Hello Ward 13

Welcome to my March 2026 newsletter.

A lot has happened in a short period of time. We are watching instability abroad and the ripple effects are real: international relations, markets, confidence, and day to day affordability. It is easy to feel pulled in every direction when the news cycle is constant. My approach is to stay steady, focus on what we can control locally, and keep pushing for decisions that are fair, transparent, and actually improve outcomes for people.

Even with the uncertainty, I have faith in Canada. The escalation involving Iran is serious and the risks feel obvious, not just for the region, but for global stability and the kind of economic shock people feel quickly here at home. I don’t pretend to have all the answers on what comes next, but I do know this: I hope for peace and de escalation, and I hope ordinary Iranians ultimately have a better chance at a safer, freer, more stable life. At the same time, history teaches us to be careful about assuming conflict produces those outcomes. Canada cannot control events overseas, but as Canadians, we can stay engaged, stay informed, and stay anchored in what we do best: looking out for each other and staying practical about how we protect our communities and our economy.

At City Hall, the last few weeks have been a reminder of how important process is. Planning decisions shape neighbourhoods for decades. Residents deserve to see that we are following the rules we adopted, applying planning policy consistently, and making decisions that can be explained clearly in public and are in the interests of the public. When people lose confidence in how decisions get made, it is not just frustration that results, it becomes a barrier to getting anything done well.

If you missed it, here are two stories from CTV that capture what has been unfolding recently:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/london/article/watch-councillors-spar-over-controversial-high-rise-proposal-after-neighbours-ejected-for-disrupting-meeting/

https://www.ctvnews.ca/london/article/ferreira-not-backing-off-comment-about-campaign-donations-and-planning-committee-decisions/

I have also been raising concerns about a growing issue in addiction care: for profit, high volume prescribing and dispensing models that operate with weak continuity and limited follow up. Medication can save lives. But when care is built around speed and volume, without a real plan for stabilization, aftercare, and wraparound support, we end up with a system that is incomplete. The gaps do not disappear. They show up in our public spaces, at storefronts, and in the daily experience of residents and workers downtown. The city is then left holding the impacts, even though the key levers in health care oversight sit with the province. I have been advocating to the Province and the regulators for care in substance use disorder to be reviewed, depoliticized and grounded in scientific research. 

Here is the CBC piece if you want the full context:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/dundas-pharmacy-9.7103862

Alongside these bigger system issues, I have been focused on practical city building work that strengthens neighbourhood life in the day to day. The kind of progress you can see and feel. The kind that builds pride and belonging over time.

This month, there are a few good ways to plug in locally: If you want to bring people together this summer, the Outdoor Movie Night application is open, and there are supports available for neighbourhood events, including equipment lending.

There are also important chances to shape City decisions right now: Council is reviewing whether e-scooters are the right fit for London, and community feedback will matter as staff prepare their report this spring.

In Ward 13, upgrades are moving forward at Richard B. Harrison Park, including a new play area, a full size basketball court, exercise equipment, a community garden, pathway improvements, and new tree plantings, with an opportunity to share input before March 13.

And with the Queen’s Bridge rehabilitation beginning today, it is worth planning ahead for lane reductions and local detours as that work gets underway.

London is at its best when we stay engaged, demand better systems, and keep doing the local work that makes a real difference. Thank you for being part of that.

David Ferreira
Councillor Ward 13, London Ontario
519-661-2489 ext. 4013 | dferreira@london.ca

For more information on newsletters, ward meetings, current city initiatives, and other resources, please visit my website at www.davidferreira.ca.

The City of London is inviting Londoners to share their feedback on e-scooters as City Council reviews the provincial pilot program’s future in London.

The Province of Ontario launched an e-scooter pilot program on January 1, 2020. The program’s purpose is to evaluate the use of both personal and shared e-scooters and determine whether existing provincial rules of the road are adequate.

In March 2023, the City of London opted into the pilot program for personal, privately-owned e-scooters only.

Currently, e-scooters can be used on roadways posted at 50km/hr or less, bike lanes and cycle tracks, and multi-use pathways such as the Thames Valley Parkway. E-scooter riders cannot go faster than 24km/hr, and they cannot ride on sidewalks.

London’s current e-scooter by-law is set to expire on May 26, 2026. As part of the review process, City staff are gathering public input to help inform a report about our participation in the e-scooter pilot program that will be presented to City Council later this spring. 

Community feedback will play an important role in determining whether e-scooters are a good fit for London.

Have your say at getinvolved.london.ca/e-scooter

Feedback will be collected until March 31, 2026.

The City of London is coordinating upgrades at Richard B. Harrison Park, as part of the City’s new Neighbourhood Parks Improvement Fund.

The planned enhancements include the following:

• A new play area with play equipment and swings that will provide a variety of play experiences for children between 2 and 12 years old. The safety surfacing in the play area will be engineered wood chip fibre with an accessible ramp
• New exercise equipment
• New full-size basketball court

Additional improvements occurring at the same time include:

• Two small new concrete plazas with accessible park benches, shade structure, and Picnic tables
•  Installation of a new community garden
•  Pathway upgrades and accessible benches
•  Additional tree plantings
•  Removal of the existing hydro poles and old streetlights.

In preparation for this project, residents may see City contractors performing some selective tree removals and tree trimming in the park over the winter months. Tree removals are primarily targeting unhealthy and non-native species, and tree trimming is being completed to help improve sight lines in the park and around some of the planned amenities.

If you have any questions, please share your comments online at getinvolved.london.ca/NeighbourhoodParksImprovements

Comments will be collected until March 13th, 2026.

The above map shares a sneak speak at the Ward 13 City of London infrastructure projects that are planned for construction this year.

Note that many of these projects are subject to budget approvals and final authorization before construction begins, so the map may change ahead of the release of the 2026 Renew London Construction Program Report in March.

Any projects that are at the 90% design stage can be found on the Get Involved website, while others are still in the early planning stages. If you have questions about a specific project, please reach out to the City’s Construction & Infrastructure Services.

A full digital map, including all 2026 planned projects, will be posted on the City of London website in March to coincide with the Renew London Construction Program Report to the Infrastructure & Corporate Services 

Committee in late March.

The City of London has Launched a TikTok account. The City’s new account can be found at @CityofLondonON

TikTok will complement the existing social media presence and allow the City to share accessible, educational, and behind-the-scenes content about City programs, services, and community life. It also supports their goals for communications in terms of strengthening engagement, in particular with younger audiences, and meeting people where they are. 

The City’s TikTok account will be managed by the Strategic Communications team using ITS-approved technology to ensure data security. All content will adhere to the Citys social media strategy and will follow privacy and accessibility standards.

All other social media accounts will continue to be used regularly while the new TikTok account will add innovative and exciting ways to communicate with Londoners online.  

London Hydro is getting a new look!

Over the coming months, you’ll notice a refreshed visual identity across platforms including a new logo, updated colours, and a clean, vibrant aesthetic. This updated logo and branding is intended to be a visual signal of London Hydro’s evolution. It is a clear, intentional marker that reflects their strategy and renewed way of working. This refresh is guided by the principles of honouring the past, pointing to a new future, being mindful and responsible, and creating flexibility and ease of use.

To remain efficient and practical, these changes are being rolled out gradually as materials are naturally updated.

Learn more: https://www.londonhydro.com/

Age friendly London and Child & Youth Networks are hosting free tax clinics for Londoners with modest incomes and simple tax situations.

• March 12 – Kinsmen Recreation Centre: 3:30 – 7 PM
• April 9 – Stronach Community Centre: 2:30 – 6 PM
• April 16 – Northwest London Resource Centre: 3:30 – 7 PM

For eligibility details or to find another tax clinic near you, visit: Canada.ca/taxes-help or call 1-800-959-8281

The City of London’s new Corporate Energy Consumption Dashboard is now publicly available to view online.

This dashboard allows Londoners to view the monthly energy use of the City’s buildings and facilities. It gathers information from over 1,000 monthly utility bills and compiles the data into more digestible graphs and charts that will support internal decision making and public transparency.

Previously, this information was made available through a required submission to the Ontario Ministry of Energy and Mines, and the data were available in the Corporate Conservation Demand Management annual report. With this new dashboard, the data will be more accessible to Londoners, policymakers and City staff providing greater transparency in tracking our climate actions – an important deliverable for our Climate Emergency Action Plan.

Check it out: Public Corporate Energy Dashboard

The Queen’s Bridge will have reduced lanes starting the morning of Monday, March 2 until the spring of 2027 for the rehabilitation of the bridge. During this time the Thames Valley Parkway in the area will be closed.

Drivers are advised to expect traffic delays if travelling in this area. Impacted lanes will include the north westbound lane on the bridge, as well as the sidewalk on the north side. One lane westbound on Queens Avenue will be maintained, as well as the sidewalk on the south side. The area will be labelled with detour signs.

The bridge rehabilitation will include replacement of the bridge deck, barrier walls, bearings, and other repairs as identified through routine inspections. Work will begin on Queens Avenue between Ridout Street and the bridge.