The Ontario Government passed the Strong Mayors, Housing Act in 2022 and it has grown into a very controversial, hotly debated and vigorously contested piece of legislation.
The Strong Mayors section of the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, assigns special powers and duties to the head of council in designated municipalities. These powers include:
- responsibilities related to the chief administrative officer
- organizational structure
- employment matters
- local boards
- committees
- meetings and their agendas
- veto powers of council by-law proposals and
- budget preparation.
The new section also contains other related provisions including rules respecting:
- delegation
- immunity and
- transition
The Strong Mayors Act is a double-edged sword that can benefit municipal governments and also be a grave threat to their independence and autocracy.
The Ugly
The most serious risk of the Strong Mayor Act is that the Mayor has the potential of becoming an autocrat as he/she has extensive municipal government management controls and overriding veto powers. With the support of just one-third of the city council, the Mayor can pass budgets, his agenda, and his objectives. Some see this as a clear desecration of democratic principles where a 50% vote is no longer the norm.
The Bad but tolerable
The possible beneficial aspect of the SMA may be that it may abridge extensive debate as the Mayor can abbreviate it with just one-third of council support. The open and full discussion can be terminated with some input closed to any discussion. If one believes in efficacy and saving of time and energy, this may benefit municipal governance. However, the gagging of councillors and cutting off their opinions seems unjustifiable in any consideration.
What is your opinion?
