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Mississippi Mills council is being asked to provide feedback to the province on new rules governing municipal codes of conduct and accountability.
Staff recommended that Committee of the Whole direct comments to Queen’s Park by October 2nd, including allowing municipalities to strengthen a standardized Code of Conduct with additional provisions based on local expertise.
The report also recommended that decisions to declare a councillor’s seat vacant be made by a judge of the Ontario Superior Court, rather than through a municipal council vote.
A third recommendation calls for a range of disciplinary options for Integrity Commissioners to consider when dealing with Code of Conduct violations.
The recommendations follow the province’s passage of Bill 9, the Municipal Accountability Act, which received Royal Assent June 2nd. The new regulations are proposed to take effect November 15th, at the beginning of new municipal councils’ terms.
The province’s proposed standardized Code of Conduct would cover areas including gifts and hospitality, use of influence, municipal property and resources, confidential information, respectful conduct, harassment, discrimination and violence.
Staff say standardization could create greater consistency across Ontario, but municipalities with stronger existing codes could lose the ability to address local concerns. The proposed legislation would also establish a standardized complaint and investigation process, with Integrity Commissioners generally required to complete inquiries within 120 days.
Under the new system, a recommendation to remove a councillor would ultimately require a unanimous vote of eligible council members. The report notes some municipal organizations are seeking a lower voting threshold, while others favour having a judge make the final decision. Deputy Mayor Rickey Minnille wondered if the current judge shortage in the Province, would make timely decisions unlikely.
Council members would also face mandatory Code of Conduct training within their first five months in office, followed by annual training.
Story by Brian Turner
