Ontario councillors could be fired for code of conduct violations under new legislation

Ontario bolsters disciplinary sanctions for municipal councillor violations.

The Ford government is planning to crackdown on municipal councillors found violating codes of conduct, introducing stiffer measures that could see a councillor forcibly removed.

On Thursday, the province re-introduced legislation that was brought forward prior to Ontario’s election, proposing changes through the Municipality Accountability Act.

The proposed legislation intends to standardize codes of conduct and training across Ontario and a consistent integrity commissioner inquiry process for councils to utilize.

For more serious violations, a sitting municipal councillor could face being kicked off council for a four-year period under Ontario’s proposal.

“I think this is a positive step forward by the province, to have consistency throughout,” said Oro-Medonte Mayor Randy Greenlaw.

Earlier this year, Oro-Medonte’s integrity commissioner delivered three reports, in which one unnamed councillor was docked 90 days’ pay by their fellow councillors for violating the township’s code of conduct.

Greenlaw said he’s particularly encouraged by the education piece in Ontario’s proposal.

“We all make mistakes, and we need to embrace those mistakes, take ownership of them and learn from them,” he said. “I think that’s the whole part of the process.”

Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac said he too is welcoming of the province trying to create consistency among the various councils but worries some of the process comes up short.

For a councillor to be effectively fired from their term, the municipality’s integrity commissioner must find fault, followed by Ontario’s integrity commissioner. A unanimous vote among council members must also take place to forcibly remove the individual, barring them from holding office for a four-year term.

“Maybe if it was two thirds of council at the end, that would be helpful,” McIsaac told CTV News. “But I think at some point there needs to be some sort of accountability at the end that says if the behaviour is egregious, there’s a remedy here and you can have a four-year holiday.”

The Ford government said it would be consulting with the municipal sector to determine more of the framework within the legislation, before it is put in place.

The province said it intends to have it go in effect by the time the next council term begins in 2026.