Strong Mayor Powers

MDEC25-4

Decision or direction

Pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001 (Act), s. 284.16 and s. 7 of O. Reg. 530/22: Part VI.1,
I, Mayor Jeff Leal have decided as follows:

To propose, under section 7(1) of 0. Reg. 530/22, the City of Peterborough 2026
Operating and Capital Budget and Forecast as outlined in the Treasurer's PowerPoint
presentation during the Council meeting of December 8, 2025, to hereby provide the
proposed budget to each Member of Council and to the Clerk and to hereby make the
proposed budget available to the public.

Mayor's comments

MDEC25-3

Decision or direction

Pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001, s. 284.3 and 284.16 I, Mayor Jeff Leal, herby direct the Treasurer to:

1. Prepare a draft City of Peterborough 2026 Operating and Capital Budget and Forecast that,
   1. Initiates a collaborative budget process with Members of Council.
   2. Maintains the current service levels approved by Council for the 2025 budget that reflects increases related to inflation, 2026 costing adjustments, Council approved changes, and legislated requirements.
   3. Includes an anticipated ten per cent increase for Peterborough Police Service due to legislative requirements.
2. Present information related to preparing the Draft 2026 Budget to Members of Council and the public at a meeting held on June 10, 2025, including presentations from Peterborough Police Service, Community Services and Infrastructure and Growth Management to help inform future budget deliberations; and to
3. Provide the Mayor with periodic updates on the 2026 Draft Budget for the purpose of informing the Mayor's final preparation and submission in due course to Council for its consideration of a proposed 2026 budget for the City of Peterborough in accordance with subsection 284.16(2) of the Municipal Act, 2001. 

Mayor's comments

MDEC25-2

Decision or direction

Direction to City Employees Respecting Proposed Superior Court of Justice Application to Challenge the Validity of By-laws 25-051 and 25-052

1. On February 3, 2025, I exercised strong mayor powers under Part Vl.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 as more particularly set out in MDEC25-1 to give several directions to staff of The Corporation of the City of Peterborough (City) in relation to my proposal to Council that Council consider and vote on the following by-laws:
   
   1. to amend City of Peterborough Zoning By-law 97-123, as amended (Zoning Bylaw), as it affects the land municipally known as 738 Chemong Road by rezoning the subject lands from Residential District 3 Exception 55 (R.3-55) in such a way to facilitate construction of an apartment building, for the purposes of transitional housing, containing up to 52 dwelling units and up to six storeys in height; and
   2. to exempt the Brock Mission Transitional Housing Project at 738 Chemong Road from Site Plan Control By-law 11-081, as amended.
2. On February 24, 2025, in response to my proposal, Council of the City passed the following by-laws as contemplated by MDEC25-1:
   1. By-law 25-051 to exempt development at 738 Chemong Road from site plan control; and
   2. By-law 25-052 to amend the Zoning By-law for the lands known municipally as 738 Chemong Road.
3. On March 28, 2025, a partner in the law firm O'Flynn Weese LLP advised the City's Legal Services Division that the law firm had been retained to commence an application in the Superior Court of Justice challenging the validity of By-laws 25-051 and 25-052 on the basis that the "contemplated development is not housing within the meaning of O.Reg. 580/22, and therefore the use of the Strong Mayor Powers to bring about passage of the subject By-laws was ultra vires the authority conferred by the Municipal Acf'.

Now THEREFORE, pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001, s. 284.3(b) I, Mayor Jeff Leal, hereby direct as follows:

1. That the lawyers in the City’s Legal Services Division (City Lawyers) be authorized and directed to do such things considered advisable by them in consultation with the City Solicitor to oppose any proceeding to challenge the validity of By-laws 25-051 and 25-052 and that, for that purpose, City staff be authorized and directed to assist City-Lawyers as they may request.
2. That the City Lawyers report periodically to Council respecting any such proceeding.

Mayor's comments

MDEC25-1

Decision or direction

Pursuant to Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 (Act), s. 284.3 and s. 284.11.1(2), I, Mayor Jeff Leal, hereby direct staff to:

1. Prepare a by-law to amend The City of Peterborough Zoning By-law 97-123, as amended, as it affects the land municipally known as 738 Chemong Road by rezoning the subject lands from Residential District 3 Exception 55 (R.3-55) in such a way to facilitate construction of an apartment building, for the purposes of transitional housing, containing up to 52 dwelling units and up to six storeys in height.
2. Prepare a by-law to exempt the Brock Mission Transitional Housing Project at 738 Chemong Road from Site Plan Control By-law 11-081, as amended.
3. Satisfy the public notice and public meeting requirements of subsections 34(10.7), 34(12)(a) and 34(18) of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990 and ensure a public meeting is convened for Council to consider the Zoning By-law amendment.
4. Provide a memorandum to the Mayor outlining the Director of Planning, Development and Urban Design's opinion of the planning merits, if any, for the aforementioned proposal to rezone the subject lands and to exempt the subject lands from site plan control.

This Directive remains in effect unless and until it is revoked by the Mayor in writing and filed with the City Clerk.

Mayor's comments

MDEC24-6

Decision or direction

Pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001 (Act), s. 284.16 and s. 7 of 0. Reg. 530/22: Part Vl.1, I, Mayor Jeff Leal have decided as follows:

1. To propose, under section 7(1) of 0. Peg. 530/22, the City of Peterborough specific 2025 Operating and Capital Budget items as outlined in the Council meeting agenda package of December 9, 2024.
2. That the Decision respecting the approval of the specific budget items be delegated to Council.
3. The authority delegated pursuant to this Decision is in effect on December 9, 2024 and ceases to have effect on December 10, 2024.
4. That the Treasurer provide the Mayor with periodic updates on the 2025 Draft Budget in order that those discussions may inform the budget deliberations of January 20, 2025, and;
5. That the proposed specific budget items be provided to each Member of Council and to the Clerk and to hereby make the proposed budget available to the public.

Mayor's comments

MDEC24-5

Decision or direction

WHEREAS:

1. On October 22, 2024, the City’s Committee of Adjustment denied an application for variances from the City’s Zoning By-law to facilitate the construction of a six-unit multi-residential building, File No. A38/24, (C of A Decision) respecting the property known municipally as 654-656 Stewart Street, Peterborough (Property).
2. On November 4, 2024, pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001, s. 284.3(b), I directed the City Solicitor and the Director, Planning, Development and Urban Design to initiate and to conduct an appeal by The Corporation of the City of Peterborough (City) to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) against the C of A decision, all as more particularly set out in Mayoral Decision MDEC24-4.
3. On November 7, 2024, the Property’s owners initiated an appeal to the OLT against the C of A
   decision (Appeal).
4. I consider it appropriate for the Property’s owners to pursue their Appeal and for City staff to participate to the extent that City staff may be summonsed as witnesses by the Property’s owners.

Now THEREFORE, pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001, s. 284.3(b), I, Mayor Jeff Leal, hereby direct as follows:

1. Mayoral Decision MDEC24-4 is hereby rescinded.
2. The City Solicitor and the Director, Planning, Development and Urban Design, are authorized and directed to do such things as they consider appropriate to aid the OLT in the event that City staff are summonsed as witnesses by the Property’s owners in the furtherance of the Appeal.
3. The City Solicitor and the Director, Planning, Development and Urban Design, are directed to report to Council of the City upon the conclusion of the Appeal.
4. City employees are authorized and directed to do such things as the City Solicitor and the Director, Planning, Development and Urban Design, may request of them in relation to the preceding sections 2 and 3.

Mayor's comments

MDEC24-4

Decision or direction

1. Pursuant to Municipal Act 2001,s. 284.3(b), I, Mayor Jeff Leal, hereby direct as follows:
   1. The City Solicitor and the Director, Planning, Development and Urban Design, are authorized and directed to do such things as they consider appropriate to initiate and to conduct an appeal by The Corporation o( the City of Peterborough (City) to the Ontario Land Tribunal against the decision of the City’s Committee of Adjustment denying an application for variances from the City’s Zoning By-law to facilitate the construction of a six-unit multi-residential building, File No. A38/24, respecting the property known municipally as 654-656 Stewart Street, Peterborough (Appeal).
   2. The City Solicitor and the Director, Planning, Development and Urban Design are directed to report to Council of the City upon the conclusion of the Appeal.
   3. City employees are authorized and directed to do such things as the City Solicitor and the Director, Planning, Development and Urban Design, may request of them in relation to the proceeding paragraphs a) and b).

Mayor's comments

MDEC24-3

Decision or direction

1. Pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001, s. 284.13(1)2 and O.Reg.530/22, s. 6(2), I, Mayor Jeff Leal, delegate to Council of the Corporation of the City of Peterborough the authority to appoint the City's Commissioner, Municipal Operations. 
2. The authority delegated pursuant to this Decision is in effect on September 16, 2024 and ceases to have effect on September 17, 2024.

Mayor's comments

MDEC24-2

Decision or direction

1. Pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001, s. 284.13(1)2 and O.Reg.530/22, s. 6(2), I, Mayor Jeff Leal, delegate to Council of the Corporation of the City of Peterborough the authority to appoint the City's Commissioner, Infrastructure, Planning and Growth Management.
2. The authority delegated pursuant to this Decision is in effect on June 3, 2024 and ceases to have effect on June 4, 2024.

Mayor's comments

MDEC24-1

Decision or direction

Pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001,s.284.13(1)2 and O.Reg. 530/22, s. 6(2), I, Mayor Jeff Leal, delegate to Council of The Corporation of the City of Peterborough the authority to appoint the City’s Commissioner, Infrastructure, Planning and Growth Management.

The authority delegation pursuant to this Decision is in effect on April 8, 2024 and ceases to have effect on April 9, 2024.

Mayor's comments

MDEC23-3

Decision or direction

Pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001 {Act), s. 284.16 and s. 7 of 0. Reg. 530/22: Part Vl.1, I, Mayor Jeff Leal have decided as follows:

To propose, under section 7(1) of 0. Reg. 530/22, the City of Peterborough 2024 Operating and Capital Budget and Forecast as outlined in the Treasurer's PowerPoint presentation during the Council meeting of December 11, 2023, to hereby provide the proposed budget to each Member of Council and to the Clerk and to hereby make the proposed budget available to the public. 

Mayor's comments

MDEC23-2

Decision or direction

Pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001, s. 284.3 and 284.16 I, Mayor Jeff Leal, herby direct the Treasurer to:

1. Prepare a draft City of Peterborough 2024 Operating and Capital Budget and Forecast in accordance with the requirements of the Act;
2. That the Treasurer provide the Mayor with periodic updates on the 2024 Draft Budget in order that those discussions may inform the budget; and;
3. The draft budget be provided to each Member of Council and the public no later than November 6, 2023. 

Mayor's comments

MDEC23-1

Decision or direction

1. Pursuant to Municipal Act, 2001, s. 284.13, I, Mayor Jeff Leal, delegate to Council of the City of Peterborough the authority
   1. to approve the recommendation in my Report COU23-008 dated November 6, 2023, Responsibilities of the Chief Administrative Officer, and
   2. to pass a By-law of the City of Peterborough in the form comprising Appendix A to the said Report.
2. The authority delegated pursuant to this Decision is in effect on November 6, 2023 and ceases to have effect on November 28, 2023.
3. Despite the cessation of delegated authority pursuant to section 2 of this Decision, the By-law passed pursuant to authority delegated pursuant to this Decision will continue to be in effect until it is amended or replaced pursuant to applicable law.

Mayor's comments