Toronto City Council | |
---|---|
Type | |
Type | |
Term limits
|
None |
History | |
New session started
|
December 1, 2014 |
Leadership | |
John Tory
Since December 1, 2014 |
|
Frances Nunziata
Since December 1, 2010 |
|
Shelley Carroll
Since December 1, 2014 |
|
Structure | |
Seats | 44 plus Mayor |
Length of term
|
4 years |
Authority | City of Toronto Act, 2006 |
Salary | $184,666 (Mayor) $109,652 (Councillor) |
Elections | |
Last election
|
October 27, 2014 (45 seats) |
Next election
|
October 29, 2018 (45 seats) |
Meeting place | |
Council Chamber Toronto City Hall Toronto, Ontario |
|
Website | |
Toronto City Hall |
The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors. For ease of electoral division, wards are based upon the city's federal electoral districts as of the year 2000. While the federal districts have been redistributed since then, the ward boundaries remain the same. The city council has 45 members: 44 ward councillors plus the mayor.
The current decision making framework and committee structure at the City of Toronto was established by the City of Toronto Act (2006) and came into force January 1, 2007. The decision-making process at the City of Toronto involves committees that report to City Council. Committees propose, review and debate policies and recommendations before their arrival at City Council for debate. Citizens and residents can only make deputations on policy at committees, citizens cannot make public presentations to City Council. Each City Councillor sits on one committee. The Mayor is a member of all committees and is entitled to one vote.
There are three types of committees at the City of Toronto: the Executive Committee, Standing Committees and other Committees of Council. The City posts agendas for council and committee meetings on its website.
The Executive Committee is an advisory body chaired by the mayor. The Executive Committee is composed of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and the chairs of the seven standing committees who are appointed by the Mayor and four "at-large" members appointed by City Council. The role of the Executive Committee is to set the City of Toronto's priorities, manage financial planning and budgeting, labour relations, human resources, and the operation of City Council.
The Executive Committee makes recommendations to city council on:
Several committees report to the Executive Committee:
Source: City of Toronto
There are eleven other committees that report to Toronto City Council. The seven standing policy committees are:
There are four other committees that report to Council:
Source: City of Toronto
All members of Toronto city council serve on a community council. Community Councils report to City Council but they also have final decision-making power on certain items, such as front yard parking and appointments to local boards and Business Improvement Areas. The city is divided into four community councils. Their meeting locations are as follows: