Toronto/IBNS: Ontario has announced to grant expanded strong mayor powers in 26 municipalities, a news release has said.

These strong mayor powers enable heads of the council to speed up the delivery of key shared municipal-provincial priorities such as housing, transit, and infrastructure in their municipalities.

While Toronto and Ottawa were granted strong mayor powers effective Fall of 2022, expansion of strong mayor powers to 26 large and fast-growing municipalities would be effective on July 1, 2023.

The 26 designated municipalities which have submitted a housing pledge to the province include Ajax, Barrie, Brampton, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Clarington, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Markham, Milton. Mississauga, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Oshawa, Pickering, Richmond Hill, St. Catharines, Vaughan, Waterloo, Whitby, and Windsor.

In addition to the 28 municipalities that have committed to their housing pledges, Ontario has recognized a need for more homes across the province and is welcoming housing pledges from other municipalities to get 1.5 million homes built by 2031.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)