City of Stratford Files Legal Challenge to Strong Mayor Powers

The City of Stratford has filed a legal challenge related to the Province of Ontario’s Strong Mayor legislation, following direction from City Council.

The Application has been submitted to the court and raises constitutional considerations, including that the Strong Mayor legislation is inconsistent with section 3 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the unwritten constitutional principles of the rule of law and democracy resulting in the removal of effective representation on City Council.

At its May 27, 2025, meeting, Council directed staff to work in conjunction with the City Solicitor to examine the possibility of issuing a legal challenge to the Strong Mayor legislation. Based on that direction, staff and legal counsel have completed the necessary preparatory work to initiate the legal process.

The Strong Mayor legislation was introduced by the Province in 2022 and has since been expanded to municipalities across Ontario, including Stratford. The Province has stated that the legislation is intended to support shared provincial priorities, specifically housing initiatives, constructing and maintaining infrastructure to support housing (transit, roads, utilities and servicing).

Stratford City Council has previously expressed concerns regarding the implications of the legislation for representative local decision-making and governance. City Council agrees with the Province’s goal of building more housing in Ontario but rejects the notion that Strong Mayor Powers are helpful in achieving that goal. In April 2025, Council adopted a resolution requesting that the Province reconsider Stratford’s designation.

“Council has expressed concerns about how the Strong Mayor framework may affect municipal governance, including how elected officials participate in decision-making. The Strong Mayor legislation ends majority rule in many City Council meetings. I believe that this is inconsistent with our constitution. Proceeding through the courts allows those questions to be examined through an established legal process.”
— Councillor Mark Hunter

As part of the legal process, the City has filed a Court Application seeking to have the Strong Mayor legislation to be declared by the court as having no force and effect. The Application argues that the Strong Mayor legislation undermines the ability for elected officials to have an equal voice and effectively participate and violates the right to effective representation of the City’s residents.

The City will continue to provide status updates on the application, as appropriate.

Costs associated with this work are being managed within the City’s approved operating budget.