Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Monday that he plans to expand what are called strong mayor powers to include municipalities other than Toronto and Ottawa as a way to build more housing.

Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark introduced legislation last week that would give the mayors of Ontario’s two largest cities veto power over bylaws that conflict with provincial priorities, such as housing construction.

Speaking at the Ontario Municipalities Association’s annual conference in Ottawa, Ford said the legislation would equip these mayors with additional tools to advance provincial priorities.

He said building more homes is at the top of the list.

Explaining, “In the coming months, we will have more information on how to expand these tools to include other municipalities so that more municipal leaders like you can help build Ontario.”

The legislation introduced last week would allow mayors to override council approval of a bylaw, such as a zoning bylaw, that would block a range of regional priorities to be defined later in regulations.

Examples of priorities given by government officials include the goal of building 1.5 million homes in 10 years and building critical infrastructure, and council can override the mayor’s veto with a two-thirds majority vote.

The legislation would also give mayors the responsibility of preparing and setting their city’s budget, rather than the council, and appointing and dismissing the chief administrative officer and department heads, except for statutory appointments such as the auditor general, police chief, or fire chief.

Toronto Mayor John Tory supports the idea, although the outgoing current mayor of Ottawa does not support the idea, nor do two of his competitors to replace him.

On the other hand, mayors of other large cities have expressed interest in such powers.