Robert Fisher
Staff Reporter
TORONTO – The Province of Ontario announced, via a media release Apr. 9, that 169 additional municipalities will receive strong mayor powers. Among the list are the Township of Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards, and the Township of South Algonquin. Locally, the Town of Bancroft, Municipality of Hastings Highlands, Town of Arnprior, Town of Deep River, Township of Laurentian Valley, City of Pembroke, Town of Petawawa, Town of Renfrew and Township of Whitewater Region are also getting strong mayor powers.
The province instituted strong mayor powers in November 2022 for the City of Toronto and City of Ottawa, and subsequently expanded the powers to 45 other municipalities. No Renfrew County municipalities were among the 47. Strong mayor powers will come into effect for these new municipalities on May 1. The release from the province states that the powers are being given to heads of council with more than five members and will, “help ensure municipalities have the tools they need to reduce obstacles that can stand in the way of new housing and infrastructure development,” the release reads.
“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,” Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack is quoted as saying.
Alexandra Sanita, press secretary to Flack, said in an email to the Gazette, “Municipalities with councils of six members or more are best positioned to make use of strong mayor powers to support shared provincial-municipal priorities. Small councils of five members do not receive strong mayor powers in order to preserve a balance of decision-making on council.”
Sanita also noted that strong mayor powers are discretionary and can be revoked by the minister, such as if a council is reduced to five members.
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