Two short stories about strong mayor powers

You’re reading the December 12, 2025 edition of the Peterborough Currents email newsletter. To receive our email newsletters straight to your inbox, sign up here.

Hi, Peterborough Currents co-editor Gabe Pollock here with your weekly Peterborough Currents email newsletter!

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been researching strong mayor powers, the sweeping new authorities granted to Ontario mayors – including Peterborough’s own Mayor Jeff Leal – by the provincial government.

The Strong Mayor, Building Homes Act was originally pitched as a way to help municipalities expedite housing projects, but the act also grants mayors additional authority over matters such as hiring and firing of key city staff, committee appointments, and the budget.

This week saw two striking examples of the impacts of strong mayor powers.

There was the news that Northcrest Neighbours for Fair Process is dropping their legal challenge against the City of Peterborough. The association was challenging Mayor Leal’s use of strong mayor powers to fast-track a new transitional housing development by Brock Mission, but is unable to pay a $30,000 security bond that was requested by the city.

Second, council passed its 2026 municipal budget, a so-called “mayor’s budget,” in a contentious council meeting that Coun. Keith Riel called “a complete affront to democracy.”

Both cases point to a significant reorganization of the structure of power in our city and, while a deeper and fuller exploration of this topic is warranted (anyone know a good municipal law scholar?), I wanted to take a brief look at both of them and what they tell us.

Read the article.