CENTRAL MANITOULIN—Council passed a motion during its February meeting to engage the firm of Weaver-Simmons LLP, with Zachary Courtemanche as primary contact, as the Central Manitoulin integrity commissioner. Every Ontario municipality was required to have appointed an integrity commissioner by March 1.
“It is a mandatory requirement for council, even if we might not think we need it,” said Mayor Richard Stephens.
“It is good that we have someone appointed to this commission,” supplied Councillor Derek Stephens.
The Modernizing Ontario’s Municipal Legislation Act, 2017, often referred to as Bill 68, mandated the creation of integrity commissioners in every municipality. Integrity commissioners have powers of investigation to rule on the actions of councillors and have the ability to suggest sanctions to councils that include suspension of council renumeration for up to 90 days.
Integrity commissioners deal solely with councils and their members, not with municipal staff.
The motion passed through council unanimously.
