They are special authorities granted by the Province to certain mayors, allowing them to act independently on certain matters to advance provincial priorities, particularly related to housing and infrastructure.
Strong Mayor Powers
On April 9, 2025, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing announced amendments to Ontario Regulation 530/22, extending Strong Mayor Powers to an additional 169 municipalities, including the Municipality of Trent Hills. The new authorities took effect on May 1, 2025, and are intended to advance key Provincial Priorities, which include:
- Facilitating the construction of 1.5 million new homes by December 31, 2031; and
- Building and maintaining the supporting infrastructure - transit, roads, utilities and servicing -
necessary to accommodate that growth.
No specific Provincial Priorities have been assigned to Trent Hills under Ontario Regulation 580/22.
What are Strong Mayor Powers?
The Strong Mayor Powers and duties under the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022 (Bill 3) include the following:
- Responsibility for the budget;
- Ability to veto certain by-laws passed by Council;
- Power to decide whether to appoint a CAO and to make that appointment;
- Power to appoint and remove the head of any division or the head of any other part of the organizational structure;
- Power to modify and establish organizational structure;
- Power to establish the structure and mandate of prescribed committees;
- Power to appoint Chairs and Vice Chairs of prescribed committees and local boards;
- Ability to require Council to consider a matter at a meeting; and,
- Authority to direct employees to undertake research and provide advice to the Mayor and the municipality, and to carry out duties to implement those decisions, including those of the Mayor.
Under the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022 (Bill 3), the Mayor may delegate some of these powers to Council or the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) through the use of a Mayoral Decision form (MDE). Some powers cannot be delegated; however, the Mayor is permitted to provide written direction to staff to carry out specific actions related to the Mayor’s statutory responsibilities under the Act. These are done through a Mayoral Directive form (MDI).
The powers and duties of the Mayor are further described in O. Reg. 530/22 and O. Reg. 580/22.
Legislative Framework
The legislative framework that defines the Mayor’s special powers and duties under the Municipal Act, 2001 is:
Understanding Strong Mayor Powers Tools
To help residents better understand how the Mayor’s special powers function in practice under provincial legislation, the following flow charts are provided. These diagrams outline the key processes, decision-making steps and timelines involved in the use of Strong Mayor Powers.
Mayoral Decisions and Directives
All Mayoral Decisions and Directives are posted below as required by law and in accordance with MFIPPA.
| Date | Directive |
| May 13, 2025 | MDI-2025-001: Prepare the Budget |
Strong Mayor Powers FAQ
Can the Mayor choose to delegate specific powers and duties?
Yes. Some powers, such as hiring the CAO, restructuring the organization, or creating committees, can be delegated by the Mayor to Council or staff. Others, like budget preparation and veto authority, cannot be delegated.
What are the Provincial Priorities?
- Facilitating the construction of 1.5 million new homes by December 31, 2031; and
- Building and maintaining the supporting infrastructure - transit, roads, utilities and servicing - necessary to accommodate that growth.
No specific Provincial Priorities have been assigned to Trent Hills under Ontario Regulation 580/22.
When did the Strong Mayor Powers come into effect?
The powers came into effect in Trent Hills on May 1, 2025, by way of an amendment to O. Reg. 530/22.
Which municipalities are affected by Strong Mayor's Powers?
There are 215 designated municipalities that are affected by Strong Mayor Powers.
The Municipality of Trent Hills was among 169 other municipalities in Ontario that received Strong Mayor Powers on May 1, 2025.
A full of list of municipalities can be found in O. Reg 530/22.
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 (MFIPPA). These decisions can be found on this webpage.
How does the Mayor's veto power work?
The Mayor may veto a by-law that is believed to interfere with a Provincial Priority. Council may override this veto with a two-thirds majority vote.
See By-law Veto Process Flow Chart.
How do these powers impact the municipal budget process?
The Mayor must propose the budget by February 1 each year. Council may amend it, but the Mayor has the right to veto those amendments. Council can override the veto with a two-thirds vote. The resulting budget is deemed adopted.
Contact Us
Municipality of Trent Hills
66 Front St S, PO Box 1030
Campbellford, ON K0L1L0
T. 705-653-1900
F. 705-653-5203
Land Acknowledgement
We recognize the traditional keepers of this land and, specifically our neighbours of the Alderville First Nation, with a formal territorial acknowledgement.
Welcome to the Gunshot Treaty Lands of 1788. It is on these lands and on the shores of the big lake, the Mississauga Anishinabeg met with the Crown to facilitate the opening of these lands for
settlement.
Let us be reminded of the responsibility we all have in making sure that we respect these lands and waters that give us life and sustain our livelihoods.