Overview

• On July 14, Halifax council voted 16-1, with only Mayor Andy Fillmore dissenting, to instruct him to request a consultation from Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr on any move to strengthen mayoral powers.
• Coun. Sam Austin and Coun. Janet Steele warned that granting the mayor veto and staffing rights could undermine councillors’ ability to represent constituents and mute diverse voices.
• Ontario’s strong-mayor model now applies in 215 municipalities, allowing elected heads to propose bylaws, veto council decisions with one-third support and hire or fire department heads.
• Nova Scotia currently operates under a weak-mayor system in which every councillor, including the mayor, holds a single vote on council matters.
• The provincial government has confirmed it is examining the possibility of expanding mayoral authority but has not yet proposed any legislation or set a timetable.