Province gives Hamilton ‘strong mayor’ powers
The province is expanding strong mayor powers" to Hamilton and 25 other municipalities as it pursues its goal to add 1.5 million units to Ontario's housing stock.
The enhanced powers, already bestowed upon mayors in Toronto and Ottawa this past fall, gives them the ability to veto certain council decisions, hire and fire department heads and steer budgets.
The changes, effective July 1, are meant to help mayors and council cut red tape and speed up the delivery of key shared municipal-provincial priorities," including housing, transit and infrastructure, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing said Friday.
Hamilton is among Ontario municipalities that have endorsed the Progressive Conservative government's housing pledges." The local target is 47,000 units by 2031.
Municipalities are critical partners for our governments as we help communities get shovels in the ground faster and work to build more homes," Minister Steve Clark said in a news release.
On the hustings this past fall, then-mayoral candidate Andrea Horwath told a local debate the prospective strong mayor powers wouldn't be necessary at all."
Horwath, who went on to win the October election, said her leadership style focuses on collaboration," adding she wouldn't want special powers that are beholden" to the province's agenda.
The last thing we need is a strong mayor with strong mayor power that's going to railroad people or override the democratic process," the former Ontario NDP leader said. I think it's pretty dangerous, frankly."
The province points to checks and balances" that will maintain the important oversight role of councillors." That includes a provision that allows them to override a mayor's veto through a two-thirds majority vote.
Hamilton's new council has been at odds with a slew of changes Premier Doug Ford's government has imposed on municipal planning practices meant to expedite home construction.
Late last year, Clark ordered an urban expansion into Hamilton's outlying rural areas, rejecting the city's anti-sprawl growth plan. The province has also pulled out tracts of local Greenbelt for development.
As well, city staff have flagged millions of dollars in lost revenue due to new breaks on development charges that municipalities rely on to pay for infrastructure, like sewers, roads and recreation centres, needed to service growth.
Clark announced the expansion of the strong mayor powers during Friday's meeting with Ontario's Big City Mayors.
Ajax, Barrie, Brampton, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Clarington, Guelph, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Oshawa, Pickering, Richmond Hill, St. Catharines, Vaughan, Waterloo, Whitby and Windsor will also receive strong mayor powers.
Different communities require different tools and approaches to address local housing needs, and strong mayor powers are one such tool that can help mayors and municipalities meet their housing targets," Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said in the province's news release. We're committed to continue working with the province to build the homes our residents need."
More to come.
Teviah Moro is a reporter at The Spectator. tmoro@thespec.com