Seemingly never afraid to ruffle feathers at London city hall when he publicly advocates on behalf of the Old East Village Business Improvement Area (OEV BIA), Executive Director Kevin Morrison has accepted another prominent role in the community. Since March 1, Morrison has been contracted to work part-time as an operations consultant with the neighbouring Hamilton Road BIA as it emerges from a massive financial loss in 2025. With the blessing of the OEV BIA’s board of directors, he’s using some vacation days and time-in-lieu to help the neighbouring organization. Last summer, the Hamilton Road BIA lost $111,000 to online scammers impersonating the organization’s bank on a mirrored website, leading to the departure of the business district’s general manager. Morrison said it’s time to focus on a stronger future, “They’ve got a good foundation. They had what I call a hiccup. And you know what? It happened. Let’s get over it [and] let’s get on with it.” On Friday, Morrison was working inside the Hamilton Road BIA’s office. “Already I’ve noticed that there has to be more open lines of communication, which is something I certainly implemented and worked hard on when I came to the Old East Village,” he explained. Morrison has a well-earned reputation at city hall for advocating strongly, and publicly, on behalf of Old East Village businesses. “Perhaps they think I’m a little bit abrasive, [and] sometimes they think I’m a little bit direct,” he admitted. “But you know what? I’ve found that things don’t get done by sometimes just taking the soft approach.” In the Old East Village, it’s resulted in a free parking program, additional funding, and acknowledgement from City Council that social service agencies shouldn’t be clustered in a single business district. At times, it’s also resulted in strained relationships with municipal staff and politicians. “Sometimes at committee meetings or council meetings we might not agree on everything. I was going to say eventually they come around to my way of thinking, but that’s not always the case!” Morrison said with a chuckle. Being simultaneously employed by the Old East Village BIA and the Hamilton Road BIA has led some people to ask Morrison about the possibility of a merger. It’s an idea he instantly rejects. “[My] answer is a flat out no, because they represent distinct districts,” he explained. “The Old East Village is a distinct district, just as the Hamilton Road BIA is distinct.” Morrison was previously the Mayor of Goderich and the owner of several business ventures.
