LONDON, ONT. -- City budget deliberations slowed to a crawl on day four, focused on social problems facing the city.

City hall’s Core Area Action Plan (CAAP) was developed last year to address a wide range of emerging challenges in Old East Village, Midtown, Richmond Row and the downtown.

Council spent most of its fourth day of 2020-23 budget deliberations debating the merits of specific projects contained in the $18.9 million plan. It contains items to address social issues, cleanliness and safety.

“The majority of the items in the action plan all generally need to go ahead,” explained Deputy Mayor Jesse Helmer as discussion turned to individual projects.

Mayor Ed Holder asked if property taxes are the most appropriate source of funding for some of the projects, or if the costs should be left to the local Business Improvement Areas.

“Who does what? There may be some really interesting things for us to do, but could it should it might it fall under the purview of these associations?”

More than five hours of questions and debate followed.

Most CAAP projects get funding

Council supported funding most of the staff-prioritized initiatives and some of the non-prioritized items in the CAAP including:

  • $2.875 million - Ambassador Program (staff serving as security/tour guides/cleaners)
  • $3.3 million – expand case management for vulnerable people
  • $5 million – redirecting funds to build new supportive housing
  • $600,000 – temporary free parking ‘experiment’ for special events

Councillor Steve Lehman said without the investment, London risked seeing an exodus of people who recently moved to core neighbourhoods.

“If people do not have a safe clean environment to live work and play we will lose that momentum.”

Public housing gets investments

Towards the end of day four, council made progress on several investments to support public housing.

They included $3.65 million over four years to help city hall’s Housing Development Corporation work with private developers to build affordable housing. The investment will be tied to the construction of 150 new affordable units each year.

The massive $456 million infrastructure gap at London Middlesex Community Housing received some help from city hall.

But Councillor Paul Van Meerbergen stressed that the scope of the problem is outside city hall’s financial abilities, “It’s a tsunami for the poor little taxpayer in London.”

Council allocated $15.5 million for repairs, acknowledging that the agency is limited in its ability to do more work until an overhaul by the new one-person board of directors is complete.

“I grew up in housing and understand something needs to be done like yesterday,” Councillor Arielle Kayabaga emphasized the importance of investing in public housing, but added Queen's Park must play a significant role.

“We are going to keep telling the province [they] should be doing their part to support housing.”

Tax rate update

After day four of deliberations, the average annual tax increase stands at 4.2 per cent, including a 4.9 per cent increase this year, if all remaining Business Cases for new spending are supported next week.

City hall’s 2020-23 budget deliberations resume Feb. 13.