Expanding the Powers of Integrity Commissioners in Ontario: Sexual Violence and the Shortcomings of the Municipal Ethics Regime

Shereen Arcis, Windsor Law 3L student, Supervised Research Paper for Dr. Bruce Elman, published 27 March 2023

Trigger warning: This Paper discusses sexual violence, including sexual assault and sexual harassment, within the context of unequal power relationships

This Paper examines the powers of Integrity Commissioners in Ontario and the ways that they can be improved under the Municipal Act to allow for more appropriate sanctions, with specific reference to cases of sexual violence. The Paper begins with case studies of former Ottawa Councillor Rick Chiarelli and former Brampton Councillor Gurpreet Dhillon, followed by a discussion of the theory grounding municipal ethics regimes and a review of the history of Integrity Commissioners in Ontario. The paper then explores the Province of Ontario’s Consultation on Municipal Codes of Conduct. It concludes by proposing amendments to the Municipal Act regarding penalties that should be available for Integrity Commissioners to recommend to Council for Code of Conduct violations.

Access the full paper here.