Londoners have elected their next City Council. Mayor Josh Morgan has been re-elected, most sitting councillors are returning, and four new members will take seats around the Council table. The unofficial results give us the composition of Council; the more interesting questions are what its members intend to do, where they may agree, and how their promises will translate into decisions.

Mayor Josh Morgan was re-elected for a second term, defeating his nearest challenger, Susan Stevenson, by a substantial margin: 46,405 votes (45.4 per cent) to 27,259 (26.7 per cent). Twelve candidates contested the mayoralty. The new Council term begins on 15 November.

Who was elected

* Newly elected councillor.   † Returning councillor elected in a different ward following boundary changes.

Ben Durham defeated incumbent Peter Cuddy in Ward 3. Tom Cull, Jonathan Sher and Jason King won seats not contested by the previous ward representatives. Corrine Rahman remains on Council and now represents Ward 5. Results are unofficial pending certification by the City Clerk.

What the campaign tells us

The Chamber invited every mayoral and ward candidate to answer the same twelve questions, covering economic development, downtown renewal, housing, health and homelessness, culture, transportation, City services, reconciliation, infrastructure, climate and governance. We published responses verbatim. The answers, together with debate statements and public campaign commitments, suggest areas of common ground and important differences. Three successful ward candidates, Ben Durham, Tom Cull and Paul Van Meerbergen, did not publish Chamber responses; we have not attributed questionnaire positions to them.

Economic growth and a City Hall that works

The need to help businesses invest, expand and navigate municipal processes crosses political lines. Mayor Morgan identified trade uncertainty, industrial land, office conversions and stronger connections between employers and Western and Fanshawe. Corrine Rahman emphasised diversifying London’s economy and implementing the new Economic Development Strategy. Skylar Franke called for a small-business concierge and simpler approvals; David Ferreira highlighted predictable City programmes and better pathways through City Hall. Jason King supported faster approvals and a more welcoming environment for new businesses, while Steve Lehman emphasised industrial access, the airport and commercial competitiveness.

Downtown and the cultural economy

There is substantial support among many elected members for a downtown with more residents, active public spaces, restored commercial activity and cultural destinations. Morgan pointed to office-to-residential conversions, the proposed River District and London’s UNESCO City of Music designation. Sam Trosow said the Downtown Plan needs funding and deliberate implementation, with greater attention to vacancies, culture and transportation. Anna Hopkins called for City plans to be matched with funding and highlighted Victoria Park and cultural spaces. Jonathan Sher advocated decisions on restoring or replacing Centennial Hall and listening to cultural organisations. Shawn Lewis argued that the Music Office should have a stronger economic-development focus. Tom Cull, a former London Poet Laureate, brings direct experience of the cultural sector, although he did not submit a Chamber response.

That does not mean unanimity. King said the City should defer the Downtown Plan for two years while concentrating on public safety, core services and tax relief. Lehman supported downtown residential growth but wanted a compelling business case before new cultural capital spending. These are real choices about sequencing, cost and public value.

Housing, homelessness and public safety

Nearly every campaign treated housing affordability and conditions downtown as pressing concerns. The disagreements were about responsibility and methods. In public campaign remarks, Morgan promised 200 more supportive housing spaces and further provincial advocacy for treatment and recovery capacity. His questionnaire distinguished municipal housing and outreach work from provincial health responsibilities and policing. Trosow and Franke emphasised housing with support services and prevention. Rahman called for stronger treatment capacity alongside public order and safety measures. King argued for a more enforcement-oriented approach and changes to addiction treatment policy. These differences deserve attention rather than an assumption that Council has already settled on a common solution.

Reconciliation, inclusion and climate resilience

Several successful candidates also addressed obligations that reach beyond conventional business policy. In their Chamber responses, Josh Morgan supported implementing the ReconciliAction Plan with accountability, Anna Hopkins called for reconciliation to remain part of the new Strategic Plan with investment behind it, and Jonathan Sher identified specific measures including Indigenous-led programmes and better access for Indigenous businesses to City procurement. On climate action, Morgan acknowledged that London is not on course for its 2030 emissions target. These commitments vary in scope and approach, but indicate issues Council will have to consider alongside affordability, infrastructure and core services.

Taxes, management and accountability

The campaign also brought real differences over municipal spending, affordability, the funding of capital projects and the services residents expect. Mayor Morgan advocated continued strategic investment while restraining property-tax growth. Among councillors, the questionnaire revealed different emphases on value for money, service standards, accountability and the timing of new investments. Debate about the use of strong-mayor powers also highlighted the need for transparent Council scrutiny. The decisions in the 2027 budget process will provide an early test of how these competing pressures are reconciled.

A more progressive Council, but not a guaranteed voting bloc

London appears to have elected a more progressive Council, with a stronger emphasis on social infrastructure and active municipal investment. Nine elected ward councillors and the Mayor were endorsed by the London and District Labour Council. In the Chamber questionnaire and wider campaign, a number of successful candidates placed particular weight on supportive housing, culture, reconciliation, transit, climate resilience and neighbourhood inclusion. Taken together, these are meaningful signs of a political shift. But endorsements are not votes, and municipal councillors do not sit in formal party caucuses. Other elected members emphasised tax restraint, core municipal services, enforcement and closer scrutiny of capital projects. The practical direction will emerge one decision at a time.

Economic prosperity and social progress in practice

For the Chamber, economic prosperity and social progress are closely connected. A strong local economy depends on a community where people can participate, employers can retain workers and public spaces are welcoming and safe. We therefore considered not only our candidate questionnaire, but public debates, campaign platforms, other community surveys and councillors’ records.

The Rogers tv/The Loon mayoral debate on 16 September and later forums tested different approaches to homelessness, policing, municipal services and accountability. Mayor Morgan campaigned on continuing housing and outreach partnerships, securing more provincial treatment capacity and strengthening the response to open drug use. The debates illustrated the choices between prevention, enforcement, affordability and the limits of municipal responsibility.

The ward campaigns provide equally useful evidence. Tom Cull, who did not complete the Chamber questionnaire, advocated supportive housing, homelessness prevention and tenant protections. Skylar Franke highlighted her Council work on housing stability and earlier winter-service planning. Sam Trosow’s platform connected affordable housing, transit, cultural investment and climate action. On 14 October, Anna Hopkins, Trosow and David Ferreira opposed demolition of the historic house at 100 Stanley Street, an example of the tension between infrastructure and heritage priorities.

The Chamber questionnaire adds further detail: Morgan called for accountable implementation of the ReconciliAction Plan; Jonathan Sher proposed helping Indigenous businesses access City procurement; and Hopkins urged funding for cultural development through the next Strategic Plan. In a separate environmental questionnaire, Morgan acknowledged that London is off track on its 2030 emissions target. Trosow supported climate-plan funding, while Jason King proposed ending that Plan. These differences reinforce the Chamber’s commitment to evidence-based work on reconciliation, homelessness, inclusion, culture and environmental responsibility, in constructive partnership with the entire Council.

The decisions coming soon

Council will move almost immediately from campaign commitments to formal planning and financial choices. The following dates come from the City’s preliminary budget timetable and planning reports; meeting dates remain subject to confirmation in the new Council calendar.

The annual 2027 update offers near-term decisions, while the new Strategic Plan and the following Multi-Year Budget will shape longer-term investment. These are the windows in which ideas about downtown revitalisation, cultural facilities, reconciliation, housing and business services will need to become accountable, funded programmes.

What the Chamber will do

The Chamber congratulates every successful candidate and thanks all those who stood for office or participated in the campaign. We intend to work constructively with the entire Council, drawing on our established relationships and the priorities candidates identified during the election.

In the coming months, we will work with Council, City administration, economic-development organisations and community partners on implementing the Economic Development Strategy and Downtown Plan, improving municipal services, strengthening business resilience and supporting inclusive growth. We will continue to contribute to the ReThink Zoning process and follow the City’s budget and strategic-planning decisions closely. Across these issues, our approach will be to bring evidence from employers, encourage practical partnerships and advocate for measurable results. Members can help by telling us where City policies and services work, where they fall short and what would make a meaningful difference. An election establishes a new Council; its record will emerge through the decisions it makes next.