Smiths Falls will operate under Ontario’s strong mayor budget framework for the next municipal budget cycle, aligning with provincial timelines tied to housing priorities.
Director of Corporate Services and Treasurer Paul Dowber briefed council on the change at its Oct. 27 meeting. The policy requires the mayor to table a draft budget by Feb. 1, with council then having 30 days to propose amendments. A mayoral veto and council override mechanism is also now in place, with a two-thirds vote needed to overturn a veto.
Dowber said the shift is largely procedural and will not alter Smiths Falls’ collaborative approach to budget building. Workshops and detailed discussions with council will continue through January, as in previous years. He noted that the town typically finalizes numbers by the end of that month, meaning the Feb. 1 deadline fits the existing schedule.
Under the provincial regulation, strong mayor powers also include the ability to issue written directives to staff, appoint or remove the CAO, and chair or dissolve committees. Any directive must be made public.
The rules do not apply to outside boards and agencies such as the Smiths Falls Police Services Board, Smiths Falls Public Library Board, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, Smiths Falls Downtown Business Association and Lanark County shared services, which follow their own legislative frameworks.
The regulation also allows mayors to propose in-year budget amendments that could raise the municipal tax levy, though Dowber noted this provision is rarely used and said he does not expect it to occur in Smiths Falls.
Council received the report for information.