An Aurora councillor and some residents are bemoaning the mayor’s decision to veto a motion calling for York Region to resubmit a proposal for a men’s transitional shelter rejected last year.
Councillor John Gallo posted on social media that Mayor Tom Mrakas had “undermined the democratic process” by using strong mayor powers to override his motion approved by the majority of councillors Tuesday night that opened the door for the shelter proposal to potentially be resubmitted for the regionally owned land at 14452 Yonge St.
“The ability to veto should be exercised responsibly and in exceptional circumstances — not as a means to override the will of council on an important issue like homelessness,” he wrote.
“The motion simply asked York Region to resubmit an application for a men’s transitional shelter, a step that would have allowed for further discussion and potential solutions,” he added. “By unilaterally blocking this, the mayor has undermined the democratic process and disregarded the voices of both council and the residents we represent.”
Gallo’s motion was passed 4-3 Feb. 25, during a crowded and at times boisterous council meeting, with well over a hundred residents in attendance. But in a written notice issued the following day, Mrakas vetoed the motion using his strong mayor powers.
Michael Braithwaite, CEO of Blue Door, a transitional housing organization, called the veto “a sad abuse of power" in a video posted to social media.
“I don’t really understand what’s the point of having the council then, why don’t we just have one person who makes those decisions?” he said.
"It's a sad abuse of power, I think this is the challenge with strong mayor powers which were created to actually try and speed up the process of housing, that it’s now being used to stop housing progress moving forward. It’s a sad day for housing.”
The shelter proposal was initially voted down during a planning committee meeting last February. In the wake of that vote, a community advocacy group, Aurora Cares Housing for All, was founded with the goal of having the proposal revisited.
“We supported council in their efforts to invite York Region to the table and have a discussion about deeply affordable housing in our community,” the group’s founder Adam Mobbs wrote in a statement. “We are unclear why Mayor Mrakas — who sits on York Regional Council and is a Director for Housing York Inc.— would use the most aggressive tool in his box to block the exact discussions these powers are designed to promote.”
Mrakas had voted against the motion during Tuesday’s meeting, citing the location’s proximity to the Henderson Sewage Pumping Station and a 2019 report, which outlined the station’s importance in accommodating future growth in the area.
“Homelessness is a pressing issue, and we need leadership that is willing to work toward real solutions rather than shutting down opportunities for progress,” added Gallo. “I urge the mayor to reconsider this approach and to work collaboratively with council to address the needs of our most vulnerable community members.”
Mrakas was not immediately available for a response.
Next steps
While disappointed, Braithwaite said he has “faith in our region”, which is currently undergoing a review of region-owned properties for other potential sites for shelters.
“I think in the coming months we're going to see that there are other sites across the region that will come forward, and who knows, maybe one of them will be in Aurora,” Braithwaite said in an interview with AuroraToday, “and that will be a true test as to whether people are saying, it's not the service that we dislike, it's just where it is.”
While Aurora Cares, Housing for All was founded in the wake of the shelter’s initial rejection, Mobbs said the group has plenty of ideas for ways it can move forward.
“We exceeded our own expectations when it came to mobilizing the community,” he said in an interview with AuroraToday. “So if we go back to that original vision board and then we discuss some possibilities for the future, I think we'll come up with something that again is laser-focused in the spirit of inclusive housing and figure out what our next mission and goal will be.”
“I feel we delivered on our mandate and we were able to bring, not everybody, but most people, toward more productive solutions,” added Mobbs. “So it's motivating, it's inspiring, then we can only really go up from here.”