Warnings over push for control

Premier Doug Ford is welcoming John Tory’s call for more mayoral muscle, but a cities expert says there’s a better way to strengthen and streamline Toronto leadership.

“Turning to the provincial government to decide how cities should be run is the exact opposite of the direction we need to be going,” Kate Graham, who is finishing a political science PhD at Western University, said Wednesday.

“We don’t need provincial governments making those decisions — cities need to figure out their own governance.”

Tory on Tuesday revealed he wants to take up Ford’s offer to move toward a U.S.-style “strong mayor” system.

The mayor expressed frustration with the time it takes to get majority council support for virtually any initiative, including plans to combat gun violence. He said he wants new powers to unilaterally shape the city budget, hire and fire senior bureaucrats and spend city money up to a set limit.

Graham, who is completing a dissertation on Canada’s urban mayors, says city council is already empowered to delegate powers to the mayor including appointing staff, shaping the budget and city expenditures.

Asking the Ontario government to lead that change is wrong, she said. “I don’t think it should be up to Queen’s Park or Doug Ford to decide how cities are run. I think Toronto city council has full ability to decide how empowered the mayor should be, and every city council in Canada should be having that conversation.”