Article content

Norfolk council is again telling the province it doesn’t want “strong mayor powers” and this time it’s not mincing words. 

Article content

Article content

Recommended Videos

Article content

Coun. Kim Huffman introduced a motion at a council meeting on Tuesday to send a letter to Minister of Municipal Affairs Rob Flack and Premier Doug Ford “respectfully” declining the issuance of strong mayor powers to the municipality. 

But Coun. Adam Veri wanted to be more blunt.  

“Can we get rid of respectfully,” he said. “I think we’ve already voted against it once and for them to impose it on us again, I don’t think we need to pussyfoot.” 

Ontario expanded, as of May 1, strong mayor powers to the heads of council in 170 additional municipalities. At a meeting earlier this month, Norfolk County clerk William Tigert said there isn’t an option to reject them. 

“She has the powers as of May 1, whether she wants them or not,” said Tiggert of Mayor Amy Martin. “Whether she chooses to use them or not, that’s up to the mayor.” 

Article content

The province says the powers allow the head of council of single- and lower-tier municipalities with councils of six members or more to support shared provincial-municipal priorities, including encouraging the approval of new housing and constructing and maintaining infrastructure to support housing, including roads and transit. 

The enhanced powers, first introduced for Toronto and Ottawa in 2022, have gradually rolled out across the province. 

Among the strong mayor powers are the ability to appoint the municipality’s chief administrative officer; the ability to hire and terminate certain municipal department heads and establish and reorganize departments; the ability to propose the municipal budget, which would be subject to council amendments and a separate mayoral veto and council override process; and the ability to veto certain bylaws if they are of the opinion that all or part of the bylaw could potentially interfere with a provincial priority. 

Article content

In 2023, the majority of Norfolk councillors voted against a resolution committing the county to build 5,700 homes over 10 years. To meet the new housing target, the province offered the county about $1.5 million a year for three years, as well as the strong mayor powers. 

At the time,  Martin said she was prepared to delegate all of the strong mayor powers to council and senior staff. For her, the issue centred around getting more money from the province to benefit residents.  

“The purpose of strong mayor powers is to build more homes faster,” said Coun. Linda Vandendriessche. “What does that have to do with the other privileges given under the strong mayor policy? We will do what the province wants but (they) don’t need to do this.” 

Article content

Coun. Mike Columbus called the issuance of the powers a “mockery of democracy.” 

“Why have eight elected councillors sitting around the table if you give the power to the mayor?” 

Huffman said Norfolk has received letters from numerous municipalities over the past several weeks who want to opt out or decline the powers. 

“I also believe most of our constituents don’t support strong mayor powers and I’ve been contacted by many of them,” said Huffman. 

Veri said he hopes council’s decision will clarify the matter for the public.  

“We already said no once as a council and it was pretty clear. Even when there was money on the table, we said no and now we’re being forced to take it. 

“We don’t want it. We never wanted it, and we said no again. I hope the public realizes this council is not if favour of this at all.” 

Article content