Integrity Commissioner and Ontario Ombudsman

• Investigate complaints and alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members of Council and Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.
• Review the Code of Conduct for Members of Council and make recommendations on an annual basis.
• The Integrity Commissioner is available to both give advice to members of Council or Local Boards, as well as to investigate MCIA applications.
• Serve as an advisor to individual Members of Council in relation to the Code of Conduct and any procedures, rules and policies of the municipality governing ethical behaviour, and act as a proactive educator for Council, the Civic Administration and the public.
• Provide reports to Council, summarizing his activities.
• Provide individual investigative reports, as required, which will include background concerning a complaint and recommendations to Municipal Council with respect to a complaint

Aird & Berlis LLP

Suite 1800, 181 Bay Street

Toronto, ON  M5J 2T9

The City of London has appointed Aird & Berlis LLP as its Integrity Commissioner.

The Integrity Commissioner is an independent accountability officer and will give consideration to eligible complaints about the ethical behaviour of a member of London City Council or one of its local boards.  Eligible complaints generally pertain to an alleged breach of the applicable Code of Conduct or the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, but do not include complaints exclusively about operational matters or policy decisions of Council.

Formal Complaint Form

Statutory Declaration for Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Where appropriate and before filing a complaint, complainants are encouraged to approach the member of Council/local board member involved to seek an informal resolution of the matter that concerns them.

Formal complaints are to be sent directly to the Integrity Commissioner and must include the following information:

• Your name, address, email address , and telephone number

[Note: your name, in most cases, will be disclosed to the member involved so that they can adequately prepare a response to the complaint.  If you believe there are reasons why your name should not be disclosed, please contact the Integrity Commissioner before filing your complaint.]

• The name of the Council/local board member involved
• The reasonable grounds upon which you formed your opinion that the member has breached the applicable standard of behaviour, with sufficient detail to enable the Integrity Commissioner to assess the matter
• The impact or importance of the breach

Formal complaints should be sent directly to the Integrity Commissioner by email to mcowan@airdberlis.com.  Queries about the complaint process should be sent to the same email address, including about whether a complaint may be filed in a different manner.  If you are unable to use email to contact the Integrity Commissioner, please contact them at 416-865-4722.

The Integrity Commissioner will exercise discretion to determine whether a complaint will result in a formal investigation, and how that investigation might be conducted.

If as a result of a complaint the Integrity Commissioner makes findings of breach of an ethical standard, and determines it is in the public interest to report on the matter, a public report to Council will be issued.  In most cases the names of complainants are not disclosed in a public report.

Where the Integrity Commissioner determines that the matter is capable of resolution without issuance of a public report, a disposition letter will be issued to the complainant explaining how that determination was reached.  The respondent member of Council/local board member will also, in most cases, be advised of the reasons for disposition.

For any questions about the complaint process please contact the Integrity Commissioner at mcowan@airdberlis.com.

Contact Information:

Aird & Berlis LLP

Suite 1800, 181 Bay Street Toronto, ON  M5J 2T9

Attention: Meghan Cowan

Telephone: 416-865-4722

Email: mcowan@airdberlis.com

Administrative Assistant: Megan Stevens - 416-865-7789, ext. 2528

1. Upon written notification from the Ontario Ombudsman of the intent to commence an investigation related to a matter under the Ontario Ombudsman’s jurisdiction, the City Clerk, or their designate, shall advise Members of Council of the investigation by email, with a copy to the City Manager.
2. After Members of Council have been advised of the Ontario Ombudsman’s intent to conduct an investigation, the City Clerk, or their designate, shall notify the public that the City of London has received notice of an Ombudsman investigation and the general nature of the complaint, by posting the information on the City of London’s website.
3. In accordance with section 18(2) of the Ombudsman Act R.S.O. 1990 c.O.6, no further details of the investigation shall be released to the public, in order to uphold the legislated privacy requirements.

1. Upon receipt of the Final Report of the Ontario Ombudsman regarding an investigation, the City Clerk, or their designate, shall circulate the Final Report to Members of Council by email, with a copy to the City Manager.
2. After Members of Council have been provided a copy of the Final Report, the City Clerk, or their designate, shall provide a copy of the Final Report to the public by posting the Final Report on the City of London’s website.
3. The City Clerk, or their designate, will make the necessary arrangements to place the Final Report on the next available appropriate Standing Committee Agenda for formal consideration and receipt by the Municipal Council.