Ontario has denied Muskoka’s request to be exempt from the Better Regional Governance Act, also known as Bill 100.
Bill 100, introduced on April 2, faced unanimous opposition from the District during an April 20 council meeting before it was passed in Queen’s Park on May 7.
Under the new legislation, the District Chair will no longer be chosen by local voters. Beginning this year, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing will appoint the Chair, granting them “strong chair” powers to advance government priorities such as housing and infrastructure.
The decision aims to change how regional governments operate in several fast-growing Ontario regions, including Muskoka, to better align them with provincial goals.
During the May 19 District council meeting, Coun. Tatiana Sutherland expressed disappointment with the minister’s response. Sutherland introduced a motion opposing the legislation at a previous council meeting, which received unanimous approval from District council and several other lower-tier municipalities across Muskoka.
As a result, a correspondence letter opposing the motion was forwarded to Parry Sound–Muskoka MPP Graydon Smith, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and all Muskoka municipalities.
“I’m disappointed, and I know many of us are disappointed in the response that we received from Minister Flack,” she said.
Sutherland said the motion was an attempt to appeal to the idea that a one-size-fits-all approach to governance reform or restructuring does not work in Muskoka, given its unique development and service delivery realities.
She said it is her intent, and that of her colleagues, to continue working cooperatively with the ministry to help guide the selection criteria in a way that maintains local accountability and keeps it in the hands of those who best understand Muskoka’s realities, being closest to the ground.
“I will continue to fight for what’s right for Muskoka and continue to work with my colleagues around this table to achieve the best possible outcome when it comes to local governance,” she said.
Gravenhurst Mayor Heidi Lorenz said the focus now should be less on the appointment process and more on what the chair is able to do. She said she is concerned that, with the “strong chair” powers, the new chair will have the power to override decisions.
“To me, that’s the real threat; that one person is making the decision for the entire Muskoka community, she said.
Terry Glover, Deputy Chair of the District of Muskoka, proposed working alongside other regions affected by the legislation to ensure they have “a larger voice.”
After a lengthy discussion, council agreed to continue working with staff to develop a plan that includes input from the other regions, as well as residents, while ensuring the process remains efficient and as streamlined as possible.
