Aurora Governance
Less Is More

NRU
Nov. 1, 2017
Daniel Taylor

Aurora council has decided to reduce its size from eight to six councillors in time for the 2018 municipal elections. Many consider this decision to be the first step in moving Ontario’s largest municipality with an at-large governance structure to a ward system.

After two unsuccessful attempts to reduce the size of council following a 2014 referendum in which two-thirds of Aurora residents voted in favour of fewer councillors, last week the decision was made. In a vote of six to two Aurora council approved Councillor Sandra Humfryes’ motion to reduce council from nine to seven members, including the mayor.

Humfryes told council members that reducing the size of council is the first step in a process of moving away from an at-large governance structure towards a ward system, similar to most GTA municipalities.

“I would love for us to pave the way in the next couple of terms to becoming a powerful council by having those designated boundaries and a ward perspective. I think this is step one and it’s on to step two.”

Other councillors explained how evidence and research from other municipalities changed their minds from past votes when they voted against similar motions.

In council’s discussion of the motion, Councillor Michael Thompson explained how this was an evidence-based decision for him.

“Out of the 444 municipalities in Ontario 75 per cent of them have less than nine councillors. Aurora is the largest town or city with an at-large system. No other municipality has over 50,000 residents that’s at-large. Everyone else has moved to the ward system. I do believe that next term, whoever is at council [should] look to moving toward a ward system.”

Thompson noted that Pickering, Clarington, Ajax and Whitby are all GTA municipalities with far larger populations then Aurora, but with fewer councillors. One of the two councillors who voted against the motion, Jeff Thom disagrees with the decision to reduce the number of council members despite a clear mandate from the residents of Aurora.

“I understand that my opinion is contrary to the referendum that took place in the last election so … I’ll have to face the voters for the decisions [I] make at council... but I’m comfortable knowing that this is what’s best for the town. To maintain the eight-person council,” Thom told council.

Thom referenced decisions to expand the number of provincial ridings based on the 2011 census data as evidence that with a growing population, Aurora would benefit from more councillors.

“With respect to the other municipalities in Ontario with larger populations and a smaller council then we do...I’m not sure those residents are being served as well as they could if they had a larger council. More representation, more views, and more voices at the table is always a good thing. Especially as our population is set to grow to at least 80,000 people by 2041.”

Councillors on both sides of the issue shared their concerns about leaving such an important to decision to the very last minute. The town has until December 31st to approve the implementing bylaw in preparation for the 2018 election.

Despite these reservations, the majority of members voted to moving Aurora towards what they, and two-thirds of its residents, consider to be a more progressive and forward-thinking governance structure for the municipality.

Councillor Harold Kim, who three years ago voted against a similar motion, changed his mind last week to vote in favour of a smaller council.

“My original thought process for not reducing [council] three years ago was [that] it was tied to the ward system. If you reduce the number [of councillors] and introduce a ward system, it could potentially lead to full-time council positions. I believed that would drastically reduce the pool of people eligible for the job.”

Last week Kim said the municipality needs to both reduce of the size of council and move towards a ward system in the next term if it is to move responsibly into the future.

The new governance structure will take effect in the 2018 municipal election when residents will have the opportunity to vote for a mayor and six councillors.