Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he has no plans to introduce legislation to reduce the number of municipal councillors in Ottawa or anywhere else in Ontario, like he did in Toronto.
Ford addressed the Association of Municipalities conference in Ottawa Monday.
About 1,900 people from municipalities and organizations from across Ontario are in Ottawa this week for the conference. Items on the agenda this week include cannabis legalization, trade, indigenous relations, climate change and disaster preparedness, waste diversion, ambulance dispatch, the 2018 municipal election and economic development.
In a speech that touched on many of his campaign promises, Ford addressed concerns that some municipalities have regarding the legislation he introduced last month to reduce the number of council seats in Toronto to 25 from 47.
“I occasionally get asked if I have plans to introduce a similar law here in Ottawa or elsewhere in the province,” Ford said. “I would say that many of Toronto’s issues are specific to Toronto – which is still governed by its own act.”
Ford said part of the reason he introduced the legislation was the introduction of elected regional chairs by the previous Liberal government, something that doesn’t exist anywhere else in Ontario.
“So these were unique situations. And no – we do not have plans for similar legislation in our future,” Ford said.
Ford also reiterated his promise to continue to fund transit projects in Ottawa and other major cities, such as Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Brampton, and London.
He also promised to improve highway infrastructure across the province and reduce the price of gas by ten cents per litre.
