Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he plans to give the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa “veto” powers over proposals made by their respective councils, but John Tory says he has yet to receive firm details of any new powers.
Tory told CP24 that all she knows about a plan detailed in the Toronto Star to give the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa new powers to more unilaterally control staff appointments and financial matters, is what she read in that news report.
“At the moment there is nothing written or nothing has been done that I know that I can comment on,” he said.
But during a June 27 meeting between Ford and Tory, the mayor said the suggestion came up to give Toronto’s mayor stronger powers.
In a video circulating online, Ford told reporters in Queen’s Park on Tuesday that his reforms would allow the mayors of Ottawa and Toronto to veto council decisions, with a second measure that would allow the council to override a mayor’s veto if two-thirds of the councilors agreed.
“It came about almost out of the blue in the context of homebuilding,” Tory said of the idea. “There have never been detailed discussions between the prime minister and myself on this.”
Asked by reporters to explain the content of that conversation later, Tory said the discussion involved housing and the “leadership” needed to speed up that process.
“In that meeting there was a passing reference to ‘we have to find ways to build more housing faster,’ and a passing reference to ‘you have to be able to show and exercise leadership in doing that,’ which was it,” he said. to your town hall office.
Doug Ford has long admired the system of municipal government used by some US cities, where a mayor can act on his or her own financial matters and sometimes reject or “veto” proposals made by the council.
Tory said she agrees the council needs to move more quickly.
“There is definitely a need, we need to speed up the way we do things at City Hall. The bottom line is that we need to get things done, faster and faster, and that includes building homes.”
When asked about plans to amend City of Toronto or municipal laws to give mayors stronger powers, a spokesman for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark did not deny the Star report.
“We know that in Ontario today, too many families are locked out of the housing market,” said Chris Poulos. “That’s why we have a plan to build 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years and continue to explore ways to help municipalities build more homes faster.”
Tory said any changes that are made, she doubts will involve some kind of veto or override where she can decide something against the wishes of the majority of the council.
“I would be very surprised if any proposal that came forward implied that I could have this veto that you mentioned where I could say this is my way and that’s it.”
If the Ford administration is indeed considering new powers for the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa, it would mark the second consecutive season of municipal elections in which the province meddles in Toronto’s affairs.
But Tory downplayed the impact felt on city affairs by the council’s halving in 2018.
“You can’t do these jobs alone, no matter what powers are given on a piece of paper, you have to work with colleagues across the city to get things done.”
“They changed the size of the council last time, and I think, if anything, I worked more closely with the council after the change was made.”
Earl Shelley Carroll said the timing of the suggested changes and how the public is learning about them were considered.
“Once again, it comes during an election season and it comes at a time that is not ideal to talk to the community about it,” he said, referring to the summer 2018 council cut.
“Explain the details, what exactly do you mean by ‘more power,’” he said. “When you introduce him at this point, you really wonder if he wants (the community’s) input,” Carroll said of Ford.
NDP municipal affairs critic Jeff Burch asked why the prime minister did not campaign on a plan to give certain mayors more power.
“Why did Prime Minister Doug Ford keep his Strong Mayor plan secret throughout the campaign? he asked in a statement. Why won’t he consult the municipalities or the people they represent?