Mayor Josh Morgan's first State of the City Address opened with a jaw-dropper.
The city's 65th mayor used the annual speech to announce an anonymous London family has donated $25 million to fund a "bold new approach" to combat homelessness. The donation is believed to be the single largest gift of its kind in London's history.
Morgan told a crowd of roughly 1,300 community and business leaders, who had filled RBC Place for the Tuesday morning event, if Londoners can put forward another $5 million in donations, which the family will match, through the Health and Homelessness Fund for Change. That would bring the total up to $35 million.
Details on how that cash will be spent will be shared with the public next month, Morgan said. In the meantime, what has been made clear is that it will go toward a plan to build a "permanent and sustainable system" that will do away with emergency responses needed each winter.
Morgan stressed that homelessness is the biggest challenge facing the city.
"These are sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, brothers, and sisters," said Morgan, “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.
Morgan said he will also look to the federal and provincial government to assist with funding needed for mental health and addiction issues.
"I want to thank the donors for donating a significant portion of their personal wealth with the belief in what's being done," Morgan said to the media after his speech. "After (the next meeting of the Health and Homelessness Summit) they will start to have the framework of what this will look like, and a report will come to City Council likely by the end of February."
Morgan also said he was unconcerned that a private donor - rather than a government program.
"What you have here is a family so committed to helping do their part to solve this challenge that they're willing to put up a significant portion of their own wealth," Morgan told reporters. "That is a catalyst for all of the work that's being done and all the work that will be done. It will take support, not just from individuals, but the municipality and other orders of government."
The State of the City address is put on annually by the London Chamber of Commerce. This is the first time since January 2020 it has been held in-person. The COVID-19 pandemic forced it to be held virtually in 2021 and 2022.
Other areas touched on during the event was the need to convert unused office space into residential units, particularly in the downtown. Morgan noted there is currently over one million square feet of unused space and reiterated his campaign promise to build 50,000 residential units/homes - 10,000 of which in the core.
He also spoke about London Transit's push to increase frequency on 17 routes and a new "Alternative Service Transit Delivery" that by the fall will take people from Argyle Mall to destinations within the Innovation Park Industrial Area.
The speech saw Morgan back a London Police Service request to hire 52 new police officers. He said the additional officers would help to create a safe city for women and girls.
Morgan ended his remarks by stating "we can make the choice to provide marginalized Londoners with a chance."
"If you don’t think Londoners have the commitment, then stand down... The community we're building for all of London is rising up."