Wardens Caucus sounds alarm over prospect of provincially appointed wardens

The Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus is raising concerns over the province possibly appointing wardens . CTV’s Bryan Bicknell explains.

A group representing wardens in the region is sounding the alarm over proposed changes to local governance. Under the province’s Bill 100, the Better Regional Governance Act, county wardens could be appointed, rather than chosen from a council of elected representatives.

“Considering that they’re making decisions about local issues, that it should be local representation. Not a body that’s larger than ours,” said one Oxford County voter in Woodstock Thursday.

“You know with elected warden versus appointed warden, I think it could start a slippery slope maybe. But I think if the system is currently working, if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it, right,” added another voter.

The Western Ontario Wardens Caucus (WOWC) says the proposed changes “represent a significant shift away from locally determined governance.”

“Municipal government in general works really well. If your road gets plowed and your garbage gets collected, you don’t really care who does it,” said WOWC Chair and Oxford County Warden Marcus Ryan.

He says local leadership matters, especially in rural areas.

“If Western Wardens Caucus is right, and that if some of the changes that could happen, happened, were negative, then residents could say, ‘Hey, how come I can’t talk to somebody any more than I used to be able to talk to her? How come I don’t get to vote for that person?’ And I think that’s the reason that we expressed the concerns to the minister in the letter, that we think this works,” said Ryan.

The concerns stem, in part, from proposed changes announced in Simcoe County earlier this month. Under the new bill, the province would shrink the size of that county council and appoint the next warden.

The appointee would be given ‘strong chair’ powers, similar to ‘strong mayor’ powers in place in more than 200 municipalities across Ontario.

The proposal also parallels the overhaul of the education system in Ontario, in which the province is considering changes that would reduce the powers of school board trustees.

“I think it’s a good idea,” said one Oxford County voter. “The local public have no idea what they’re doing. Especially school trustees. So why not let the people who know what they’re doing appoint the proper person,” he suggested.

“They don’t know what they’re talking about up there in Toronto. Let’s have it for here, local. Should always be elected,” said another Oxford voter.

The Caucus says it’s advocating for the province to ensure any future reforms:

• Maintain locally elected leadership
• Recognize differences between municipal structures
• Reflect rural and regional realities
• Be developed in partnership with municipalities