Overview
On September 8, 2022, the Ontario government passed the Bill 3, Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022 that provides the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa with new extraordinary executive powers within their respective municipalities. The new legislation comes ahead of municipal elections set to take place across Ontario this fall.
Reminiscent of the mid-election introduction of the Better Local Government Act, 2018 four years ago, Premier Doug Ford announced the intention to provide the heads of council in Toronto and Ottawa with “strong mayor” powers on July 20, 2022. Three weeks later, Bill 3 was tabled at Queen’s Park by Steve Clark, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
The legislation presents a very significant shift within the system of local governance in Ontario, moving from the historical “weak mayor” system, characterized by compromise and concession amongst an elected council, to a centralized executive power emanating directly from the office of the mayor.
In its recent election campaign, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario promised to tackle the housing crisis. It apparently has decided to do so by reallocating the authority and responsibility to the mayors of the two largest cities in the province. The mayors of these two cities will be granted strong mayor powers because, as Minister Clark noted, “over one-third of Ontario’s growth in the next decade is going to happen in Toronto and Ottawa,” and these cities are shovel-ready, committed to growth and to cutting red tape.
However, mere days after the introduction of Bill 3, Premier Ford announced that the strong mayor powers – initially earmarked expressly for only the two cities in dire need of, and ready to accommodate, affordable housing development – would likely be extended to other municipalities across Ontario.
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