The Municipal Minute
Ontario’s Strong Mayor Powers were introduced to help the provincial government achieve one of its major housing goals: building 1.5 million new homes by December 31, 2031.
To support that objective, Ontario granted additional executive powers to the mayors of designated municipalities—including the Town of Innisfil—allowing them to bring forward certain by-laws that advance prescribed provincial priorities—including housing and the infrastructure needed to support it—and, in some circumstances, veto council-approved by-laws that they believe could interfere with those priorities.
As this is an election year, understanding how these powers work has become increasingly important.
Civic Decoder
Before Strong Mayor Powers
Before Strong Mayor Powers came into effect in 216 of Ontario’s 444 municipalities (at the time of writing), town and city councils generally operated through collective decision-making.
Typically:
- Every member of the council (including the mayor) had one vote.
- Council collectively hired senior staff.
- Council approved the municipal budget.
- Council passed by-laws.
- Council established most committees.
- Municipal staff prepared the budget for council’s approval.
- The mayor chaired meetings and provided leadership but generally could not govern alone.
After Strong Mayor Powers
Today, the distribution of executive authority has changed for certain matters.
The mayor may:
- Prepare the proposed municipal budget (with assistance from municipal staff). Council may amend the proposed budget. The mayor may veto some amendments, and council may override certain vetoes with a two-thirds vote.
- Hire or dismiss the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
- Reorganize departments and determine the municipality’s organizational structure (subject to statutory protections for positions such as the Clerk, Treasurer and Police Chief).
- Establish committees, appoint committee chairs and change committee structures.
- Bring forward certain by-laws that advance prescribed provincial priorities.
- Veto certain council-approved by-laws that may interfere with provincial priorities.
- In prescribed circumstances, certain by-laws advancing provincial priorities may pass with support from more than one-third of council rather than a traditional majority.
The following table summarizes many of the most significant powers introduced under Ontario’s Strong Mayor legislation:
Let’s Dig Deeper
Do mayors have to use Strong Mayor Powers?
No.
Mayors are not required to exercise these powers. In fact, they may delegate certain powers back to council or municipal administration.
Whenever Strong Mayor Powers are exercised, written records must generally be created and published on a municipally maintained website, allowing residents to review how the powers have been used.
The Civic Lens
Beyond the Vote (or Veto)
Much of the public discussion surrounding Strong Mayor Powers focuses on voting.
However, the executive powers may prove just as significant.
Because the mayor prepares the first draft of the municipal budget, that individual determines where council begins deliberating one of the municipality’s most important policy documents.
For that reason, voters may wish to consider not only a mayoral candidate’s platform, but also their leadership style.
One question residents may wish to ask candidates is:
“If elected, would you keep these Strong Mayor Powers for yourself, or would you delegate some of them back to council or municipal staff? If so, which ones and why?”
Beyond Town Hall
Strong Mayor Powers may have changed the relationship between municipalities and the Province.
The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (at the time of writing, Hon. Rob Flack) may make regulations governing many aspects of how these powers operate.
That raises an interesting civic question:
Have Strong Mayor Powers changed not only the balance of power between mayors and councils, but also the relationship between municipalities and the provincial government?
Questions Worth Asking
Special consideration before and after an election
If it becomes apparent that a mayor will be leaving office, certain powers become unavailable.
For example, an outgoing mayor cannot:
- Appoint a new CAO,
- Reorganize the municipal administration, or
- Introduce certain high-value by-laws involving property or expenditures exceeding $50,000.
These restrictions help ensure an outgoing mayor does not make significant organizational decisions after voters have elected new leadership.
What happens to the budget during an election year?
In most years, Ontario regulations require the mayor to propose a municipal budget by February 1.
However, Ontario recently amended the regulation to create an exception following a regular municipal election.
Instead, the incoming mayor may present the first budget during the year to which it applies.
Since Ontario is holding municipal elections in 2026, this exception will apply to the 2027 municipal budget.
The Discussion Close to Home
How have Strong Mayor Powers been used in Innisfil?
Strong Mayor Powers came into effect in Innisfil on October 31, 2023.
On November 2, 2023, Mayor Lynn Dollin delegated several Strong Mayor Powers to the Chief Administrative Officer and to the Innisfil Town Council rather than retaining those authorities personally.
The Town’s “Mayoral Powers and Decisions” webpage allows residents to review exactly how those powers have been exercised in Innisfil.
How have other Ontario municipalities used Strong Mayor Powers?
Different municipalities have chosen different approaches.
Markham
According to the City of Markham, Mayor Frank Scarpitti exercised the mayoral veto in March 2026 after concluding that permitting up to four residential units on certain properties could potentially interfere with provincial and municipal priorities.
Mississauga
In October 2023, Mayor Bonnie Crombie issued a Mayoral Directive directing staff to move forward with permitting four residential units on low-rise residential lots.
Amber’s Final Thoughts
Strong Mayor Powers are often discussed as though every mayor uses them the same way. The legislation provides the same legal tools to every municipality with Strong Mayor Powers, but the public record shows that individual mayors have chosen to use those tools quite differently.
As voters prepare to elect municipal leaders this October, understanding not only what these powers are—but how individual candidates intend to use them—may prove just as important as understanding their campaign platforms.
Whether residents support or oppose Strong Mayor Powers, understanding how they work is an important part of participating in local democracy.
Sources:
- https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/s22018
- https://news.ontario.ca/en/backgrounder/1002482/better-municipal-governance-act-2022
- https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/01m25
- https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r22530
- https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r22580
- https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1005752/ontario-proposing-to-expand-strong-mayor-powers-to-169-additional-municipalities
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