

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?

The City is good at providing temporary shelter with our community partners for those that lose their job or have had domestic trouble etc leaving them without a roof over their head so they can get back on their feet. Property tax was never intended for health care. Mental health and addiction are at the root of this uptick in what we are seeing downtown. The province must bring back proper mental health care faculties and rehab centres. The police can only act within the laws of the land. These laws must be changed to allow police the tools to prevent those suffering from harming themselves or others.

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

Housing affordability happens when the supply demand curve meet at a lower point than it is. We are getting supply closer to matching demand and are seeing rents lowered and housing prices stabilize. But housing costs are still out of reach of many especially first home buyers. For the first time in 50 years London has added to Middlesex London Housing providing more rent geared to income. We need to continue to look at ways this stock can increase. Our partnership with such non profits as Indwell providing supportive care must also continue. Our new initiative of tiny homes in the south end is showing good results and could provide a blue print for further such developments.

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?

Now we have the Grand Theatre, Canada Life Place, Centennial Hall to name a few of the venues offering entertainment. I would have to see a good business plan that would show a return to the city before committing taxpayers dollars. I believe Canada Life Place is a good example of such a project.

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?

Number one is to get a higher speed, more frequent Via rail link to Toronto. Transit to industrial areas must be improved. With flex work regular transit is challenged as traffic demand is much more segmented. There will be a day when transit embraces micro auto transit but until that day we must focus on improving industrial access. Finally as said above we need to see our airport take on a bigger national presence. With the federal government changing airport ownership regulations, perhaps we need to explore this with our own airport.

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?

In my role as Chair of Planning I strove to make our Planning dept less bureaucratic and more customer service driven. We now see Planning applications being dealt with in 90 days vs months sometimes years. The city has a Planning Service desk open to the public right outside the Mayors office providing service to large developers and home renovators alike. We need to bring this Customer Service approach to our other departments. Red tape stifles investment. Business provides jobs and city revenue for the good things Londoners enjoy. We must look for ways to say yes than the easy answer of no.

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?

Reconciliation is more than just land acknowledgements. One of the actions in my role I am most proud of is my service on the Huron Water Board. After more than 5 years of planning, we have finalized plans to add Oneida First Nation to the water distribution of the Huron Water Board bringing clean water to the Oneida’s. It is this type of partnership and action that turns words into deeds.

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?

First and foremost I listen to my constituents on their opinions on how their tax dollars should be spent. A well run city has proper investment in infrastructure – good roads, bridges, sewers etc. We must continue to separate our sewer system into Storm Water and Waste Water for reasons outlined in the next question. Public safety is the corner stone of a good city. Police, Fire and EMS must have the resources to provide a well equipped, well trained and properly staffed to bring service levels to best in the country for Londoners.

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?

As a city we must allocate resources to the impact of Climate Change. Primarily being prepared for the increasing occurrences of extreme weather events. Infrastructure projects such as the intensification of the river walls at the Forks of the Thames, the Mud Creek project at Oxford and Proudfoot Lane (providing flood water drainage from the north side of Oxford access under Oxford St directly to the Thames) and continued work on separating sewers into Storm Water and Waste Water to mitigate overrun of our sewage treatment plant must be a capital spending priority,

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?

When strong Mayor powers are used council must do its part to ensure our ward interests are being met. If there is disagreement with the Mayors direction, I believe in working with the Mayor in finding compromise on such issues . It is not a healthy council if vetos are needed. However, I would not shy away from such action if necessary.

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?

A vibrant city has an exciting arts and culture landscape. London is getting there but we have a ways to go. City Hall must look at making it as easy as possible for groups to bring their creativity to the public with cautious investment and partnerships that make economic sense.

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