Province expands ‘strong mayor powers’ to 24 municipalities across the region

The Ontario government has announced plans to expand ‘strong mayor powers’ to additional municipalities across the province. These plans intend to help deliver on provincial priorities by speeding up the construction of homes, transit, and other critical infrastructure.

This is part of Ontario’s strategy to remove barriers that slow down development and give municipal leaders the tools they need to deliver on key priorities.

Premier Doug Ford’s government first granted the powers to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa, and since then has expanded them to 47 communities, 24 of those municipalities on the list will touch down in areas across Simcoe County, Simcoe Muskoka and Dufferin County.

According to the province, these powers come with increased accountability for heads of council.

The enhanced powers and duties include:

• Choosing to appoint the municipality’s chief administrative officer.
• Hiring certain municipal department heads and establishing and re-organizing departments.
• Creating committees of council, assigning their functions and appointing the chairs and vice-chairs of committees of council.
• Proposing the municipal budget, which would be subject to council amendments and a separate head of council veto and council override process.
• Proposing certain municipal by-laws if the mayor is of the opinion that the proposed by-law could potentially advance a provincial priority identified in regulation. Council can pass these by-laws if more than one-third of all council members vote in favour.
• Vetoing certain by-laws if the head of council is of the opinion that all or part of the by-law could potentially interfere with a provincial priority.

The following 24 municipalities are set to receive strong mayor powers starting May 1, 2025.

• Township of Adjala-Tosorontio
• Town of Bracebridge
• Township of Clearview
• Town of Collingwood
• Township of Georgian Bay
• Town of Gravenhurst
• Town of Huntsville
• Township of King
• Township of Lake of Bays
• Municipality of Meaford
• Town of New Tecumseth
• Town of Orangeville
• City of Orillia
• Township of Oro-Medonte
• City of Owen Sound
• Town of Parry Sound
• Township of Ramara
• Township of Seguin
• Township of Severn
• Town of Shelburne
• Township of Springwater
• Township of Tay
• Town of The Blue Mountains
• Town of Wasaga Beach

This move is part of Ontario’s broader effort to meet housing targets and ensure communities have the infrastructure needed to grow effectively.