Mayors from around the GTA meeting in Toronto on Tuesday were caught off guard after an announcement from the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing informed them the Ford PC government will conduct a review of regional governments.

Both Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown were in attendance at the meeting in Toronto when the news broke, with Toronto Mayor John Tory saying Crombie read it aloud to the group midway through the conference.

According to a release from the ministry on Tuesday (Jan. 15), the review will encompass 82 upper- and lower-tier municipalities including Peel Region, which is made up of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon.

Crombie told the Mississauga News she’s in favour of the review, voicing her desire to see her city leave Peel Region and go it alone.

“I have been clear for a while that it’s time to re-evaluate Mississauga’s relationship with the Region of Peel and whether or not it makes financial sense for our city,” she said in a written statement. “As Ontario’s third largest city with a population approaching 800,000, it’s time for Mississauga to be able to control its own destiny as a single-tier city much like other large cities in Ontario including Ottawa, Hamilton, Windsor and London.

“As the largest tax base in Peel, we must ensure our taxpayers’ hard-earned money goes toward our city building priorities, including breaking gridlock and maintaining aging infrastructure,” she added.

Brampton’s new mayor was similarly open to the review and told reporters at a news conference after the announcement that he didn’t believe the announcement had anything to do with his ongoing feud with Premier Doug Ford and the PC Party he led only a year ago.

"I think it's important not to read too much into the announcement. This is a promise for consultations on regional governance, this is something the government had signalled a few months ago. So, I don't think it's a significant surprise," Brown told The Brampton Guardian. "I think the people that (have been) chosen to head the review have strong reputations in municipal governance.

"I think there was disappointment from municipal leaders in the summer when the changes to Toronto were made unilaterally. I think the government is actually showing they've learned a lesson from that because this time they are seeking input and consultation," he added.

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) also released a statement on Tuesday, indicating it will be monitoring the review process.