Rideau Lakes mayor uses new strong mayor powers to block council majority in heated municipal office dispute, exposing deep divisions in eastern Ontario.
Mayor Halts Council Plan Amid Tensions
Tensions in the Township of Rideau Lakes, Ontario, escalated last week as Mayor Arie Hoogenboom used newly granted “strong mayor” powers to veto a council decision regarding the future of the municipality’s office facilities. The move comes just one month after the Ford government extended these controversial powers to 169 additional municipalities across the province.
Decision to Block Renovation Sparks Outcry
At the heart of the dispute is a longstanding disagreement over whether to renovate the current municipal office in Chantry or relocate it to a more central and populous area. A majority on the eight-member council supports a lower-cost retrofit of the existing building. However, Hoogenboom, who favours new construction as a catalyst for local development, exercised his veto to stop the tendering process for renovation plans. The vote had passed five to three.
A Township Divided Over Infrastructure and Cost
The clash reflects broader conflicts within the Rideau Lakes council, where members have filed over a dozen complaints against one another with the integrity commissioner. Hoogenboom argues that relocating the office aligns with provincial goals to build homes and expand infrastructure, while opponents say the plan is too expensive and lacks public input. The divide has left the township at a standstill, with no clear path forward for addressing its aging administrative facilities.
Public Mandate and Provincial Priorities Cited
Hoogenboom, elected on a platform that included promises to modernize municipal infrastructure, insists his decision reflects public will and aligns with Ontario’s provincial priorities. “I received a significant mandate from the public to build a municipal office,” he said, adding that community feedback supports his vision for a new building and subdivision development. The mayor maintains that his veto was lawful and in keeping with the new rules, which allow mayors to override council with only one-third support, provided it furthers provincial interests.
Critics Say Powers Undermine Democracy
Councillor Paula Banks, a vocal opponent of the mayor’s plan, called the veto “undemocratic,” noting that a majority of council had voted in favour of moving forward with the retrofit. Banks is now working to organize resistance among councillors in other municipalities that recently received the same powers, arguing that they undermine local democracy and centralize too much authority in the mayor’s office. “Our mayors are saying it’s a bad idea, our councillors are saying it’s undemocratic, and the Ford government is just ignoring it,” she said.
Uncertain Path Ahead for Council and Community
With council unable to overturn the veto without a two-thirds majority, and the mayor acknowledging that his own authority is weakened by internal divisions, progress on the municipal office issue is unlikely before the next election in 2026. “We’re still a bit hamstrung,” Hoogenboom said. “My mandate is severely compromised.” Until then, the township’s fractured leadership remains at an impasse, emblematic of broader concerns about governance, representation, and the future of Ontario’s municipalities.
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