Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy has issued the following statement in response to the June 16, 2023 announcement that Strong Mayor Powers will be expanded to Whitby:

“Today, Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, announced that Strong Mayor Powers will be expanded to 26 municipalities, including Whitby.

I want assure members of Council and Whitby residents that consensus-building and collaboration will continue to be my focus. One of my top priorities for this term of office is to bring council together as a team.

I believe strongly that councillors must be able to represent the interests of their constituents and that the principle of majority rule is how council should conduct the public's business.

At the Town of Whitby, we are fortunate to have a team of highly skilled public servants whom Council relies on to provide expert advice -- there are no plans to change that approach.

Ontario is facing a housing crisis and it is incumbent on municipalities to support the Province’s efforts with respect to creating more housing. In March 2023, Whitby Council pledged to facilitate the development of 18,000 new homes by 2031.

I will be cautious and respectful when it comes to these new powers, aiming to strike a balance between the Town of Whitby’s responsibility to deliver on the Province’s priorities and the need to safeguard democracy at the local level.”

For media inquiries, please contact:

Jillian Follert
Public Affairs Coordinator, Office of the Mayor
Phone: 289.314.9101
Email: follertj@whitby.ca

Erin Mikaluk
Manager, Communications and Creative Services, Town of Whitby
Phone: 289.314.6913
Email: mikaluke@whitby.ca