Thread by @bill_standard

PROVINCE HANDING DIODATI, SISCOE "STRONG MAYOR POWERS": This is a major bombshell in Niagara municipal politics. To bolster the #ontpoli premier's promise to build 1.5 million homes by 2031, Queen's Park is partially overturning the democratic order on local councils.

There is no other way to say it. As of July 1, the sweeping powers granted to the mayors of 26 cities, including @St_Catharines (Siscoe) and @NiagaraFalls (Diodati), allow them to propose housing-related bylaws and pass them with the support of "one-third of councillors."

The mayors can also override council approval of any bylaws they deem slow the process of building more homes. Instead of a council-driven process, strong mayors will now prepare and table their city's budget and can also hire/fire department heads without council approval.

The strong mayor powers, a concept borrowed from U.S. cities, bring a form of minority rule to local government with regard to planning and land use, among the most essential functions of our local government. But there is more.

In a story I wrote with Brock University political science professor emeritus David Siegel late last year, he said the wave of legislation could cause significant changes in how municipal government works.

"Yes, it could result in more housing, but it also changes all sorts of governing relationships between the mayor and councillors and between the mayor, council and staff in quite significant ways," Siegel said.

"It is all being looked at through the lens of housing right now, but if we conquer this housing crisis, or at least get it under control somehow, the changes that are part of the strong mayor system will still be there," Siegel said.

"Council has always had the right to reject staff recommendations, but now the mayor only needs a third of council on his side."

Siegel said another aspect of strong mayor control of council committees is the right to appoint committee chairs, which is usually undertaken by a vote of council.

"The committees chairs could end up looking very much like a cabinet in a parliamentary system. To get appointed to cabinet, or to head a committee in this case, your views must align with the mayor's," Siegel said. "It looks a bit like a party system."

"The mayor will appoint committee chairs. Combined with the mayor, those councillors, if they stick together, and there would be an incentive for them to stick together if they want to continue as chairs, could dominate the other eight councillors.

"This would ensure that the mayor would always be able to get what the mayor wants." - 30