Ford expanding strong mayor powers beyond Ottawa and Toronto

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The Canadian Press

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday he’s planning to expand so-called strong mayor powers to municipalities other than Toronto and Ottawa as a way to get more housing built.

Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark introduced the legislation last week that would give the mayors of Ontario’s two largest cities veto powers over bylaws that conflict with provincial priorities, such as building housing.

Speaking at the Association of Municipalities Ontario annual conference in Ottawa, Ford said the legislation will provide those mayors with additional tools to advance those provincial priorities.

“Building more homes is at the top of the list,” he said. “In the coming months, we’ll have more information on how these tools will be expanded to other municipalities so more municipal leaders like yourselves can help build Ontario.”

The legislation tabled last week would allow the mayors to override council approval of a bylaw, such as a zoning bylaw, that would hamper a set of provincial priorities that will be set out later in regulations.

Examples of priorities that government officials gave include the goal of building 1.5 million homes in 10 years and building critical infrastructure.

A council could override the mayor’s veto with a two-thirds majority vote.

The legislation would also give the mayors the responsibility for preparing and tabling their city’s budget, instead of council, appointing a chief administrative officer, and hiring and firing department heads, except for statutory appointments such as an auditor general, police chief or fire chief.

Toronto Mayor John Tory supports the idea, though the current, outgoing mayor of Ottawa doesn’t, and neither do two contenders to replace him.

The mayors of other large cities have expressed interest in such powers.

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