Integrity Commissioner

The Integrity Commissioner is an independent and impartial position reporting directly to Council.

Roles

Advisory role

The Integrity Commissioner provides confidential written and oral advice to the Mayor, Councillors and Local Board appointees about their own situations respecting the Code of Conduct for Members of Council and Local Boards and other by-laws, policies and procedures governing ethical behavior, including general advice about the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

The Integrity Commissioner also provides opinions and reports to Council and Local Boards (Restricted Definition), on issues of ethics and integrity.

Investigative role

Complaints about breaches of the Code of Conduct are made to the Integrity Commissioner pursuant to the Council approved Complaint Protocol. Complaints can be dealt with through a formal or informal process. When carrying out a formal complaint investigation, the Commissioner can summon evidence and examine witnesses under oath.

Should the Integrity Commissioner find a contravention, he can recommend various penalties for imposition by Council. The available penalties range from suspension of remuneration to a reprimand or apology.

Educational role

The Integrity Commissioner is responsible for providing educational programs to members of Council and Local Boards. This is carried out in group settings, one-on-one meetings, annual reporting and through this web page.

How to file a complaint regarding a member of Council or Local Board

Any individual who has identified or witnessed behaviour or activity by a Member that appears to be in contravention of the Code of Conduct may address his or her concerns through the formal complaint process set out below:

All formal complaints must be made using the Formal Complaint Form and Affidavit (Schedule A) [FORM LINK?] and shall be dated and signed by the complainant;
The complaint must include a concise explanation as to why the issue raised may be a contravention of the Code of Conduct and any and all evidence in support of the allegation must be included with the Complaints Form/Affidavit;
Any witnesses in support of the allegation must be identified on the Complaint Form/Affidavit;
The Complaint Form/Affidavit must include the name of the Member alleged to have breached the Code of Conduct, the section of the Code of Conduct allegedly contravened, the date, time and location of the alleged contravention and any and all other information as required on the Complaint Form/Affidavit;
The complaint shall be filed with the Integrity Commissioner who shall confirm that the information is complete;
The Integrity Commissioner will determine whether the matter is, on its face, a complaint with respect to compliance with the Code of Conduct and is not covered by any other applicable legislation or policy; and
The Integrity Commissioner may, but shall not be obligated, to request additional information from the complainant.

Applicable documents