City of London

Introduction to Municipal Government

Municipal Government

• Canada has three levels of government: Federal, Provincial and Municipal.

• A local (municipal) government is created by the province to provide services that can be more effectively handled under local control.

• The powers and responsibilities which municipal governments may exercise are set out primarily in the Municipal Act 2001, though there are many other Acts that apply to Municipalities (e.g. Planning Act, Clean Water Act, etc.).

• Municipal governments make policy, raise revenue (the major sources of which are the taxes on real property and grants from the provincial governments) and ensure the implementation of policy, including the delivery of many different services.

• In Ontario, municipal elections are held every four years.

Types of Local Municipalities

• In Ontario there are different forms of Municipal government

• The City of London is a single tier municipality with responsibility for a wide range of services

• The City of London is located in Middlesex County but each is governed by separate Councils

What do Municipalities do?

• The Municipal Act, 2001 tells municipalities that they must exercise their powers by passing by-laws to govern their areas provided they do not conflict with any Federal/Provincial law

• Areas over which the municipality can pass by-laws:• Highways,, provided jurisdiction is granted• Parking, except on highways • Transportation systems other than highways• Waste Management• Public Utilities• Culture, parks, recreation and heritage• Drainage and flood control, except storm sewers• Structure, including fences and signs• Animals• Economic Development Services

What do by-laws cover?

By-laws passed under the spheres of jurisdiction allow:

Regulation, or prohibition, of activities (e.g., parking, exotic pets)

The ability to require people do things (e.g., keep property clean)

Provide licenses, permits, approvals, and registrations, such as lottery and business licenses, and impose conditions for the granting of such licenses, approvals and registrations

London City Council

• London City Council consists of fifteen members including:

• Mayor

• Fourteen Councillors: one in each of the City’s 14 wards

Meet our Mayor –Ed Holder

• 64th Mayor of London

• Sworn in on December 3, 2018

• Former MP from 2008 – 2015 (London West)

• Michael Van Holst

• Shawn Lewis

• Mo Mohamed Salih

• Jesse Helmer

• Maureen Cassidy

• Phil Squire

• Josh Morgan

• Steve Lehman

• Anna Hopkins

• Paul Van Meerbergen

• Stephen Turner

• Elizabeth Peloza

• Arielle Kayabaga

• Steve Hillier

Our City Council 2018 – 2022

(14 Wards)

Role of City Council

• Under the Municipal Act, 2001, the role of Council is to:

• Represent the public and consider the well-being and the interests of the municipality;

• Develop and evaluate the policies and programs of the municipality;

• Determine which services the municipality provides

• Ensure that administrative practices and procedures are in place to implement the decisions of Council; and,

• Maintain the financial integrity of the municipality and to carry out the duties of Council under this or any other Act.

MAYOR(Head of Council)

• Under the Municipal Act, 2001 the Mayor is the Head of Council and the Mayor’s duties are as follows:

Act as chief executive officer of the municipality;

Preside over Council meetings;

Provide leadership to Council;

Represent the municipality at official functions; and,

Carry out the duties of the Head of Council under this or any other Act.

City of LondonCouncil & Committee Structure

• Municipal Council has a broad range of responsibilities and work load.

• Council has five standing committees each comprised of Council Members, plus an Audit Committee comprised of Council Members plus one member of the public with a recognized accounting designation.

City of LondonCouncil & Committee Structure

• The five Standing Committees are:

Civic Works Committee

Community & Protective Services Committee

Corporate Services Committee

Planning & Environment Committee

Strategic Priorities & Policy Committee

**Public delegations may make presentations to Standing Committees

For more information, use this link:

City of London Standing Committee Structure

Civic Works Committee

Consists of the Mayor (ex-officio) and 5 Council members

• Examples of Jurisdiction:

•Bicycle Master Plan

•Bridges and Overpasses

•Drainage and Flood Control

•Parking – Assets and Maintenance

•Public Transit (Conventional & Specialized)

•Roadways - Planning, Design and Maintenance

•Sewers

•Sidewalks – Planning, Design and Maintenance

•Snow Control

•Specialized Rail Services

•Street Lighting

•Traffic Control

•Transportation Master Plan and Policies

•Waste Management

• Wastewater

•Water Supply

Community & Protective Services Committee

Consists of the Mayor (ex-officio) and 5 Council members

• Examples of Jurisdiction:

Animal Services

Emergency Services

•Emergency Management

•Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

•Fire Services

•Police Services

Community Services

•Childcare and Early Learning

•Dearness Services (unless within the jurisdiction of

the Dearness Home Committee of Management)

•Housing and Homelessness Ontario Works

•Parks, Recreation and Neighbourhood Services

Public Safety

Culture (advisory and funding)

Corporate Services Committee

Consists of the Mayor (ex-officio) and 5 members of Council.

• Examples of Jurisdiction:

•AODA (Compliance and Annual Plan)

•Asset Management (Facilities Maintenance and Operations)

•Corporate Communications

•Corporate Security & Downtown Surveillance Cameras

•Council Support Services

•Customer Service (Corporate Plans and Policies)

•Finance

•Human Resources

•Human Rights

•Information Technology

•Intergovernmental and Community Liaison

•Legal Services (some exceptions)

•Legislative Services

•Municipal Elections

•Payroll

•Purchasing (some exceptions)

•Realty Services

•Risk Management

•Major Public Facilities

Planning & Environment Committee

Consists of the Mayor (ex-officio) and 5 members of Council.

• Examples of Jurisdiction:

•Area Plans

•Building Approvals

•Community Planning and Community Improvement Plans

•Condominium Approvals

•Development Approvals

•Environmental Assessments (related to development)

•Heritage – Built

•Land Use Planning

•Natural Heritage (Environmentally Significant Areas)

•Official Plan

•Planning Approvals

•Site Plans

•Subdivision Approvals

•Urban Design

•Urban Forestry

•Zoning

Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee

Consist of the Mayor and all members of Council.

• Examples of Jurisdiction:

•Asset Management Plan (Policies and Procedures)

•Corporations with Share Capital (London Hydro and London-

Middlesex Housing Corporation)

•Annual General Meetings

•Council’s Strategic Plan

•Development Charges (Policy and By-law)

•Governance

•Appointment/Resignation of Members of Standing Committees,

Special Committees, Boards, Commissions and Outside

Agencies

•Boundary Adjustments (annexations and amalgamations)

•Citizen Appointments to Advisory Committees (at the

commencement of a new Council term)

•Council Conduct

•Governance Model

•Major Corporate Initiatives

Water Boards

• The City of London also has representation on twoJoint Boards, comprised of benefiting municipalities, which have oversight of the two primary water supply systems supplying the City of London, namely:

• Elgin Area Primary Water Supply System Joint Board of Management

• Lake Huron Primary Water Supply System Joint Board of Management

Role of Municipal Administration

• Under the Municipal Act, 2001 it is the role of the officers and employees of the municipality to:

• Implement Council’s decisions and establish administrative practices and procedures to carry out Council’s decisions;

• Undertake research and provide advice to Council on the policies and programs of the municipality; and,

• Carry out other duties required under this or any Act and other duties assigned by the municipality.

Role of City Clerk’s Office

Overview:

• Responsible for: • The provision of the statutory duties of the Municipal Clerk under the

Municipal Act, Municipal Elections Act, Vital Statistics Act, Marriage Act, Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Planning Act, etc.

• The City Clerk acts as the parliamentarian at Council meetings and provides procedural advice and assistance to Council.

• The Mayor and the City Clerk act as the Corporate Signing Officers.

Functions of the City Clerk’s Office

• Prepare and maintain the official records of Council including its by-laws and minutes

• Coordinate with the Mayor and the Clerk for the signing of all official corporate documents (i.e. by-laws, leases, contracts)

• Maintain Corporate records management and co-ordination of the City’s responses to inquiries under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA)

• Provide administrative and secretariat support to Council, Standing Committees and Advisory Committees

Standing Committees

For more information: CityHub/Governance/Council Boards & Commissions

Advisory Committees

For more information: CityHub/Governance/Council

Boards & Commissions

Functions of the City Clerk’s OfficeContinued

• Provide services for licensing and registrations (e.g., lottery, marriage licenses & process death registrations)

• Coordinate Municipal Elections

• Provide support services for the Members of Council through the Councillors’ Office

• Provide first response to customers (e.g., City Hall Lobby & main telephone line)

• Provide mail & courier services

• Oversee Administration of Provincial Offences Office and Court

• Perform Marriage Ceremonies

Resources

• https://www.ontario.ca/laws - Provides access to all provincial law, including any Acts governing municipalities

• http://www.london.ca/city-hall/by-laws/Documents/councilpro50.pdf - Provides information as to the rules governing Council and Committee meetings

• https://www.london.ca/city-hall/Civic-Administration/City-Management/Pages/Strategic-Planning.aspx - Provides access to the City of London’s Strategic Plan

• http://www.london.ca/city-hall/meetings/Pages/default.aspx -Provides access to current and historical Council and Standing Committee agendas/reports/minutes

• http://www.london.ca/city-hall/committees/standing-committees/Pages/default.aspx - Provides information regarding Council’s Standing Committees