Ontario’s proposed legislation aimed at cracking down on misconduct by municipal politicians has officially passed third reading at Queen’s Park and is now awaiting royal assent.
Bill 9, known as the Municipal Accountability Act, passed by a vote of 110 to one on Tuesday. The legislation would establish standardized municipal codes of conduct across Ontario and give municipalities the power to remove councillors found guilty of serious misconduct.
Under the legislation, complaints would first be investigated by a local integrity commissioner. If serious violations are found, the matter could then be referred to Ontario’s integrity commissioner before ultimately returning to council for a final vote on possible removal from office.
Any removal would require a unanimous vote from all council members not involved in the complaint.
Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady cast the only vote against the bill.
Brady has argued elected officials should ultimately be accountable to voters rather than fellow politicians and has previously called for the elimination of integrity commissioners altogether, suggesting senior municipal staff could instead oversee complaint processes.
Supporters of the legislation say municipalities have long needed stronger tools to deal with serious allegations involving harassment, ethics breaches, and misconduct.
Critics, however, argue the unanimous vote requirement could make it extremely difficult to actually remove councillors from office even in serious cases.
The province says it hopes to have the legislation in place ahead of Ontario’s next municipal elections this fall.
