Ontario plans to apply ’strong mayor’ powers in 169 more communities

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Ontario is proposing to more than triple the number of mayors who have so-called strong mayor powers, looking to add 169 municipalities to the list.

The powers, which critics decry as undemocratic, include allowing heads of council to propose bylaws and pass them with the support of a third of councillors, veto bylaws and hire and fire department heads.

Premier Doug Ford’s government first granted the powers to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa, and since then has expanded them a few times, with the list currently at 47.

Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack said Wednesday in a news release that extending the powers to more municipalities across the province will help reduce obstacles to building housing and will streamline local governance.

“Heads of council are key partners in our efforts to build homes and infrastructure across the province,” Flack wrote.

“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.”

The expansion comes as Ontario is behind the pace needed to meet its goal of building 1.5 million homes in 10 years.

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.

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The proposal is set to be open for feedback on the province’s regulatory registry for one week, and the government intends to have the powers come into effect as of May 1.

The president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario welcomed Wednesday’s announcement and said it will help get housing built.

“As the most trusted order of government, municipalities can be counted on to exercise new powers accountably and in the best interests of the public and the communities they serve,” Robin Jones wrote in a statement.