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February 2026 edition

In this issue:

Downtown for the Holidays!
Community Skate
Fanshawe Flight Services Monday Night Soirees 2026
Three cheers for Chris Ewer and Nancy Wister!
Cheering on our local Olympic athletes
Motion to reclaim stranded Brownfield funding
Planning Applications
Ark Aid Mission Donations needed
Residential Blue Box program changes
New Ward 12 business: Rudy Cheeseburgers
Residents Q&A
Residents sharing information
Government Contacts

Ward 12 News and Events

Greetings neighbours,

To the residents I am proud to serve,

Throughout my seven years on Municipal Council, I have believed that honesty and transparency are not optional; they are the foundation of public service. Even when the news is difficult, residents deserve to hear it directly from me.

In December, I was admitted to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where I underwent treatment for breast cancer. I spent the holiday period focused on healing and adjusting to this new reality, while continuing to balance my work commitments and welcoming many residents at my Community Holiday Skate.

I am deeply grateful to the exceptional staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital for their professionalism and care, including Dr. Sarah Knowles and Dr. Farhad Ghasemi and Wellspring Cancer Support. I also want to thank my personal support network—friends, family, and neighbours—who have offered steady encouragement and support. My three children have shown remarkable strength, compassion, and resilience during this challenging time.

As we move into 2026, I recognize that engagement and event attendance may look a little different. What has not changed is my commitment to serving Ward 12 residents and the broader London community to the very best of my ability. I am seeking re-election this year, and I look forward to continuing to represent our community with honesty, transparency, and dedication.

I am pleased to share that the lymph node biopsy and tumor margins have come back clear of cancer. I am approaching treatment with determination and optimism, and I remain steadfast in my belief in transparency, accountability, and putting people first. I will continue to serve our community with honesty and resolve.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding. Please take this as your personal reminder of the importance of regular self-breast exams and scheduled mammograms with the Ontario Breast Screening Program. It is truly an honour to serve, and I remain available, engaged, and committed to the work ahead.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Peloza
Councillor Ward 12 & Budget Chair

Fanshawe Flight Services Monday Night Soirees 2026

Once again, Fanshawe’s Flight Services students are pleased to partner with Katana Kafé to offer our series of 12 evenings of dining in a setting that uniquely combines the romance of aviation with fabulous food.

The set menus offered are different each Monday, and served runway-side at YXU Airport. It’s the perfect location for aviation enthusiasts!

Call Katana directly to book your table, 519-455-9005
Please indicate any dietary requirements at time of booking so we can be sure to accommodate your needs.

February 9th
Appetizer: Lobster Bisque
Main Course: Crab Stuffed Chicken with Hollandaise, Mashed Potato and Green Beans
Dessert: Lemon Tart

February 23rd
Appetizer: Tandoori Chicken Bites
Main Course: Pad Thai with choice of Steak, Chicken or Shrimp
Dessert: Mango Cheesecake

Three cheers for Chris Ewer and Nancy Wister

I am thrilled to announce that Chris Ewer and Nancy Wister, proud community members here in Ward 12, have been awarded the Mayor’s New Year’s Distinguished Londoners Award.

For more than 25 years Chris Ewer and Nancy Wister, long-serving members of the White Oaks Community Council, have been the driving force behind the Canada Day Celebrations in White Oaks.
This cherished event unites community members from all backgrounds in a spirit of celebration. Throughout the afternoon and evening, local musicians perform live, and cultural groups share their traditions through a vibrant dance showcase.

Entirely community-led and funded, this event provides immense value not only to White Oaks, but also to the broader London community and the many visitors who travel from across the region to take part.

This event is a major undertaking in event management, requiring year-round planning and coordination. The organizing team oversees every detail – from booking food vendors, musicians, and cultural performers to recruiting volunteers, securing sponsors, and running marketing campaigns. Entertainment arrangements such as fireworks and inflatable rides, along with event set-up and park clean-up, are all part of the extensive effort needed to bring the celebration to life.

It’s an honour to volunteer along side Chris and Nancy and to have nominated them successfully for the Mayors New Years Distinguished Londoners Award. Congratulations on your achievement, and thank you for all of your hard work!

Cheering on our local Olympic athletes

An absolute honour recognizing and wishing well local curling athletes Sarah and Mark.
Sarah Wilkes, lead for Team Homan- Team Canada for Women’s Curling, experiencing her first Olympics, Mark Ideson, skip for the Paralympic Curling Team who’s experiencing his fourth Paralympics and Mick Lizmore who is the head coach of the Paralympic Curling Team.
They are all members at the Highland Community Curling Club located right here in London in Ward 12.

Wishing these athletes and their teams the best of luck in Milano-Cortina as they represent Canada and GO FOR GOLD!

Motion to reclaim stranded Brownfield funding

When a building site has previous industrial contamination it is labelled a ‘Brownfield’ site, and any builder needs to remove any contamination before building. To help this process, the city of London commits funding to the project. This is meant to speed up construction and remediation of the site.

Unfortunately, construction projects sometimes fail to materialize, leaving the city funding committed and unusable, or ‘stranded’. That’s why I have moved a motion to reclaim those stranded funds and apply them to active projects. We need to keep our city building, to provide homes and opportunities for our citizens.

The committee has endorsed my motion, and I urge my colleagues to support it when it is brought to full City Council for deliberation.

Planning Applications

Ark Aid Mission Donations needed

Residential Blue Box program changes

As of January 1st, our Residential Blue Box Program is no longer run by the City of London. Instead, all residential blue box recycling across the province is run by Circular Materials.

How will residents be impacted by this transition:

Recycling collection dates in the 2025-2026 Waste Collection Schedule will remain the same.
Residents will be able to recycle more materials at the curb. Circular Materials will lead a province-wide advertising campaign to inform residents of these new accepted items.
In the new year, residents with questions, concerns or complaints regarding recycling collection should be directed to Miller Waste at area24@millerwaste.ca or 1-888-852-2376
Residents with additional materials or residents of multi-family buildings without Blue Box services can drop off materials at the EnviroDepots at no charge. Note that this service is for residential recyclables only and materials from non-eligible sources cannot be accepted at the EnviroDepots at this time.

For assistance related to recycling inquires, missed collections or replacement bins, please contact Miller Waste at 1-888-852-2376 or email area24@millerwaste.ca. For more information, visit London | Circular Materials | Ontario.

Please continue to contact Service London for garbage and Green Bin service requests.

New Ward 12 business: Rudy Cheeseburgers

Rudy Cheeseburgers – WELCOME to London!

Owned and operated by Sanj Malhan and Sourabh Gohad. This is the 13th location for Rudy Cheeseburger’s and their FIRST in London located on the front exterior side of White Oaks Mall (1105 Wellington Road)

Offering a menu of signature cheeseburgers, crispy fried chicken sandwiches, fries, classic poutines made with authentic Québec cheese curds, and hand-scooped shakes.

(Apologies- I failed to take a photo of my meal as I could not resist the aroma and I ate it too quickly.) The hand scooped milkshake was delicious- the meal was filling and I’m looking forward to returning to try the dill pickle fries.

Resident Questions and Answers

Question #1: Are snowmobiles allowed on city streets?

Answer #1:

Please be advised that use of snow mobiles, or motorized snow vehicles, are not permitted for use on residential roads, as per By-law S-1, item 2.12. This rule is also mandated by the province under the official Ministry of Transportation, Highway Traffic Act, the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act, the Off-road Vehicles Act, the Trespass to Property Act and the Occupiers’ Liability Act of Ontario, where use of snow mobiles can be operated on private property, or on approved trails.

Further information and resources can be found by clicking the following links:
https://london.ca/by-laws/streets-law-s-1
https://www.ontario.ca/document/official-mto-drivers-handbook/off-road-vehicles-snowmobiles