Londons in state of the city speech: “provide brutal honesty along with credible hope”

“The State of our City is equally anxious, frustrated, & weary – all for good reason. I won’t use this platform to sugar coat our circumstances. Instead, what I’ve set out to do in previous years, & especially during this time, is to provide brutal honesty along with credible hope” – Mayor Ed Holder 

Mayor Ed Holder expressed that London needs to generate 3,000 new affordable housing units and we are averaging about 150 new units each year.

“If that remains our pace, it would take us 20 years to achieve. That’s unacceptable.”

He declared a five-year mission to build 3,000 affordable housing units and get London to “functional zero” when it comes to chronic homelessness.

“I think first and foremost of rising poverty, lack of affordable housing, and a lack of support for London’s most vulnerable. These curves continue to rise, and must be crushed with the same determination as has been summoned against COVID.”

Holder challenged builders, companies and citizens with money or skills to take part of a plan to house marginalized Londoners.

London Food Bank has partnered up with RBC Place, 519 Pursuit, and Y.O.U. to hand out bagged lunches everyday to those who are homeless or “at risk”. 

“We have not-for-profits and social agencies standing shoulder to shoulder, collaborating in ways like never before. We need something else, however. We need the private sector. We need you,” he said.

Holder expressed that we are ready for the vaccine. Directing the message towards Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford. “deliver us the vaccine, and London will finish the job.”

Holder honoured the lives of Henry Harder and John Marten, the lives who were taken due to the construction-site collapse, on December 11, 2020.

“We see it still, in shows of solemn solidarity, as Londoners hang construction vests from doors, balconies, and windows, to honour the lives of Henry Harder and John Martens.”

Holder promised to continue working toward “eradicating” racism against Black Londoners, Indigenous peoples, and people of colour, though he stressed he will not support a growing call to “defund” the London police by lowering the budget and re-investing in social supports.