Hawkesbury Receives Strong Mayor Powers: What Does It Actually Mean?

As of May 1, 2025, the Mayor of Hawkesbury officially has access to Ontario’s strong mayor powers, giving the head of Council significantly greater authority over certain municipal decisions.

Hawkesbury was among 170 additional municipalities included in the provincial expansion of the system. The powers are intended, in part, to help municipalities advance provincial priorities such as housing construction and the infrastructure needed to support growth.

But what does a “strong mayor” actually mean for Hawkesbury? The changes affect everything from the municipal budget and senior staffing to committees and, under specific circumstances, the adoption or veto of municipal by-laws.

What Changed on May 1?

The Ontario government announced on April 9, 2025 that it intended to extend strong mayor powers to additional municipalities with councils of six members or more.

Hawkesbury subsequently received confirmation from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing that the powers would take effect May 1, 2025.

Some of these powers are specifically connected to provincial priorities. These include Ontario’s objective of building 1.5 million new homes by December 31, 2031, as well as supporting infrastructure such as roads, utilities, transit and related services.

“Residents should understand when decision-making powers at Town Hall change. Regardless of who occupies the Mayor’s chair, Hawkesbury needs clear processes, transparency and accountability around how those powers are used.” — Simon Guindon

What Powers Does Hawkesbury’s Mayor Now Have?

The changes give the Mayor several significant new authorities.

The Mayor can appoint or dismiss the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and can hire or dismiss certain non-statutory department heads. The Mayor can also make changes to the Town’s organizational structure. Certain statutory positions, including the Clerk, Treasurer, Integrity Commissioner, Chief Building Official, Fire Chief and Police Chief, are excluded from this authority.

The Mayor can also create certain Council committees, establish their functions and appoint their chairs and vice-chairs.

Another important power involves provincial priorities. The Mayor can bring matters forward for Council consideration or propose certain municipal by-laws when the Mayor believes they advance prescribed provincial priorities.

In those circumstances, a by-law can pass with the support of more than one-third of all Council members. In Hawkesbury, that means three of seven members.

The Mayor Also Has Veto Powers

The Mayor can veto certain municipal by-laws if they are considered to interfere with a prescribed provincial priority.

According to the Town’s report, the Mayor must provide written notice of an intention to consider a veto within two days after Council adopts the by-law and may exercise the veto within 14 days.

Council still has a mechanism to override that decision.

In Hawkesbury, overriding a mayoral veto requires a two-thirds majority of all Council members — five of seven members.

“Strong leadership is important, but so are checks and balances. Major decisions affecting Hawkesbury should continue to involve meaningful debate, clear public information and accountability for the results.” — Simon Guindon

The Budget Process Also Changes

One of the most significant changes involves Hawkesbury’s municipal budget.

Under the strong mayor framework, the Mayor is responsible for proposing the municipal budget before February 1 each year. Council then has 30 days to review and propose amendments.

The Mayor can veto Council’s budget amendments within 10 days. Council can then override that veto within 15 days with the support of two-thirds of all Council members — again, five of seven in Hawkesbury.

Unlike some administrative strong mayor powers, the Mayor cannot delegate the responsibility for preparing the budget.

Hawkesbury’s Mayor Planned to Delegate Several Powers

An important detail in the Town’s report is that Mayor Robert Lefebvre indicated that he wished to relinquish or delegate several of the new strong mayor authorities.

The report states that formal decisions would be prepared to return the authority to appoint or dismiss the CAO to Council, while employment decisions and organizational structure responsibilities would be delegated to the CAO. Committee-related authorities would be delegated to Council.

However, not every strong mayor power can simply be eliminated. Certain authorities related to advancing or protecting provincial priorities cannot legally be surrendered, although a mayor may commit not to exercise them. The budget responsibility also cannot be delegated in the same manner.

“The important question isn’t whether we like or dislike the title ‘strong mayor.’ It’s whether Hawkesbury has a governance model where residents know who is responsible for decisions and can hold their elected officials accountable.” — Simon Guindon

Transparency Becomes Even More Important

Strong mayor decisions and directions come with additional transparency requirements.

When these powers are exercised, written documentation must generally be provided to the Clerk and Council and made available to the public. Written directions to municipal staff must also be documented.

The Town identified the potential need for updated procedures, centralized record-keeping and a public repository for mayoral decisions and directions.

What You Need to Know

• Hawkesbury received strong mayor powers on May 1, 2025.
• The Mayor gained additional authority over senior staffing, municipal organization, committees and certain by-laws.
• Some powers are specifically intended to advance provincial housing and infrastructure priorities.
• The Mayor now has an important role in preparing the annual municipal budget.
• Hawkesbury’s Mayor indicated an intention to delegate several administrative powers back to Council or the CAO.
• Strong mayor decisions and directions are subject to additional documentation and transparency requirements.

A Significant Change in Municipal Governance

Strong mayor powers represent an important change in how authority can be exercised at Hawkesbury Town Hall.

Even when some powers are delegated, the legal framework remains in place. Future mayors could therefore face important decisions about how these authorities should be used.

For residents, that makes transparency especially important. Understanding who has authority, how decisions are made and where responsibility ultimately rests will be essential as Hawkesbury plans for housing, infrastructure and growth in the years ahead.