Ontario passes law boosting 'strong mayor' powers in Toronto, Ottawa
CBC
Ontario has passed legislation that allows Toronto and Ottawa to enact certain bylaws even if a minority of councillors are in favour, capping off a whirlwind of widely criticized housing-related moves.
The latest bill allows the province to appoint the regional chairs in Niagara, Peel and York, and boosts so-called strong mayor powers that the government gave to Toronto and Ottawa earlier this year.
The first set of powers allowed the leaders to veto council decisions deemed to hamper the creation of new homes, prepare and table the city's budget, as well as hiring and firing department heads. The new powers allow them to propose housing-related bylaws and pass them with the support of one-third of councillors.
The legislation follows another housing law that angered municipalities because it cuts fees developers pay that they use to build infrastructure for new homes and upset environmentalists who say it weakens the role of conservation authorities.
As well, the government has proposed to remove land from 15 different areas of the protected Greenbelt so that 50,000 homes can be built, while adding acres elsewhere.
While Toronto Mayor John Tory has said he will use the powers in a limited and responsible way, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has said he is not interested in using them.
Tory said Tuesday he's still determined to reach council consensus on issues, and while "continue to work collaboratively with the Council to get things done."
Fifteen councillors asked the province to halt the bill's legislation, citing concerns they weren't consulted, saying any changes to the governance of the city should be decided by council and residents.
Premier Doug Ford has said Toronto and Ottawa are acting as a "test area" before the powers are expanded to other cities next year.
Interim Ontario NDP Leader Peter Tabuns called the recently passed legislation an "attack on democracy" that will do nothing to solve Ontario's housing crisis.
"Ontarians value democracy, and people are rightly concerned about Doug Ford's latest ploy to wrest power from local, democratically elected decision-makers, as he is giving himself permission to do with the just-passed Bill 39. "If this government actually wanted to solve the housing crisis, it would commit to building more affordable homes for Ontarians, bringing in stronger rent control measures, building missing middle homes in existing neighbourhoods and clamping down on speculation."
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