The Integrity Commissioner is responsible for providing elected officials and members of the public with advice, general information and guidance around:

Complaint procedures

If you have identified or witnessed a behaviour or activity by a Member of Council that you believe contravenes the Council Code of Conduct or Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, you can submit a complaint.

Informal complaints

You may wish to address this action or behaviour in an informal manner. For example, you can reach out directly to the Member of Council and:

  • Advise them that the behaviour or activity contravenes the Code of Conduct
  • Encourage them to stop the prohibited behaviour or activity

We also recommend that you keep a written record of the incident(s) including:

  • Dates
  • Times
  • Locations
  • List of individuals present
  • Other relevant information
This way, if you choose to file a formal complaint later, you have clearly documented the incident. We encourage you to pursue an informal complaint procedure as a means of stopping or changing the behaviour or activity that is prohibited by the Code. However, an informal complaint is not a prerequisite for filing a formal complaint.

Formal complaints

If you couldn’t find a resolution through an informal complaint, or if you chose not to pursue an informal complaint, you can file a formal complaint. You can submit a formal complaint by email directly to the Integrity Commissioner.

All formal complaints should contain the following information:

  • Name of the municipality
  • Your name, mailing address, phone number and email address
  • Detailed description of the behaviour or action and why it contravened the Code of Conduct or Municipal Conflict of Interest Act
  • Any and all evidence to support the allegation
  • Any activities undertaken (if any) to resolve the concern prior to submitting a formal complaint
  • Any additional information
  • Your signature

Role of the Integrity Commissioner

The Integrity Commissioner ensures that all elected officials conduct themselves in an ethical manner. This includes making sure they follow the guidelines set out in the Code of Conduct and Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

They are also responsible for:

  • Conducting inquiries into whether a Member of Council has contravened the Code of Conduct or section 5 of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act
  • Providing opinions on policy matters and making reports to council as requested on issues of ethics and integrity
  • Providing educational information and training to Council and members of the public on matters related to the Code of Conduct, Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and issues of ethics and integrity
  • Maintaining custody and control of all complaint and inquiry files and, on completion of their appointment, transfer all open files to the incoming Integrity Commissioner appointed by council
  • Providing other services related to ethical and integrity matters as assigned by council or as may be required under the Municipal Act