We are excited to present the latest edition of our strong mayor authorities scan – a comprehensive look at how Ontario mayors are using their expanded powers across the province.
Conducted with a 93% response rate from 201 of 216 municipalities, the scan monitors and assesses how mayors and municipalities have used and implemented strong mayor powers, their effect on municipal staff, local governance, and Ontario communities.
This scan, conducted between November 2025 and February 2026, includes responses and input from staff of the 193 municipalities that were added to the strong mayor legislation in May 2025. It also provides concrete quantitative data points on some of the qualitative responses and feedback we've received during our bi-weekly strong mayor powers drop-in sessions between May 2025 and January 2026, and examples of municipal uses we have tracked through our media monitoring.
Our updated strong mayor powers advocacy toolkit and authorities scan:
- Provides members with valuable information to compare how strong mayor powers are being used in Ontario municipalities.
- Allows us to better understand the impacts of the powers on municipal governance, organizational structure, and staffing to support members and municipalities transitioning to the strong mayor framework.
- Invites discussion and continued conversation toward developing better legislative solutions that meet government objectives.
Key Findings
Our latest research confirms what our members have been telling us since our first scan (conducted in 2024) and what they've been experiencing on the ground: across municipal administration, budget, committees and legislative powers, the interpretation and implementation of strong mayor powers remain highly inconsistent from one municipality to another. In many cases, the burden of managing that inconsistency falls directly on municipal staff.
Key patterns emerging from the data include:
- Most mayors are delegating organizational structure and employment powers back to the chief administrative officer (CAO); however, a significant number of mayors have retained these powers, and some have exercised them more deeply within the organization.
- 40% retained the power to appoint or dismiss the CAO
- 20% of mayors who retained their powers used them to hire or remove the CAO
Frequent changes to leadership can lead to organizational instability, resulting in shifting priorities, increased costs for taxpayers to meet employment contract agreements, and effects on organizational culture and resilience, including eroding staff morale, which can lead to hindered performance and service delivery.
- A total of 126 municipalities reported that their mayor directed staff to do research or provide advice — a widely used authority that impacted staff workload and neutrality as well as decreased transparency in actions and decision-making.
- Mayoral vetoes, budget preparation practices, and committee restructuring were all applied inconsistently, creating accountability and transparency gaps across the province.
- Smaller municipalities — including many added to the legislation in May 2025 — are more likely to delegate powers, while larger municipalities show greater variation in retention and use.
The findings also reinforce a concern we have raised from the outset: the risk of politicization of local government leadership. Where mayors have exercised employment powers, the effects have reached well beyond senior leadership. As an Association, we have long advocated for a clear distinction between the administrative role of the CAO and the political role of the mayor. This scan reinforces why that distinction matters.
Access the Updated Member Toolkit & Full Scan
Download the Latest Research Insights (PDF)
We will continue to monitor the use of strong mayor powers, paying attention to powers extended to Provincially-appointed regional chairs.
With the municipal elections coming up in October 2026, this marks the first time in an Ontario election cycle where mayoral candidates are seeking office knowing they will have these powers at their disposal (if elected). Further research and use cases of these powers will therefore be needed following the 2026 elections, as this may further affect how the powers are used and applied across Ontario.
We continue to call for greater clarity in legislation and regulation, stronger accountability and transparency frameworks, and a meaningful reduction in the administrative burden being placed on municipal staff. We will also continue to monitor how these powers evolve throughout this election cycle and as the legislative landscape continues to shift.
For more information or questions about this research, contact us.