Toronto 
The Ontario government is granting expanded strong mayor powers to the mayors of 26 large and fast-growing municipalities that have committed to a housing pledge.
This move is part of the province’s efforts to address the housing crisis and construct 1.5 million homes by 2031. The announcement was made by Steve Clark, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, during a meeting of the Ontario Big City Mayors.
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 July 1, 2023.
“Municipalities are critical partners for our government as we help communities get shovels in the ground faster and work to build more homes,” said 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.”
By granting strong mayor powers, the government aims to provide tools to cut red tape and accelerate the delivery of municipal-provincial priorities like housing, transit, and infrastructure. While increasing accountability for local leaders, checks and balances will be maintained to ensure the oversight role of councillors. For instance, council can override the mayor’s veto of by-laws or budget amendments with a two-thirds majority vote.
The strong mayor powers encompass several duties, including the ability to appoint the municipality’s chief administrative officer, hire department heads, establish and re-organize departments, propose the municipal budget, and veto certain by-laws that may interfere with provincial priorities. Mayors can also bring forward matters for council consideration if they believe it could potentially advance a provincial priority.
Per the news release, these measures aim to support municipalities in fulfilling their commitments and constructing the necessary homes for their residents. Ontario has made significant progress in addressing the housing supply crisis, with housing starts in 2022 reaching their second-highest number since 1988. The 26 additional municipalities designated for strong mayor powers have collectively pledged to build over 1.2 million units by 2031, which accounts for more than 81% of the provincial target.
The province says the strong mayor powers will only be used to support prescribed provincial priorities, such as building 1.5 million new homes by 2031 and developing infrastructure to support housing. Existing accountability frameworks, including conflict of interest rules, will continue to apply to heads of council with strong mayor powers.
Municipalities With Strong mayor powers:
- Ajax
- Barrie
- Brampton
- Brantford
- Burlington
- Caledon
- Cambridge
- Clarington
- Guelph
- Hamilton
- Kingston
- Kitchener
- London
- Markham
- Milton
- Mississauga
- Niagara Falls
- Oakville
- Oshawa
- Pickering
- Richmond Hill
- St. Catharines
- Vaughan
- Waterloo
- Whitby
- Windsor
