Integrity Commissioner

The Integrity Commissioner is an independent and impartial position that reports directly to Pickering City Council and whose powers and duties are set out in the Municipal Act, 2001. Through By-law #7956/22, Council has appointed Principles Integrity as the Integrity Commissioner for the City of Pickering.

What is the role of the Integrity Commissioner?

The Integrity Commissioner carries out the following core functions:

Advisory Role

Provides confidential advice and guidance to the Mayor and Members of Council regarding questions arising from the Code of Conduct, the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and other by-laws and policies governing ethical behavior.

Educational Role

Provides educational information to Mayor and Members of Council.

Policy Role

Provides reports to City Council on issues of ethics and integrity and recommendations arising from investigations pertaining to the Code of Conduct.

Investigative Role

Provides a mechanism to receive inquires which allege a breach of ethical responsibilities and investigates, reports and makes recommendations to Council on those complaints that cannot be resolved informally, while being guided by Council’s codes, policies and protocols.

Gifts & Benefits Registry 

Under the Council Code of Conduct, there are limits and disclosure requirements for a Member of Council who receives a gift or benefit. A Member who receives a gift or benefit of value greater than $200.00, or receives from a single source, during a 12-month period, gifts and benefits of total value greater than $200.00, must within 30 days of receipt of the gift/benefit, file a Disclosure Statement with the City Clerk.

Despite anything in the Code of Conduct, a Member of Council shall not accept a Gift or Benefit of value greater than $500.00 and shall not accept from a single source during a 12-month period Gifts and Benefits of total value greater than $500.00. This dollar-limit does not apply to: 

• a political contribution offered, accepted, and reported in accordance with applicable law;
• food, lodging, transportation, or entertainment lawfully provided by a government (federal, provincial, local, or foreign) or government agency, or by a not-for-profit organization whose members are governments or government agencies (examples of such a not-for-profit organization include the Canadian Association of Nuclear Host Communities and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities);
• food, lodging, transportation, or entertainment lawfully provided by the organizer of a conference, seminar, charity fundraiser, reception, ceremony, cultural event, sporting event, business, or political event where the Member is speaking or attending in an official capacity;
• an invitation from, and at the expense of, a private third party to attend a conference, seminar, charity fundraiser, reception, ceremony, cultural event, or other similar event where the proceeds raised are to support a not-for profit or charity organization provided that the Member is not lobbied at the event;
• reimbursement of a reasonable expense incurred, or an honorarium received, in the performance of activities connected with a public authority, or a municipal association, agency, board, or corporation, including a corporation of which the City is a shareholder or member; and,
• compensation authorized by Council or law.

Summary of Member Disclosure Statements.

How do I make a complaint to the Integrity Commissioner?

If you believe a Member of Council has contravened the Council Code of Conduct, you can request the Integrity Commissioner to formally review the matter. Complaints must be in writing and can be submitted through email or by completing the fillable PDF Formal Complaint Form and attaching it to an email.

The complaint must include:

• the grounds for the belief of the alleged contravention;
• the name of the Member of Council alleged to have violated the Code, the provision of the Code that was contravened, and the facts surrounding the alleged contravention;
• any supporting documentation or material available to the complainant; and,
• the name and contact information of the complainant and any witnesses.

After submitting the complaint, the Integrity Commissioner may request additional information as required.

Send your completed Complaint Form or email to:

Jeffrey A. Abrams 
Janice Atwood-Petkovski
PrinciplesIntegrity
Telephone: 647.259.8697
Email: postoffice@principlesintegrity.org

What happens after I have submitted my complaint to the Integrity Commissioner?

The Integrity Commissioner will review your complaint and determine whether there are sufficient grounds to proceed with an investigation. The Integrity Commissioner may conclude that no investigation is warranted, however in either case, they will advise the complainant of their decision and any applicable next steps in the process.

If at any time, following the receipt of a formal complaint or during the investigation process, the Integrity Commissioner believes that an opportunity to resolve the matter may be successfully pursued without a formal investigation, and both the complainant and the member of Council agree, efforts may be made to achieve an informal resolution.