Strong Mayor Powers Assigned to the Municipality of Sioux Lookout 

Municipality of Sioux Lookout - Special to The Bulletin

On April 9, 2025, the Municipality of Sioux Lookout received official notice from the Province of Ontario that it would be included in the next group of 169 municipalities granted “Strong Mayor” powers under the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act. These new powers are intended to help municipalities more efficiently address provincial priorities, especially in areas of rapid growth and housing development. 
Mayor Doug Lawrance commented, “We have not requested these powers, and the notice came as a surprise to us. We will be carefully examining the impacts for Sioux Lookout and reviewing this matter further once more information is available.” 
Strong Mayor powers give mayors enhanced authority in areas such as budgeting, appointing senior staff, and advancing provincial priorities. These tools are being introduced as part of the Province’s goal to support faster decision-making and increased housing supply across Ontario. The Municipality is actively reviewing what it means for local governance. It remains committed to keeping residents informed and ensuring that transparency and accountability remain central to how decisions are made. 
Lawrance explained, “During my time in office, our Council has always worked collaboratively to make thoughtful, informed decisions in the best interest of our community. We have not encountered situations where the use of strong mayor powers would have been necessary or advantageous. I remain fully committed to democratic decision-making and will approach this new authority with extreme diligence and responsibility.” 
While originally designed for fast-growing cities in southern Ontario, these powers are now being extended to many smaller and northern communities. Sioux Lookout’s Council will be discussing the potential implications of this change at its Wednesday, May 21, 2025 Regular Council Meeting. This will be the first meeting that Mayor Lawrance has these new authorities but he will not be in attendance. 
In closing, Mayor Lawrance added, “In my view, among the things that make for a strong mayor are a commitment to good governance, mutual respect between Council and Mayor, and earning trust through integrity and leadership. True influence in this role is earned, not bestowed.” 
Residents who wish to learn more about the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act can visit https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1005752/ontario-proposing-to-expand-strong-mayor-powers-to-169-additional-municipalities.