The Ontario government identified housing availablity as an issue in the province. It set a goal to build 1.5 million residential units by the end of 2031. This policy is stated in “O. Reg. 580/22: PROVINCIAL PRIORITIES“.

“Provincial priorities

1. The following are provincial priorities prescribed for the purposes of sections 284.10, 284.11 and 284.11.1 of the Act:

1.  Building 1.5 million new residential units by December 31, 2031.

2.  Constructing and maintaining infrastructure to support housing, including,

i.  transit,

ii.  roads,

iii.  utilities, and

iv.  servicing.

2. Omitted (provides for coming into force of provisions of this Regulation).”

To facilitate the local implementation of “provincial priorities”, the Ontario government passed the, “Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, S.O. 2022, c. 18 – Bill 3“. This Bill  amended the Ontario Muicipal Act by adding a PART, “PART VI.I SPECIAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE HEAD OF COUNCIL“. The government had the position that the failure to build “enough” residential units was a result of municipal ‘obstructions’, such as resistance to build in specific locations that they wanted protected, or to build with increased densities (more residential units located on small areas of land and rising to storeys that were resisted by local citizens and politicians).

To bypass those resistances ‘weak mayors’ were given ‘strong mayor’ powers. This meant that a council could out vote a weak mayor, a strong mayor could now introduce bylaws, hire and fire CAOs, reorganize administration staff, create and make committee appointments among others.

Recognizing that nothing happens if it cannot be financed, the province also gave ‘strong mayors’ the optional power to propose their own budget by February 1st each year. Not all mayors used the strong mayor power option to propose a budget. Most delegated the task to their CAO and hired staff, and then presented this budget to councillors to amend and approve within 30 days. The role of tax payers’ input is silent in the legislation other than the mayor must notify citizens as well as councillors. Any citizen input is subject to the whim of the strong mayor.

Strong mayor powers as listed are “subject to the regulations” and guidelines for their implementation.

One such Regultion is “Regulation 530/22, PART VI.I“. A provincial Guideline to assist municipalities in potential implementation of the Act, if they choose, is “guide/10-strong-mayor-powers-and-duties“.