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Hello <<First Name>>
Thank you to everyone who came out to the Ward 13 town hall. It was a very engaging session, and I appreciated the questions, comments, and ideas that residents brought forward. These kinds of conversations matter. Civic engagement is vital to building a city that listens, responds, and continues to move forward with the people who live here.
Much of the discussion focused on the issues residents are seeing and experiencing directly: downtown, homelessness, housing, public safety, parks, infrastructure, and neighbourhood concerns. These are not simple issues, but hearing directly from residents helps shape the questions I ask, the motions I bring forward, and the work I continue to push at Council.
This month’s newsletter includes updates on a number of those areas, including spring cleanup work, downtown initiatives, the Downtown Response Team, the upcoming Downtown Master Plan, the Emergency Shelter Dashboard, BetterHomes London, tree canopy supports, community events, and recent Council work.
There is also a lot happening across Ward 13 and downtown this spring. As the weather improves, City crews are ramping up seasonal operations in parks, street sweeping, pothole repairs, and cleanup work across the city. At the same time, downtown continues to see new events, business supports, and community programming, including the River District Concert Series and upcoming FIFA World Cup Caravan stop in Victoria Park.
Thank you again to everyone who attended the town hall, and to everyone who continues to reach out, ask questions, raise concerns, and stay involved. That engagement is what helps keep our neighbourhoods strong and our city moving in the right direction.
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.
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Downtown London was recognized with three awards at the 2026 Ontario Business Improvement Area (OBIAA) Awards Gala this year! This year’s theme, In Full Bloom, recognized the role BIAs play in building resilient, inclusive, and economically vibrant communities.
These awards celebrate the innovation, dedication, and community impact of BIAs across the province. The three awards that Downtown London received are as follows:
- Award of Merit – Economic Resilience & Community Building for Downtown London Walking Tours
- Award of Merit – Special Events for Popping up with Downtown London
- Award of Excellence – Business, Retention, Recruitment & Expansion for Member Growth Kit
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Cleanup work in parks began in late April as staff transitioned from arenas to parks and temporary seasonal staff return. Full operations commence May 4th. Additional seasonal garbage cans began returning to parks in mid-April, and all extra containers will be in place by the beginning of May.
Crews have been out addressing fallen or damaged tree branches in parks from the winter, but residents may continue to see some downed branches in less accessible locations over the coming weeks while this work continues.
In addition, the city has launched a new series of monthly cleanups in the community as part of its One City, One Team initiative. Crews across the corporation will work together and focus on improving a different area of the city each month.
Residents are reminded that litter and illegal dumping can be reported through the Service London portal at service.london.ca.
Street sweeping also moved into full swing last month with both day and nighttime crews starting in mid-April. Our crews have also been out fixing potholes across the city. The public can report potholes to the Service London Portal to help pinpoint problem areas.
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River District Concert Series
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Running from May through August, the second annual River District Concert Series will feature an eclectic mix of musical genres – from jazz and blue to rock, pop, and indie – showcasing both celebrated local talent and guest artists. Join Londoners at 320 Thames Street for free, community-focused events full of music and vibrant local culture.
Consider supporting this exciting opportunity to celebrate music, community and local enterprise by becoming a sponsor. Contact Alicia to learn more at cafe@londonbicyclecafe.com.
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The Downtown Response Team
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Since early 2026, the Downtown Response Team, a new addition to the City’s Coordinated Informed Response (CIR), has been actively visiting businesses along Dundas Street to introduce themselves, build relationships, and better understand day-to-day challenges. To date, the team has had more than 330 interactions with businesses, adding 68 to the Trespass Agreement Program registry and generating strong interest in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design audits. Through these proactive visits, officers continue to share available supports, promote participation in the Trespass Agreement Program, and offer practical guidance to help improve lighting, visibility, and storefront layout to reduce safety and security challenges.
These officers provide dedicated coverage along Dundas Street from Wednesday to Saturday, 7 A.M. to 5 P.M. Outside of these hours, CIR teams continue to respond and provide support across London.
Businesses and residents can continue to report encampment-related concerns through the Service London portal. Once a request is received, the CIR team reviews it and connects the appropriate services, which may include outreach support, cleanup, or bylaw follow-up.
The City will continue engaging with businesses along Dundas Street in Downtown London, Old East Village, and Midtown, and the Old East Village and Downtown London BIAs to help spread the word about this new team.
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The FIFA Canada’s Caravan Tour, a travelling fan fest to celebrate the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will be stopping in London on Saturday, July 4th at Victoria Park. This free, public, one-day festival will feature soccer-related activities, community programming, and a live broadcast of the two rounds played that day.
For FIFA World Cup 2026 Canada will be hosting alongside Mexico and the United States across 16 Host Cities, with 48 teams and 104 matches showcasing the world’s game in North America. Taking place from June 11 to July 19, the tournament will unite not just the entire continent but indeed the world as fans from around the globe fill the stadiums or tune in to follow the action. For the latest information on the competition, visit the FIFA World Cup 2026 page on FIFA.com.
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Important Motion to Council
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Last month I brought forward a motion to Council regarding the current delivery model of addiction treatment and prescribing practices operating in Ontario, and specifically in the City of London.
This is not about the medications themselves. It is about how these treatments are being administered. In my view, the current method of prescribing, dispensing, and managing these medications, without enough structure, oversight, aftercare, and broader supports, is contributing to the problems we are seeing.
I have serious concerns about the tension between for-profit incentives and real recovery outcomes. Without strong clinical oversight, integrated supports, structured aftercare, and access to services such as medical detoxification, those interests do not align in a way that serves people well.
Council supported this and we will now be advocating to the Province and healthcare regulators for a review of this model and a transition toward a more effective, fully integrated system of care.
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BetterHomes London Program
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Applications for the BetterHomes London program opened on Thursday, April 23.
This program works with homeowners to improve their home comfort, reduce their energy bills, and support London’s climate objectives through home energy retrofits. This includes a retrofit coaching service to answer questions about retrofit options and the available incentives.
Participants will have access to low-interest loans of up to $40,000, with half the loan amount provided as upfront financing to minimize out-of-pocket costs for homeowners. Loans are tied to the property, not the homeowner, which means repayment is made through property taxes.
Learn more: https://betterhomeslondon.ca/
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Tree Canopy Conservation Program
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The City of London is now accepting applications for the 2026 intake of the Tree Canopy Conservation Program, which provides financial support to help property owners care for and preserve mature trees on private property.
To qualify, trees must be 40 centimetres or greater in diameter, and all work must be completed by a qualified arborist to ensure proper care and safety. A key feature of the program is that property owners do not need to live at the residence to apply, broadening eligibility to include non-resident owners of qualifying properties. Residents are encouraged to review eligibility requirements and program details before applying.
The program is part of the City’s Urban Forest Strategy, which sets a long-term target of achieving 34% tree canopy cover by 2065. Reaching this goal requires both planting new trees and extending the life of existing mature trees, many of which are located on privately owned land.
For full eligibility details and how to apply, visit: https://london.ca/living-london/water-environment/trees/tree-canopy-conservation-program
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Emergency Shelter Dashboard
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The City of London has launched the Emergency Shelter Dashboard as part of the Homelessness Online Dashboards initiative. This dashboard provides monthly and annual insights into how emergency shelters funded by the City of London are used.
The information provided offers a detailed view of shelter use, including the number of individuals accessing shelter, total stays, length of stay, and system capacity. The data is drawn from the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS) and reflects shelter stays recorded by service providers.
As with all dashboards in this suite, the information is intended to support the understanding of trends and patterns over time. It should not be interpreted as an exact count of all shelter use or homelessness in London.
You can access the Emergency Shelter Dashboard from the following web page: https://london.ca/HomelessnessDashboards
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Reforest London Tree Planting
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Join in on this Springs planting season!
ReForest London continues to embrace the theme: Life is Better Outside -Together. This means deepening relationships, re-energizing our collective resolve, and ensuring every Londoner experiences the benefits of a thriving urban forest.
Likewise, the popular ReForest Tree Giveaway program continues this year, empowering residents to plant native trees in their own yards. Each household can receive up to two free trees.
For more details on giveaway events and volunteer opportunities visit: https://www.reforestlondon.ca/events
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Downtown Master Plan Update
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The finalized Downtown Plan is coming to council next month alongside the city’s Economic Development Strategy.
Included within The Downtown Plan will be the actions to drive our downtown in the right direction for the next decade and beyond, and the ability to implement those actions. This is an exciting moment for our downtown and its future, where a new drive for coordination, accountability, activations, assets and follow-through across departments to keep progress moving will be included. This is a big moment for London, and it’s on our immediate horizon.
Please keep an eye out for this significant change coming for our Downtown.
Learn more: https://getinvolved.london.ca/downtownplan
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Upcoming Events Downtown in May (Click on calendar for full screen view)
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