Brockville Prepares for ‘Strong Mayor Powers’ with cautious optimism, some concern

As of May 1, the City of Brockville has been invited to join the growing list of Ontario municipalities granted ‘Strong Mayor Powers’ — a controversial governance reform introduced by the provincial government to accelerate housing development and infrastructure projects. Initially implemented in major cities like Toronto and Ottawa, these powers are now being extended to an additional 169 municipalities in 2025, including Brockville.

In essence, this governance aims to help municipalities cut through red tape and align more effectively with the province’s priority of building 1.5 million homes by 2031. These powers allow mayors to propose budgets, veto council decisions that conflict with provincial priorities, and make certain executive decisions related to staffing and bylaws. 

Naturally, this development has caused concern and scrutiny among many municipalities – several of whom who have declined to participate (including Leeds and Thousand Islands and Perth). Dissenters believe this reform will shift the current democratic dynamic of municipal government.

During  the regular meeting of Brockville City Council on Tuesday, April 22, Mayor Matt Wren reiterated his hopes of approaching the implementation of these powers with a tone of cooperation and continuity. He emphasized Brockville’s strong track record on housing thus far, pointing out that nearly all housing applications have received broad council support.

“I can’t imagine where this would be needed,” Wren stated, highlighting the city’s consensus-driven approach. “From my point of view, I’m pretty sure that this will be business as usual for as long as I’m in this chair.”

Despite the mayor’s reassurances, councillors expressed a range of opinions — from cautious curiosity to outright concern. Councilor Earl was the most outspoken against the concept of ‘Strong Mayor Powers,’  questioning the larger implications of one individual having veto power over council decisions, drawing multiple comparisons to the tense political situation in the United States.

“This is not the way democracy has worked in this country,” Earle stated. “And if I had to have a model, that’s not the one I want this city, province, or country to take. I will not be supporting this because I can’t think of a better example than what’s going on directly across that river.”

Mayor Wren echoed some of Councilor Earle’s concerns, explaining, “The very first thing that came to mind was exactly what he said, what we’re witnessing in the US.’ He continued, “It’s scary to me that one person in a democratic society could apparently have the power that we’ve seen wielded extremely destructively too south of the border and I can’t just ever imagine in a municipality someone attempting to lead or rule in that way.” 

Councillors also raised questions about the practical applications of these new powers. Councillor Fullarton asked about the impact on the city’s budget process, while Councillor Kalivas queried whether a mayor could override professional planning staff recommendations if they conflict with housing priorities. City staff confirmed that, as of May 1, the mayor can veto council decisions if they believe it interferes with provincial goals, despite staff and council consensus.

Councillor Wales noted that the implementation of ‘Strong Mayor Powers’ in Brockville may encourage constituents to get out and vote in next year’s municipal election. “I just hope that we can acknowledge the way that this will hopefully change the way that some people look at municipal elections.”

He continued, “I know we were at, 34 per cent I think, of voter turnout in the last election and I certainly hope that people understand the consequences if we have a mayor with a strong mayor power, it’s concentrating more power in one political office.”

Though opinions varied throughout the long and complex discussion, the overarching sentiment was one of readiness to adapt while preserving the collaborative spirit that Brockville’s council prides itself on.

Mayor Wren concluded, “We’ve got some things to learn about how all this works, but my commitment is that business as usual — which has been working — is the way I’d like to see us continue.”