Doug Ford touts more strong mayor powers for other cities

Premier Doug Ford promises the province’s municipal leaders that his powers will “be expanded” under the new strong mayor authority for Toronto and Ottawa.

Speaking at the Ontario Association of Municipalities conference in Ottawa, Ford touted his bill that is designed to speed up housing construction in the province’s two largest cities.

“Like most of Canada, Ontario is facing a housing crisis that has been brewing for decades. Previous governments refused to build the homes we needed, and the dream of homeownership was shattered for a generation of Ontarians,” the premier said Monday.

“We are working with municipalities to crack down on land speculation and protect homebuyers from those who try to take advantage of them. (Municipal Affairs) Minister (Steve) Clark introduced legislation that goes even further,” he said.

“The Building Strong Mayors Homes Act will provide Toronto and Ottawa with the additional tools needed to advance provincial priorities. Building more houses is at the top of the list.”

But Ford stressed that other municipalities would soon be given similar powers.

“In the coming months, we will have more information on how these tools will expand to other municipalities so that more municipal leaders like you can help build Ontario,” he said.

As the Star first revealed last month, Ford’s Progressive Conservatives are extending powers in time for the Oct. 24 municipal election.

Under last Wednesday’s legislation, the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa would have authority over city budgets and the hiring and firing of top city officials.

The mayor could veto any ordinance passed by council members if it “could interfere with a prescribed provincial priority.”

That includes statutes that affect housing developments, highways, roads, and public transportation.

A two-thirds majority vote of the council would be needed to override the mayor’s veto.

Ford said the measures are necessary for the recently re-elected Progressive Conservatives to keep their campaign promise to build 1.5 million new homes over the next decade.

“In 2021, this province saw over 100,000 new home starts, the highest level since 1987. Also, the highest level of new home starts since 1991, but that’s just the beginning,” he said.

“The real solution to the housing crisis is to increase supply, full stop. And together, we can put more shovels in the ground with an ‘all hands on deck’ effort from all levels of government to build more affordable housing.”

Acting NDP leader Peter Tabuns, who will address AMO delegates later on Monday, said Ford’s imposition of such changes “on the brink of an election makes no sense.”

“Whether it’s a vanity project on the part of the prime minister or something to do with making sure developer friends have friendly councils controlled by a strong mayor, I don’t know,” Tabuns said.

Green leader Mike Schreiner has noted that “the provincial government already has many tools at its disposal to increase the supply of housing in cities without increasing sprawl and without concentrating power at the top of municipal government.”

More to come.

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