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Hamilton Spectator
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Essex Council sends formal opposition to expansion of Strong Mayor Powers
Council for the Town of Essex unanimously formally opposed the Province's proposed expansion of Strong Mayor Powers. At the same time, it requested that the proposed amendments to expand Strong Mayor Powers and duties to additional municipalities not include the Town of Essex. The Clerk will forward a copy of this resolution to Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, all four Local MPPs, AMCTO, and AMO. This was a motion Mayor Sherry Bondy brought forward at the April 22 meeting. The resolution states 'Strong Mayor Powers erode democratic process and have fundamentally altered the historic model of local governance which has existed for almost two centuries.' The previous week, Council hosted a special meeting, so administration could begin to explain the Strong Mayor Powers that may be expanded to Essex on May 1. At that time, Council passed a resolution to oppose the expansion of the Strong Mayor Powers and asked the expansion not include Essex, presenting the decision to the province through its online portal before the April 16 deadline. Last week's resolution was more formal. Since that initial meeting, Joe Malandruccolo, Director of Legal and Legislative Services, noted Town staff has conducted more research. Even if the Strong Mayor Powers are never used in the municipality, the Town's processes must align with the Province's requirements, Malandruccolo explained. He noted the Strong Mayor Powers were first introduced in 2022. It was added to the Special Powers and Duties of the Head of Council section in the Municipal Act and Bill 39, the Better Municipal Governance Act. Currently, 47 municipalities have Strong Mayor Powers. The Province intends to extend that to an additional 169 municipalities, of which the Town of Essex is one. Strong Mayor Powers fall into three categories; legislative, administrative, and financial powers. Legislative Powers– which a mayor cannot delegate, but are discretionary powers and a mayor can choose whether or not to use them – provide the opportunity to veto by-laws believed to prohibit Provincial Priorities. By vetoing a by-law, the mayor gives Council the ability to enforce the by-law by a two-third vote. The mayor could also require Council to consider a matter. After every meeting, the mayor has to approve Council's by-laws. If the Mayor wants to veto a by-law, that is posted within 48-hours of its passing on a webpage dedicated to this. The mayor has 14-days to consider the veto. It then needs to be approved or vetoed. Within 21-days of vetoing a by-law, Council can override the veto with a 2/3rds vote. The Legislative Powers are connected to the Provincial Priorities: building 1.5M new residential units by December 31, 2031, and constructing and maintaining infrastructure to support housing, including transit, roads, utilities, and servicing. As such, Malandruccolo said the mayor can bring matters to Council that may advance the Provincial Priorities, and can also bring to Council and require the consideration and vote on by-laws that may advance the Provincial Priorities. 'If the mayor feels there is a matter that needs to be discussed by Council that can bring those priorities forward, or there is a by-law that can be voted on by Council that may advance those priorities, she can bring those to Council and ask Council to vote on them,' Malandruccolo explained, adding if the mayor brings those to Council, only one-third support of Council is needed to pass. This would not apply to the Procedural By-Law, he noted. Administrative Powers– which a mayor can delegate – includes the ability to appoint a CAO and to decide how the organizational structure of the Town is set up, dissolve Council-only committees, and appoint the chairperson and vice chairperson of those committees. The mayor can also hire and dismiss employees, excluding the Clerk or Deputy Clerk, Treasurer or Deputy Treasurer, Integrity Commissioner, Ombudsman, or Auditor General, Chief Building Official, and the Fire Chief. Financial Powers – which a mayor can forfeit – include the duty and responsibility to present a budget by February 1 to Council and to approve the budget. The mayor can direct staff through a written notice earlier in the prior year to prepare the budget. All Strong Mayor Powers need to be exercised in writing, Malandruccolo added. And, any mayoral decision must be made public on the mayor's website. If Strong Mayor Powers are extended to Essex May 1, the Town cannot opt-out. They have to be treated as Malandruccolo outlined. The mayor has the discretion to use them or not. On April 15, Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy met with Town of Essex staff to discuss how she plans to deal with Strong Mayor Powers. If it comes into force, Bondy will delegate the power to establish Council committees and assign their function to Council, as will the power to appoint the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of those committees. The power to appoint the CAO would also be delegated to Council. In addition, Bondy would delegate the power to hire and dismiss division heads to the CAO, in addition to the Town's organizational structure. The mayor can choose to delegate or revoke a delegation at any time through communication on the Mayor's website. In the fall, administration will report back with more information about the Strong Mayor Powers if the changes are implemented. Staff will also talk about the budget decision on the Mayor's behalf at that time. In terms of what happens with Strong Mayor Powers when Council goes 'lame duck' nearing municipal election time, Town staff will meet with the Regional Clerks Association to discuss that, Malandruccolo noted. 'I think the thing that saddens me the most is with talking to fellow colleagues is they are afraid of the Provincial Government for speaking out against this,' Bondy said. 'And that is what really upsets me, because mayors are scared if they are outspoken against this, they will be penalized and their municipalities will be penalized. I think that is the biggest shame and no one is talking about it.' She views that as a real degradation of democracy. Councillor Jason Matyi thanked Bondy for speaking out against this and 'showing other mayors how they should be leading.' He hasn't heard anyone support these powers yet. Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley sent a text to the Premier. He said he received a response. 'I think you can declare your discomfort with this and your dislike of it in a respectful manner,' Shepley said, adding he implores every municipal elected official and residents to send their feelings to the Premier in a respectful way. Shepley noted the Premier has reversed decisions in the past when he hears from the community. Essex Council received correspondence from seven other municipalities – including Amherstburg, Kingsville, and the County of Essex – which sent letters of opposition in some form or requesting to be removed from the expansion of the Strong Mayor Powers to the Province.
CBC
11-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Alberta bill requiring minister's approval has cut $10M in grants for non-profits, law foundation says
The Alberta Law Foundation says the provincial government is breaking precedent and meddling with which community-based legal groups receive grants from its fund. The non-profit, which has operated independently of government for 52 years, says the province wants the minister of justice to approve all grants, gifts and funding commitments over $250,000. The measures are proposed in Bill 39, Financial Statutes Amendment Act, introduced last month. Law foundation executive director Byron Chan said the government has already reduced or cut nearly $10 million in funding to 14 Alberta non-profits that were already approved by the foundation's board of directors. Chan told a news conference with the Alberta NDP Thursday that the cuts are hurting community and student legal clinics, Indigenous justice programs, survivors of violence and newcomers to Canada. He said the organizations who submitted grant requests that were cut or reduced by the province were looking for increases to keep up with demand and the cost of living. "Thousands and thousands of Albertans are going to be left with either longer wait times without access to services at all or without an organization that's within their geographic region to be able to access services," Chan said. The government is also cutting the funding it provides Legal Aid from 50 per cent to 25 per cent, leaving the Alberta Law Foundation having to make up the difference. Chan said the foundation funds more than 65 programs and services for people who make too much to qualify for legal aid but who still can't afford a lawyer. He said the cuts will mean many people will be forced to deal with legal issues without representation. Accountability and oversight In Thursday's question period, Justice Minster Mickey Amery said the finances of the Alberta Law Foundation are "very, very healthy." "The organizations are receiving funding from the Alberta Law Foundation will continue to receive that, but there will be transparency, there will be accountability, and there will be oversight," Amery said. Amery said the Alberta Law Foundation held $281 million in reserves as of March 31. Chan said the foundation would no longer be able to help develop the new $100 million Indigenous law institute at the University of Alberta. The project will no longer proceed. Two government-appointed members of the law foundation's board have resigned in protest over the government's involvement, Chan said. Worries about lack of legal help Amery said the Central Alberta Community Legal Clinic received a 40 per cent increase in funding over the past two years. Executive director Kathy Parsons said the clinic is now facing a $500,000 cut in each of the next three years. She told Thursday's news conference that her staff helps people who are dealing with domestic violence, family breakdowns, eviction and other serious issues. She said people are waiting weeks to talk to a lawyer. "If you're a woman facing domestic violence, looking for child support so you can feed your kids or maybe even threatened with losing your housing, you don't have six to eight weeks to find out what you can do about it," Parsons said. Drew Lafond, president of the Indigenous Bar Association, said he is concerned the cuts will hurt Indigenous people and in particular, Indigenous women. "What we're seeing now from the provincial government and the introduction of Bill 39 is distrust in the ability of independent organizations and Indigenous peoples themselves to chart their own destiny," he said. "And that's something that's deeply concerning because it squarely challenges all of the recommendations in over 20 national reports that have been released in the last 30 years." Parsons said the need for these services grows as the economy gets worse. She said the money, which comes from interest from client funds held in lawyers' pooled trust accounts, is not government revenue. "This is the worst time to be pulling funding away from the community legal services Albertans rely on every day to access justice," Parsons said. Parsons said there are five community legal clinics in Alberta. She said the changes would affect tens of thousands of Albertans. Bill 39 is in the second reading stage of debate at the legislature.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legal groups lose $10M in funding under new Alberta bill allowing minister to veto grants, law foundation says
The United Conservative government's Bill 39 is politicizing funding for legal groups, leading to $10 million in lost funding for low-income community law clinics and Indigenous legal services, a group of non-profits say. The Alberta Law Foundation and the Opposition NDP held a news conference Thursday to speak out against the bill, which is now in second reading at the legislature. The foundation — a 50-year-old institution that funds legal research and access to justice groups through interest on lawyers' trust accounts — said it is one of the first times in its history it has spoken out against the government. Foundation director Byron Chan called Bill 39 a 'fundamental shift in how legal services are funded for the most vulnerable in this province.' Specifically, the bill cuts the government's contribution to Legal Aid Alberta — which funds lawyers for low-income Albertans — and shifts the burden to the Law Foundation, which was 'never meant to shoulder a core justice system cost that has always been the provincial government's responsibility,' Chan said. The legislation also allows the justice minister to veto Law Foundation grants over $250,000, which cover 'almost all' grants the group disburses. Chan accused the government of engaging in the 'politicization of the funding and provision of crucial legal services across the province.' Two UCP appointees to the organization's board have resigned in protest, he said. Kathy Parsons, head of Red Deer's Central Alberta Community Legal Clinic, said more than $10 million in grants have been denied or cut since Bill 39 was introduced. 'This is the worst time to be pulling funding away from the community legal services Albertans rely on every day to access justice,' she said. For her organization, this has meant a $500,000 funding reduction over three years. 'This is a radical policy change and will directly impact everyday Albertans' ability to address serious legal issues and have nowhere else to turn,' she said. Dawn-Lyn Blake, one of the board members who resigned, said the funding cuts have 'halted progress on the construction and endowment' of an Indigenous law centre at the University of Alberta, 'blocking a significant investment in Indigenous legal education, research, and reconciliation.' The Law Foundation said no explanation has been given for the funding cuts and that Justice Minister Mickey Amery has refused to speak with them. Amery is expected to address the issue Thursday afternoon. More to come. jwakefield@ @ Province looks to double Alberta Law Foundation's contribution to Legal Aid Alberta Alberta agrees to new five-year Legal Aid governance deal You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun
CBC
11-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
A look at Alberta's new budget bill
Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner introduced a bill to implement some items in the province's proposed budget. If passed, Bill 39 includes measures like an eight per cent tax bracket for income under $60,000 and changes to legal aid and income support programs. Travis McEwan breaks down what Albertans can expect.
CBC
11-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Alberta budget bill cancels planned benefits for adopted children, changes legal aid funding
Social Sharing The Alberta government is backing away from a program that would have provided dental, optical and other health benefits for adopted children. "This is basically stopping a program that never started," Finance Minister Nate Horner said of the change at a news conference on Monday. The move is part of a bill introduced in the legislature on Monday that would enable the government to enact its proposed budget. Bill 39, The Financial Statutes Amendment Act, would also create a new, lower personal income tax bracket, as the government has promised. If passed, it would also trim some programs to save money, and increase some fees, such as raising the locomotive fuel tax by one cent per litre. The legislation would apply a new eight per cent income tax rate on the first $60,000 a person earns. Existing tax brackets would have Albertans pay 10 per cent income tax on the first $148,269 they earn for the 2024 tax year. The change is expected to save each person up to $750 a year. Bill 39 would also introduce a targeted tax credit to ensure no Albertan loses money as a result of the bracket changes. With the tax break expected to cost the treasury $1.2 billion in lost revenue, and "whiplash policies coming from our neighbours to the south," Horner said the government is looking closely at programs and services to trim costs. It's necessary to keep Alberta as a low-tax jurisdiction, he said. Halting the proposed health benefits program for adopted children should save about $3 million a year, according to government officials. "I know $3 million may not sound like much, but if you want to worry about the dollars, you better take care of the dimes," Horner told reporters. Sheryl Proulx, executive director of the charitable adoption organization Adoption Options, said a private adoption can cost a family between $10,000 and $15,000. "It would have been a huge support, as many adoptive children have unique medical and psychological needs," Proulx said. A benefits program would have been especially helpful for families adopting older children, children with disabilities, and children who have been exposed to alcohol or drugs in utero, who may require lifelong help. Eliminating the program before it begins could prevent some families from adopting children with more complex needs, she said. "Adoption services to me is not just an expense," Proulx said. "It's an investment in ensuring a stable, loving forever home with improved long-term outcomes for children and reduced future social costs related to child welfare and foster care." The agency currently has 78 registered families hoping to adopt a child through private arrangements with birth parents, she said. The provincial government said there are 48 children in care awaiting adoption. Legal aid funding changes Bill 39 would also prompt the government to rely more heavily on the Alberta Law Foundation for legal aid funding. The foundation receives interest revenue from Alberta lawyers' pooled trust accounts, where client funds are held. Since 1991, a quarter of that interest has gone to fund legal aid, which provides some representation to people who cannot afford a lawyer. Should Bill 39 pass, the foundation would have to dedicate 50 per cent of its funding to legal aid. The government plans to reduce its legal aid funding contribution by $22 million this year to $88 million, according to budget documents. Foundation executive director Byron Chan says he's disappointed by the proposal, because the fund, which started in 1973, was never intended for this use. The foundation has no control over the size of the fund, or interest rates, meaning the interest available can vary substantially from year to year, he said. This could destabilize funding for legal aid, and put at risk grants the foundation also gives to legal clinics, violence prevention services, and other organizations, he said. The bill would also require the minister of justice to approve any foundation gifts or awards worth more than $250,000. Chan says that could call into question the independence of the organization. "It risks politicizing a granting process that has always been apolitical," Chan said. Chan says he doesn't know of another provincial law foundation subject to these rules. Justice Minister Mickey Amery said at a news conference it is an attempt to align foundation oversight with that of other provincial organizations.
