Brampton council votes to stay in Peel region with no change in government

Councillors in Brampton, Ont., have voted unanimously to maintain the city’s two-tiered governance structure amid a provincial review of dozens of municipalities.

At a special meeting Tuesday evening, Brampton councillors voted in favour of keeping both the city’s own municipal government and the wider Region of Peel government in place.

A statement from the city says the decision was made “to protect the taxpayers of Peel Region,” adding that dissolving the regional government would cost residents more.

It says the decision has been submitted to the special advisers leading the provincial review, who began their work in December and are set to make recommendations to the province this summer.

Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark said in January that the government isn’t ruling out amalgamations as it reviews 82 municipalities across the province.

Councillors in Mississauga, Ont., hope the city can become independent of Peel Region, while those in Caledon have voted to hold public consultations on the issue.