The Truth About Strong Mayor Powers

There has been considerable noise about Strong Mayor Powers from a handful of candidates running for Mayor and Councillor. Unfortunately, little of the noise reflects the facts and is simply an attempt to invent a wedge issue for the upcoming election.

So, let’s clear up the noise with actual facts – which can all be checked at HERE

Can the Mayor do what he wants?

No! Any decision by the mayor can be overturned by a two-thirds majority of Council. This ensures checks and balances in all decision-making.

Can the Mayor use SMP whenever he wants?

No! Strong Mayor Powers can only be used in limited circumstances set out by the province. They are restricted to matters such as the municipal budget; land use planning related to provincial priorities (including housing), key infrastructure, financial accountability, and certain governance matters. Most importantly, any use of strong mayor powers can be overturned by a two-thirds majority of Council.

Key instances when I have used Strong Mayor Powers.

1. To veto a decision by 4 members of Council to give themselves a 42.6% pay increase, when Council members already receive annual Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA).
2. To protect land purchased for existing and future infrastructure critical to support future housing growth in southern Aurora. Repurposing those lands could have created a long-term issue preventing the Town from supporting new growth.
3. To ensure budget decisions are not used to target community organizations for reasons unrelated to fiscal responsibility or service to residents. Every budget decision should be based on what is best for Aurora as a community, not on personal agendas.
4. Recognizing the need for a more efficient and effective decision-making process, I used Strong Mayor Powers to restructure our Council meetings. The changes streamlined how Council conducts business, reducing meeting time and costs by 33% while continuing to consider and decide the same number of agenda items. The result is a more efficient Council that spends less time on process and more time delivering results for Aurora.

Does the Mayor control the Budget?

No! The mayor works with staff and members of council to develop and present the budget to Council for review before being adopted. As always, any member of Council can add, amend, or remove any item from the budget with the support of the majority of Council.

Can the Mayor hire and fire staff?

Not in Aurora! The first decision I made when Council approved our housing pledge and received strong mayor powers was to delegate the mayor’s powers regarding organizational structure and employment matters back to the CAO. No member of Council should influence employment matters.

Summary

Strong mayor powers do not give a mayor unlimited authority. They simply provide a mechanism to protect the long-term interests of our community from decisions driven by politics, personal agendas, or short-term thinking.

But strong mayor powers were designed with checks and balances built in. Council can always overturn a mayoral veto with a two-thirds majority vote. That is the very same threshold Council already uses to reconsider any Council decision or waive its own procedural rules. These checks and balances are fundamental to our democratic system and ensure that no one person has absolute authority.

They are significant powers, and they come with significant responsibility. That is why I have exercised them carefully, thoughtfully, and strategically — only when I believed Aurora’s long-term interests required it.

If the choice is between protecting Aurora’s future or allowing decisions contrary to the public interest move forward, I will always choose Aurora.