On April 10, 2025, the Township of Killaloe, Hagarty, and Richards received official communication from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, announcing that Strong Mayor Powers would be granted to our Municipality. These powers have been assigned to 169 municipalities with Councils of six members or more, aimed at supporting provincial-municipal priorities, such as promoting the approval of new housing and developing the infrastructure necessary to support housing, including roads and transit.
In his letter, Minister Flack emphasized the government’s expectation that these powers would be used to advance provincial priorities that contribute to both provincial and community growth. These priorities include supporting new home construction, economic development, and infrastructure that enables community expansion, such as water and wastewater systems, roads, highways, and transit.
Strong Mayor Powers were introduced in 2022 under the Bill 3 – Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act and the Bill 39 – Better Municipal Governance Act. The goal of these changes was to equip Heads of Council with the tools needed to reduce bureaucratic barriers and accelerate the delivery of shared municipal and provincial priorities, including housing, transit, and infrastructure. The amendments to the Municipal Act and the City of Toronto Act granted specific powers to the Head of Council.
The first Strong Mayor Powers were implemented in Toronto and Ottawa in the fall of 2022. By July 1, 2023, 26 additional municipalities with populations over 100,000—or projected to reach that threshold by 2031—received these powers after pledging to meet housing targets set by the province. On October 21, 2023, another 18 municipalities were granted the powers after committing to their housing targets as part of the province's plan to build 1.5 million homes by 2031. Originally, municipalities were only granted strong mayor powers if they committed to a housing pledge, but this no longer seems to be a consistent requirement.
As of May 1, 2025, 216 out of 444 municipalities have been granted Strong Mayor Powers.
The implementation of Strong Mayor Powers represents a significant shift in municipal governance, aiming to streamline decision-making and advance key provincial priorities such as housing, infrastructure, and economic development. As of May 1, 2025, the Township of Killaloe, Hagarty, and Richards joins over 200 municipalities in Ontario granted these authorities. While these powers provide the Head of Council with enhanced responsibilities and tools, they also require a clear understanding of legislative, budgetary, and administrative processes to ensure transparency, accountability, and alignment with both provincial and local priorities.
Strong Mayor Powers revolve around speeding up the delivery of key shared municipal-provincial priorities. These powers are outlined under Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 and O.Reg. 580/22 identifies the provincial priorities as:
- building 1.5 million new homes by December 31, 2031
- constructing and maintaining infrastructure to support housing, including:
- transit
- roads
- utilities
- servicing
Strong Mayor Powers fall into three broad categories:
Legislative Powers (e.g. the power to veto by-laws, the power to require Council to consider a matter)
Budget Duties (e.g. the duty and responsibility to present a budget to Council, and to approve the budget)
Administrative and Political Powers (e.g. the power to appoint or remove a chief administrative officer, the power to establish committees, and to determine the organizational structure)
The Head of Council cannot delegate legislative powers or budget duties but can delegate administrative and political powers.
LEGISLATIVE
Bring Forward Matters for Council Consideration Related to Provincial Priority
The Head of Council can bring forward matters for Council consideration if they are of the opinion that considering the matter could potentially advance a provincial priority in this regulation.
When bringing forward such a matter for Council consideration, the Head of Council should consider whether any rules with respect to notice and public consultation apply to the exercise of a particular municipal authority.
By-Law Power Related to Provincial Priorities
The Head of Council can propose certain municipal by-laws if they are of the opinion that the proposed by-law could potentially advance a prescribed provincial priority. When using this power, the Head of Council can only propose by-laws made under:
- the Municipal Act and the regulations, other than under any prescribed section;
- the Planning Act and its regulations, other than under any prescribed section; and
- any other prescribed Act or regulation or prescribed section of an Act or regulation.
When proposing the by-law, the Head of Council must provide a copy of the proposed by-law and their reasons for the proposal to the Clerk and each member of Council. The Head of Council can require Council to consider and vote on the proposed by-law at a meeting (despite any rules in a local procedure by-law). By-laws proposed by the Head of Council using this power are passed if more than one-third of all Council members vote in favour of the by-law. The Head of Council is also able to vote on passing the bylaw. Municipal procedure by-laws and by-laws related to filling a vacancy on Council are excluded from this power.
Veto Power and Council Override
The Head of Council can choose to veto certain by-laws if they are of the opinion that all or part of the by-law could potentially interfere with a provincial priority. This power applies with respect to by-laws under:
- this Act and the regulations, other than under any prescribed section;
- the Planning Act and its regulations, other than under any prescribed section; and
- any other prescribed Act or regulation or prescribed section of an Act or regulation.
**A prescribed section of an Act currently includes Section 2 of the Development Charges Act
It is up to the Head of Council to determine if they will consider vetoing a by-law, regardless of whether they attend a Council meeting. The Head of Council must provide written notice to Council of their intent to consider vetoing the by-law on or before two days after Council voted in favour of the by-law.
If the Head of Council decides to veto a by-law, they must provide notice to the Clerk, on the day of the veto, a written veto document that includes the veto and the reasons for the veto. The Clerk must then share the written document with each member of Council by the next business day and also make the written document available to the public.
If the Head of Council uses their veto power, Council then has the ability to override the veto. Within 21 days after the Clerk provides the written veto document to the members of Council, Council may override the veto if two-thirds of all Council members vote to override the veto. During this process, the Head of Council remains as a member of Council for Council decision-making with one vote.
BUDGET DUTIES
O.Reg. 530/22 defines the process to approve budgets which includes strict timelines for proposal, amendments, vetoes and overrides. The powers now state that the Head of Council is required to propose the budget for the Municipality each year by February 1. The Head of Council must share the proposed budget with each member of Council and the Municipal Clerk and make it available to the public. If the Head of Council does not propose the budget by February 1, Council must prepare and adopt the budget.
O.Reg 530/22 provides that after receiving the proposed budget from the Head of Council, Council can amend the proposed budget by passing a resolution within a 30-day review period. The Head of Council then has 10 days from the end of the Council review period to veto any Council amendment. To veto a Council amendment, the Head of Council must provide written documentation of the veto and rationale to each member of Council and the Municipal Clerk on the day of the veto. Within a 15-day period after the Head of Council’s veto period, Council may override the Head of Council’s veto of a Council amendment if two-thirds of all Council members vote to override the veto.
At the end of this process, the resulting budget is adopted by the Municipality.
*This power cannot be delegated, only forfeited.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND POLITICAL POWERS
Direct Staff
Direction from the Head of Council to staff under this authority must be provided in writing.
The Head of Council can direct staff to undertake research and provide advice on policies and programs to the Head of Council and the Municipality or to implement any decisions related to their additional powers and duties.
Appoint a Chief Administrative Officer
The Head of Council has the power to appoint or dismiss their Municipality’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Under the Municipal Act, 2001, the responsibilities of the CAO are to:
- Exercise general control and management of the affairs of the Municipality for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective operation of the Municipality; and
- Perform such other duties as are assigned by the Municipality.
*This power can be delegated to Council.
Hire Municipal Division Heads and Change Organizational Structure
The Head of Council can hire or dismiss certain Municipal Division Heads — excluding certain statutory positions. Positions that are excluded from this power include:
- Clerk or Deputy Clerk
- Treasurer or Deputy Treasurer
- Integrity Commissioner
- Ombudsman
- Auditor General
- Registrar, as described in section 223.11 of the Act
- Chief Building Official, as defined in the Building Code Act, 1992
- Chief of Police, as defined in the Police Services Act
- Fire Chief, as defined in the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997
- Medical Officer of Health, as defined in the Health Protection and Promotion Act
- Other Officers or Heads of Divisions required to be appointed under the Municipal Act, 2001, the City of Toronto Act, 2006, or any other Act
- Any other persons identified in regulation
*This power can be delegated to Council or the CAO.
Organizational Structure
The Head of Council can also choose to create and re-organize the structure of the Municipality. When making any changes to the organizational structure of the Municipality, the Head of Council and Municipality are subject to legal requirements including any terms in existing collective agreements, contracts, or human resource policies that may apply.
*This power can be delegated to Council or the CAO.
Create, Assign Functions and Appoint Chairs of Committees
The Head of Council can create new committees of Council established pursuant the Municipal Act, 2001 where all members are Council members, and assign their functions. The Head of Council is also able to appoint the chairs and vice-chairs of such committees of Council and dissolve such committees.
*This power can be delegated to Council.
EXERCISING POWERS
When exercising powers, the Head of Council shall do so in writing to ensure accountability and transparency. This is typically done through either a Mayoral Decision or a Mayoral Directive.
Mayoral decisions are generally records of decisions made by the Head of Council regarding governance and policy and are required to be made public.
Mayoral directives are generally records of directions made by the Head of Council and given to staff to do research and preparation on an item under Section 284.3 of the Municipal Act, 2001. In certain circumstances, this may also include directions to carry out duties to implement those decisions.
At the Regular Meeting of Council held on October 21, 2025, Council passed a resolution to remove Mayoral Directives 1 through 6 from the municipal website. Council also passed a resolution to seek approval to publicly release a legal opinion received in relation to the Mayoral Directives.
On October 22, 2025, approval was granted to post the legal opinion. The document is now available for public viewing.
Please see below respective resolutions and legal opinion.
Resolution - Remove Mayoral Directives
Council Update – November 4, 2025
At the Regular Meeting of Council held on November 4, 2025, Council passed a resolution to remove Mayoral Directive 7 from the municipal website
Please see below respective resolution.
At the Regular Meeting of Council held on February 17, 2026, Council passed a resolution to remove Mayoral Decision 1 from the municipal website.
Please see below respective resolution.
Mayoral Directives
Mayoral Decisions
No Mayoral Decisions at this time.