The Standing Committee on Social Policy completed its review of Bill 68 this week, and ordered it for third reading with a number of amendments. Notably the committee removed the provision in Bill 68 that would allow integrity commissioners to conduct investigations on their own initiative. This change was recommended by AMCTO in our submission on Bill 68 and strongly supported by our members:

Some of the other amendments made by the committee include:

• Requiring municipalities to indemnify their integrity commissioners (ICs)

• Phasing-in the provision changing the start of a new term of council from December 1st to November 15th. This change will not take effect until 2022, and as a result the next term of council will run from December 1st, 2018 to November 14th, 2022. 

• Not allowing councillors or members of local boards to participate electronically in meetings if they are closed to the public

• Requiring that an integrity commissioner investigation not completed by election day be terminated, and not allowing new investigations to be launched during this period

• Changing the provision that would allow for “any person” to be able to request an inquiry under the MCIA, to any “elector, as defined in section 1 of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, or person demonstrably acting in the public good.”

• Requiring that applications for integrity commissioner investigations of alleged breaches of the MCIA may only be made within six weeks of the applicant becoming aware of the alleged contravention

• Imposing several limitations to the replacement of a member of upper-tier council, including

  • Not appointing more than one alternate member during the term of council (however, if the seat of the member who has been appointed as an alternate becomes vacant, the council can appoint a different member to serve as the alternate)

  • Not appointing an alternate member to act in place of an alternate member appointed under subsection 267

  • Not appointing an alternate head of council of the upper-tier municipality

• Extending the new requirement for municipalities to adopt and maintain a policy for pregnancy and parental leaves to school boards and their members

For more:

Bill 68, as Amended by Committee 

Government Releases Changes to Municipal Legislation 

Annotated Versions of MA and MCIA, as Amended by Bill 68 (before committee review) 

AMCTO Releases Submission on Bill 68