Item - 2026.EX33.16

The City Manager recommends that:  

1. Executive Committee direct the City Manager, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to report back to the Executive Committee in the third quarter of 2027 with an analysis of the findings and recommendations outlined in the report from the Municipal Autonomy and Effective Local Governance Program Advisory Body included as Attachment 1 to this report.

In February 2025, City Council requested the City Manager to establish a program advisory body on municipal autonomy and effective local governance. The Municipal Autonomy and Effective Local Governance Program Advisory Body met six times between 2025 and May 2026, with a mandate to provide advice on how to achieve greater municipal autonomy and effective local governance for the City of Toronto and recommendations for the establishment of a city charter for Toronto.

The Municipal Autonomy and Effective Local Governance Program Advisory Body submitted a final report with their research, analysis and recommendations to the City Manager's Office on May 29, 2026. In alignment with the Municipal Autonomy and Effective Local Governance Program Advisory Body 's terms of reference, the City Manager is transmitting the final report of the Municipal Autonomy and Effective Local Governance Program Advisory Body to the Executive Committee for consideration. The Municipal Autonomy and Effective Local Governance Program Advisory Body 's report is provided as Attachment 1 to this report. In reference to Part 3 of the Municipal Autonomy and Effective Local Governance Program Advisory Body 's report, City staff note that the terms of reference for the Municipal Autonomy and Effective Local Governance Program Advisory Body did not include a mandate to provide legal advice to the City but included a consideration of the legislative requirements and constitutional considerations for a city charter. As such, Part 3 is informational in nature and should not be interpreted as constituting legal advice to the City of Toronto.

To support staff's assessment and review of the Municipal Autonomy and Effective Local Governance Program Advisory Body 's report, the City Manager recommends that the Executive Committee direct the City Manager, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to report back to the Executive Committee in the third quarter of 2027 with an analysis of the findings and recommendations outlined in the report from the Municipal Autonomy and Effective Local Governance Program Advisory Body included as Attachment 1 to this report.

There are no financial impacts arising from this report.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the information as presented in the Financial Impact Section.