On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, by regulation, designated the City of Sarnia for the purpose of section 284.2 of the Municipal Act.
This means that Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act (Special Powers and Duties of Heads of Council), is now applicable to the City of Sarnia.
Under Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, the Mayor has the following special powers and duties as the head of City Council:
- Appointing the municipality’s Chief Administrative Officer. The Mayor may choose to delegate this specific power or duty.
- Determining the organizational structure of the municipality. The Mayor may choose to delegate this specific power or duty.
- Creating prescribed committees, assigning their functions, and appointing the chairs and vice-chairs of those committees. The Mayor may choose to delegate this specific power or duty.
- Proposing and adopting the municipal budget, subject to Council amendments and a Mayoral veto and Council override process.
- Vetoing certain by-laws if the Mayor is of the opinion that all or part of the by-law could potentially interfere with a provincial priority.
- Bringing forward matters for Council consideration if the Mayor is of the opinion that considering the matter could potentially advance a provincial priority.
The Mayor is required to exercise these powers in writing and make them available to the public, subject to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.