Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic clarifies that he has refrained from utilizing strong mayor powers since their introduction by the Ontario government in 2023. Recent findings by CBC News indicate that cities like Windsor and Toronto have employed strong mayor powers more frequently than other major cities. Despite reports suggesting that the City of Kitchener has used these powers 59 times, Mayor Vrbanovic asserts that there is more to this story.
The introduction of strong mayor powers was intended to facilitate the acceleration of development processes within municipalities. Each decision made under these powers must be documented and made public on the municipality’s website. This includes scenarios where the mayor either vetoes council decisions or approves them. Mayor Vrbanovic explains that out of the 59 decisions listed on Kitchener’s website, he explicitly indicated on 54 occasions that he would not veto council decisions. This proactive approach allowed the decisions made during meetings to proceed without delay.
Mayor Vrbanovic acknowledges that at the outset, he did exercise strong mayor powers to ensure the continuity of council operations. This involved confirming that the council would retain its authority in appointing the chief administrative officer (CAO) and overseeing committees. The CAO would continue to manage the city’s structure and operations as before.
In contrast, Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett used strong mayor powers in 2024 to veto an amendment to the city’s 2025 budget, while Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie directed the city’s CAO and treasurer to present a multi-year budget and provided updates on various matters in 2023 and 2024. However, Mayor Guthrie and Mayor Liggett were unavailable for comment.
Mayor Vrbanovic emphasizes that he has maintained a consistent stance on utilizing strong mayor powers, emphasizing the effectiveness of the council’s collaborative efforts and relationships with staff. He stresses that there has been no necessity to employ these powers in the eight years preceding their introduction or in the three years since then.
Similarly, Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe has refrained from utilizing her strong mayor powers since they became available in 2023. She expresses concerns about the potential negative impact on the work environment for council members, the CAO, and other senior leaders. McCabe believes that interfering with personnel decisions could be detrimental to the organization and highlights that such responsibilities typically fall under the purview of the CAO.
Both Mayor Vrbanovic and Mayor McCabe assert that their decision not to use strong mayor powers has not hindered development within their respective cities.
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