Mayor Horwath says she hasn't 'even contemplated' if she'll use new 'strong mayor' powers

Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath says she hasn't "even contemplated" whether she will use the new powers given to her by the province such as vetoing city council decisions and electing board members when the changes take effect on July 1.

Hamilton, Niagara Falls, Burlington,Brantford and St. Catharineswill have "strong mayors"along with 23other municipalities, following aprovincial announcement on Friday morning.

But she said she does not believe the new strong mayor designation will change how Hamilton's city hall runs.

"Finding common ground, having partnerships, you know, coming to solutions that are broadly supported, is the best way todo the kind of work that I've always done as an MPP, as a leader, and as mayor as well, and so I don't see those values ever changing," she told CBC Hamilton Friday.

Steve Clark,Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, made the announcementat Queen's Park Friday morning after meeting with Ontario's Big City Mayors (OBCM), a group consisting ofmayors leading cities with populations of 100,000 or more.

Ottawa and Toronto were first to receive themin December,as part of Bill 39, also known as the Better Municipal Governance Act.

Clark said increasing the supply of housing is "job number one" for the province's municipal mayors and Friday's announcement is about "empowering municipal leaders."

He said the strong mayor decision will givemunicipalities tools to expand housing as part of Ontario's Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, which aims to build 1.5 million houses in the province by 2031.

In addition to Bill 23,the province also proposedamendments to the Greenbelt ActandorderedHamilton toexpand its urban boundary all in service of building homes.

"I don't think anyone is going to deny that we are in a housing supply crisis, and all three levels of government need to roll up our sleeves and get some work done," Clark said.

He said the municipalities will have full strong mayor powersand it will be up to individuals to decide whether they use the powers.

What can 'strong' mayors do

"'Strong mayors'can use their additional executive powers to work around council or override it without having to use the soft power of persuasion," wrote Zack Taylor, associate professor of political science and public administration at Western University in London, Ont., in an email.

Mayors in Hamilton, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Brantford will be able to unilaterally direct city staff to develop policy proposals for council to consider, veto bylaws if it interferes with a provincial priority,draftand table their city's annual budget, create or re-organize municipal departments and choose the chairs of all committees and boards including police and health.

They could also hire and firethe city manager and department heads. Certain appointments, such as the auditor general, police chiefand medical officer of health, aren't covered by the new law.

But the most significant new authority is the ability to override some council decisions.

While the mayors will continue to have only one vote on regular council business, the legislation allows them toveto bylaws approved by council that they believe conflict with provincial priorities, unless councillors have a two-thirds majority.

Mayor says she's committed to operating as usual

Horwath said she has not given the strong mayor designation much thought, as the province signaled to her that changes wouldn't come until early 2024.

She said she understands some residents might see the change as undemocratic and said she will show residents she is still working with council through her actions.

"I'm certainly committed to continuing to operate the way that I operate, because Ithink thatthe best way tocome to decisions iswith a collaborative approach," Horwath said.

Last July, after Horwath announced her candidacy for mayor of Hamilton, CBC Hamilton asked her if she supported strong mayor powers. She said she wanted to see the impact in Ottawa and Toronto first "before jumping any conclusions.".

Peter Graefe, assosciate political science professorat McMaster University, raised a few potential red flags about the new powers given to the mayor.

Strong mayors "have the risk of having mayors appoint cronies who aren't necessarily that qualified into [city manager and department head] positions, to really reduce the degree of professionalism of city staff and create a fairly toxic work environment," he said.

On Friday, Ward 2 Coun. Cameron Kroetsch said Horwath's position has consistently been that shewill not exercise her new strong mayor powers at city council.

"The thing about the provincial powers like this is that they're granted, but they don't have to be used," he said.

Province says expansion needed to meet provincial targets

In a recent report on the impact of strong mayors, University of Toronto director of the School of Cities Karen Chapple writes, "Many of the mayor's new powers can be exercised only in furthering provincial policy objectives."

The major objective in Friday's announcement was housing, an area where the province has already put pressure on municipalities.

In addition to the province's Bill 23, the province also proposed amendments to the Greenbelt Act and ordered Hamilton to expand its urban boundary in November 2022 all in service of building homes.

Hamilton was ordered to expand the urban boundary by 2,200 hectares, along White Church Road East and Upper James Street on the Mountain, Barton Street and Fifty Road, and Oakes Road North and Main Street West.

However, city councilhad voted13-3 in November2021to maintain the boundary.

The province has also removed 7,400 acres in 15 different areas from the province's Greenbelt, including in Hamilton and Niagara, as a way to "to accommodate... growth and support the building of more homes."

The Ford government previously said it wouldn't touch the Greenbelt.

Graefe noted that he believes Horwath has been working to not criticize Queen's Park in her time as mayor but said expanding the urban boundary with these new capabilities could bring up conflict between the city and the province.

"In a situation wherethe province may begin dictating to her about what they think should be done on certain developments or onexpanding the urban boundary, wherenow she technically has the power to do it with a very small number of counselors, what actually happens in those instances?" Graefesaid.

"Do we see a growth of more conflict between the mayor and the province?"

Will help address housing needs: Burlington mayor

Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward saidshe supports the new powers. She is the acting chair of the Ontario's Big City Mayors group.

"Different communities require different tools and approaches to address local housing needs, and strong mayor powers are one such tool that can help mayors and municipalities meet their housing targets," Meed Ward tweeted following the province's announcement.

The municipal housing targets are part of the province'sgoal to build 1.5 million homes by 2031.

Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis said in a statement that he was at Queen's Park, along with other big city mayors.

"Discussions this morning have focused on joint collaborative efforts to address homelessness and mental health, and efforts in building municipal infrastructure and fighting climate change," said Davis in the statement posted to Facebook.