'You can fight city hall but you may not win': Aurora resident loses bid to halt ward system

Local Planning Appeal Tribunal rules town was 'fair, reasonable and transparent'

Yorkregion.com
May 19, 2021

Resident Bruce Orrell is “disappointed” he has lost a campaign to halt Aurora’s incoming ward system.

On May 13, the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) dismissed his appeal, which paves the way for the town to bring in six wards for the next municipal elections Oct. 24, 2022.

Orrell isn’t necessarily opposed to a ward system, but he argued council threw democracy “out the window” when it went against a 2014 referendum showing 55 per cent of respondents wanted to retain the current system where councillors are elected at large.

“If the public is OK with a ward system, I have nothing against a ward-based system. It’s the manner it’s been pushed onto us,” he said last August when he was working on submitting an appeal to LPAT.

However, LPAT found the town’s process of creating a ward system was “fair, reasonable and transparent and included a consideration of all options, including retention of the current at-large system. The tribunal further finds that the town’s study included public consultation and that input received both for and against the change to a ward-based system was considered.”

While disappointed with the outcome, Orrell is pleased he took on the challenge.

“We had the opportunity to fight it. I did the best I could to fight it. People say you can’t fight city hall but I think you can, you may just not win,” he said.

“I was pleased it got as far as it did.”

In February, Orrell’s appeal passed a pre-hearing process where LPAT decides if a case has merit to proceed.

“It certainly got past that point so there was a compelling argument to at least have a look at it,” he said.

“The mayor is constantly posting about how he would rather LPAT disappear, he wants it gone, but it certainly helped him in this case so I wonder if he’s changing his mind on that.”

The town has developed a map where residents are able to input their address to identify their ward at https://bit.ly/3tQ86Nw.

The town will provide more information on the ward boundaries and the municipal election over the coming months.