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The Matt Brown Podcast

The Matt Brown Podcast

By: Matt Brown
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 Beginning in September, Rogers TV has invited me to host a twice monthly show called Newsmakers. The show is about all things municipal, and maybe some other topics too. After the show airs on Rogers TV, I’m going to post the interview portions of it here on The Matt Brown Podcast, sponsored by The Bicycle Café. You are a big part of this show. In fact, we couldn’t do it without you. So, please give a follow. Let us know what you think. Let us know if their topics that you’d like to learn about or maybe you’d like to be on a future show. Email: themattbrownpodcast@gmail.com. For now, this will be the main content for this podcast. We’ll see how it grows from here. I’m excited about this project and I hope you are too. Talk to you soon, London. PS, Buy me a coffee? There are some expenses connected to running a podcast and if you'd like to make a contribution here to support the show, I'd be grateful. Interested? Simply click here:https://buymeacoffee.com/the.matt.brown.podcast Thanks again for listening! MB Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Ward 13 Councillor David Ferreira joins to tell us about his vision for London's Downtown.

    Ward 13 Councillor David Ferreira joins to tell us about his vision for London's Downtown.
    Jan 26 2026
    It’s been said that a city’s downtown is its calling card to the world and London is no exception. Here's why - geographically, London’s core represents less than 1% of the city’s overall space - and at the same time, the core is responsible for over 5% of overall assessment. It’s a closed economic ecosystem. When the core thrives there is more money generated for greener parks from Westmount to Huron Heights to Argyle. From Sunningdale to Old East Village to Wortley and Westminster - and all neighbourhoods in between. It can mean better roads with fewer potholes across the city. The dollars and cents generated downtown can also help keep taxes affordable because new assessment from growth can cover the costs associated with running a city that would otherwise be paid by existing property owners. The downtown is the heart of the city. It’s the meeting place for Arts, Music, Culture and our creative communities. The Grand Theatre, Covent Garden Market, Canada Life Place, Victoria Park, Centennial Hall, Museum London, RBC Place, Dundas Place and the multi use pathway system that links the forks of the Thames to every neighborhood across the city are all examples of City investments that have attracted all kinds of private, not for profit and institutional sector investments. Billions of dollars in construction for thousands of apartments in the core. Fanshawe College opening a Downtown Campus. London Music Hall, the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, the Aelion Hall, 100 Kellogg’s Lane, the Hard Rock Hotel and more. Countless restaurants, shops and other businesses making investments of their own, too. There is no question - the core is down right now, but it’s not out. The Covid years did significant damage. The homelessness and addiction issues are impacting London’s core just like they are in cities all across Ontario and Canada. The good news? People are returning to the core and people are moving to the core by the thousands. Just this month TD announced the return of 2500 employees. Conventions have returned to RBC Place, Covent Garden market is booming - so is the Western Fair Market, Canada Life Place is sold out on a regular basis and, at the same time, there are more highrises coming on line on a regular basis - bringing thousands more Londoners to the core, for the first time. With all of this happening - London City Council is conducting a review of the strategies they have in place. It’s called the Downtown Plan and it’s happening right now. Here to talk about it today is Ward 13 Councillor, David Ferreria. So, lets go.
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    15 mins
  • Steve Cordes has a new project and I think it’s something you are going to be interested in.

    Steve Cordes has a new project and I think it’s something you are going to be interested in.
    Jan 22 2026
    Steve Cordes led Youth Opportunities Unlimited, a local not profit here in London that serves youth from London in a myriad of ways. The growth the organization experienced under Steve’s decades long stint as CEO is nothing short of remarkable. Y.O.U. provides young people from London who are living complicated lives with things like housing supports as they navigate social services and sometimes the criminal justice system. Y.O.U. leads in social entrepreneurial endeavors too - providing employment opportunities and on the job training for youth, while, at the same time, having a positive impact on the London Community. Most importantly, Y.O.U. helps young people from London experiencing adversity understand that they matter and that people care about them and that they belong. This past summer, Steve retired from this role. Steve is many things - he’s an expert at navigating municipal politics - really all level of politics. He’s a fundraiser extraordinaire, he’s always been an advocate for the underdog and a champion for doing what is right. Post retirement, we knew he wouldn’t simply disappear from the scene. We wondered what might be up to next - and - today, he’s here to tell us about what that's going to look like.
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    20 mins
  • Michael Oates, E.D. for St. Leonard's Community Services, joins us to talk about how his team helps people transition from incarceration back to the community - and more!

    Michael Oates, E.D. for St. Leonard's Community Services, joins us to talk about how his team helps people transition from incarceration back to the community - and more!
    Jan 17 2026
    Maybe you're familiar with the term, “hiding in plain sight”, in other words something is right in front of our nose, but it blends in so well that we don’t even see it. That’s often the case with the programs and services that St. Leonard’s Community Services provides. Today you're going to hear about terms like: half way houses, jail and prison, parole and probation and how the organization supports people as they take responsibility for their actions and transition from incarceration back to living in our community after serving time for a criminal conviction. You’re going to hear about some of the upstream preventative measures they provide too. That’s the background. St. Leanoard’s Executive Director, Michael Oates is here to tell us all about it.
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    23 mins
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