John Tory will chair the 2023 budget session days after announcing he was stepping down as mayor
John Tory will remain in his role as mayor for Wednesday’s budget meeting, days after he announced he was stepping down after a relationship with a former staffer, the city’s budget chief has confirmed.
On Friday, Tory said he was stepping down after having a relationship with a former employee at his office in what he described as a “grave error of judgment” and risked “tainting” the city’s top job.
Tory’s householder, Coun. Gary Crawford said the mayor is committed to getting the 2023 budget through council, where deliberations could potentially drag on for weeks.
“This is an incredibly important budget for the City of Toronto after a challenging time, and we need its leadership,” Crawford told reporters Monday.
“He was a strong leader for this budget, a strong leader for this city. He has to keep doing this. I don’t want to do politics with this budget, it’s too important.”
Tory played an important role in preparing the proposed budget. Under the “strong mayoral” powers created by the province last year, he only needed the support of a third of council members to pass it — although in reality his support base far exceeds that proportion.
The province has said that powers, including a veto over budget changes by the council, would not be vested in an interim or acting mayor.
In a statement Monday, Tory’s office told CBC Toronto that it would attend Wednesday’s meeting to “ensure that the City of Toronto’s 2023 operating and capital budgets are complete.
“The budget makes important investments in housing, transit and security in the community and the mayor will work to get it approved,” Tory spokesman Taylor Deasley said.
The move appeared to be a way for Tory to retain his powers as a “strong mayor”, a political observer said.
“It’s a game of holding on to what I would describe as an uncollegiate and ultimately undemocratic strong hold over the rest of the council,” said Myer Siemiatycki, professor emeritus of politics at Toronto Metropolitan University.
If Tory had resigned before the budget passed, some councilors might have tried to roll back some of his controversial proposals, Siemiatycki said, including a $48.3 million increase in the police budget and cuts to the transit service.
“More details” on resignation to follow: Tory’s office
Councilors may also seek to reverse a Tory-backed decision to scrap a recommendation to keep the city’s heat centers open to the homeless population until mid-April, Siemiatycki said. But a successful challenge is a lot harder to come by with Tory in the mayor’s chair, he said.
If Tory vetoes a budget change by Council, it could add weeks to the budget process and his tenure. If the council changes the budget, the mayor has up to 10 days to veto it, according to budget scenarios released by the city. After that, the Council has up to 15 days to vote on the veto.
Tory’s office said he met with Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie and city staff on Monday morning to discuss how best to ensure “an orderly transition” and signaled his intention to leave once budget talks are complete.
Deasley noted that “further details” on the transition will be announced after the budget meeting.
On Monday morning, the city confirmed Tory had not submitted a letter of resignation to the city clerk, noting he remains in his role as mayor.
Wondering what Tory’s resignation means for the city? CBC Toronto answered some big questions here.
Tory should stay on budget, some allies say
Some councilors have expressed support for Tory remaining in the mayoralty until Monday’s budget is passed.
Speaking to CBC Radio Metro morning, Veteran Coun. Shelley Carroll said she expected budget deliberations to be “very contentious”. There are several provisions in the budget, such as an additional $48 million for the Toronto Police Department and clawbacks to the TTC service, that have received significant criticism from some councillors.
count. Anthony Perruzza, who has been in office since 2006, told CBC Toronto he would prefer Tory to delay his resignation until the budget is passed.
“After all, it’s his budget,” he said. “I think that would be the easiest way for us to move forward.”
CLOCK | Tory says he will step down in a stunning announcement on Friday:
count. James Pasternak, who represents Ward 6 at the York Centre, also said he thought Tory should hold off on resigning and that his presence at the budget debate could prevent a “chaotic mess”.
When asked if he believes Tory retains the moral authority to chair the meeting, Pasternak did not answer directly, but acknowledged Tory will find it difficult to wait.
“I think he’s going to have a hard time on the council holding this package together. You can bet there will be a lot of discussion and counter-motions and lively debate,” he said Monday.
