Milton Mayor Gord Krantz is getting more power.
The Ontario government is expanding strong mayor powers to the mayors of 26 large and fast-growing municipalities that have committed to a housing pledge as part of the province’s work to build 1.5 million homes by 2031. This list includes the Town of Milton.
The announcement was made by Steve Clark, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, during Friday’s meeting of the Ontario Big City Mayors (OBCM). Strong mayor powers for Toronto and Ottawa took effect in the Fall of 2022 and will be expanded to mayors in the 26 additional municipalities on Saturday, July 1st.
“Municipalities are critical partners for our government as we help communities get shovels in the ground faster and work to build more homes,” says Minister Clark. “By adopting ambitious and absolutely necessary housing pledges, these 26 municipalities have demonstrated they understand the importance of that target, and we are ensuring they have the tools they need to succeed. We welcome housing pledges from other municipalities to help reach our goal of 1.5 million homes by 2031.”
Here’s what the strong mayor powers and duties include:
- Choosing to appoint the municipality’s chief administrative officer
- Hiring certain municipal department heads, and establishing and re-organizing departments
- Creating committees of council, assigning their functions and appointing the chairs and vice-chairs of committees of council
- Proposing the municipal budget, which would be subject to council amendments and a separate head of council veto and council override process
- Vetoing certain by-laws if the head of council is of the opinion that all or part of the by-law could potentially interfere with a provincial priority
- Bringing forward matters for council consideration if the head of council is of the opinion that considering the matter could potentially advance a provincial priority
In a release, the Ontario Government says these strong mayor powers “offer tools to help heads of council cut red tape and speed up the delivery of key shared municipal-provincial priorities such as housing, transit and infrastructure in their municipalities.” They add that there will be increased accountability for local leaders, while checks and balances maintain the important oversight role of councillors. For example, council may override the mayor’s veto of by-laws or budget amendments with a two-thirds majority vote.
“Ontario’s Big City Mayors back the province’s goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031, and all of our members have accepted their housing pledge in support of that target,” says Marianne Meed Ward, Chair of OBCM and Mayor of Burlington. “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. We’re committed to continue working with the province to build the homes our residents need.”
These measures will support municipalities as they work to meet their commitments and support the construction of the new homes their residents need and deserve.
Following the announcement, Milton Mayor Gord Krantz issued a statement:
“Today, the Premier and the Honourable Minister Clark announced that the Strong Mayor powers will expand to 26 additional municipalities, including Milton. These mayors represent large and fast-growing municipalities that have committed to a housing pledge as part of the province’s work to build 1.5 million homes by 2031.
“The Strong Mayors’ powers have been in place for the municipalities of Toronto and Ottawa since November 2022. The system enables mayors to have additional powers beyond those of other members of Council.
“In my 14th term as Mayor, I have fully demonstrated the importance of the democratic system, and will continue to ensure that the decisions made in Milton are reflective of Milton’s priorities and those elected to represent our community. We undertake significant public consultation on matters impacting our community, as well as rely on technical experts to inform our decision making.
“Milton continues to be aligned with provincial priorities, specifically enabling the growth of a varied housing supply. While this system enables the ability to execute additional powers, I will not take that responsibility lightly or without significant consideration. I’ll continue to act in a manner that supports the values I have proven through my time as an elected official of collaboration, compromise and consensus-building.”
