Tuesday 30 September 2014

A partnership opportunity that can't be missed


Post-secondary education is one of London’s greatest strengths. Western University and Fanshawe College are major employers in our city and students contribute millions more to the local economy through spending on rent, food, entertainment, and all the other necessities of life. In many ways, we tend to undervalue the part they play now and could play in the future. I believe there are three ways we can strengthen the partnership with Western and Fanshawe to make London better for everyone.


First, I have already discussed in Metro News London how the city could be looking to local experts at our post-secondary schools to carry out research and find innovative solutions to city issues. Occasionally when the city needs to test the feasibility of an idea, or wants to know what other cities are doing on the same issue, it relies on expensive outside consultants to produce a report. One example is the London’s Transportation Master Plan, produced by a Toronto consultant group.

Sometimes we do need expertise beyond what’s available on city staff. Why not partner with our world-class university and college to do this kind of work where possible? We can invite students and researchers to focus on practical ideas and solutions for our city. Imagine the top minds living in our city investigating how we can improve industry, environment, and citizen engagement in London, and how city government can make a difference in those areas.


Secondly, I recently blogged about the need to foster entrepreneurship in our city as a way to boost economic growth. I mentioned the roles the that local agencies have to play in this area, and Western and Fanshawe are key pieces of the puzzle. We can look at the kind of talent our schools are producing and gear short-term subsidies to start-up businesses in those fields.

We need to make it easier to start and maintain a small business in London for everybody, not just grads; however, this is one way to keep some of our top talent at home. I've seen this kind of approach do great things in Waterloo Region, where I lived as a student at the University of Waterloo. The area has a thriving tech sector because of talent produced at its universities.

Recently, the province announced funding for Campus-Linked Accelerators, to build on innovation and entrepreneurial programs at Southwestern Ontario's colleges and universities. This includes Western's Entrepreneurship, Engagement, Economic Development (E3), which will act as “a hub for educational, community, and private-sector partners and the foundation for nurturing a vibrant on-campus ecosystem of entrepreneurship”. It’s great news, so we must ensure that the city is at the table to build strong links between Western innovation and entrepreneurship and the rest of our city.


The third way London can do a better job of collaborating with our schools has to do with integrating them into city life. We need to treat students as fellow Londoners and help them to see themselves that way.

Recently, two of my opponents called for Western’s Homecoming celebrations to be cancelled. While I absolutely sympathize with the frustrations of Broughdale residents, this is the wrong approach. Rather than shutting down the celebration, I’d like to see the city get involved in planning it, and not just in terms of law enforcement. 

What if Homecoming took over Victoria Park for the weekend, or a few blocks of commercial area were closed to traffic for the celebration? Alcohol consumption could be contained and monitored. It would also encourage more long-term Londoners to come out and join the celebration, and bring their positive influence. It would mean be a boost for nearby businesses too. If we look at Homecoming like another city festival, we can plan the kind of celebration everyone will be proud of.

Helping Fanshawe bring more students downtown, to study in the Kingsmill’s building, is also a step in the right direction when it comes to integrating them into city life. These students will be working and learning where so many other Londoners also work. More interaction will lead to better relationships.

Western and Fanshawe are huge advantages to have in London. Let's start treating students like fellow citizens with something to contribute rather than just a problem to be managed.

Thursday 25 September 2014

Strengthening our economic backbone


As I have met Ward 6 residents at their doors over the past many months, one of the most frequent concerns I have heard is about the job situation in London. 

People are concern on their own behalf, on their children’s behalf, or just on their city’s behalf.  We have seen large employers like Kellogg’s and Electro-Motive shut down with nothing replacing these good-paying careers.

It becomes easy to feel disheartened; however, tremendous opportunity also exists. Small business drives economic growth and is the backbone of the economy nationwide, making up 98% of all businesses in Canada. By supporting existing small businesses and guiding start-ups toward success, we can help people find satisfying employment doing what they love.


I’d like to tell you my own story.

After working for a manufacturer of solar energy equipment for three years, I was laid off in a round of downsizing in 2009. Like so many other Londoners, I wasn't sure where to begin. The news was full of bleak economic stories about how jobs were hard to come by. There was very little work to be found in our Forest City at the time, and I had to apply for employment insurance.

At the same time, I didn't want to let the knowledge I had gained about solar energy go to waste. After a couple months of soul-searching, and with support from London’s Small Business Centre, I started my business. SunTap Technologies installs solar energy systems, like the ones my former employer manufactured. In the five years since I started the company, I've had the opportunity to employ several local people, mentor five co-op students, and purchase goods and services from other local businesses.

I was able to make a fulfilling career for myself, but I couldn't have done it without help. The Small Business Centre program was a great start, but we need to do more to foster entrepreneurship in London.

I’d like to see the London Economic Development Corporation focus more on business start-ups to create local ventures that employ local people. We also need organizations like the LEDC and the Small Business Centre to work more closely together to encourage entrepreneurship and see start-ups become fulfilling job-creating operations.

I’d also like to see the city offer entrepreneurs short-term subsidies to help new local businesses, such as offering low-rent office or retail space to soften the impact on start-up costs. The business would agree to pay full rent after a certain period of time or when they reach a certain level of income.

We also need to ensure an adequate number of affordable daycare spaces are available so that parents can properly manage their work life, whether that’s starting a business or looking for employment.

Much of the money a small business earns is spent locally. That means that when we support an existing or start-up local business, the benefits don't stop there:  local ventures spend money at other local ventures. People with jobs spend money in the local economy. All this helps make our city more prosperous and a desirable place to live, work, play, and stay.

Of course, there is a plethora of initiatives London can implement to support jobs and economic growth  I’ve proposed a few of them in my platform  but supporting entrepreneurship is an important first step. Let’s help people build fulfilling careers for themselves, and support our city at the same time.

Monday 22 September 2014

Making city data more accessible to the public


In Metro News on Friday, there was a story about open data at London City Hall, and how much access residents have to information about city services and initiatives. 

Ward 7 council candidate Josh Morgan and I are proposing a way to make that data more available to you. It’s a Web site called a "citizen dashboard", and it is already being used successfully in Edmonton



Here’s why I think the citizen dashboard is right for London:  if you want to know how many road construction projects are on schedule, what the snow-plow routes are, or how many people were left behind at bus stops last month, where would you get that information? Right now it’s difficult to find, and is likely not included in the city's collection of open data.

A citizen dashboard would display city data, and metrics are displayed in a way that is attractive and easy to understand. For example, the Edmonton dashboard displays the city’s vehicle collision rate, community centre attendance, and waste-diversion rate, as well as the city’s credit rating and debt. Knowing whether London is on track to meet its goals in these areas will help residents keep their government accountable. 

Most importantly, Londoners get to see how effectively public money is being spent, making sure we get what we pay for. It’s one of the ways I plan to promote integrity and accountability during my time on city council. 

I’d love to know what city data you’d like the dashboard to track. Is it the unemployment rate, the service level in city offices, or maybe the condition of our infrastructure? Comment below or send me an e-mail with your thoughts. Let’s make information about our city more accessible to all of us.

Wednesday 10 September 2014

My platform for a better London


The ideas a potential councillor proposes and the values he or she represents will be the most important information for citizens as they cast their ballots this Fall. To make sure my ideas and values are clear, I posted my platform at Bloxam.ca/platform.

Since the Spring, I have been visiting Ward 6 residents at their homes to introduce myself. I've also been listening to them about what is important to them in their neighbourhoods and for the city of London as a whole. I’ve also attended community meetings and events, and met with many of the decision makers in the area. All of this has helped me to refine and focus the priorities I already had when I entered the race to be the next councillor for Ward 6.

I chose to organize my platform based on three key themes that I believe Londoners are looking for from their next council – Integrity, Prosperity, and Sustainability. Of course, there’s a lot more to the platform than just a few key words. I’ll expand on some of the individual ideas here on this blog over the next few weeks. For now, let me tell you a bit about what I mean by each of these words. 


Integrity 

If there's one thing I've heard above all else when speaking with Londoners, it's that the citizens of our city have lost faith in their elected officials.  I promise to be open, accountable, and accessible to my constituents.  I will work with my council colleagues to come to a consensus when making decisions, instead of continuing the "us vs. them" mentality of the past.


Prosperity

Our city has had a tough time during the recent economic downturn.  We need to get more folks into fulfilling careers and encourage business growth in London.  There is no easy answer and there are many pieces to the puzzle, but working together we can achieve our goals to make London a place to live, work, play, and stay.


Sustainability 

Sustainability means ensuring that decisions take into account economy, community, and environment without placing higher priority for one over the others. It also means ensuring that the prosperity we build together lasts over the long term. In my business career and volunteer commitments, I have always striven to make sustainable decisions. This is a practice that I will continue as your councillor.


I hope you’ll take some time to read through the platform on my Web site, and to get in touch with any questions and comments, good or bad. One of the things integrity means is that I keep listening, even if I think I have the answer.

Please also continue to visit the blog as I expand on some of these points and talk about what the next council’s job will be when it comes to making them a reality.

Sunday 7 September 2014

City Council made the right decision on Fanshawe

Earlier today, I submitted a letter to the editor at The London Free Press and London Community News regarding the decision on Tuesday, September 2nd made by our city council to support partial funding for Fanshawe College's expansion into the former Kingsmills building downtown.  I'd like to hear your thoughts on this decision as well!

Congratulations to the current City Council on their decision to invest in London’s core and the future of our city. While there are several steps still left, Tuesday’s vote to approve funds that will help bring Fanshawe College to the Kingsmill’s building is an important one. 
Over the past several months, I have spoken with many Ward 6 residents at their doors. In the past few weeks, this topic has come up more than any other. Some asked for news of the vote when I knocked on their doors Tuesday evening. 
Overwhelmingly, the residents I’ve spoken to see this investment as one that will support a healthy downtown core, and with it, a healthy city. 
The people of Ward 6 know better than almost any others in London about the contribution our post-secondary schools make to the city. Many work, teach, or study at Western University, or work at businesses that serve Western students. 
Growth at Fanshawe College is good news, and the eight councillors who supported it are right to do so. As part of the next council, I plan to increase collaboration with Western and Fanshawe and continue supporting our core. 
Mike Bloxam

Candidate for Ward 6