Surprise announcement from mayor's state of the city address

A surprise announcement coming from Josh Morgan’s State of the City address.

During the address, Morgan announced an anonymous London family has donated $25-million, and if community raises another $5-million, it will be matched for total $35-million to support upcoming community plan to address homelessness.

“The need for urgency could not be more clear. Where this effort is concerned, delays are not measured in days; they’re ultimately measured in deaths,” said Morgan.

This is the first time the event has been held in-person since January 2020 because of pandemic restrictions.

The speech is an opportunity for the mayor to provide his outlook for the upcoming year and announce his priorities for city council.

Previous mayors have also highlighted job creation, updated progress on local challenges and set ambitious objectives for the city.

Also in the speech, Morgan noted that London is the fastest growing city in Ontario and housing supply isn’t keeping pace.

He told London business leaders, “We must actively explore options to convert unused commercial office space into residential units.”

Aside from housing challenges, Morgan also announced progress on climate change driven by energy efficiencies.

“Compared to 2005, total greenhouse gas emissions from London have decreased by about 30 percent,” said Morgan.

In closing, the mayor said, “If you don’t think Londoners have the commitment, then stand down… the community we are building for all Londoners is rising up.”