Voters in Ontario municipalities will go to the polls to select mayors, councillors and school board trustees every four years instead of three under new legislation changing the rules for municipal elections.
The law, which will take effect starting with this November's municipal elections, won final approval yesterday from the Ontario Legislature.
"It's a matter of respect for our municipalities," Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said.
The government has said it wanted to bring the municipal governments under the same terms of office as their provincial and federal counterparts. However, the changes have brought heated opposition.
A group of political activists and politicians had been trying to stop the bill, saying holding fewer elections is less democratic and serves only the interests of politicians who want to put off having to face the voters.
The issue has caused divisions at Toronto City Council as well, with Mayor David Miller in favour of the change and mayoral candidate Jane Pitfield opposed.
Michael Walker was one of the Toronto councillors who spoke strongly against the bill. He called it a "politically corrupt" change that would not benefit the public.
"It's generated by elected politicians who are promoting their own self-interest and not the public interest," Mr. Walker said.
But the change was praised by Giorgio Mammoliti and Gloria Lindsay Luby, who cited the complex and time-consuming issues councillors deal with during their terms. According to the provincial New Democrats, most left-leaning members of council were in favour.
The change was included in a much larger housekeeping budget bill, leading some opponents to accuse the provincial government of trying to ram it through without any public consultation.
Opponents of the four-year term had wanted a plebiscite question on November's municipal ballot so residents could decide themselves whether their representatives should hold jobs an extra year.
Former Toronto mayor John Sewell was among those who spoke vehemently against the bill at public hearings late last week, saying the province should "back off."
Mr. Duncan denied rushing the municipal election change, saying there was adequate debate on the provision and that voters entrust him to make these sorts of decisions.
Many of those who work at the municipal level welcomed the new fixed election terms.