Central Huron Council uninterested in province's Strong Mayor Powers

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN

At its April 22 meeting, Central Huron Council roundly rejected the Strong Mayor Powers to be bestowed upon the municipality and 168 others on May 1, courtesy of Premier Doug Ford and his provincial government.

 

Central Huron was among the municipalities, townships and cities announced to be granted Strong Mayor Powers as of May 1. These provisions, introduced by the Ford government in 2022, first to Toronto and Ottawa and later to other larger city centres, afford mayors and reeves extended authority to forward provincial priorities, largely focused on housing. In Huron County, all lower-tier municipalities except Morris-Turnberry and Howick were granted Strong Mayor Powers, which, according to the press release issued by the provincial government on Wednesday, April 9, would come into effect on Thursday, May 1.

 

As a result, Central Huron Council discussed the concept at its April 22 meeting with council members not just turning their backs on the Strong Mayor Powers, but seeking an avenue through which the municipality could formally reject them.

 

At the meeting, Clerk Rachel Anstett told councillors that there were still many unknowns about the Strong Mayor Powers, but that it was her understanding that there was no formal way to reject them; they would be in place, courtesy of the provincial government, whether eligible municipalities liked them or not, and that Mayor Jim Ginn could only opt not to use them. As several councillors noted, however, there’s nothing to say that a future mayor could aim to use them to his or her advantage.
Ginn kicked off the conversation and didn’t mince words, saying he felt it was a “dumb idea, to be blunt.” He added that he couldn’t imagine a scenario in which he’d feel comfortable using Strong Mayor Powers, noting that Central Huron Council has been very pro-development, so it didn’t need any help in that department from the provincial government.

 

He then proposed crafting a motion rejecting Strong Mayor Powers, which is when Anstett told council that, as far as she understood it, a council couldn’t necessarily reject the idea, just opt not to use the Strong Mayor Powers.

 

Councillor Michael Russo called the Strong Mayor Powers “unconscionable” and wondered aloud why any Canadian politician would seek to be more like U.S. President Donald Trump through this power-grabbing legislation. Councillor Alison Lobb was also against the idea, calling it “awful” and adding that she felt the Strong Mayor Powers could be easy to take advantage of.
And while there was no official way to oppose the Strong Mayor Powers, Deputy-Mayor Marg Anderson suggested supporting a resolution in the night’s council package from the Town of Amherstburg opposing the direction from the provincial government and requesting to have the town removed from the list of municipalities granted Strong Mayor Powers.

 

Council supported that motion, opting to send copies to Premier Doug Ford, Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, the Rural

Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA), the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). In a recorded vote, council passed the motion unanimously with only Councillor Adam Robinson absent for the vote.