LONDON, ONT. -- The extension of the provincial lockdown has forced the postponement of the 2021 State of the City Address.

In a news release, London Mayor Ed Holder announced that the January 26th event will be rescheduled to a future date.

The State of the City Address is an opportunity for the mayor to highlight the previous year’s accomplishments and present his direction for the upcoming 12 months.

The breakfast event is usually attended by more than a thousand local business leaders inside the RBC Place Convention Centre, but the pandemic had already seen this year’s address switched to a livestream.

The release reads,

'In light of today’s announcement from the Province of Ontario that it would be extending the provincial lockdown for another 28 days and in keeping with the best recommendations from our health experts and government, the London Chamber of Commerce will be postponing its live-streaming of the 2021 State of the City Address.'

Mayor Holder adding, "My message to Londoners, in the interim, is a simple one: stay safe, and stay healthy."

The London Chamber of Commerce will announce the revised date for the livestream as soon as possible.