Legislation to Strengthen Local Governance

New measures would establish a standardized municipal code of conduct

The Ontario government introduced legislation that would, if passed, strengthen municipal governance and accountability as well as give Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon the tools they need to provide high-quality services to local taxpayers as these municipalities continue to grow.

Ontario is proposing changes through the Municipal Accountability Act, 2024 that, if passed, would enable the creation of a new, standardized municipal code of conduct, an integrity commissioner inquiry process that would be consistent throughout the province, and mandatory code of conduct training for members of council and certain local boards.

“We had to make sure we got this right, which is why we worked with Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner to find the best path forward to create a standardized code of conduct process across the province,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “This process will support consistent accountability across our municipalities.”

If passed, the changes would include a penalty of removing and disqualifying a member from office if they are in serious violation of the proposed code. Removal and disqualification could only occur upon the recommendation of the municipal integrity commissioner, a concurring report from the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario and a unanimous vote of council, with the exception of the member who is the subject of the report, members whose absence is approved by council or members who have a financial conflict of interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

The government also introduced the Peel Transition Implementation Act, 2024 which would, if passed, transfer the delivery of key public works services from the Region of Peel to Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon. The proposed changes, which would provide these municipalities with greater independence to meet the needs of their growing communities, include transferring jurisdiction and responsibility for the following services, effective July 1, 2026:

• Regional roads and associated stormwater infrastructure, including ownership and maintenance responsibilities, from the Region of Peel to Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon.
• Waste collection services and two community recycling centres located in Mississauga from the Region of Peel to the City of Mississauga.

These changes would build on the previously enacted transfer of land-use planning responsibilities to Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon on July 1, 2024.

To support the Region of Peel and the municipalities through this important transition, Ontario’s Provincial Land and Development Facilitator (PLDF) advisory agency will work with the municipalities to facilitate the process for service transfers. The costs of the PLDF’s services will be covered by the province.

The proposed changes in the Peel Transition Implementation Act, 2024 came through engagement with a wide range of stakeholders beginning in summer 2023, including the affected municipalities, provincial ministries, industry groups, community agencies and subject matter experts, led by the Peel Region Transition Board.