Latest news with #CorrineRahman
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Sunningdale Road up for multi-million-dollar overhaul as London's north end grows at rapid pace
Improvements are on the way for a major east-west corridor in London's north end. Sunningdale Road West will soon be up for an overhaul, thanks to provincial government funding announced Thursday. 'This is a major corridor for anyone trying to get into the northwest part of the city,' commented Ward 7 Coun. Corrine Rahman. 'You think about all the development that's happened on Sunningdale Road. Fox Field, Sunningdale itself. And there's just so many people trying to get in and out of the area.' Rahman was on hand as a pair of provincial cabinet ministers announced $18.3 million in funding to upgrade Sunningdale Road West between Wonderland Road North and Village Walk Boulevard. The city says the improvements will allow for 5,000 new homes in the area. 'We need more homes built faster and smarter, because it takes too long and it costs too much to build housing. So that's why we're here today,' said Rob Flack, Elgin Middlesex London MPP and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. SUNNINGDALE LONDON Doug MacRae, director, Transportation and Mobility, Mayor Josh Morgan, Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure, Rob Flack, Member of Provincial Parliament for Elgin-Middlesex-London and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Corrine Rahman, Ward 7 councillor, on Aug. 14, 2025. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London) 'We hope to come back again, and we're very happy to see that you're moving on this funding very quickly,' added Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. According to the city, 'the improvements will include expanding the roadway from two to four lanes, adding new sidewalks, cycling lanes, lighting, and new stormwater infrastructure to improve drainage. A new bridge will be built for an expanded road crossing at Medway Creek, which will include a pathway connection along the creek.' Mayor Josh Morgan said the city can't take on projects such as this alone. 'We have to run balanced budgets every year. We have three pieces of our pie. We've got property taxes, user fees, and government grants. It means our provincial and federal partners are critical, critical to us actually supplying the infrastructure and services that we need,' said Morgan. The affected portion of Sunningdale is 2.2 kilometres in total. Construction is scheduled to get underway in spring of 2026, and it's expected to take two years. 'It's going to be painful. We're going to have to find other ways to get around and maneuver through the construction, but it will be well worth it in the end,' said Rahman.
CTV News
13-08-2025
- Business
- CTV News
TVDSB could face deadline to get provincial approval for proposed high school site in London
The planning committee is putting the Thames Valley District School Board on the clock - setting a deadline to get provincial approval for a new high school. The clock could soon be ticking for the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) to secure provincial approval and funding for a new high school in northwest London, or potentially see the property developed into more housing. On Tuesday, the Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) considered an uncommon 'dual zoning' request from Landea Developments for the property at 1196 Sunningdale Rd. W. that would permit institutional uses like a public high school, but also permit residential uses if the new school does not proceed as intended. Coun. Corrine Rahman, who represents the area, suggested an amendment that would set a three-year timeline for TVDSB to obtain the necessary approvals and funding. 'The developer went out of their way to work with the school board. They have signaled through this report that this is their intention,' explained Rahman, who previously was a school board trustee. 'Holding that land for three years, even if the school board got approval next year, or this coming year, it doesn't mean that they'd be ready to move forward in a comprehensive way.' She suggested that the dual zoning would still permit other institutional uses on the property should progress on a new high school stall. The six hectare property is on the south side of Sunningdale Road, to the east of Fair Oaks Boulevard, and to the west of Denview Avenue. Several members of PEC expressed concern that the three-year period might not be sufficient time given the recent upheaval and governance overhaul at TVDSB. However, the dual zoning was recommended by the committee. Council will make a final decision Aug. 26.
CTV News
07-08-2025
- Business
- CTV News
New apartment proposal in city's northwest could help meet housing and childcare demands
A new apartment proposal for northwest London could help meet two major needs for the area – housing and childcare. And so far, the plan is getting positive reception from neighbours. 'I think it's fantastic, I think the area needs it, especially the businesses in Sherwood Forest Mall. It would really help the businesses, and help the community as a whole,' said John Paul, who lives in the Gainsborough Road and Limberlost Road area. Developer Heikal Group is proposing an eight-storey apartment building with 101 units for the southeast corner of Gainsborough and Limberlost, just west of Sherwood Forest Mall. 'It would be nice for this area to have a nice new apartment building, bringing more people. It would help the mall,' commented neighbour John Wilson. The building would include commercial space for a daycare centre, replacing what's being described as an under-utilized church with a daycare currently on the property. Ward 7 Coun. Corrine Rahman said it's a good fit for the neighbourhood. 590 Gainsborough Road Traffic on Gainsborough Road on Aug. 7, 2025. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London) 'The owner of the land is also the owner of the daycare. So, it's a really interesting proposal from that perspective. We all know that we need more childcare here in London. So, this meets those kinds of needs,' said Rahman. The building would also have 76 parking spaces. Anita Parker, who has lived in the neighbourhood for 46 years, said she supports the project, but does have some apprehension about added traffic and parking. 'We do need more housing. I would like it to be smart though. We really need to look at underground parking. We really need to look at lights so that traffic-flow can work effectively,' she said. 590 Gainsborough Road The property at 590 Gainsborough Rd. on Aug. 7, 2025. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London) With Gainsborough a major commuter route for many in the northwest part of the city, traffic can be heavy at times, particularly during the morning and afternoon rush hours. Gainsborough is scheduled for rehabilitation in 2026, just in time for development of the apartment to proceed, pending approval. However, the planned rehab does not include widening of the two-lane stretch. 'I know if you look historically at every time Gainsborough gets talked about, it gets waffled on, and it wins by a vote. We are a bottle-necked city, and we're hard to grow out of that,' said Parker. Rahman said there will be opportunities for the public to share their concerns about Gainsborough Road in the city's Mobility Master Plan. In the meantime, city councillors will consider the apartment proposal Oct 1.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Redesign of Gainsborough Road could see bike lane relocated
The location of a new bike lane in northwest London might be shifted from the road to the adjacent boulevard. On Monday, the Infrastructure and Corporate Services Committee (ICSC) was told by Councillor Corrine Rahman that the rehabilitation of Gainsborough Road near Hyde Park Road must consider all users in the fast-growing part of the city. 'We've got to balance the parking needs, the need for the road to be rehabilitated, and the need for it to be accessible to all users,' Rahman told the committee. Currently, the busy stretch of road would be reconstructed to include a single eastbound lane, a dedicated left turn lane at Hyde Park Road and new bike lanes on both sides of the road. Rahman pressed for public consultation about the final design. She suggested that consideration be given to shifting at least one of the bike lanes onto the boulevard— thereby separating riders from drivers and reducing the capacity constraints for vehicles on the roadway. 'My preference would be boulevard bike lanes,' Rahman told CTV News after the meeting. 'The reason for that is it's a safer option for folks that are looking to ride in this area.' City staff confirmed that bike lanes along that stretch of road were recently approved in the Mobility Master Plan. Relocating the bike lane onto the shoulder might have impacts on the project's budget and timeline. 'I do understand that it's not typically what we would do in a (road) rehabilitation like this because we'd need to move hydro poles and things like that,' Rahman said. 052625 - Render of Gainsborough An artist rendering of Gainsborough at Hyde Park Road. (Source: City of London) Members of ICSC supported Rahman's motion to consult with the public and prepare drawings of an alternative design. 'I do think that it's really important that when we're doing a redevelopment in an area that's growing as much as the northwest part of the city, we have to look at getting this right,' Rahman said. Council makes a final decision about Rahman's motion on June 3.
CBC
26-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
After 26 years, city politicians take over running London Transit
Social Sharing London city councillors are saying goodbye to a longstanding commission that has overseen London's public transit system for decades, citing leadership concerns. In a vote at city hall Tuesday, the Strategic Priorities and Policy committee (SPPC), which includes all members of council, voted 9-6 in favour of eliminating the London Transit Commission (LTC). Instead, they agreed to temporarily put five of their own in charge of the board that oversees the city's bus system until a long-term plan is finalized. The decision comes after three board members suddenly quit yesterday, taking the chair of the board by surprise. Is London's transit so bad it's worth dissolving the governing body? Chair pushes back and says no 1 day ago Duration 1:09 Some London Transit Commissioners resigned and called for new leadership this week. They say the service isn't meeting the needs of Londoners. The chair of the commission disagrees. Stephanie Marentette points to the work being done with paratransit that she says shows service improvements. Councillors Corrine Rahman, Shawn Lewis, David Ferreira and Elizabeth Peloza wrote an open letter Monday asking for the transit commission to be replaced by three city politicians who would oversee the transit authority while a governance review is underway. "Concerns have been raised by council and the public: around accessibility issues, ridership experiences, route extensions into new developments, growth hours, rapid transit implementation and council directions," the four wrote in the letter. After a lengthy debate, the councillor's proposal was accepted. The committee appointed five, not three councillors as initially suggested, to replace the commission. Councillors will be able to volunteer for the position at next week's full council meeting. The London Transportation Commission, as it was first known, was formed in 1951 when the City of London bought the public transit service. The current CEO, Kelly Paleczny, has led the LTC since 2014. She declined to comment Tuesday. The LTC has seen decreasing ridership numbers, and complaints from people with disabilities who can't rely on the accessible service. It's also in need of major repairs and new buses to keep up the fleet. LTC Chair Stephanie Marentette spoke to council on Tuesday, urging them not to get rid of the commission as she believes the organization's relationship with the city can be repaired. Marentette proposed councillors fill the three vacant seats and let the remaining four commissioners stay on the board instead of dissolving the entire LTC because having three new members with no LTC experience manage the organization alone is setting it up for failure, she told councillors. Some councillors tried to delay the vote to a future meeting next month because they said they didn't have all the information at hand and wanted more time before making a decision. But others, including Mayor Josh Morgan, urged the situation needs to be dealt with immediately. Marenttette told CBC News after the meeting that the close vote makes her believe councillors could change their minds by next week when they have to make the final decision and she will continue having conversations with them. "I don't feel confident that every single member of council who voted tonight is confident in their decision and I think there's still an opportunity here and I'm going to keep pushing," she said. Accessibility advocate Jacqueline Madden was among the three board members who resigned, saying the LTC board wasn't able to work well with city council. After the meeting, she expressed relieved at SPPC's decision. "I found that I wasn't able to contribute on a level playing field with everybody else and something needed to happen to make a change," she said, adding that communication with the city was lacking on projects like school bus passes and assessment growth. The commission's remaining four members are: Chair Stephanie Marenttette Vice-chair Scott Collyer Commissioner Sheryl Rooth Commissioner and Coun. Jerry Pribil Other members of the board who resigned alongside Madden are Coun. David Ferreira and commissioner David Little. The LTC's fate lies in the hands of the full council vote on April 1.
