Seiling an advisor to the province

What started as Doug Ford’s attempt to block former PC leader Patrick Brown’s bid to head Peel Region has expanded into a formal review in nine upper-tier jurisdictions in Ontario, an effort that will include input from former Waterloo Region chair Ken Seiling.

The Elmira resident who retired in November after some 40 years in local politics was this week named one of two advisors who are to provide advice/recommendations back to the province this summer. Joining Seiling will be Michael Fenn, a former Ontario deputy minister, previous municipal chief administrator in several Ontario cities, and founding CEO of Metrolinx.

In announcing the appointments, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark said the review is limited to nine upper tiers and their constituent lower tiers in Waterloo Region, Niagara Region, Halton Region, Peel Region, York Region, Durham Region, Oxford County, Simcoe County and Muskoka District.

The announced focus of the reviews is on governance/decision-making and service delivery. Each jurisdiction is to receive information on the consultation.

Last August, Clark began informal discussions, wishing to hear from people about how this system of governance is working recognizing it was established in the 1970s.

Plans for a review followed Ford’s decision to cancel planned upper-tier elections to thwart Brown’s plans of running for chair of Peel Region. Brown, who had been ousted as Progressive Conservative leader under dubious circumstances and replaced by Ford in the run-up to last June’s provincial election, eventually won the mayoralty race in Brampton during October’s municipal vote.