Effective May 1, 2025, the Province announced that Strong Mayor Powers will be extended to 170 additional municipalities – Loyalist Township included. These changes are being put in place to support the Province’s priority and commitment to increasing the housing supply by 1.5 million homes by December 31, 2031. These tools will also help cut red tape and speed up the delivery of key shared municipal-provincial priorities such as transit and infrastructure.
Municipal Act, 2001
Under Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 the Mayor has the power to:
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Appoint and dismiss the Chief Administrative Officer;
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Hire and dismiss various division heads (excluding those prescribed under section 284.6(3));
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Establish prescribed committees of Council, assign their functions, and appoint the Chairs and Vice Chairs of those committees;
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Propose the Municipality’s annual budget subject to Council amendments;
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Submit matters for Council’s consideration, or veto by-laws, if the Mayor believes it will advance a prescribed Provincial Priority; and
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Direct municipal staff to undertake research, provide advice on policies and programs, or implement any decisions related to Strong Mayor Powers.
The Mayor is required to exercise these powers in writing and make them available to the public, subject to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Mayoral decisions are available below.
The powers and duties of the Mayor are further described in O. Reg. 530/22 and O. Reg. 580/22.
Mayoral Decisions
Mayoral decisions issued by the Mayor of Loyalist Township will be listed and attached below:
| Mayoral Decisions 2025 | ||||||
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Strong Mayor Powers FAQ
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What are Strong Mayor Powers? |
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Strong mayor powers give heads of council (aka the Mayor) the power to set budgets, veto by-laws, and pass by-laws with just one-third of their council’s support. This is a significant shift in how municipalities are governed in Ontario. Traditionally, the head of council is the “leader among equals”, has only a single vote on council, and has limited unilateral executive authority. Under Strong Mayor, centralized executive power emanates directly from the office of the mayor. |
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Can the Mayor choose to delegate specific powers and duties? |
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Yes, the Mayor may choose to delegate the following powers and duties only:
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What are the provincial priorities for which the Mayor has the power to veto by-laws and pass by-laws with just one-third of their council’s support? |
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The priorities are:
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Which municipalities are affected by Strong Mayor's Powers? |
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There are 215 designated municipalities that are affected by Strong Mayor Powers including the City of Toronto, the City of Kingston, and Loyalist Township. Powers are only awarded to mayors of municipalities who submitted a pledge to help the provincial government meet its target of building 1.5 million homes by 2031. A full of list of municipalities can be found in O. Reg 530/22. |
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Are there any transparency and accountability measures in place? |
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Yes, the mayor is required to exercise these powers in writing and make them available to the public, subject to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. These decisions can be found on this webpage. |
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When did the Strong Mayor's Powers come into effect? |
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The Strong Mayor's Powers came into effect on November 23, 2022, following the Royal Assent of Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022. On April 9, 2025, the province announced its intention to expand strong mayor powers to the heads of council in 170 additional municipalities (including Loyalist Township) effective May 1, 2025. |
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How do these powers impact the municipal budget process? |
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The mayor can propose the annual budget, which is subject to council amendments. If the budget is not prepared by February 1, Council must prepare and adopt it. |
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How does the mayor's veto power work? |
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The mayor can veto by-laws if they believe it will advance a prescribed provincial priority. Council can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote. |
Questions and More Information
If you have questions or require more information, please contact:
Clerk's Division
(613) 386-7351
Contact by email at clerk@loyalist.ca
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