Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he is planning to give “the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa 'veto' powers that could only be overruled by a two-thirds vote by their respective city councils.
Ford made the comment to reporters outside Queen’s Park on Wednesday, one day after the Toronto Star published a story detailing his government’s plan to hand the mayors of the province’s two largest cities enhanced powers.
“I just think that be it the mayor of Toronto or Ottawa or any mayor, they are accountable for everything but they have the same single vote as a single councillor,” Ford said. “This just allows them the ability to make the appropriate changes.”
Ford did not mention any plans to alter the powers afforded to mayors during the spring election campaign and told reporters on Wednesday that neither Toronto Mayor John Tory or Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson “really asked” for the changes, though he said that he did discuss it with them.
He said that right now the changes will be limited to Ontario’s two largest cities but he hinted that it could be expanded to other urban centres down the road after a “trial” period.
“I just think it is the right thing to do. Since all the responsibility falls on the mayor, he needs the ability to make decisions,” he said.
Ford, it should be noted, has long admired the municipal system of governance employed by some U.S. cities, where a mayor can act on their own in financial matters and sometimes reject or “veto” proposals made by council.
In a interview with CP24 earlier on Wednesday, Tory said he agrees there is a need for council to operate more quickly and suggested that he would welcome enhanced powers.
“There’s definitely need, we need to speed up the way we get things done at city hall. The bottom line is we need to get things done, more of them and faster, and that includes getting housing built.”
If the Ford government is indeed pondering new powers for the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa, it would mark the second municipal election season in a row where the province meddled in the affairs of Toronto.
But Tory downplayed the impact felt on city affairs from halving council in 2018.
“You can’t do these jobs by yourself, no matter what powers are given in some piece of paper, you have to work with colleagues across the city to get things done.”
“They changed the size of council the last time around, and I think if anything I have worked more closely with council after the change was done.”
Coun. Shelley Carroll said she was considered about the timing of the suggested changes and how the public is learning about them.
“Once again it’s coming during an election season and it’s coming at a time that’s not ideal to talk to the community about it,” she said, referring to the summer 2018 council cut.
“Put out the details, what exactly do you mean by ‘more power,” she said. “When you introduce it at this point, you really wonder if he wants (the community’s) opinion,” Carroll said of Ford.
NDP municipal affairs critic Jeff Burch asked why the premier did not campaign on a plan to give certain mayors more power.
"Why did Premier Doug Ford keep his Strong Mayor plan secret throughout the campaign," he asked in a statement. "Why won’t he consult municipalities or the people they represent."
