Legislation introduced to give expanded powers to mayors of Ottawa and Toronto
The Province has introduced legislation today to strengthen the powers of the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa.
The move is being touted as a way to get housing built quicker.
Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark says this will allow the mayors to override council approval of bylaws that conflict with the province's housing goals.
Officials say the province is looking to build 1.5 million homes over the next decade, as well as critical infrastructure.
However, a mayor's veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority council vote.
Critics say the move will concentrate authority in the mayor's office at the expense of local representation.
There's no word on whether the government will expand the so called "strong mayor" system to other municipalities in Ontario.
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