Integrity Commissioner

As part of the City’s continued commitment to enhancing openness and accountability in Richmond Hill, Council has adopted a Council Code of Conduct and appoints an Integrity Commissioner to make sure the Code is being followed. Our current Integrity Commissioner services are provided by Investigation Counsel as represented by Norman J. Groot.

Council Code of Conduct

Council unanimously adopted a Council Code of Conduct on March 8, 2010, which was amended on November 12, 2012. Council adopted a revised Code of Conduct on September 12, 2018. The Council Code of Conduct provides guidance on issues related to the acceptance of gifts and benefits, confidential information, Council-staff relations and the use of municipal property.

Integrity Commissioner

The Integrity Commissioner's duties include providing impartial, third party, professional advice to Council and responding to any compliance issues and matters relating to their ethical responsibilities and obligations under the Code, as well as educating and advising the community of the same. The Integrity Commissioner follows the Integrity Commissioner Procedures adopted by Council on September 12, 2018.

For information respecting the Integrity Commissioner and/or Council Code of Conduct, contact Clerks at clerks@richmondhill.ca.

Formal complaints

You can submit a complaint when you have information about a Member of Council not following the Code of Conduct. Complaints must be filed within six weeks of you becoming aware of the complaint, and no more than six months after an alleged violation has occurred. 

To file a complaint fill out a Code of Conduct Complaint Form and Affidavit. The complaint form includes an affidavit that must be sworn or affirmed in front of a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits or Notary Public. You are also required to complete and submit a Consent and Confidentiality Agreement. Sworn or affirmed complaint forms marked "CONFIDENTIAL" can be sent to the Office of the Clerk at:

Office of the Clerk staff can also provide in-person assistance, including the swearing of the affidavit during regular business hours.

Municipal Conflict of Interest Act Inquiries

The Municipal Act has been amended to allow an eligible elector, or a person demonstrably acting in the public interest, to request the Integrity Commissioner to conduct an inquiry of an alleged contravention of sections 5, 5.1 or 5.2 of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act by a member of Council. An application may only be made within six weeks of the applicant becoming aware of the alleged contravention by the Member or, if the applicant became aware of the alleged contravention during the Election Period, within six weeks after the day after Voting Day in a regular election.

If you would like the Integrity Commissioner to conduct an inquiry of an alleged contravention of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, you are required to complete a Municipal Conflict of Interest Act Inquiry Application form. This form includes a statutory declaration that must be signed in front of a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits or Notary Public. The Office of the Clerk can provide in-person assistance, including completing the statutory declaration during regular business hours. 

Contact the Office of the Clerk for more information about our current Integrity Commissioner, Integrity Commissioner Annual Reports and the Council Code of Conduct.