Strong Mayor powers to be decided at April council meeting

Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward will let city council and the public know her plans on delegating her strong mayor powers on April 16. 

During a special meeting of council on Tuesday morning, city councillors continued discussions from March 19’s regular meeting on the Meed Ward’s strong mayor powers. All six councillors unanimously voted to request the mayor delegate the powers. 

“The motion that passed was requesting the mayor respond by April 16,” Ward 3 councillor Rory Nisan said. “At the next council meeting, we’ll get an update on the strong mayor powers and we’ll find out if she’s delegating those powers.”

The strong mayor powers were given to mayors across Ontario to supposedly aid with building homes faster. Burlington pledged to build 29,000 new homes by 2031. 

The powers give the mayor of the cities powers that let them appoint chairs of committees, dissolve committees, and veto certain things. Gary Scobie, one of four delegates, spoke on the use of strong mayor powers as a Burlington resident, and discussed 10 times the powers had been used since June. 

Ward 5 councillor Paul Sharman informed Scobie that Meed Ward is yet to use the strong mayor powers a single time. 

“It’s what I read, I’m sorry I haven’t researched it,” Scobie said. 

Nisan disagreed that the powers have not been used, however. Later into the meeting he mentioned a decision from Oct 31, about a change in the chair’s roles. 

The decision was made because Ward 1 councillor Kelvin Galbraith was chair of two committees at the same time. 

“I do not agree, based on everything I know today, that strong mayor powers have not been used,” Nisan said. “I believe they have been used in a relatively minor way, but that’s reason enough.” 

The mayor said that she welcomes any conversation about democracy, welcomes council members to make any requests of her that they see fit, and she specifically supports this request as well.

Meed Ward added that council was briefed on the powers in September, and her ability to delegate them at the time. She added that she and council has been governing together in this new context for about eight months, and that council still advances motions by majority vote, and that has not changed. 

“The mayor is the head of council, the CEO of the corporation, and the only member of council elected by residents across the city, that hasn’t changed,” Meed Ward said. “The recent legislation does add additional responsibilities and duties exclusively to the mayor, and that does represent a change from what we’re used to. Some of these can be delegated. It has struck me through this process, back when it started in July, as being politically performative to delegate these, since they can be delegated at any time.”

Ward 4 councillor Shawna Stolte asked if the mayor would give an answer during the meeting. Meed Ward responded that she would give her response in the time necessary to decide. 

It was Stolte’s idea to hear the mayor’s decision on April 16.