Ward 4

“In my current job as a Chief Operating Officer for a local company, my job is to manage people, including employees, trades, and customers. I had to bring owners, consultants, property managers and trades together when they disagreed about a project’s cost, scope and schedule, etc. I first had to move the discussion away from each party defending its own position. I asked everyone to identify the work required for safety and long-term performance, and then separate that from work that could be phased or changed. I found it helpful to create a vision where everyone is contributing to the project sequentially, working together for a common goal rather than taking an individualistic approach. These collaborative, decision-making situations have taught me a valuable experience that is very applicable to governing as a group: that getting a decision is not about winning every point. It is about understanding what others need, changing the proposal without abandoning its purpose, and giving people a practical reason to say yes.”

“Residents have already asked me what I would do to fix the shortage of addiction treatment, psychiatric care and withdrawal-management beds. I tell them plainly that City Council does not control Ontario’s healthcare system or decide how many treatment beds London receives. Those decisions rest primarily with the provincial government and Ontario’s healthcare agencies. However, that cannot be an excuse to pass the problem along. I would press the province with specific requests supported by local data, work with London’s MPPs and healthcare providers, and seek a united council position rather than fifteen separate messages. I would also use the authority the City does have over housing, outreach, shelters, sanitation, bylaws and public spaces. A councillor must be honest about jurisdiction while still using every available relationship and public platform to move the decision.”

“I want to be known for financial accountability and protecting the affordability of living in London while also ensuring that programs are properly funded to allow our city to thrive and ensure we are solving some of our most pressing issues. The tension is that keeping taxes under control cannot mean allowing roads, housing, emergency services and other essential infrastructure to deteriorate. The strongest argument against my position is that years of spending restraint can create an infrastructure deficit that ultimately costs taxpayers more. Inflation, population growth and provincial downloading also create real pressures that Council cannot simply wish away. That argument is valid. My position is not that every tax increase is irresponsible or that every program should be cut. It is that Council must establish priorities, measure results and prove that existing money is being used effectively before asking residents for more. I would support necessary investments when the evidence is clear, even when doing so is politically uncomfortable. Fiscal responsibility means spending deliberately, not refusing to spend.”

“I created the “Feed the Front Line Workers” program through my business, the London Wine Bar during the pandemic. Londoners were very generous in supporting our take-out business while restaurants were closed. Instead of accepting tips for our food deliveries - as it was just my business partner and I doing the deliveries - we accepted donations and delivered thousands of free meals to hospital staff, the Men’s Mission, Ronald McDonald House, nursing homes and other organizations across the city. It was practical community work: identify a need, bring residents and businesses together, manage the resources responsibly and deliver something tangible. It reflects how I would approach council—by building partnerships and focusing on results people can actually see. The program and related media coverage are documented at www.mariojozic.ca (scroll down to Media Coverage for links and other news articles). Here is the direct link for that program: https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/community-members-feed-essential-workers-through-donations-to-restaurant https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-wine-bar-donations-to-feed-a-front-line-worker-1.5542117”

“There was a time when I was looking to expand my current professional practice and open up a clinic. At the time, it was incredibly hard to get funding for a variety of reasons: I was still quite young (mid-20's), I was self-employed which made providing proof of income harder, and the entire venture seemed too risky despite a very solid business plan. In the end, I had to give up my original clinic concept and pivot to a brick-and-mortar, pre-established location. What this new opportunity gave was clear proof of income that the space was already generating (it was an existing clinic takeover), which meant I no longer needed to ask for a small business loan or grant. This helped me get my bank on board, leading to success in the end.”

“I've heard from quite a few people how badly we need a mental health facility to better support Londoners (both unhoused and housed). In these discussions I have kept my answer the same: this is something the provincial government ultimately decides and funds, and while this is unfortunate there are still a few things we can do at our local level to make positive impacts. Outside of showing up to vote for change at our next Provincial Election, we can expand a network of social workers alongside our current police force to better help individuals when emergency calls come in (again, both unhoused and housed). There is a large burden on our police forces (local and provincial) to handle calls they have very minimal or no training in, and providing this branch of support would show benefits for emergency workers as well as the individuals seeking help.”

“I want to be most known for making London more affordable to live in. The biggest factor impacting this is the cost of living. By shifting focus to creating affordable housing and rental opportunities for low- and middle-income residents, we can better support all residents. We can work with for-profit developers using planning tools such as inclusionary zoning and density bonuses to incentivise support for more affordable rental projects through Community Land Trusts. We can also look into working with Generate Upcycle, a facility on Green Valley Road, that creates Renewable Natural Gas energy through composting that is already available on our energy grid. I feel torn on this issue because we do need to collect taxes to fund vital City programs and services such as public transit, parks, community centres, waste removal and wastewater handling, and emergency services. This leads to less affordable property taxes, and doesn't guarantee the taxes collected will be allocated to smoothly operate these vital services. The strongest argument against my position is tied to this; that taxes right now are not being distributed in meaningful ways that positively impact our day-to-day lives, despite the cost of living increasing at an astronomical rate. This can be corrected with a council that supports its residents with tangible differences; a council that works to make commutes, waste pickup, emergency services, and public spaces function for its residents in ways that ease the burden of the cost of living, while also putting energy towards initiatives that create affordable living opportunities and trimming the budget where possible.”

“One thing I've already done in London is work with teachers and administration at H.B.Beal Secondary School to create a Trust Fund in honour of my father, that provides financial support for kids from low-income households who want to participate in extracurriculars. It's set up on my professional website for any prospective donors, and the goal is to grow it to encompass all sports, arts, etc., with the hope to expand it across schools in Thames Valley District. The link to view the story is here: https://www.randiprunnermt.ca/community”