Senior officials in a number of Ontario municipalities are pulling back the curtain on their working relationship with the Ford government, accusing the province of employing a “divide and conquer” strategy, using municipalities as a political “shield” and forcing mayors to walk a fine line.
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officials → pull → line
Ahead of the annual Association of Ontario Municipalities conference in Ottawa, the Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) of several towns and cities offered their views on how lower-tier governments are treated by the province.
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governments → offer → province
The survey, conducted by government relations firm StrategyCorp, compiled anonymous reflections from a sample of 32 CAOs, allowing them to freely discuss the behind-the-scenes relationship with the provincial government.
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them → conduct → government
Top municipal civil servants described a government that’s filled with ambition but falls short on implementation, rushes through the consultation process, and is often “thin-skinned and unforgiving” when faced with criticism.
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that → describe → criticism
“We have to tread very carefully in our response to anything that the province is doing,” one CAO said.
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CAO → have → that
Another city administration put it more bluntly: “the province doesn’t accept dissent, and you are punished for it.”
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you → put → it
The report’s findings come as the Ford government turns its attention to artificial intelligence data centres and potential host cities for the mammoth projects.
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government → come → projects
The facilities have already led to anxiety among municipalities worried about a potential spike in electricity and water usage with few employment or economic opportunities in the region.
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facilities → lead → region
On Monday, Ford promised municipal leaders his government would only advance projects that offer infrastructure investments in community centres, parks, roads and broadband infrastructure.
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that → promise → centres
“Folks, you’re going to be part of the choice,” Ford said about AI data centre placements.
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Ford → go → placements
“We’re in the driver’s seat, all of us.”
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We → ’re → us
The collaborative tone offered the premier on stage, however, appears to be misaligned with the experience of municipal officials tasked with implementing provincial decisions.
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tone → offer → decisions
Some CAOs interviewed for the report said the province “doesn’t understand the municipal sector,” leading to “far too many unintended consequences.”
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province → interview → consequences
Another CAO labelled the Progressive Conservatives as a “spaghetti government.”
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CAO → label → government
“You just throw a bunch of stuff at the wall and see what sticks.
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what → throw → wall
If it sticks, then you draft regulations.
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you → stick → regulations
If it doesn’t stick, you don’t.”
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you → stick → ?
Notably, some officials said that while the government promises to consult with municipalities, the process is often rushed.
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process → say → municipalities
“The province says they are doing consultations, but they are doing it so quickly.
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they → say → it
Are they really absorbing or taking in what they’re hearing?”
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they → absorb → what
One CAO said.
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CAO → say → ?
“It is just to tick a box and isn’t meaningful.”
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It → tick → box
Ultimately, some said, decisions are made without local guidance.
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decisions → say → guidance
“Changes appear to be made by a very small group of people without real consultation or analysis on what the impact will be,” one CAO said.
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CAO → appear → consultation
“We see that when they must be rolled back.”
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they → see → that
That frustration, CAOs indicated, is also shared by mayors and city councillors who have to face constituents upset about provincially mandated changes.
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who → indicate → changes
Several expressed frustration that the Ford government is turning municipalities into “implementation arms” of Queen’s Park, often allowing provincial policymakers to evade the wrath of constituents.
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policymakers → express → constituents
“They use municipalities and school boards as the shield for the blowback to be able to say, ‘well, these are municipalities doing it,” one CAO said.
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CAO → use → it
“These interventions are really causing discomfort for the local decision makers because they’re feeling the brunt of the citizens who are unhappy with it,” another CAO added.
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CAO → cause → it
“Yet they don’t really have a choice in the matter because it’s provincially mandated.”
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it → have → matter
Others argue the province has employed a “divide and conquer” tactic to keep municipalities focused on the agenda set by the government.
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province → argue → government
“For years now, municipalities have not focused on the provincial-municipal fiscal
relationship because we have been focused on restructuring or strong mayor powers,” one CAO said.
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CAO → focus → restructuring
The report also found that dialogue with the province is strained and that formal and public disagreements with the Ford government can lead to retribution – leaving mayors looking for unofficial ways of exerting influence.
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disagreements → find → influence
“It’s a tough go to have honest conversation,” one CAO said.
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CAO → ’ → conversation
“You’re more likely to win by sending your mayor to go talk to the Premier in his basement than win through OBCM (Ontario Big City Mayors) or AMO.”
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You → ’re → OBCM
That approach, critics say, suggests a “culture of fear” around the Ford government.
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critics → say → government
“Doug Ford might look like a friendly ‘hey folks’ kind of guy, but don’t cross him.
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Ford → look → him
That’s what these CAOs are saying,” said interim Liberal leader John Fraser.
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Fraser → ’ → what
“Why should a mayor have to go to the Premier’s basement to settle an issue?
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mayor → have → issue
That’s ridiculous.”
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That → ’ → ?
…and 2 more, not listed.
