Amendments to the Municipal Act, 2001, the legislation providing the authority for Ontario municipalities, were proclaimed Jan. 1—providing local governments with new broad powers and significant legislative freedoms.
“Today [Jan. 1] is a milestone for Ontario municipalities,” said Municipal Affairs and Housing minister John Gerretsen.
“Through this legislation, the McGuinty government and our municipal partners are beginning a new era in which local governments across Ontario have new powers and more autonomy reflective of their status as mature, responsible governments.”
The Municipal Statute Law Amendment Act, 2006 recognizes municipalities as responsible, accountable governments. The broader powers enable municipalities to better determine the appropriate mechanisms for delivering municipal services to their communities.
“This is a noteworthy and welcomed piece of legislation,” said Doug Reycraft, president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
“It encompasses a new accountability framework that sees the end to the one-size-fits-all, over-legislating and over-regulating provincial approach that has hindered municipal governments in the past,” he added.
Municipal governments now have broader powers to pass bylaws ranging from local governance structure to the economic, social, and environmental well-being of their communities to the protection of persons and property, including consumer protection.
The act ensures local councils are accountable to the public and that the processes for making decisions are transparent.
Municipalities now can have a more effective accountability regime with the authority to establish an integrity commissioner, ombudsman, auditor general, and lobbyist registrar.
“[The] proclamation of these amendments to the Municipal Act, 2001 allows local governments across the province to better respond to their citizens’ needs,” said Gerretsen.
“The McGuinty government believes that by strengthening our municipalities, we are making Ontario stronger,” he stressed.
Fort Frances Times
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