Today Ontario's Premier gave Oshawa and 25 more Mayors expanded powers like Toronto and Ottawa were given last year as part of Bill 39, also known as the Better Municipal Governance Act. Steven Clarke said it's about "ensuring that those mayors have the tools to ensure that they meet their obligations,” specifically pointing to the province’s target of building 1.5 million homes by 2031". This will become effective July 1st, 2023 and will grant the Mayors a veto vote.
Last year Oshawa Mayor Carter said he did not support the expanded powers being extended, finding it undemocratic. But that may now be different. It remains to be seen if Mayor Carter upholds and reaffirms the motion (CORP-22-58) he made last September 12, 2022 at Committee and approved by Council September 26, 2022: that Oshawa City Council does "not support expanding additional powers" and extending them to other municipal mayors because they "could have unintended consequences including reducing the role and responsibilities of municipal Councils on such matters, thereby detrimentally affecting local democracy"
Below is a copy of the full text of Mayor Carter motion last September and here's the list of the 26 municipalities just named (which includes all 5 of Durham Region's lakeshore municipalities) Ajax, Barrie, Brampton, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Clarington, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Oshawa, Pickering, Richmond Hill, St. Catharines, Vaughan, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor
Last year Oshawa Mayor Carter said he did not support the expanded powers being extended, finding it undemocratic. But that may now be different. It remains to be seen if Mayor Carter upholds and reaffirms the motion (CORP-22-58) he made last September 12, 2022 at Committee and approved by Council September 26, 2022: that Oshawa City Council does "not support expanding additional powers" and extending them to other municipal mayors because they "could have unintended consequences including reducing the role and responsibilities of municipal Councils on such matters, thereby detrimentally affecting local democracy"
Below is a copy of the full text of Mayor Carter motion last September and here's the list of the 26 municipalities just named (which includes all 5 of Durham Region's lakeshore municipalities) Ajax, Barrie, Brampton, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Clarington, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Oshawa, Pickering, Richmond Hill, St. Catharines, Vaughan, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor
