TORONTO – Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government says the City of Toronto’s legal challenge of a recently passed law reducing the number of councillors “has no merit.”
Ontario’s Superior Court is set to hear Friday the city’s challenge of Bill 5 — or Better Local Government Act — which cuts Toronto city council from 47 to 25 seats.
The city argued in its court filings last week that passing the law in middle of a municipal election is “discriminatory and arbitrary” and violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
In its factum, the government argues municipalities are “creatures of the province” and it can delegate or withdraw powers from those municipalities at any time.
READ MORE: Ontario court to hear application on suspending Toronto city council seat cuts
The government also says that the change will not interfere with any city resident’s right to run, campaign or vote in the Oct. 22 election.
Premier Doug Ford, a failed mayoral candidate and one-time councillor, has called Toronto city council dysfunctional and said the cuts would make it more efficient and save taxpayers $25 million.
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