Should one person be able to be mayor of a municipality and Waterloo Region’s chair at the same time? It’s a possibility under the new system that allows the province to appoint a person to the regional chair role, and it’s concerning enough to Regional Councillor Doug Craig that he’ll be urging his colleagues to let the province know. Craig cites a number of concerns with the idea: “everything from conflicts of interest to the tilting of the table to a certain municipality,” he told CTV News on Monday. In addition, there is the potential of that person having both strong mayor and strong chair powers, which Craig believes would be a problematic concentration of power. Craig said it’s also simply impractical. “If you’re a mayor of a municipality, it is an absolute 24/7 job. To suggest that you can also do the regional job is preposterous and, really, it’s not something we should even be contemplating,” he said. “I think anyone who would fundamentally want a role as mayor and regional chair I think fundamentally doesn’t understand the type of work and responsibility that both roles would require,” agreed Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe. In the posting for applications for the regional chair role, the province indicated applicants should have previous elected experience in the region. Anyone interested in the position had to formally apply by July 13. In a statement to CTV News, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing says, “Candidates will be considered in accordance with their qualifications and experience. Appointments will be made following the conclusion of the municipal election.” Craig will be putting forward a notice of motion at Tuesday’s committee meeting, calling on regional council to let the province know it doesn’t support a mayor also holding the chair position. It’s expected the matter will be discussed and voted on at the Aug. 26 council meeting. Craig feels that should a majority of councillors share his concerns, regional council needs to send a clear message to the province. “We need to speak up more and to have a better dialogue with the province in dealing with these kinds of issues. We can’t simply sit back any more. This is not compatible with the Region of Waterloo,” Craig said. Mayors running for re-election respond McCabe is running for re-election in Waterloo but says she did not apply for the regional chair role. She said she fundamentally disagrees with the concept of appointing someone to the position. “We have a long, long history of people being able to elect their council members and their regional council members, their mayors and the regional chair, and I think that should absolutely continue,” McCabe said. Four other mayors in Waterloo Region’s seven municipalities are running for re-election; CTV reached out to each one to see if they had applied to be regional chair as well. “I have registered to run for Mayor of Kitchener, and that is the only elected or appointed position I am hoping to serve in for the 2026-2030 term,” Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic told CTV News in a statement. “With the encouragement of many in the community, my passion for the City of Kitchener remains as strong as ever for our city, and with the support of Kitchener residents on Oct. 26, I hope to continue to lead Kitchener Council as mayor, with all of its respective responsibilities.” Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett says she believes the regional chair should be elected and not appointed, saying in a statement, “It has been my absolute privilege to serve the community for 12 years, the last four of which have been as mayor. I am quite content to continue serving in that role as it is the closest to the people of my community.” Liggett adds that the workload would be problematic, stating, “If someone were to do this as a dual role and also serve on the police board – it would be completely unsustainable as they would have two full-time jobs and a part-time job.” Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen told CTV News in a statement, “My focus is on serving the residents of Wilmot, and I am seeking re-election as mayor so I can continue that work and continue bringing Wilmot’s perspective to the regional council table.” Salonen, however, is not strongly opposed to the idea of dual roles, noting that there are mayors who also serve as wardens in some Ontario counties. “While counties and regional governments aren’t identical, I think they demonstrate that Ontario has experience with different governance models. For me, the more important and interesting question isn’t whether the roles are combined or separate, but whether the responsibilities of the office can be carried out effectively. Good governance ultimately depends on capable leadership, stewardship, and accountability to the public, regardless of the governance model that’s in place.” Wellesley Mayor Joe Nowak told CTV News he did not apply for the regional chair job. Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s position The Association of Municipalities of Ontario has written to Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack, stating its opposition to appointing regional chairs. In part, the letter states, “We urge you to reverse these new rules and require all regional chairs and county wardens be directly elected by their communities. This establishes a clear line of accountability to the residents they serve. Unlike provincial appointments, this keeps heads of council directly accountable to local voters.” On Monday, executive director Lindsay Jones told CTV News in a statement, “AMO continues to urge the province to preserve democratic selection for all roles and ensure governance structures strengthen community voice.”
