The Ontario government introduced legislation Thursday that would allow municipalities to remove councillors from office for serious professional misconduct, part of a bid to set uniform standards of accountability across the province.
If passed, the Municipal Accountability Act, 2024 would enable the creation of a standard municipal code of conduct, require code-of-conduct training for councillors and certain local board members, and establish a consistent inquiry process for integrity commissioners, the government said. Under the proposed legislation, a councillor could be removed and barred from serving again if found in serious breach of the new code of conduct, but only following the recommendation of the municipal integrity commissioner, a matching report from Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner, and a unanimous vote of council.
“We had to make sure we got this right, which is why we worked with Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “This process will support consistent accountability.”
The government also introduced the Peel Transition Implementation Act, 2024, which would move key public works services from Peel Region to Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon by July 1, 2026. The measure would transfer roads, stormwater infrastructure, some waste collection services, and community recycling centres to the three cities. Ontario’s Provincial Land and Development Facilitator advisory agency would work with the municipalities during the transition, the government said.
“Municipal councils in Ontario have asked for legislation that holds elected officials to a higher standard of accountability,” said Robin Jones, president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and mayor of Westport. “If passed, this bill would deliver on ensuring that as members of council, we are living up to the trust that residents put in us.”
