Why mayors want strong powers Save article Remove saved article

Few recent changes to the municipal space have been quite so controversial – and generated so many strident opinions – as the decision by the Ontario government to grant “strong mayor” powers to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa.

The original legislation provided unprecedented tools for mayors to take unilateral action: setting budgets, directly appointing senior bureaucrats, shaping the legislative agenda of council, and offering a veto for decisions related to provincial priorities.