Former provincial PC candidate Ali Chahbar has announced his candidacy for council as mayoral hopeful Roger Caranci shares his opposition to a new performing arts centre.

Chahbar, a London lawyer who has run twice trying to become an MPP, is throwing his hat in the ring for Ward 9 and says he wants to make a difference at city hall.

"The divided approach that we've taken where we've seen councillors gravitate to extremes isn't working in the best interests of Londoners. It's not working in the best interest of business or anybody else. I think what I can do as one individual is try to lead by example and bring a change of culture at city council, one vote at a time."

More on Caranci's platform

Meanwhile Caranci is speaking out against a possible performing arts centre, an issue expected to take center stage during the municipal election.

Caranci says he doesn't support taxpayer money going towards that type of project, but he won't leave the arts out in the cold.

He is proposing merging Orchestra London with the Grand Theatre, while selling Centennial Hall and using the proceeds to create an endowment for the arts.

He says those are the kinds of ideas he would present to the new council.