TORONTO, December 12, 2018 — Following last week’s swearing-in of Toronto’s slimmed down City Council, Mayor John Tory is tapping experienced councillors to fill important roles as the new Council term kicks off. Built around his first-term core Council team, the new leadership will have an important role in shepherding the Mayor’s priorities and demonstrating that the condensed Council will deliver results.
In addition to many of the Mayor’s closest allies, the list of top appointees includes a handful of Councillors who’ve sparred with the Mayor in the past. This balance of perspectives reflects both Mayor Tory’s inherent pragmatism, and his team’s recognition of the need to build a broader coalition on Council in the face of an evolving relationship with the Ford provincial government.
The appointments proposed by the Mayor will be considered at today’s Striking Committee, which will bring forward recommendations for a vote by City Council tomorrow.
Deputy Mayors
The Mayor has recommended four Deputy Mayors, with two Councillors (Denzil Minnan-Wong and Ana Bailão) continuing in the role and elevating two others (Michael Thompson and Stephen Holyday). This mirrors the Community Council structure and maintains the precedent of geographic balance that the Mayor established at the beginning of his first term.
- Deputy Mayor, North York (and statutory Deputy Mayor) – Denzil Minnan-Wong
- Deputy Mayor, Toronto and East York – Ana Bailão
- Deputy Mayor, Scarborough – Michael Thompson
- Deputy Mayor, Etobicoke and York – Stephen Holyday
Executive Committee
Pending the vote of Council, the make-up of Executive Committee is all but set. This Committee functions as a de-facto Mayor’s cabinet, with important oversight for delivering on the Mayor’s priorities and managing many of the city-wide and hot button issues that come before Council. Other than being reduced in size, there is fairly little change to the make-up of the Committee membership, with all but one of its anticipated members having served on it prior to the October election. It will include the four Deputy Mayors (Bailão, Thompson, Minnan-Wong and Holyday) as well as the two additional Committee Chairs (Pasternak and Ainslie). One at-large member is yet to be determined, with the odds-on favourite expected to be Budget Chair Gary Crawford.
Committees of Council
Mayor Tory drew heavily on experience for his recommended Committee Chairs, reflecting the importance of effective management as the city adapts to the new committee structure and fewer Councillors. Additionally, the Mayor has once again tasked Bailão and Thompson to be the Mayor’s chief proponent on housing and job creation matters, which is reflected in their respective committee leadership responsibilities.
- Chair, Planning and Growth – Ana Bailão
- Chair, Economic Development – Michael Thompson
- Chair, Infrastructure and Environment – James Pasternak
- Chair, General Government and Licensing – Paul Ainslie
Stephen Holyday has been named as Chair of the Special Committee on Governance, which will examine the new City Council structure and recommend enhancements.
Other Notable Appointments
Tory has retained Gary Crawford as his Budget Chair, reflecting his capable handling of that responsibility during the Mayor’s inaugural term.
Jaye Robinson, a veteran Councillor and strong ally of the Mayor, has been tapped as TTC Chair – a high-profile role that will be immediately tested by the Mayor’s focus on his transit commitments and the Province’s plans to upload the TTC subway system.
Joe Cressy, a downtown Councillor and frequent opponent of the Mayor, has been recommended as Council’s representative on the board of Waterfront Toronto. It’s a tough assignment in the wake of a critical report from the Ontario Auditor General and the provincial government’s stated intent to shake up the governance of the tri-governmental agency – and over a billion dollars in Port Lands infrastructure funding hanging in the balance.