Cities across Canada are facing a new economic reality, and in London and Southwestern Ontario, that reality is also opportunity. On Dec. 4, 2025, LEDC, in partnership with the Lawrence National Centre for Policy & Management, hosted Cities at the Front Lines of Trade Disruption, a national webinar where municipal and trade leaders discussed how communities can thrive amid global trade turbulence.
The panel included Mayor Josh Morgan (London, Ont.), Mayor Donna Reardon (Saint John, N.B.), Mayor Alanna Hnatiw (Sturgeon County, Alta.), and Ontario’s Representative in Washington, D.C., David Paterson, with moderation from Lawrence Centre Director Romel Mostafa. The discussion stood out not just for the range of voices, but for the urgency and clarity with which each addressed the stakes for their communities.
While Canada’s trade tensions with the U.S. were central, the conversation quickly turned to opportunity. Paterson highlighted the promise of digital trade and intellectual property, calling it “the economy of the next century” and noting, “there will be a time when we look back at this as when we embraced digital trade.” He referenced Canada’s reduction of the digital services tax and Europe’s success leveraging digital services in trade negotiations.
Morgan underscored Southwestern Ontario’s diverse advanced manufacturing base, spanning agri-food, automotive, aerospace, and defence, as a foundation for growth. “We have everything we need to be successful. We have business relationships and people with talent. We have resources in the city,” he said.
The panel also pointed to defence spending and natural resources as key opportunities. “We are going through a disruption in world trade, but we are blessed with geology and the U.S. is not,” Paterson said, highlighting minerals critical to defence and electric vehicle industries.
A clear message emerged throughout: municipalities are no longer waiting for national directives. They are acting as first responders to economic shocks, embracing digital trade, leveraging local strengths, and building resilience for the communities they serve.
For LEDC, the webinar reinforced a familiar reality in Southwestern Ontario: global trade challenges hit home fast, and municipal leadership is essential to keeping investment, industry, and innovation moving. The discussion also underscored the value of collaboration between policy experts and municipal leaders across Canada - a conversation that extends beyond regional boundaries.
If this discussion is any indication, Canadian municipalities are ready to lead with purpose, creativity, and a focus on building an economy that can weather disruption and seize opportunity.
