Bill 241 explained in plain English
Municipal Accountability Act, 2024
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
The Municipal Accountability Act, 2024 amends the City of Toronto Act, 2006 and the Municipal Act, 2001 to establish new procedures for codes of conduct for municipal officials, including investigations and potential removal from office.
Bill 241, also known as the Municipal Accountability Act, 2024, makes changes to how codes of conduct for municipal councillors and local board members are handled in Ontario. It introduces new procedures for investigating alleged contraventions of these codes. The Act clarifies the roles and responsibilities of municipal integrity commissioners and the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario in conducting inquiries and making recommendations. It also outlines the process for municipalities to consider these recommendations, including potential consequences like removal from office and disqualification from future service if a serious contravention is found.
- Amends the City of Toronto Act, 2006 and the Municipal Act, 2001.
- Establishes new processes for codes of conduct for municipal councillors and local board members.
- Defines the roles of municipal Integrity Commissioners and the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario in code of conduct inquiries.
- Outlines the process for recommending and voting on the removal of a member from office if a serious contravention of the code of conduct is found.
- Specifies consequences for contraventions, including potential removal from office and disqualification from future service.
- Introduces new regulations regarding education and training for Integrity Commissioners.
- Modifies existing provisions related to inquiries and reports concerning municipal conduct.
- Members of City Council in Toronto.
- Members of local boards (restricted definition) in Toronto.
- Municipal councillors in municipalities across Ontario.
- Members of local boards in municipalities across Ontario.
- Municipal Integrity Commissioners.
- The Integrity Commissioner of Ontario.
- City Council of Toronto.
- Municipal councils across Ontario.
- Local boards in Toronto.
- Local boards in municipalities across Ontario.
- The public, through their confidence in municipal governance.
- Municipal Integrity Commissioners may recommend to the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario that a member's seat be declared vacant if specific criteria for a serious contravention are met.
- The Integrity Commissioner of Ontario must conduct an inquiry upon receiving such a recommendation and report to council with a decision.
- City councils (or municipal councils) must vote on the recommendation from the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario to declare a seat vacant within 30 days.
- If a recommendation is approved, the member is removed and disqualified for four years.
- If a recommendation is not approved, the member remains in office, and certain penalties cannot be imposed.
- The Integrity Commissioner of Ontario is required to provide education and training to municipal Integrity Commissioners.
- Members of council and local boards are required to comply with the prescribed code of conduct and to take education and training on it.
- The Act received Royal Assent on December 12, 2024, and came into force on that day, except for the Schedules.
- The Schedules to the Act come into force on a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor.
- If a recommendation to declare a seat vacant is approved, the member is removed from office and disqualified from being a member of city council or any local board for a four-year period.
- If a recommendation is not approved, the member remains in office, and the city council and local board cannot impose penalties described in subsection 160 (5) of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 or subsection 223.4 (5) of the Municipal Act, 2001.
- The bill does not specify the exact content of the codes of conduct, which will be prescribed by regulations.
- The bill allows for regulations to prescribe content requirements, standards, and process requirements for inquiries and recommendations.
- The bill does not specify the exact education and training that the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario must provide to municipal Integrity Commissioners.
- The bill states that inquiries may be terminated if not completed before nomination day for a regular election, with provisions for commencing another inquiry.
- The specific timing for the proclamation of the Schedules to come into force is not provided.
Amends Part V of the Act concerning codes of conduct for city council members and local boards. It changes the definition of 'code of conduct', introduces new functions for the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario, and establishes a process for recommendations regarding the vacancy of a member's seat.
Source: SCHEDULE 1, Section 1(1), Section 1(2), Section 2, Section 3, Section 4, Section 5, Section 6, Section 7, Section 8
Amends Part V.1 of the Act concerning codes of conduct for municipal councils and local boards. It changes the definition of 'code of conduct', introduces new functions for the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario, and establishes a process for recommendations regarding the vacancy of a member's seat.
Source: SCHEDULE 2, Section 1(1), Section 1(2), Section 2, Section 3, Section 4, Section 5, Section 6, Section 7, Section 8
Amends provisions related to the powers that the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario may exercise when conducting inquiries.
Source: SCHEDULE 1, Section 9; SCHEDULE 2, Section 9
Is referenced as the source for the appointment of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario.
Source: SCHEDULE 1, Section 1(2); SCHEDULE 2, Section 1(2)
Is referenced for defining nomination day and voting day in relation to inquiries.
Source: SCHEDULE 1, Section 160.0.1 (3), Section 160.0.2 (5), Section 160.0.2 (6); SCHEDULE 2, Section 223.4.0.1 (3), Section 223.4.0.2 (5), Section 223.4.0.2 (6)
Is referenced regarding pecuniary interests that may exclude a member from voting on a recommendation to declare a seat vacant.
Source: SCHEDULE 1, Section 160.0.4 (3), Section 160.0.4 (4); SCHEDULE 2, Section 223.4.0.4 (3), Section 223.4.0.4 (4)
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
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Vote Summary
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Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
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