Owen Sound city hall. (photo by Claire McCormack)
Some Owen Sound councillors are concerned about the Ford government’s plan to expand strong mayor powers.
Council briefly discussed during Monday’s meeting the province’s proposal to introduce strong mayor powers in 169 more municipalities across Ontario, including Owen Sound, effective May 1.
Ontario’s strong mayor powers regulation grants enhanced authority to mayors — or heads of council — especially in dealing with housing and related provincial priorities to support the construction of homes such as transit, roads, utilities and servicing.
Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy says he is happy with the way council works now, but would like to get more information about the pending changes.
“I think unless there’s some way that it benefits this council and the way it works now, then we’ll find a way to continue to do what we’re doing,” Boddy says. “But we need a lot more information for me to really be able to wrap my head around it.”
He adds: “I think we’re going to figure out best how to deal with it, in a way that’s responsible and continues as best we can trying to build consensus and strong majorities at council as we all make the decisions. I frankly can’t see me as mayor making decisions about staffing, about budget … that’s just not going to happen without everybody involved and I don’t know how it could.”
Coun. Jon Farmer says it’s “extremely concerning” the province is expanding strong mayor powers and allowing for the “concentration of powers in the hands of one member of council.”
“While we’ve heard from the current mayor that he doesn’t plan to use these special powers when they come into effect … there is no guarantee that a future mayor with a different perspective on democracy would not decide differently,” Farmer says. “I think this council should join other councils across Ontario in responding to the province’s expansion of these powers by saying ‘we don’t want them, and we don’t think they’re appropriate.'”
No motion was introduced during Monday’s meeting.
Owen Sound council and others will be getting more information about the new strong mayor powers during special joint meeting of all Grey County municipalities today (Thursday). Owen Sound is also planning to hold its own meeting April 28 on the topic.
According to the Ontario government, additional powers for the mayor in “strong mayor municipalities” are the ability to appoint the chief administrative officer, hire certain division heads, reorganize municipal departments and create new committees and appoint their chairpersons.
It also grants mayors the ability to propose bylaws that advance certain provincial priorities, and pass them with only one-third support of council. The mayor can also veto bylaws that “could potentially interfere with a provincial priority.” That veto power can be overridden by a two-thirds vote by council.
Coun. Marion Koepke also commented: “I’m rather miffed at the Ministry, and certainly wondering why there are eight other people around this table when one person is being given all the power.”
And Coun. Carol Merton says while the province’s decision to expand strong mayor powers may already be made, council still has an opportunity to ask questions and set a standard.
“How we move forward, based on the answers to our concerns and questions, will help to guide not just this council, but the councils of the future,” she says.
The public comment period for Ontario’s expansion of strong mayor powers closed yesterday. The province has said the new rules will be implemented May 1.
