Integrity Commissioner

The City of Burlington's Integrity Commissioner provides accountability services to the City. The commissioner's role is to support the City's ethical framework by providing advice and education on:

• The application of the Code of Good Governance for Council members and the Code of Conduct for local boards and committees
• City policies, procedures, protocols and rules relating to the ethical conduct of members of Council and members of the City's local boards
• Matters relating to the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Where it is in the public interest to do so, the commissioner will also conduct inquiries in response to complaints regarding whether a member of Council or a local board has contravened the Code of Good Governance, City policies, procedures, protocols and rules relating to ethical conduct.

The City has currently appointed Principles Integrity to act as its Integrity Commissioner.

Informal inquiries and complaints

If you have identified or witnessed behaviour or activity by a member of Council or a local board that contravenes the Code of Good Governance, Code of Conduct for Local Boards and Committees, Municipal Conflict of Interest Act or a policy governing ethical behaviour, you may informally address your concern by:

• Advising the member that their behaviour or activity appears to contravene the applicable standard
• Encouraging the member to stop the prohibited behaviour or activity
• Keeping a written record of the incidents, including dates, times, locations, other persons present and any other relevant information
• Confirming to the member your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their response to your concern, if applicable
• Considering the need to pursue the matter under a formal inquiry procedure (detailed below)

We encourage you to first pursue this informal complaint procedure, before proceeding to a formal complaint, to stop or remedy the prohibited behaviour or activity. You do not have to make an informal complaint before moving on to the formal complaint procedure.

Formal inquiries and complaints

If you have identified or seen behaviour or activity by a member of Council or a local board that contravenes the Code of Good Governance, Code of Conduct for Local Boards and Committees, Municipal Conflict of Interest Act or a policy governing ethical behaviour, you may submit a formal complaint to the Integrity Commissioner at:

Principles Integrity
Attention: Jeffrey A. Abrams and Janice Atwood-Petkovski
Phone: 647-259-8697
Email: postoffice@principlesintegrity.org

Please include the following information:

• Name of municipality
• Complainant's name, mailing address, phone number and email address
• Nature and background of the particular occurrence, including a concise explanation as to why the issue raised may be a contravention of the Code of Good Governance, Code of Conduct for Local Boards and Committees, an identified City policy governing ethical behaviour or the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, and any and all evidence in support of the allegation
• Any activities undertaken to resolve the concern
• Any other relevant information
• Original signature

For more information about Integrity Commissioner formal inquiries and complaints, please contact Principles Integrity.