{"id":9918,"date":"2025-03-04T14:59:46","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T18:59:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluedoor.ca\/?p=9918"},"modified":"2025-03-06T15:08:38","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T19:08:38","slug":"an-affront-to-our-democracy-aurora-councillors-and-residents-in-favour-of-mens-shelter-shocked-over-use-of-strong-mayor-powers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluedoor.ca\/an-affront-to-our-democracy-aurora-councillors-and-residents-in-favour-of-mens-shelter-shocked-over-use-of-strong-mayor-powers\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018An affront to our democracy\u2019: Aurora councillors and residents in favour of men\u2019s shelter shocked over use of strong mayor powers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Posted On: March 4, 2025, Posted By: Beth Macdonell, CTV News, Original Article.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A group of town councillors and residents are speaking out after Aurora\u2019s mayor used his strong mayor powers to stop York Region from considering a property for a facility to shelter vulnerable men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The controversial site is owned by the region and located at 14452 Yonge Street near Industrial Parkway South, just south of Aurora\u2019s downtown. The project proposed building a men\u2019s emergency and traditional housing facility with 68 beds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advocates in favour of the site believe the location makes sense because it\u2019s central to York Region, the project is shovel ready, and the region\u2019s homeless population is growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUsing strong mayor powers which 50 municipalities got with the idea of speeding up the development of affordable housing, that just flies in the face of this. This has actually stopped deeply affordable housing,\u201d said the Michael Braithwaite, CEO of Blue Door, York Region\u2019s largest emergency housing provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After changing his mind about the site, Coun. John Gallo put forward a motion for the town to revisit the property at a Feb. 25 town council meeting, so it could be considered as part of wider effort by the region in selecting housing locations for those experiencing homelessness. His motion passed four votes to three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the next day councillors in favour of the site learned that Mayor Tom Mrakas – who had voted against the motion – vetoed the decision<\/a>, writing any alternative use of the property \u201ccould compromise its strategic purpose and may interfere with the delivery of infrastructure to support housing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrakas added the site is critical for current and future needs including essential municipal services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrakas declined speaking in an interview with CTV News Toronto. His office said he believes the veto speaks for itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c[The veto] was shocking in that it\u2019s an affront to our democracy where in that these types of decisions shouldn\u2019t be done unilaterally,\u201d Gallo told CTV News Monday. \u201cWhat\u2019s at stake is that men are going to be sleeping on the street one, two years longer than they should.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ford government brought in the strong mayor powers in 2022 and expanded them to dozens more municipalities in 2023<\/a> to \u201chelp heads of council cut red tape and speed up the delivery of key shared municipal-provincial priorities such as housing, transit and infrastructure in their municipalities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n