City hall’s building department faces a staffing shortage even as London, Ont. experiences near-record demand for construction approvals. According to civic administration, 77 per cent of building applications for single-family homes are being processed by the 10 business day deadline.
London’s formula for calculating the maximum size of patios outside restaurants and bars is so longstanding that city staff are perplexed about its original intent. On Monday, the Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) discussed permanently loosening municipal rules on patios that helped many restaurants and bars survive the pandemic.
“Staff have been pushed to their limits.” That’s how Chief Building Official Peter Kokkoros addressed councillors on the Planning and Environment Committee about the strain on city hall’s ability to approve building permits and inspections.