The Chamber has long advocated for an over-arching Strategic Plan for the City that ties

together all of the other plans that have been adopted or are works in progess, i.e. the
Transportation Master Plan, the Downtown Master Plan, the Parking Plan, the Urban
Growth Plan, the Industrial Land Development Strategy etc. etc. In theory and in
practice, all of these plans should be designed to align or serve the objectives of the
master strategic plan, however, we would like more evidence that they do.

1. If elected, would you support the adoption of a new strategy for the City of London
(not a Council only strategic plan) that would see the design and adoption of a master
strategic plan that is totally integrated with all other plans for all departments?
All too often city plans work separately, even though there are often direct links and
related goals. The result is we are missing out on synergies and opportunities for
support across and between plans. I would strongly support a new Master Strategic
Plan that incorporates all the secondary plans. These ideas and strategies often come
straight from citizens and businesses, and having their input put into action is a
significant aspect of a councillors job.

1. What measures would you support to ensure that London has competitive and
comparable business taxes including property tax, water and sewer, and development
charges with other municipalities of similar size? (Please limit your response to 100
words or less).
To Ensure that London has comparable and competitive rates with other
municipalities of similar size I would support measures such as annual reviews and
comparisons to other Cities, as well as the sharing of costs with citizens to help retain
and attract businesses and jobs. Additionally, I would support more creative
measures to keep rates low through the addition of Community Improvement Plans.

2. Will you support measures that would better expedite licensing and permits?
In general, I would be inclined to support a more efficient system of approving
licenses and permits as this is often cited concern from citizens and local businesses.
1. Will you support the acquisition of more servicable, industrial lands if they were
available?

I would support the acquisition of more serviceable lands in close proximity to
highway, rail, and air routes, as London has many economic advantages over
neighbouring municipalities; ensuring we have a well serviced stock of industrial land
will be important in retaining and brining in new businesses.


2. Will you support continued investment in industrial parks?
Industrial parks have been an excellent source of economic growth in London with
many international businesses locating to them and I would be strongly supportive of
more investment in them. These parks allow the City an opportunity to create
serviced lands which are highly sought after by businesses, especially givens London
transportation and infrastructure advantages including direct access to the the 401,
402, and 403, as well as rail routes, air routes, and close proximity to the American
border.


Do you support the "growth pays for growth" viewpoint or should things like DC charges
be partly subsidized to support economic growth and job creation?
London must strike a balance with regards to development charges; costs that are
prohibitively high to companies will discourage investment and drive away prosperity.
However, the burden for providing services to development cannot be shouldered
solely by citizens.

4. Do you support an increase in economic development funding? And if so, please
comment on where/how you recommend funding that increase.
The LEDC has had great success over the last decade in attracting significant
international investments through companies such as: Natra, Dr Oetker, and Brose.
These investments have been a great boon to our economy. Similarly, groups like the
Small Business Centre have also done great things to help small to medium sized
businesses, assisting thousands of entrepreneurs since its inception in 1986.
Continuing investment in LEDC will be helpful in building on past success and growing
into the future. I would also recommend funding increases towards providing tools to
help small and medium business grow, and reducing barriers to entry.

1. The City of London has a current infrastructure maintenance deficit of $52.1 million,
and this gap is expected to reach $488.1 million within the next 10 years on its current
path. This includes current built infrastructure and does not consider the city expansion
or service improvements that will take place over this period. If elected, how will you
make addressing this gap a priority? (Please limit your response to 100 words or less)
To keep costs low to taxpayers, investments need to be made now into our
infrastructure, otherwise, our infrastructure maintenance deficit will continually rise
rather than stabilize or decrease. Putting off costs into the future will mean greater
lifecycle expenditures for our roads, sewers, and water systems. Recognizing what
needs to be done now and in the future, we need to invest in addressing these issues
but also building greater reserves for the future for major infrastructure projects.
2. Will you support an increase in the number of public/private partnerships in order to
enhance London's infrastructure?

Having done my Masters thesis largely on public private partnerships I know that
there can be a great many advantages to them including cost sharing, greater levels of
expertise, and less risk. This is especially true when looking at Budweiser Gardens,
which is one of the prime examples in Canada of a PPP done well. That said, we must
recognize that there are cases where PPPs are poorly conducted. Therefore, I would
strongly support looking into more as long as the right partners and parameters were
established.

3. Will you support a higher percentage of the budget being dedicated to life-cycle
maintenance?
Life-cycle maintenance is very important for the long term infrastructure of our City; it
will help keep future costs down as delayed investment results in higher spending
later on. Accordingly, I would likely support a higher percentage of the budget being
dedicated towards it.



4. Do you support recommendations to launch a bus rapid transit (BRT) system in
London?
Having a more efficient quicker mode of transit in London will be important for
London to compete as a municipality in the future and for greater livability. A BRT or
some form of Rapid Transit is needed for London to be able to grow, relieve
congestion, increase property values, and make London a more livable city.
Additionally, it is an opportunity to attract business both along the transit corridors,
and across the city in making it easier to move around. As such, I would be supportive
of a form of rapid transit, one that is effective, efficient, and cost effective.