Regional Council to grow by three additional members: two more for Milton, one more for Oakville.

By Staff

October 27, 2106

BURLINGTON, ON

The Region of Halton council is going to grow by three members – none of those new members will come from Burlington.

Milton will get two more members and Oakville will get a single additional member.

Burlington and Halton Hills will remain as they are with 7 members from Burlington and xx members from Halton Hills.

Regional Council will grow by three additional members.

What this means is that Burlington’s influence at the Regional level will fade – not that it has ever been that strong at any point in the recent past.

Burlington’s representation seldom votes as a block – each Council member tends to go their own way with their own views as to what is best for Burlington.

Members of Burlington’s city council earn half of their approximately $125,000 (give or take a bit) from the Regional government and the other half from the city of Burlington.

On June 13, 2016 an Ontario Regulation (196/16) was enacted to permit Halton Region to increase the size and composition of Regional Council by adding two Councillors from the Town of Milton and one Councillor from the Town of Oakville.

In accordance with the Municipal Act, Halton held the required public meeting on September 7, 2016. No submissions or comments regarding the by-law were received. Regional Council passed the required by-law on September 14, 2016.

The by-law is not valid until the following conditions have been met:

• A majority of all votes on Regional Council must be cast in favour (achieved);
• A majority of the lower tier Councils must pass resolutions consenting to the by-law; and

• The total number of electors in the lower tier municipalities that have passed resolutions consenting to the by-law must form a majority of all electors in the Region.

This item didn’t get any discussion at the Burlington City Council meeting October 10th
.