Ontario is proposing the expansion of “strong mayor powers” to the leaders of 169 municipalities starting May 1, effectively tripling the number of mayors possessing such authority.
The proposed expansion comes as Ontario is struggling to meet the pace required to achieve its goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031.
Municipal Affairs Minister Robert Flack said in a release that the move would enable more mayors to propose and pass bylaws with the backing of one-third of council at a time when the province is looking to boost the building of homes, transit and other infrastructure across Ontario.
Doug Ford’s Progressive-Conservative government initially granted the powers to two heads of council in 2022: the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa. That number has grown over the past few years and currently sits at 47 and includes mostly cities with populations exceeding 40,000.
Flack said expanding such authority to additional municipalities throughout the province will alleviate barriers to building and simplify local governance processes.
“By extending strong mayor powers to these additional municipalities, we are providing mayors every tool at our disposal to empower them to get homes and infrastructure built faster,” Flask said in the release. “Mayors know their municipalities best, and we support them in taking bold actions for their communities.”
Mayors with the provincially-granted enhanced powers can also propose and veto bylaws, create committees of council, and appoint or dismiss municipal department heads.
Some of the higher-profile uses of strong mayor powers so far include Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath using the powers to advance an affordable housing development on two municipal parking lots, and then-Mississauga mayor Bonnie Crombie—now Ontario Liberal leader—using them in favour of fourplexes in 2023.
Some of the municipalities being added to the list include the City of Orillia, the City of Brockville, the City of Stratford, the Town of Bancroft, the Town Collingwood, and the City of Timmins.
The proposal will be available for public feedback on the province’s regulatory registry until April 16.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
