After announcing plan to dissolve Peel Region, province will review York Region, others

Yorkregion.com
May 19, 2023

Peel Region is on its way to being dissolved.

Could York Region be next?

York is on the province’s radar screen as a possibility for ditching regional government.

In a press release May 18 announcing legislation that sets the stage for Peel to be dissolved and for its lower-tier municipalities -- Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon -- to stand alone, the province also set its sights on other upper-tier municipalities it will review.

“In the coming weeks, the province will also name regional facilitators to assess the upper-tier municipalities of Durham, Halton, Niagara, Simcoe, Waterloo and York. These facilitators will be tasked with reviewing whether the upper-tier government continues to be relevant to the needs of its communities or whether the lower-tier municipalities are mature enough to pursue dissolution,” the statement said.

“Where they recommend that a two-tier government is still required, the facilitators will also make recommendations on how they can more effectively respond to the issues facing Ontario’s fast-growing municipalities today, particularly when it comes to meeting municipal housing pledges and tackling the housing supply crisis.”

At a regional council meeting May 18, York chair Wayne Emmerson said he’s aware the province is including the region in its review but does not have details.

The region delivers a number of services, including York Regional Police, paramedic services, public health, public transit, waste management, water, community housing, children’s services and more.

If the region is dissolved, it’s unclear how these broad services would be delivered and how the lower-tier communities of Georgina, East Gwillimbury, Whitchurch-Stouffville, King Township, Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Markham and Vaughan would be able to afford to provide them.