Tory taps rookie for top committee
Councillor Jon Burnside has consistently voted with the mayor on key issues
A first-term rookie councillor is being promoted in Mayor John Tory’s administration as part of a small shakeup of his inner circle.
Councillor Jon Burnside (Ward 26, Don Valley West) will join Tory’s executive committee, the only new councillor to be added.
“I’m honoured at having been asked to join the mayor’s executive and look forward to contributing in any way that I can,” Burnside told the Star.
Burnside is also getting the nod to sit on the committee for licensing and standards, which is undergoing a major overhaul. The former police officer, who backed Tory early in the 2014 election campaign, in turn earned Tory’s backing and became the only candidate to unseat an incumbent. Burnside has consistently voted with the mayor on key issues, including the Scarborough subway and rebuilding the Gardiner. Although he did not ask to be on executive, he will bypass several other Tory-backers who asked for the role.
Council must confirm a slate of mid-term appointments at a meeting next week. Few big shakeups are in store, which will leave the dynamic at council mostly unchanged.
Councillor Michelle Holland leaves the executive committee, which deals with major policy issues, making way for Burnside. She will also vacate her seat as chair of the parks-and-environment committee. A source with knowledge of the switch said Holland’s removal from both committees is not punishment from the mayor’s office. Holland is the only chair of a committee who did not request to be put back in that position.
Tory has created a special role for Holland, as the mayor’s advocate for the innovation economy, a file his office has been pushing behind-thescenes and in business missions to California and, recently, Israel.
In a letter to Holland setting out her mandate, Tory pointed to the city’s growing start-up culture and wealth of post-secondary schools: “I want Toronto to be a place where people come to solve problems, have an impact and create new solutions.”
Holland will be tasked with facilitating collaboration between governments and private partners, and boosting female participation in the sector.
Taking over the parks-and-environment chair is executive member Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon, a bicycle-riding, left-leaning councillor representing Ward 32, Beaches-East York, who has become a surprising ally for the mayor’s office. McMahon faced blowback from organizers and advocates of the annual Afrofest earlier this year when she defended a city decision to limit the event hosted in Woodbine Park, over noise violations. The permit was eventually issued for two days and McMahon was praised for listening to organizers. McMahon was a member and vicechair of the parks committee during her first term, from 2010 to 2014.
Other changes are recommended for important committees. Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong, chair of the striking committee, is recommending a lineup change in the municipal licensing and standards committee, which handled the contentious Uber and Airbnb files.
Notably missing from his picks are Councillors Giorgio Mammoliti and Josh Matlow. Minnan-Wong is recommending they be replaced by Councillors Frances Nunziata and Glenn De Bareremaeker.
Tory has admonished outspoken licensing committee members Mammoliti and Councillor Jim Karygiannis for their aggressive management of issues. Minnan-Wong is, however, recommending Karygiannis be reappointed.