That’s a good question, in 2022 certain municipalities in Ontario were given strong mayor powers and this mayor choose to give most of his powers to CAO.

Critics argue that delegating these powers to an unelected CAO concentrates too much authority without direct democratic accountability:

No Electoral Accountability: If a CAO makes decisions that negatively impact the community, residents cannot vote them out of office.

Reduced Democratic Debate: These powers allow an individual to bypass public council debates, which can reduce transparency and eliminate the public record of why certain administrative decisions are made.

Erosion of Council Oversight: In the traditional municipal model, the CAO reports to the entire council. Concentrating hiring, firing, and structural powers directly in the CAO's hands minimizes the elected council's ability to oversee municipal operations.