Effective May 1st, 2025, the Government of Ontario granted 169 municipalities, including the Municipality of French River, Strong Mayor Powers under the Municipal Act, 2001.
This designation empowers the Mayor of French River to take decisive action on key municipal priorities, with an emphasis on enhancing housing, infrastructure, and other provincial priorities in the community.
Under the Municipal Act’s Part VI.1, the Mayor of French River will have the following special powers and duties:
- Appointing the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and exercising authority over key municipal leadership roles.*
- Hiring municipal department heads and overseeing the creation and reorganization of municipal departments.*
- Creating and managing Council committees, including the ability to assign their functions and appoint committee chairs and vice-chairs.*
- Proposing the municipal budget, which will be subject to Council amendments, along with a veto and override process involving the Mayor.
- Exercising a veto power over certain bylaws if the Mayor believes they may interfere with provincial priorities.
- Bringing forward matters for Council’s consideration if it is determined that such matters align with provincial priorities and can accelerate progress in these areas.
*The Mayor has the option to delegate these specific powers and duties.
The Mayor is required to exercise Strong Mayor Powers in writing and make them available to the public, subject to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. A public listing of Mayoral Decisions and Directives will be regularly updated in the registry below.
- Mayor Gisèle Pageau has indicated a preference for delegating these powers back to Council
and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), emphasizing a collaborative approach to governance. -
Mayoral Delegations
The head of council may delegate their powers and duties under Section 284.13 of the Municipal Act, 2001 with respect to: (i) the chief administrative officer; (ii) municipal organizational structure; (iii) local boards; and (iv) committees.
Mayoral Decision MD2025-03 - Delegation of Powers to Council regarding Committees
Mayoral Decision MD2025-04 - Delegation of Powers to Local Board (s) regarding Local Board(s)
Strong Mayor Powers FAQ
What are Strong Mayor Powers?
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.
Can the Mayor choose to delegate specific powers and duties?
Yes, the Mayor may choose to delegate the following powers and duties only:
• appointing and dismissing of the CAO;
• determining the organizational structure of the municipality;
• appointing and dismissing a head of any division or the head of any other part of the organizational structure; and
• establishing or dissolving committees or local boards that consist solely of Members of Council, assigning functions, and appointing chairs and vice-chairs of those committees/local boards.
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?
The priorities are:
1. Building 1.5 million new residential units by December 31, 2031.
2. Constructing and maintaining infrastructure to support housing, including,
• transit,
• roads,
• utilities, and
• servicing.
Are there any transparency and accountability measures in place?
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.
How does the mayor’s veto power work?
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.