The Ontario government wants to give more powers to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa, the two largest cities in the province, in order to speed up the construction of the housing units that are so much in demand there. These increased powers will come into force next November if the bill in this area is adopted, a quasi-formality given the majority of the Conservatives at Queen’s Park.
Under this upcoming law, leaders chosen in next October’s municipal elections will be able to veto any regulations that run counter to provincial priorities. One could imagine the mayor of Toronto, for example, rejecting a zoning by-law if he believes it is undermining the provincial goal of building 1.5 million homes within 10 years. However, this new power will not be absolute: the mayor will have to justify his decision in writing and notify his municipal council. The latter will also be able to counter the measure if two-thirds of its members so wish.
The law will also grant mayors the power to appoint the chief executive and other municipal officials themselves, as well as to prepare the budget. These are the most important elements of the bill, according to Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark. “As mayor, you have to have the right team in place and the right policies in place, as well as being able to fund them,” explained the former mayor of Brockville.
The mayors of Toronto and Ottawa will be the first to have these powers, but others could be granted the same rights if they commit to cutting red tape.
For its part, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario says it needs more information before passing judgment on the legislative text. “The municipalities did not ask for this bill,” said its president, Brian Rosborough, in a press release.
In Ford’s mind since 2014
Doug Ford has been interested in this type of municipal “superpower” for some time. In 2014, when he was himself trying to become mayor of Toronto, the Prime Minister said that such a system would “end the disagreements”. “You have to hold someone accountable,” he told the Toronto Sun. On Wednesday, Minister Clark repeated that message almost verbatim.
Mr Ford’s former opponent in the 2014 mayoral race, Olivia Chow, vigorously opposes the bill. The widow of former NDP leader Jack Layton believes he will “destroy democracy” in Toronto. “Real estate developers will only have to contact the mayor for their project,” she says.
It is the third candidate of importance in the race of 2014, John Tory, who is now at the head of the metropolis, and he is likely to remain there. According to Kema Joseph, a former member of his cabinet, however, he will be able to use these powers responsibly. “Democracy will still exist,” she said.
A plan is being developed to allow the construction of plexes in Toronto’s residential neighborhoods, where nearly a third of the territory is reserved for single-family homes. One of its main objectives is to amend the City’s official urban plan to build this “missing middle” between the bungalows and the residential towers.
In July, when the Toronto Star revealed the existence of the bill introduced on Wednesday, 23 of 25 members of Toronto City Council voted in favor of a motion to signal that they would not ask the province to drop its bill and that rather, they would ask the province to consult them. One of two councilors who voted against the motion, Denzil Minnan-Wong, is not running; the other, Josh Matlow, denounced the bill on social media in the afternoon.
In Ottawa, Catherine McKenney, who is running for mayor, called the plan “undemocratic” in July.
This story is supported by the Local Journalism Initiative, funded by the Government of Canada.