President’s Update: May 2026
Hi everyone,
After many ups and downs in the weather and even a red (tornado) warning. It looks like warmer days are here to stay.
We are only one week away from our monthly meeting, and this is going to be a fun one. We are bringing back our “All Things London” trivia night, and we hope you can come out and enjoy an evening with us on May 28. Bring your friends as well. Our regular meetings are always free and open to the entire community. More details here.
Green Awards
Gentle reminder that nominations for the Green Brick and Green Umbrella Awards are still open.
Annual General Meeting in June
In June, we will shift gears and hold our Annual General Meeting (AGM), Save the date for June 17. Our conversation could not be about a more timely topic: municipal elections. This year, we have almost three times the number of candidates registered in the first two weeks compared to the previous election. Adding to the discussion are the changes in ward boundaries and the significant salary increase for councillors, bringing compensation close to $100,000 after this year’s municipal election.
Mike Donachie’s coverage of municipal issues continues to get better and better, with lots of updates not only about the election but also about current discussions at City Hall.
Why does this matter to the Urban League and our members?
Our councillors and mayor make decisions regarding roads, public transit, garbage collection, police services, housing, parking, property taxes, and many other issues that impact our daily lives. This is certainly relevant for all our community members who work hard to create more vibrant neighbourhoods. More specifically, we need streamlined processes and more resources to help our members, both groups and individuals, host events and initiatives that benefit their communities. I talked about that in the most recent episode of the Matt Brown Podcast.
By the way, our March meeting was a great opportunity for community groups to come together and discuss the common challenges they are facing. Topics included volunteer management, event planning, advocacy and community engagement, communications, fundraising, and financial management. The meeting generated many valuable takeaways and opportunities, but it also highlighted barriers and challenges that could be alleviated with greater support from the City of London.
We encourage all our members to talk to their candidates, learn where they stand on the issues that matter to you, and, of course, vote on election day. Here is a map if you need to know which ward you live in.
London United for Change has also put together a helpful voter’s checklist. I recommend checking out their website for many more resources.
All Candidates Meeting
If researching or reaching out to candidates is not your cup of tea, we have you covered. We are working on organizing candidate meetings for each ward in London. If there is a topic or issue that matters to you, let us know. We will include the top issues raised by our membership in the list of possible questions. Unfortunately, time is limited, and it is impossible to address every single topic.
ULL Candidate Meeting - 2022
One last thing on the elections front: Dr. Martin Horak, our guest from the February meeting, let us know that the article Campaign Capital, Resource Mobilization, and Candidate Performance in Local Elections has now been published. A few members had expressed interest in learning more about the research.
Tell us what you wat to know about transportation in London
Also in June, the Mobility and Transportation Working Group (MTWG), which was launched in March, will hold its second meeting. The Urban League has a seat on the group, so if you have any suggestions, please contact us. A reminder that the MTWG focuses on projects that will be implemented over the coming years as part of the 25-year Mobility Master Plan.
Inaugural meeting of the Mobility & Transportation Working Group
Thanks for all the hard work you do for your community and your city!
Kindly,
Luis Patricio
President, Urban League of London