The Ontario government is looking to strengthen municipal governance and accountability across the province.
Introduced in December, the Municipal Accountability Act 2024, if passed, would enable the creation of a standardized municipal code of conduct, a consistent integrity commissioner process and mandatory code of conduct training for council members and some local boards.
The biggest change would include a mechanism that would allow for penalties and the potential removal of an elected official from office if in serious violation of the proposed code. However, removal and disqualification could only occur upon the recommendation of the municipal integrity commissioner, a concurring report from Ontario’s integrity commissioner, and a unanimous vote of the municipal council, with the exception of the person under review.
Currently, there is no process available to municipal councils to remove elected officials found to be in serious violation of the proposed code.
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Paul Calandra said the new rules would support accountability.
“We had to make sure we got this right, which is why we worked with Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner to find the best path forward to create a standardized code of conduct process across the province,” Calandra said in a media release. “This process will support consistent accountability across our municipalities.”
The new legislation would replace the existing patchwork system that requires all of Ontario’s 444 municipal councils to write and set their own codes of conduct.
