Burlington Mayoral Candidates Split On Strong-Mayor Powers And Data Centres

About 300 people came to St. Christopher's Church on Guelph Line on Thursday, September 17, to hear three of the five people running for mayor. Lisa Kearns, Marianne Meed Ward and Rory Nisan took questions on homelessness, housing, data centres and strong-mayor powers, ahead of the October 26 vote. Keith Demoe and Yugalkeesor Ramdhonee are also on the ballot.

Strong-mayor powers drew the sharpest split. Kearns said they have "completely fractured our council," and pointed out that when Meed Ward delegated some of them she kept the power to hire and fire the city's chief administrative officer. Meed Ward said she never asked for the powers and has "never, will never use the veto" to override a council decision, calling the rest of them largely administrative. Nisan said he would ask the province to take Burlington off the strong-mayor list: "I think democracy is not best served when one person is in charge."

On data centres, Kearns said council did not get the community the information it needed about the application now under review by city staff, and wants a framework the public has been consulted on. Meed Ward said her concern is the energy they use, though she noted Ontario already regulates them more than the United States does. Nisan said any application must not create a cost for taxpayers, but he opposes pausing reviews with an interim control bylaw.

Housing and homelessness divided them too. Kearns pointed to approved downtown units that have not been built because of permit delays, and proposed a department joining police, outreach programs and bylaw enforcement, plus a reopened downtown police substation. Meed Ward said the city has partnerships underway but cannot move affordable housing forward without federal and provincial funding. Nisan argued condo buildings will not solve affordability and that property taxes are the root problem.