County of Simcoe residents are invited to a public meeting next month to discuss a proposed by-law to shrink the size of County Council and appoint a Head of Council (Warden position).
This meeting takes place on March 11 at 10 a.m. in the Council Chamber at the County of Simcoe Administration Centre.
The by-law proposes that County Council be reduced from the existing size (32) to a 17 Member Council that would include only the Mayors of the 16 lower-tier municipalities and a Head of Council. The Head of Council is currently appointed from among Members of Council and therefore serves both on County Council and a lower-tier Council. The by-law proposes to establish a Head of Council that serves exclusively on County Council for a four-year term. The position of Warden would be appointed by County Council from among eligible electors who put their name forward. The by-law includes required updates to the existing weighted vote system.
Residents can participate in this process and provide feedback on the by-law by either registering to speak in-person or by providing written comments as outlined below:
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EVENT |
Public Meeting on Council Composition and Head of Council |
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Tuesday, March 11, 2025 |
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Time |
10 a.m. |
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Location
Registration |
County of Simcoe Administration Centre, 1110 Highway 26, Midhurst, ON, L9X 1N6 |
After the meeting, a final version of the by-law will be brought forward for consideration by Council at a subsequent meeting.
If the by-law is passed, it will be circulated to the 16 lower-tier Councils for further consideration as part of the “Triple Majority” process. If the by-law achieves the required consent, changes to County Council would take effect for the next term of Council, beginning in November 2026 following the municipal election.