William Sutherland (Ontario politician)

William "Bill" Sutherland (1926/27 – June 11, 1998) was a municipal politician in Toronto, Canada. He served on the North York City Council and the Metropolitan Toronto Council for several years, and challenged Mel Lastman for Mayor of North York in 1976.

Sutherland was born in Toronto, received a journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, and worked for a large electrical manufacturing firm before entering political life.

Sutherland was elected to North York's eleventh ward in 1964, following failed bids in 1960 and 1962. He remained a ward councillor until 1974, when he was elected to a seat on the North York Board of Control. The position also gave him an automatic place on the Metropolitan Toronto council.

Sutherland campaigned for Mayor of North York in 1976, as the primary challenger to incumbent mayor Mel Lastman. A Globe and Mail editorial from the election campaign indicates that his area of expertise was finance, and that his approach to politics was "responsible - if somewhat stiff". He said that North York's council had developed a "circus image" under Lastman, and promised to restore dignity and respect to the institution. Lastman argued that Sutherland's approach to politics was grounded in secretive backroom deals. Lastman won by a convincing margin.

Sutherland spent two years out of politics after losing to Lastman; a newspaper report from 1977 lists him as chair of the North York Historical Board. He was elected to a position on the North York Hydro Commission in 1978, and was later chosen as Commission Chair. In 1980, he encouraged North York residents to delay washing their dishes to preserve electricity during peak hours. After two years on the Hydro Commission, Sutherland was re-elected to North York's Board of Control in 1980 and re-assumed his position on the Metro Council. He was re-elected in 1982.

Sutherland frequently supported the autonomy of municipal councils over perceived encroachments from the provincial and federal governments. He was also critical of the degree of power centred in Metro Chairman Paul Godfrey.

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