Ontario is getting new rules and laws in May
A few new laws and regulations in Ontario will be going into effect next month that will impact municipal governments across the province, as well as how everyday residents access dental care.
From eligibility expansions to increased powers for mayors, here are the key changes you need to be aware of.
Here are all the new laws, regulations, and proposals that could come into effect in May 2025.
Expansion of Canadian Dental Care Plan
The federal government is officially expanding the Canadian Dental Care Plan to include millions of new eligible Canadians. Applications are set to open next month by age group, starting with residents between 55 to 64 years old on May 1.
Applications for residents between 18 to 34 years old will open on May 15, and those between 35 to 54 years old can submit their application starting on May 29.
To qualify for the plan, you must not have access to dental insurance, have filed your individual 2024 tax return in Canada, have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000, and be a Canadian resident for tax purposes.
Coverage is set to start as early as June 1, 2025, and, as with previous cohorts, eligible Canadians will be able to apply online, by phone, or by visiting a Service Canada Centre.
Expansion of strong mayor powers
The provincial government is proposing to expand strong mayor powers to the heads of council in 169 additional municipalities starting on May 1, 2025, to help deliver on provincial priorities, including building more homes and transit.
“This significant expansion reflects Ontario’s commitment to streamline local governance and help ensure municipalities have the tools they need to reduce obstacles that can stand in the way of new housing and infrastructure development,” a news release from the province reads.
The powers would allow heads of council within single- and lower-tier municipalities with councils of six members or more to support shared provincial-municipal priorities, which include encouraging approval for new housing.
Strong mayor powers, which were initially introduced for Toronto in 2022, have been gradually rolled out across the province, and there are currently 47 municipalities across Ontario with these enhanced powers.
Strong mayor powers and duties include choosing to appoint the municipality’s chief administrative officer, hiring certain municipal department heads, proposing the municipal budget, proposing certain municipal bylaws, and vetoing certain bylaws.
The following heads of council could get access to strong mayor powers, effective May 1, 2025:
- Township of Adjala-Tosorontio
- Town of Amherstburg
- Town of Arnprior
- Municipality of Arran-Elderslie
- Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh
- Township of Athens
- Town of Atikokan
- Town of Aylmer
- Town of Bancroft
- Township of Black River-Matheson
- Town of Blind River
- Municipality of Bluewater
- Town of Bracebridge
- County of Brant
- Municipality of Brighton
- Township of Brock
- Municipality of Brockton
- City of Brockville
- Town of Carleton Place
- Municipality of Central Elgin
- Township of Central Frontenac
- Municipality of Central Huron
- Municipality of Central Manitoulin
- Township of Centre Wellington
- Township of Champlain
- City of Clarence-Rockland
- Township of Clearview
- Town of Cobalt
- Town of Cobourg
- Town of Cochrane
- Town of Collingwood
- City of Cornwall
- Town of Deep River
- City of Dryden
- United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde
- Township of East Zorra-Tavistock
- Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley
- City of Elliot Lake
- Town of Englehart
- Town of Espanola
- Town of Essex
- Town of Fort Erie
- Town of Fort Frances
- Municipality of French River
- Town of Gananoque
- Township of Georgian Bay
- Township of Georgian Bluffs
- Town of Goderich
- Town of Gore Bay
- Town of Gravenhurst
- Town of Greater Napanee
- Municipality of Greenstone
- Municipality of Grey Highlands
- Town of Grimsby
- Town of Hanover
- Municipality of Hastings Highlands
- Town of Hawkesbury
- Town of Hearst
- Town of Huntsville
- Municipality of Huron East
- Municipality of Huron Shores
- Township of Huron-Kinloss
- Town of Ingersoll
- Town of Iroquois Falls
- Town of Kapuskasing
- City of Kenora
- Township of Killaloe, Hagarty & Richards
- Municipality of Killarney
- Municipality of Kincardine
- Township of King
- Town of Kingsville
- Town of Kirkland Lake
- Township of Lake of Bays
- Municipality of Lakeshore
- Municipality of Lambton Shores
- Township of Lanark Highlands
- Town of LaSalle
- Town of Latchford
- Township of Laurentian Valley
- Municipality of Leamington
- Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands
- Town of Lincoln
- Loyalist Township
- Township of Malahide
- Town of Mattawa
- Municipality of Meaford
- Municipality of Middlesex Centre
- Town of Midland
- Township of Minden Hills
- Town of Minto
- Municipality of Mississippi Mills
- Township of Muskoka Lakes
- The Nation Municipality
- Municipality of Neebing
- Town of New Tecumseth
- Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake
- Norfolk County
- Township of North Frontenac
- Township of North Glengarry
- Township of North Huron
- Municipality of North Middlesex
- Municipality of North Perth
- Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands
- Town of Orangeville
- City of Orillia (The City of Orillia was granted temporary strong mayor powers on April 3, 2025, to help the municipality respond to the ice storm that impacted the region in late March. These powers will become permanent on May 1, 2025.)
- Township of Oro-Medonte
- City of Owen Sound
- Town of Parry Sound
- Town of Pelham
- City of Pembroke
- Town of Penetanguishene
- Town of Perth
- Township of Perth East
- Township of Perth South
- Town of Petawawa
- Town of Petrolia
- Town of Plympton-Wyoming
- City of Port Colborne
- Municipality of Port Hope
- Town of Prescott
- County of Prince Edward
- City of Quinte West
- Town of Rainy River
- Township of Ramara
- Town of Renfrew
- Township of Rideau Lakes
- Township of Sables-Spanish Rivers
- Town of Saugeen Shores
- Township of Scugog
- Township of Seguin
- Township of Severn
- Town of Shelburne
- Municipality of Sioux Lookout
- Town of Smiths Falls
- Township of South Algonquin
- Municipality of South Bruce
- Township of South Frontenac
- Municipality of South Huron
- Township of Southgate
- Municipality of Southwest Middlesex
- Township of South-West Oxford
- Township of Springwater
- Township of St. Clair
- Town of St. Marys
- City of St. Thomas
- Township of Stone Mills
- City of Stratford
- Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc
- Township of Tay
- Tay Valley Township
- Town of Tecumseh
- Municipality of Temagami
- City of Temiskaming Shores
- Township of The Archipelago
- Town of The Blue Mountains
- Town of Thessalon
- City of Thorold
- Town of Tillsonburg
- City of Timmins
- Municipality of Trent Hills
- Township of Uxbridge
- Town of Wasaga Beach
- Municipality of West Grey
- Township of West Lincoln
- Municipality of West Nipissing
- Municipality of West Perth
- Township of Whitewater Region
- Township of Wilmot
- Township of Woolwich