London Free Press

City council steers new homeless ‘drop-in spaces’ away from main streets

6 min read

Politicians have voted to further crack down on where the city’s homeless can lay their head, specifically in business districts. Not only will encampments and service depots for their residents have to be located roughly a football field’s distance from any residential property line, but resting spaces also will be barred from the main streets […]

London Free Press

Politicians say no to allowing homeless camps within 25 metres of homes

6 min read

City politicians want to strike down an effort to shrink the distance between encampments and homes, even as city hall says current guidelines put staff at risk and make homelessness increasingly visible. During Tuesday’s meeting of city council’s strategic priorities and policy committee, politicians spent several hours combing over new recommendations for the city’s community […]

London Free Press

Politicians push back against how city-funded boards use taxpayer money

6 min read

Amid public backlash to the London police board spending more than $100,000 for advice on how to sell its record-setting budget request, two city councillors want a new guideline on the use of taxpayers’ money for budget pitches.  The police board paid Navigator, a Toronto-based crisis communications firm with a history of representing high-profile clients, […]

London Free Press

Politicians give early support to big expansion of Hyde Park merchants group

5 min read

City politicians on Tuesday gave the initial OK to exploring a massive expansion of the Hyde Park business association, but not without skepticism as to how it will operate. Members of council’s planning committee endorsed having city staff and the Hyde Park business improvement area (BIA) explore more than doubling its existing footprint. The proposed […]