County of Simcoe residents are invited to a public meeting next month to discuss a proposed bylaw 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 is currently appointed from among members of council and therefore serves both on county council and a lower-tier council.
The bylaw proposes to establish a head 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 bylaw includes required updates to the existing weighted vote system.
Residents can participate in this process and provide feedback on the bylaw 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 bylaw will be brought forward for consideration by council at a subsequent meeting.
If the bylaw is passed, it will be circulated to the 16 lower-tier councils for further consideration as part of the “triple majority” process. If the bylaw 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.