Minden Hills Coun. Tammy McKelvey – at a May 29 council meeting – voiced strong opposition to The Strong
Mayors’ Act, recently extended to Minden Hills along with 168 other smaller to medium towns May 1.
McKelvey said hers was not a personal attack against mayor Bob Carter, or other designated mayors. “I feel this
is very undemocratic.”
The legislation, also known as the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, grants mayors in Ontario increased powers, including the ability to appoint key staff, influence budget decisions, and veto certain bylaws.
McKelvey believes the act will actually slow process, and business, down. For example, she said now a mayor can bring an idea directly to council. But, under the act, some processes require written notice to the clerk. “It’s just
craziness. I’d like to tell the province we don’t want it…”
Deputy mayor Lisa Schell agreed. She noted other municipalities are voicing similar concerns.
Coun. Pam Sayne said it was “an attack on democracy and principles; when we’re dealing with things that are so
fundamental, of having a voice in government, and then say ‘except when’.”
Sayne said she “was tired of (the Ford government) taking people’s rights” in order to address things such as housing issues. She added the Ontario government is causing problems with planning departments dealing with so many changes.
Coun. Shirley Johannessen said constituents are also worried about the act and what it means.
Council voted 6-1 in favour of a resolution very similar to one passed by the Corporation of the Township of Mattawa in May. Addressed to Premier Doug Ford and minister of municipal affairs and housing Rob Flack, the town asked that Mattawa be removed from the list of municipalities granted strong mayor powers. The Mattawa council vote was unanimous.
In Minden Hills, Carter voted against the motion on the floor. He said he was still learning about the act. He said he would report back to council at the June 26 meeting “about how I plan to handle it. People don’t totally understand this legislation as of yet. I can understand some of the concerns people have about democracy …
“I’m not willing to say up front that I categorically will not use any of these powers because if they’re for the
benefit of Minden Hills, I will consider it. I think it’s very situational, depending on what the subject is. I wasn’t ready to say that I categorially reject them or accept them or anything without knowing more about it.”
Dysart et al mayor Murray Fearrey has also been handed Strong Mayor Powers.
What can strong mayors do:
• Can choose to appoint their municipality’s CAO and municipal division heads. Councils appoint clerks,
deputy clerks, treasurers or deputies, chief building officials and fire chiefs.
• Reorganizing the structure of the municipality requiring written notice and is subject to legal requirements, contracts, collective agreements.
• Directing staff but adhering to legislation. Assigning functions, appointing committee chairs
• Veto power and council override of certain bylaws if they interfere with provincial priorities. Council can,
however, override if two thirds of council agree.
• Bylaw power but only prescribed provincial priorities. More than one-third of council must be in favour.
• Can propose a budget each year by Feb. 1 – circulated to council and the public. If the mayor does not do it,
council does.
