Norfolk reiterates opposition to strong mayor powers

Luke Edwards

Advocate Correspondent

They rejected it the first time and shared their unease with it again two weeks ago. Now, Norfolk councillors will be officially sending their opposition to the strong mayor powers the Province has conferred to the municipality.

Councillors supported a motion by Coun. Kim Huffman to send a letter to Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack with a copy going to Premier Doug Ford regarding the recent decision at Queen’s Park to give the powers to the mayors of 170 municipalities in Ontario.

“I do not support the strong mayor powers. I feel they’re not democratic,” she said in introducing the motion.

It was a sentiment shared by others.

“Why have eight elected councillors sitting around the table if you give the power to the mayor? To me it’s a mockery of democracy,” said Coun. Michael Columbus.

Huffman’s motion originally called “staff to prepare and send correspondence to Premier Doug Ford indicating that Norfolk County does not require Strong Mayor Powers and respectfully request an exemption from the associated provincial directive.”

Coun. Adam Veri suggested a small amendment to remove the word “respectfully.”

“We do not want it, we never wanted it. We said ‘no’ once, we’re saying ‘no’ again,” he said.

The strong mayors powers were initially tied with the push to get more housing built in the province and offered up additional funding opportunities for municipalities that took up the offer. More recently, the Province has simply given the powers to several municipalities, though much of the additional power is directly or indirectly tied to the more housing mandate.

Coun. Linda Vandendriessche said Norfolk can achieve its housing targets with or without the strong mayor powers.

Several municipalities have voiced their opposition to the move, and Norfolk also voted to circulate the letter staff draft to towns and cities throughout the province.