The Ontario government on Thursday introduced new legislation empowering municipalities to remove politicians from office for serious misconduct. Under the proposed Municipal Accountability Act (Bill 241), municipal officials found guilty of such conduct could face dismissal and be disqualified from seeking re-election.
The legislation, introduced by Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Paul Calandra, aims to address gaps in existing laws that critics argue fail to hold municipal politicians accountable for actions undermining public trust. Under the proposed legislation, the process for removal and disqualification entails the municipal integrity commissioner first recommending the removal of the councilor. Afterward, Ontario’s integrity commissioner must agree, and councilors other than the member in question must all unanimously agree to it in a vote.
Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) president and Westport Mayor Robin Jones emphasized the importance of accountability in local government, stating:
Municipal councils in Ontario have asked for legislation that holds elected officials to a higher standard of accountability. 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. We commend Minister Calandra for getting to this point.
Advocates for stronger accountability measures, such as Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM), have praised the legislation as a step forward in restoring public confidence in municipal governance. Critics have expressed concern over the requirement of a unanimous vote, claiming it is too high a bar to overcome. Emily McIntosh with Women of Ontario Say No highlighted this issue, saying:
If you require unanimous support at the council level, it means that one person who has a personal relationship with another person can undermine the recommendation of the provincial integrity commissioner for removal. It also is extremely inefficient from a taxpayer perspective, which means we’re investing as taxpayers into this great process to make things consistent, only to see it potentially risk being non-actionable because one person doesn’t like the outcome.
In Canada, municipalities are created by the provinces under Section 92(8) of the Constitution Act, which grants provincial legislatures the exclusive authority to make laws relating to municipal institutions in the province subject to limited exceptions. Municipalities currently have limited mechanisms to discipline or remove elected officials, even in cases of serious ethical breaches.
The announcement comes amid growing public scrutiny of local governance across Ontario, including high-profile cases of ethical violations by municipal politicians. It also comes after Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the introduction of new legislation to grant municipalities expanded powers to dismantle homelessness encampments. Moreover, the legislation has been introduced in the wake of authorities investigating the provincial government in January 2023 for the government’s decision to open protected green belt lands to housing developments. If passed, the legislation could set a precedent for other provinces to adopt similar measures, reflecting a broader trend toward increasing transparency and accountability in Canadian politics.
