The mayor of the City of Kawartha Lakes doesn’t think he’ll need to use Ontario’s new “strong mayor” powers.
This week the Ontario government extended the so-called “strong mayor” powers to another 21 municipalities with populations over 50,000 expected by 2031. The powers are encouraged to help municipal leaders spearhead provincial initiatives, namely housing.
On Tuesday, City of Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal said he’ll be opting into the powers. Mayors have to give notice to the province by Oct. 15 if they wish to accept the “strong mayor” powers, which go into effect Oct. 31. The powers include a mayor having greater authority on provincial priorities and then only requiring one-third of council’s support on them.
However, City of Kawartha Lakes Mayor Doug Elmslie says he won’t be using the newfound power.
“With respect to strong mayor powers, I don’t envision the need to use it,” Elmslie stated. “Our council is committed to housing and strong mayor powers should not be necessary to make the pledge to the target numbers. We have a cohesive council and we passed our 2023 budget unanimously, which speaks to our aligned priorities.”
The province aims to build 1.5 million new homes by 2031. Municipalities that reach 80 per cent of their target each year will become eligible for a share of the total $440 million annual funding. If municipalities exceed their targets, they will receive a financial bonus.
The province has given the City of Kawartha Lakes a target of building 6,500 homes in eight years. Elmslie admits reaching that target will be “challenging.”
“We’re pleased there is funding available to support the critical infrastructure we need to support growth,” he said. “One of the top priorities of our council is housing, and we were working toward the target of 7,000 homes in 10 years. The province’s target of 6,500 in eight years will be challenging, but I believe it’s achievable.”
The mayor says the municipality needs to build a range of housing types to suit all levels of affordability.
“And we must be able to support the needs of new and existing residents,” he said. “We have staff confirming the numbers and we’ll have a discussion with council at our next meeting. We’ll respond to the province well before the deadline.”