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GOVERNING THE CITY |
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Previous attempts to empower the City of Toronto have not gone far enough. |
“Canadians may think they
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The City of Toronto Act, in 2006, gave the city the power to establish its own form of governance, subject to review by the Ontario Municipal Board.
The province revoked that power in 2018 with legislation unilaterally reducing the number of councillors from 47 to 25, in addition to changing the ward system.
A City Charter will restore those powers to the city and remove the provincial power of review.
To ensure that City Council is not self-serving in setting out forms and structures and that the public interest is primary, Council decisions on governance will be recommended and/or reviewed by an independent agency.
The province revoked that power in 2018 with legislation unilaterally reducing the number of councillors from 47 to 25, in addition to changing the ward system.
A City Charter will restore those powers to the city and remove the provincial power of review.
To ensure that City Council is not self-serving in setting out forms and structures and that the public interest is primary, Council decisions on governance will be recommended and/or reviewed by an independent agency.
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• The city should have the power to adopt decision-making procedures and structures which ensure fair representation of the many diverse voices, minorities, and communities in the city, which enhance residents’ involvement in decisions about their communities, and which enshrine and enact principles of equity.
• The city should have the exclusive authority to decide the form and structure of its government, including the composition of city council and ward boundaries, the mayor’s office, the city bureaucracy, agencies, boards and commissions, community councils, and other such bodies as it finds appropriate. |
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• Council will have the power to decide on approval mechanisms, including innovative ones designed to enhance citizen involvement, such as deliberative democracy and referendums.
• Changes to the ward system and City Council will be reviewed by an independent, city-appointed body. Its decision, after a fair hearing, will be reported to Council for a final determination. The city will have the authority to establish and fund this independent body.
• The city will have the exclusive authority to conduct municipal elections, including regulation of campaign donations and finance, voting age and eligibility, including the ability to extend the vote to residents who are not citizens. Again, these rules should be subject to review by an independent, city-appointed body, and reported to Council for a final determination.
• The city will have broad powers to pass bylaws respecting all aspects of city life, and establish penalties for contraventions.
• Changes to the ward system and City Council will be reviewed by an independent, city-appointed body. Its decision, after a fair hearing, will be reported to Council for a final determination. The city will have the authority to establish and fund this independent body.
• The city will have the exclusive authority to conduct municipal elections, including regulation of campaign donations and finance, voting age and eligibility, including the ability to extend the vote to residents who are not citizens. Again, these rules should be subject to review by an independent, city-appointed body, and reported to Council for a final determination.
• The city will have broad powers to pass bylaws respecting all aspects of city life, and establish penalties for contraventions.
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• The city will be required to maintain an effective integrity and accountability regime including a Members Code of Conduct, an Integrity Commissioner, Auditor General, Lobbyist Registry, and Ombudsman.
• The city will be able to delegate decision-making, including quasi-judicial and legislative functions, to committees of council, staff, boards, community councils and other such bodies it thinks appropriate.
• The City will work with and co-operate with many other governments. It will be authorized to exercise any of its powers or perform any of its functions and may participate in the financing of its efforts, jointly or in cooperation, by contract or otherwise, with one or more other municipalities, regions, other governmental bodies, the Province of Ontario and the government of Canada.
• The city will be able to delegate decision-making, including quasi-judicial and legislative functions, to committees of council, staff, boards, community councils and other such bodies it thinks appropriate.
• The City will work with and co-operate with many other governments. It will be authorized to exercise any of its powers or perform any of its functions and may participate in the financing of its efforts, jointly or in cooperation, by contract or otherwise, with one or more other municipalities, regions, other governmental bodies, the Province of Ontario and the government of Canada.
CHARTER CITY PROPOSAL IN DETAIL
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chartercitytoronto@gmail.com
