Next week is expected to be the last time MPPs gather in the house for almost two months.
The last big box to check on Premier Doug Ford's government's legislative to-do list before the municipal elections take place on Oct. 24 is passing <a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill 3</a>, the <a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2022/08/25/opposition-grills-clark-on-lack-of-strong-mayors-consultation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Strong Mayors</a>, Building Homes Act. It would increase mayors' authority on city council, starting with those in Toronto and Ottawa, the province's biggest cities. The government has said other cities' and towns' mayors may be looped in later, depending on how things work out in the province's two biggest cities.
The so-called "strong-mayors" powers include the ability to create their cities' budgets, override bylaws passed by councils when they clash with provincial priorities, create and reorganize key departments, committees and boards, and appoint top city staff, including the city manager. The bill doesn't mention housing directly, but the government has stressed that more powerful mayors will be able to get more homes built faster.
<a href="https://twitter.com/jackhauen?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our Jack Hauen</a> has covered Bill 3 extensively since it was <a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2022/08/10/toronto-and-ottawa-set-to-get-strong-mayors-this-year/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tabled on Aug. 10.</a> He's written about <a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2022/08/10/toronto-and-ottawa-set-to-get-strong-mayors-this-year/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">its introduction</a>, its <a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2022/08/15/amo-2022-ford-gets-crowd-buzzing-with-bee-joke-strong-mayor-promise/">reception</a> at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference, and <a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2022/08/25/opposition-grills-clark-on-lack-of-strong-mayors-consultation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MPPs'</a> and <a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2022/08/29/strong-mayor-plan-could-politicize-slow-down-housing-approvals-experts-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">experts' review</a> of the bill.
Members of the Ford political dynasty are known for growing their roots at the municipal level, and the premier has long been keen to give Ontario's mayors greater authority, like the mayors of American cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles have.
<h3>Upcoming bills (Sept. 6-8, 2022)</h3>
Monday is Labour Day, meaning MPPs don't have house duty.
They'll be spending much of their day back on Tuesday debating Bill 3. Wednesday morning and afternoon will once again be spent debating Bill 3.
Thursday, which is expected to be the last sitting day until around when the municipal elections are held, will be an unconventional one. MPPs will make tributes to their predecessors who have died. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Michael Tibollo will make a statement for World Suicide Prevention Day as well.
<h3>Opposition day and private members' business coming up (Sept. 6-8, 2022)</h3>
On Tuesday evening, MPPs will debate on <a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/status-business/private-members-motions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a motion</a> from Graham McGregor, the rookie PC MPP for Brampton North. His motion seeks to secure that the house supports building Highway 413. It should pass if it comes to a vote, thanks to the PCs' majority.
On Wednesday evening, Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter's <a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill 9</a>, the Safe and Healthy Communities Act, will be debated for the first time. It would change the Health Insurance Act and Health Protection and Promotion Act to provide better support for victims of gun violence.
The last order of business in the legislature next week will be a debate on <a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/status-business/private-members-motions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Motion 1</a> from Lisa Gretzky, the NDP MPP for Windsor West. Her motion calls for MPPs to put their support behind transferring ownership of the Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve to Parks Canada to help create Ojibway National Urban Park, with the intent of better protecting local endangered species and natural heritage areas, aid flood mitigation efforts, create publicly accessible greenspace and further encourage ecotourism in Windsor-Essex.
<h3>Committees (Sept. 6-8, 2022)</h3>
There's only <a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/committees/committee-meetings-weekly-notice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one committee meeting</a> scheduled next week.
The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs is meeting on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the legislature's television broadcast system.
<h3>Bills last week (Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2022)</h3>
Since returning to sitting after the election, the PC government has prioritized passing three bills — Nos. 2, 3 and 7. It passed two this week.
<a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill 7</a>, the More Beds, Better Care Act, allows for alternate level of care patients in hospitals to be admitted into a long-term care home without their consent. <a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2022/08/31/pcs-pass-patient-transfer-bill-amid-confusion-over-how-much-refusers-may-be-charged/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">It was passed</a> on Wednesday.
Bill 2, the Plan to Build Act (Budget Measures), makes law changes allowing the government to go ahead with the promises included in its budget. <a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-2/status" target="_blank" rel="noopener">It passed on Thursday</a>.
Bills 2 and 7 were grouped in a motion from Government House Leader Paul Calandra that PC MPPs voted to pass on Monday allowing both bills to leapfrog committee study and have shortened debates.
Bill 3, the strong-mayors bill described above, spent this week under study by the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy. It cleared the committee without being amended and was ordered for third reading on Wednesday.
There were four private members' bills introduced on Wednesday: Bills 14, 15, 16, and 17.
<a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-14" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill 14</a>, the No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), was tabled by NDP interim leader Peter Tabuns and MPP Bhutila Karpoche. It would give the environment minister a bunch of new responsibilities meant to track climate change's impact on people's health, and prepare for the effects to worsen.
<a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill 15</a>, the Fairness for Road Users Act (Contraventions Causing Death or Serious Bodily Harm), was from NDP MPP Jennifer French. French's bill would amend the Highway Traffic Act to ensure that a person causing or contributing to an accident that kills or seriously injures someone is — if found to be contravening the Act or its regulations at the time — be found guilty and subject to a fine of up to $50,000 and up to two years of jail time, or both, and possibly have their licence suspended.
<a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-16" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill 16</a>, the Racial Equity in the Education System Act, was tabled by three NDP MPPs: Laura Mae Lindo, Jill Andrew, and Lise Vaugeois. The lengthy bill would change existing acts — the Anti-Racism Act, the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act, the Ontario College of Teachers Act, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act, the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario Act, and the Education Act — to more greatly emphasize anti-racism initiatives throughout Ontario's education system.
<a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-17" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill 17</a>, the Abuse Prevention Week Act, is courtesy of NDP MPP Michael Mantha. The week following the first Sunday in October each year would be made Abuse Prevention Week if the bill passed. The government would also have to put together a committee to come up with educational materials that would be taught in schools during the week.

Bills next week: PCs aim to finalize Toronto, Ottawa mayors’ ‘strong’ powers

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