London mayoral candidate Susan Stevenson welcomed supporters inside her new campaign office on Wednesday evening. During her speech, the crowd cheered several commitments about greater accountability at city hall and changing London’s approach to homelessness. “I’ve asked questions and I’ve pushed for answers. I know how much is at stake here. Londoners are doing their part, and it’s time that city hall did its part,” she said from a podium. “To change the future we have to change the present, and that is why I’m running for mayor.” Stevenson has served as Ward 4 councillor since being elected in 2022. She outlined her campaign platform’s six priorities, promising to provide greater details at a series of events over the coming weeks. As part of restoring a sense of safety and pride in the city, Stevenson promised significant changes to the response to the homelessness crisis. “Londoners are done with all the garbage, open drug use, and problem properties. My platform will explore weekly garbage options for summer, impose good neighbour agreements for homelessness and housing contracts, with restrictions on handing out drug equipment.” Her long list of commitments included a nod to affordability, but she declined to making a specific pledge about property tax increases until an event next week. “As mayor, I will put taxpayers first. That means controlling spending, protecting the services people rely on, and opening the books to meaningful scrutiny,” Stevenson said. She also alluded to addressing neighbourhood concerns about infill developments, “[I’ll] ensure neighborhoods have a better voice in local developments and empower their ward councillor. Every neighborhood matters.” After her speech, she provided details about her intent to move London from a “harm reduction model” to a “recovery model” for addressing street level drug use. Asked how a recovery model would work in a city with insufficient treatment beds, she told CTV News, “We need recovery pathways for these people to walk a very long-term recovery journey. We can have all the mental health hospitals and treatment centers we want, but if people don’t have a safe place to live after, we’re not setting people up for success. We’ll have people relapsing and coming back onto our streets again.” Stevenson worked as a professional accountant for 25 years and in leadership development for five years before being elected to council. She grew up and raised her family in London. In February, London’s integrity commissioner ruled Stevenson did not violate the council code of conduct following three complaints related to her decision to move a citizen’s camera during a ward meeting. In December 2024, council docked Stevenson 30 days’ pay after an investigation by the previous integrity commissioner found she bullied and harassed a senior city staff member. In 2023, council formally reprimanded her for posting photos on social media of identifiable homeless individuals while implying criminality. Stevenson has maintained the investigations by the previous integrity commissioner were unfair and improperly conducted. Stevenson ended her speech with a call to action, “Tonight we open these doors. On Oct. 26, let’s open a new chapter for London. Let’s put taxpayers first. Let’s restore safety and pride. And let’s bring new leadership to City Hall!”
