A 'Strong Mayor' Bill Just Got Introduced To Ontario & This Is What Could Happen Next
The Ontario government just proposed a new bill today that could give the mayors of Ottawa and Toronto veto powers over bylaws that get in the way of the province's priorities, like tackling the housing shortage.
On Wednesday, August 10, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing introduced the Strong Mayor, Building Homes Act will "get more homes built faster," which they said includes building 1.5 million new homes over the next decade.
"The reality is over one third of Ontario's growth over the next decade is expected to happen in Toronto and Ottawa, and too many families are already struggling with housing and the rising cost of living. We need to support efficient local decision-making to help cut through red tape and speed up development timelines," Municipal Affairs and Housing minister, Steve Clark, said in a news release.
Should this "strong mayor" system get passed, it will be officially in effect on November 15 at the start of the new municipal council term.
So, what would change?
Under this proposed system, the mayor would be granted the ability to veto bylaws approved by the council, which is a new power they have never had before.
This means the mayor can override council approval of certain bylaws relating to "provincial priorities," though there will be some checks and balances put in place. For example, the city council can override a veto if they get a two-thirds majority vote.
Each mayor would also be given the responsibility to outline and table the city's budget each year for council consideration. Before this, the whole council had the responsibility to prepare this budget.
The mayors have the chance to veto any amendments made to the budget, but again, the council would also be able to override the mayoral veto. Whatever happens at the end of the override period will be the resulting budget for the city.
The mayor would also be responsible for appointing the chief administrative officer (CAO) and hiring some department heads themselves, creating new committees, and bringing forward "matters of provincial priority" to city council.
The proposed changes would also require cities to fill in the mayor's seat — whenever it becomes available — through a by-election, or if it is vacant after March 31 during a year where there's an election, they would have to appoint someone as the mayor (though they wouldn't have these new powers).
