Halifax’s city council has directed the mayor to ask the Nova Scotia government for consultation on whether it is considering strengthening his authority.
Council voted last week in favour of the motion to make the request for collaboration in a letter to Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr, with only Mayor Andy Fillmore voting against it.
Coun. Sam Austin presented the motion and told council that a move towards strong-mayor powers would undermine councillors’ ability to adequately represent their constituents.
In Ontario, so-called strong-mayor powers are in effect in 215 cities or municipalities, allowing their heads of council to propose bylaws and pass them with the support of one-third of councillors, veto bylaws and hire and fire department heads….