Mayors and the Future

Governance

The question of the role of Mayors and the power of Ward policies is not new. It is as old as the concept of self-governing municipalities.

It also cannot be separated for a call by Municipal leaders over the last 50 years for more power, authority and the ability to tax. This includes either sharing in Provincial and Federal revenues/taxes or their own powers such as a local sales tax.

The Mayor is the only position (along with Regional Chairs) that is elected across the municipalities. When compared to riding sizes Federally and Provincially, Mayors and Chairs must run before a significantly larger electorate.

The Political Lens

In this discussion, there is a propensity to put personal political glasses on when looking at the proposed legislation. For some, it will be that big bad Doug Ford or Conservative government running roughshod over municipalities and local voters.

However the facts are much different.

Yes this proposal emanates from the current Provincial Government. However, the Liberals during their 15 year reign also made what was essentially the same proposal. Dalton McGuinty, as Premier took a very similar position and rational.

David Miller (NDP) when Mayor of Toronto also advocated to the Provincial Government a similar demand for Mayoral powers.

Add to this there are advocates for Toronto to essentially be treated as a separate City State, which is in part why the Province (McGuinty) brought forward the City of Toronto Act.

Low Voter Turn Out and Ward Politics

We plan for 3 groups of people. Those that are here. The children of those who are here. And, the people yet to come.

Only 30% of residents vote. Those who do, tend to be property owners, older and less diverse. Because of low turn out, those in office or running for office are essentially beholding to those voters. In fact, local interest groups whether ratepayers groups or environmental interest groups hold considerable sway in the dialogue of elections.

There is no or little voice for either of the second and third groups. Yet all residents at one point in time came from the second two groups.

It can well be argued that Councils across the Province have at best a tentative mandate because of low voter turn out.

The Housing Crisis a Tipping Point

There is a housing crisis, both in supply and cost. It is taking anywhere from 3 to 5 years for a development to weave through the approval process. It costs millions of dollars to secure approvals, with no certainty on the yield, when it will occur and whether the market which was there on application will be the same on approval.

In the simplest terms, I doubt any person would want their retirement RRSPs managed in the same way.

We are not even housing our own children.

Most residents love the quality of life in Oakville. Services, health care, social and recreational programs, long term care for our elderly, education. Add to this vibrant downtowns, restaurants, specialty food, the coffee shops.

Yet for the people who work in these sectors, there is limited housing supply and what exists is unaffordable.

In the bluntest of terms, we are gradually eroding the very things that residents hold dear, as we will not be able to attract people to live and work in these sectors.

Think of this way, we will all age and will need varying levels of support or care; so who is going to be here to change our diapers?

Add to this massive nimbyism against any form of change. On one hand people line up to sign petitions on stopping urban sprawl; while on the other opposing intensification. Even worse is the call for more and more taxes on housing, currently approaching 40% of the cost of a new build.

There is also the endless demand for more and more public consultation all with the objective of stopping or reducing the foot print of development. The end result is the affordability crisis.

A real world example is the parking problems in new development areas of North Oakville. Kids have grown up, gone to school and now have jobs. They want and need cars, but because of housing affordability, continue to live at home. The result is more cars because the design of the community did not foresee them staying at home.

Because of low voter turn out; Ward Councillors who try to advocate for affordable housing or intensification face the wrath of the small group of people who elect them into office. In fact it is not uncommon to hear residents when opposing development, a road improvement, even a park to demand their representative listen to their needs and their needs alone.

Whether, housing, climate change, waste management, transportation; these issues transcend ward boundaries. In fact these are significant challenges; if not a crisis which impacts the whole of the community.

Checks and Balances

The proposed increased powers for mayors are not without limits. Council, with a 2/3rds or 3/4 majority will be able to over turn decisions by the mayor on issues of town wide significance. Residents will still be able to delegate to Council to advocate, propose and object. They too have the right to appeal to the LPAT and for that matter even the courts.

The bar will be higher, they are going to have to convince the whole of Council, not just the ward councillor to over turn a decision by the Mayor within the bounds of the new authorities.

Opposition emanating from nimbyism will be more difficult. Same with opposition to infrastructure.

Dealing with The Future Drives the Need for Government Change

Oakville has one of the highest rates of car ownership in Canada. We also make the most average (highest number) of daily trips. We also live in the largest average sized homes in Canada

Our environmental and traffic and energy footprints are large. Our average impact on climate change is higher (per capita) than elsewhere in Canada.

If we are going to deal with these challenges, Oakville residents will no longer have the luxury of objecting on one hand and doing the exact opposite in their daily lives. There are hard decisions to be made about the future. These are town wide issues which transcend Wards. Ward issues and concerns presently trump everything else.

The proposed changes will rebalance the decision making to make it more inclusive for the groups currently left out of the process. The needs of the future and the many who are largely left out of ward politics need to be considered.

Special Powers Are Not New, They Exist and Are Used.

When there are major issues, crisis etc both the Provincial and Federal Governments have the power of Cabinet Orders. There are also specific powers set out for Ministers under various pieces of legislation. This exempts these matters from having to go to the full of Parliament or the Legislature for a vote. In fact, some of these powers are in the direct control of the Prime Minister or Premier.

Canadians have accepted these types of power has long argued it is a mature level of government. The powers being proposed for the Mayors of the major cities will be specific and clear. Presently, we don’t know whether there is vote trading between Councillors on Ward issues. In terms of budget, it is such a long and complicated process it is difficult to follow and really single out problems, overspending or the wrong allocation of resources. Under the proposed powers, I believe it will be more transparent, the Mayor proposes the budget and Councillors will have to be clear on what they oppose and support.

I would hope, that under the new powers every vote by the Mayor and Council will be a recorded vote so it is completely transparent the decision being made.

The Challenges Transcend Ward Boundaries and Can’t be ignored.

Oakville has long exported its problems; housing affordability, special needs housing, garbage and sewage sludge. It commutes through other peoples communities to get to jobs (Toronto) it gets its energy from rural Ontario (whether hydro, nuclear, wind or solar), concrete, stone, gravel to build it schools, hospitals, patios and shoreline protection from quarries where people don't want them. It vacations in someone else's back yard.

Municipalities are going to have to deal with their own needs and problems. They can't be exported and as a result, the current nimby base model doesn't work.

Province and Federal Government Demand More From Municipalities

Both the Federal and Provincial Government are pointing the finger at municipalities as being part of the problem and solution and are demanding they play a bigger role in transportation, housing, infrastructure, and climate change. They will be offering up funding. But it will be conditional on performance and delivery in a timely manner. Both levels have signalled they are prepared to use both carrots and sticks. Municipalities will need to make more nimble decisions that benefit the whole, especially our children and future residents as opposed to the Ward and those here today. Creating that nimbleness and solutions comes with more effective and focused decision making.