Ontario is proposing to expand strong mayor powers to Mayors  effective May 1.

The Premier is proposing to extend Strong Mayor powers to 169 municipalities, including this one, effective May 1.

The expansion “reflects Ontario’s commitment to streamline local governance and help ensure municipalities have the tools they need to reduce obstacles that can stand in the way of new housing and infrastructure development.”

Those “obstacles” are development-averse citizens, and the councillors who represent them, in municipalities small and large across the province. 

The powers allow heads of council to move provincial priorities — new housing and the water and transit infrastructure required to to support it — ahead even when a majority of councillors are opposed. 

Strong Mayors can propose municipal by-laws that can pass with just one-third of councillors in favour if they advance development priorities. They also hold a veto power and budgeting authority.

“Should the amendments come into effect on May 1, I will determine how 
to exercise these new powers accountably and in the best interests of the public.” 

—Mayor Steve Ferguson

Mayor Steve Ferguson intends to exercise the new powers with care. “Should the amendments come into effect on May 1, I will determine how to exercise these new powers accountably and in the best interests of the public,” he told the Gazette.

“The present Council has not discussed the Strong Mayor powers and duties,” he added.

A mayor could reserve the exercise of the special powers for initiatives Council has already approved, such as strategic and budget planning initiatives, or to keep already approved housing, and the infrastructure required for that housing, on track.

Picton Councillor Phil St-Jean said he’s not concerned Council’s authority will be undermined by a Strong Mayor. “Mayor Ferguson alone will ultimately decide for himself if, when, how, and under what circumstances he might apply any new provincially granted powers,” he said.

“I think existing systems, policies, practices and procedures should and will be maintained. I am confident Steve will continue to act appropriately and make decisions that respect the best interests of all County residents and taxpayers.” 

But fellow Picton Councillor Kate MacNaughton worried that a Strong Mayor was anti-democratic.

“This is not a comment on our mayor. I’m unaware of any plan to employ them, but if the municipality goes down that path even once, it could set a dangerous precedent,” she said. “Too much control in too few hands creates a greater risk of corruption. 

“It’s also more risk for Ontario mayors. They already receive an astonishing amount of public rancour and blame, even without extraordinary powers.”

Provincial Push

The Premier introduced the powers in 2022, and extended them to the Mayors of Toronto and Ottawa. In 2023, the heads of 21 smaller cities, including Belleville, were offered the extended powers.

Uptake was lukewarm. Some mayors accepted reluctantly, noting they would use their new prerogatives only at critical junctures, when all else had failed. Others rejected them altogether. 

Critics saw them as overreach, threatening to override the integrity of internal municipal processes and discussions.

Mayors in Newmarket, New Tecumseth, Norfolk County and Haldimand County all said no thanks, in many cases because civic leaders felt the housing targets set by the province — 1.5 million new homes by 2030 — were too ambitious.

Newmarket Mayor John Taylor said the city just didn’t have the wastewater capacity for the 12,000 homes the province wanted. The Mayor of Norfolk County, Amy Martin, worried that labour shortages would lead to stalled construction builds.

Still others, however, have embraced the powers, including Andrea Horwath. The former Ontario NDP leader and current Mayor of Hamilton recently vetoed her Council’s decision on a 67-unit affordable housing project.

A majority of councillors had voted against building new housing on a pair of under-used parking lots. Mayor Horwath vetoed that decision to allow the project to move forward.

Strong Mayors can:

—Propose municipal by-laws that can pass with just one-third of councillors in favour if they advance provincial priorities. 

—Appoint the Chief Administrative Officer.

—Hire certain municipal staff and both establish and re-organize departments.

—Create Committees of Council, and appoint Chairs and Vice-Chairs of all such committees.

—Propose the municipal budget, which would be subject to Council amendments and a separate Mayoral veto and override process.

—Veto certain by-laws if all or part of the by-law could interfere with a provincial priority. 

Public comments will be accepted at

Ontario’s Public Registry until April 16. See ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do

Public comments will be accepted Ontario’s Public Registry until April 16 https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do..