1. What do you feel is the #1 accessibility issue facing the city of London?
In my personal opinion, and perhaps this is influenced by the amount of work I have been doing on the housing file, the availability of enough accessible housing units is the number one issue that we can meaningfully tackle at city hall.
2. How will you commit to improving accessible housing opportunities in our city?
As a member of the board at LMCH, I’ve been a part of the leadership that has developed a plan, obtained the funding, and is in the process of renovating of 400 of our RGI units to be fully accessible and affordable. I want to continue to be able to work on that initiative and see it through. Just as importantly, we are as city building the first new LMCH buildings in over 50 years, since before it was downloaded by the province. It is important as we develop these new builds, that we ensure the unit mix includes fully accessible units for those who need such a space.
3. How will you work to improve accessible transportation including conventional transit, Paratransit, taxis and ride sharing?
Having been one of the council members who pushed for dedicated funding in the budget to specifically improve the paratransit service, I absolutely agree that this is a challenge. While progress has been made, there is more work to do. I’m honestly not as keen on the conventional transit system being a significant part of addressing accessible transit, as it still leaves people with mobility challenges facing the “last mile” problem of getting to and from conventional stops. I do think there is an opportunity to explore with the taxi association an opportunity for their playing a role in providing door to door accessible service and having an agreement in place with the city and LTC. I will add ride share is a much different problem and not one the city can easily address given the nature of those companies and drivers. The taxi model however is one with local ownership and licensing that we can 100% work with locally.
What do you feel is the #1 accessibility issue facing the city of London?I would say sidewalks. I myself as someone without accessibility needs find it difficult to move around in the winter through packed sidewalks and roads.This keeps people with accessibility needs effectively prisoner in their own homes.Even outside of winter so many of our sidewalks are in disrepair covered in orange marking pain or too steep. This makes it very dangerous for people in walkers or chairs to travel without the fear of falling.- How will you commit to improving accessible housing opportunities in our city? Housing should be built accessible in the first place. Anyone at any age can become disabled so I will commit to fight for more fully accessible housing and improve building standards.I used to sell life and disability insurance and what I learned is really how anyone at any age can become disable. It can happen so rapidly and without time to prepare that it is necessary that all houses are accessible so that if something happens to a Londoner they are not left to retrofit on their own.
- How will you work to improve accessible transportation including conventional transit, Paratransit, taxis and ride sharing? I am not expert so I will work closely with professors, professionals, advocates, and those with accessibility needs to make as many improvements as possible! Transportation should be accessible to everyone.I’ve spoken with people about how it can take hours or days to plan a trip which is insanity. Too often those with accessibility needs are seen as “too expensive” because these vehicles do cost more than regular taxis/buses but that should be no excuse. I want to move more funds into purchasing accessible taxis to fill out the 40 licenses in London so that people of all accessibilities can travel effectively, affordably, and reliably.
1. What do you feel is the #1 accessibility issue facing the City of London?
I believe one of the biggest accessibility issues facing London is the way road construction, traffic and infrastructure projects are planned and managed.
We have seen road and street construction projects where sidewalks are removed, roads are excavated and access routes are disrupted for extended periods of time. For someone with a disability, this can mean being unable to safely leave their home, access their vehicle, use a wheelchair or walker, or even navigate their own laneway safely.
Construction is necessary, but accessibility cannot be an afterthought. When multiple projects happen at the same time without adequate accessible routes or realistic alternatives, the impact is much greater for people with mobility challenges. Increased congestion also creates additional challenges, including longer travel times and more dangerous conditions for pedestrians and drivers.
I believe the City needs to look at construction planning through an accessibility lens from the beginning, with clear expectations for contractors, safe temporary routes and meaningful communication with residents who are directly affected.
2. How will you commit to improving accessible housing opportunities in our city?
As a former employee of Community Living, I have seen firsthand how difficult it can be for individuals and families to find appropriate accessible housing and community supports. Wait times can be extremely long, and families should not have to spend years waiting for an opportunity for their loved one to live more independently.
I would support making it easier for homeowners to create accessible secondary living spaces, including garage conversions or small accessible units, through a cost affective approach and more supportive permit process. The City could also work in partnership with nonprofit organizations that provide wraparound supports so that housing and community services can work together.
This approach could give individuals greater independence while also giving families peace of mind knowing that their loved ones can live close by while still having their own space and opportunities to grow.
I also believe we need to look beyond traditional institutional approaches and invest in grassroots, community-based supports and new healthcare facilities. Accessible housing is not simply about having a physical space — it is about creating communities where people can live safely, independently and with the supports they need.
3. How will you work to improve accessible transportation, including conventional transit, Paratransit, taxis and ride sharing?
I would work with fellow councillors, local transportation providers and community organizations to identify provincial incentives and grants that could help reduce barriers for accessible transportation providers and drivers.
I have personally worked with Green Taxi through my professional experience and understand how important accessible transportation is to our community. One of the challenges providers face is the cost of maintaining accessible vehicles. These vehicles are expensive, but they are also heavily relied upon every day.
I would explore opportunities to extend the allowable service life of well-maintained accessible vans from 15 to potentially 20 years, with safety standards continue to be met. This could help reduce operating costs and potentially make accessible transportation a more sustainable option for providers and encourage new drivers to enter this important field.
I would also look at partnerships with community organizations, retirement homes and other organizations that already have accessible vehicles and equipment. There may be opportunities to coordinate transportation and dispatch services rather than having every organization operate independently.
We need to work more as a community and make better use of the resources we already have. Accessible transportation is essential to independence, employment, healthcare and participation in our city, and I believe we should be looking for practical partnerships that make those connections easier and more reliable.
Candidate did not respond to our questions.
