In 2022, the Province of Ontario introduced Bill 39, Better Municipal Governance Act . The Bill received Royal Assent on December 8, 2022. Bill 39 erodes the basic democratic principle of majority rule, by granting the heads of Council in Toronto and Ottawa the authority to approve City bylaws with only a third of Council’s support. In December 2022, Toronto City Council reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of democracy on which our Procedures By-law is based, that “the majority of members have the right to decide” as per Section 2.2 of the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 27 - Council Procedures, and requested that all future mayors not exercise any power that allows for motions to be passed with less than 50 percent +1 majority of Council members present ( Item 2023.CC2.3 ). It is critical that the incoming Mayor of Toronto upholds the principles of majority rule that Council has affirmed, and commits to ensuring that all Torontonians can have their voices heard at Council and their views represented in a fair democratic process.
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