Ward 9, 2026

“Full costing, before every vote, every time. Right now, city staff can approve contracts up to six million dollars without a single council vote, and council never even sees a report on anything under $133,800. Below that line, taxpayer money moves and the people elected to watch it don't find out unless someone files a freedom-of-information request, and even then the documents can come back redacted. By 2030, any Londoner should be able to open any city spending item and see the real cost before the money moves. Getting there means making enemies of whoever likes it this way: staff who'd rather not itemize, and any mayor who'd rather manage the message than open the books. I'm fine being the one who keeps asking the question nobody in that room wants asked.”

“I'm developing a social sports network and league/team management service. Getting anyone to actually switch from what they already use is a fight, even for free. Nobody wants to learn a new system on someone else's word that it's better. I stopped asking people to try it and started removing every reason to say no. I am helping administer a volleyball league and giving them free access. I helped a friend put his softball team on it the same way: I did the setup, waived their fees, and provide ongoing support. What I gave up was money the software could have earned, and hours of my own time. People don't get talked into change. They get walked into it, by someone willing to carry the load until it's proven.”

“A parent came to me about school bus routes: a stop removed, kids walking a kilometre, and not being able to get a bus home after practice. I told them plainly: a city councillor has no say in that. Day-to-day routing is Southwestern Ontario Student Transportation Services, TVDSB's bus operator. Policy sits with TVDSB's own transportation office. Our elected trustee is Beth Mai, covering wards 7, 8, 9, 10, and 13, though TVDSB has been under a provincially appointed supervisor since last year, so trustees aren't currently voting on board policy the way they normally would. What I can do anyway: point residents straight to TVDSB's transportation office, and copy Beth Mai on it, since trustees still hear from residents and can push things along without a formal vote. I offered to make the introduction myself if needed.”

“Fiscal responsibility. No wasteful spending, full transparency on every dollar, and no tax hikes. What tears at me is saying no. A resident brings me something worth doing, and the math says the city can't afford it without raising taxes, and I still have to say no. Here's the case against me. Refusing new revenue can mean deferring maintenance, and deferred infrastructure gets more expensive the longer a city waits. The same taxpayers pay for it eventually, just later, and for a bigger repair bill. Prioritization is the fix. The full costing that I will be pushing for shows council the real cost of everything, so failing roads and pipes get funded first, and elective extras get delayed or cut.”

“Before I ran, I read the City's own Official Plan and used it. In June 2025, a developer proposed 31 townhouses on Lambeth's old McEachren school site, all its traffic routed through Marianna Drive's single access point, while Lambeth's one remaining public school is already capped and busing new kids out of the village. I wrote directly to Councillor Hopkins asking her to oppose the whole project, then sent a full written case at https://millartime.substack.com/p/the-proposed-4402-colonel-talbot, built on the Plan's own commitments to safe, healthy neighbourhoods and real community engagement. She acknowledged the first email and never answered the second. She voted yes four and a half months later. That's how I'd do the job: research, offer solutions, represent the will of Ward 9, and hold anyone to account who isn't doing what's best for residents.”

“If I had to pick one thing I would like to see change. It would be more bylaw enforcement. Living in London and experiencing bylaws being broken and no enforcement is something that my community would like to see change. If we set rules by laws, It's really no use if there are no bylaw enforcement officers that come when complaints come in. Currently there are over 70 active bylaws. Residents of Ward 9 would like to see bylaw officers in Springbank Park. If we create bylaws we must be able to enforce them.”

“20 years ago I made a decision to sell my house and move to BC. Many friends and family advised me to stay in London. The real estate agent argued about listing price and I took a loss. My family purchased a home for me in BC and I moved everything. The DO file flat the buyer turned out to be a fraud and in the end I lost thousands of dollars. As a result, I came back to London moved my things picked up where I left off with my business. It took a community to get me back on my feet. I will never forget the angels that believed in me and helped me pull it back together. It was a humbling experience that has kept me grounded and grateful. I gave up my grandiose thinking and started asking for help.”

“One thing people will ask that Council cannot decide is, anything that has to do with our London police. I would tell them that the police are an independent operation that does not take direction from Council. In this case there would be no motion.”

“The issue we face as a city is the sad reality of drug addiction on our streets. I have watched how Vancouver fundraised enough money through gala's and auctions etc to raise money for "Nine stories of Hope" at the Salvation Army's harbor light facility. They rebuilt a larger facility with substance use recovery programs, Access to affordable housing and building employment skills. Money was raised from the federal government, the affordable housing fund and money from correctional Canada, the province of BC and community housing incentive program (CHIP) as well as a land donation. But I feel torn about picking this issue is that some people view the Salvation Army only as a religious organization. Although it is a Christian base, it has always been a staple of a place to go for people in need. The strongest element is the religious element. My argument is they have always held out a helping hand to those suffering and hold no discrimination towards anyone. They continue to be our largest and longest thriving service for addiction, mental illness and homelessness. The Salvation Army has been in London since July 17th. 1882.”

“The one thing I can tell you I do for people in the community is provide a business that provides a service for all forms of hair loss, e.g. chemotherapy and other medical conditions. veronicashairshoppe.com”