Accountability and Transparency
The Township of Muskoka Lakes is committed to ensuring accountability to the public for its actions and to ensuring that its actions are transparent to the public. Accountability, transparency and openness are standards of good government that enhance public trust. They are achieved by adopting measures, to the best of the Township's ability, that all activities and services are undertaken utilizing a process that is open, accessible, visible and transparent to the public. View our Accountability and Transparency policy for more information.
Accountability and Transparency Measures
Closed Meeting Investigator |
Why are some meetings closed to the public?Generally meetings are held in public, however, there are circumstances which may require that Council receive information or give direction in a closed meeting. When can a meeting be closed to the public?Pursuant to section 239 of the Municipal Act, 2001, a meeting or part of a meeting may be closed to the public if the subject matter being considered is,
What is a meeting investigation?The Municipal Act, 2001 allows for any person to request that an investigation be undertaken respecting whether the Township or local board has complied with the closed meeting rules contained within section 239 of the Municipal Act, 2001 or the Township's Procedural By-law. Who is the closed meeting investigator?The Township appointed the Local Authority Services (LAS) as the closed meeting investigator, whose function is to investigate, in an independent manner, on a complaint made whether the Township or a local board has complied with the closed meeting rules contained within section 239 of the Municipal Act, 2001 or the Township's Procedural By-law, and to report on the investigation. Local Authority Services has engaged Amberley Gavel to provide the services of closed meeting investigator. What steps do I take if I have a concern related to a closed meeting?
Documents |
Code of Conduct for Council Members and Local Boards |
Pursuant to section 223.2 of the Municipal Act, 2001, effective March 1, 2019, it became a mandatory requirement for a municipality to establish codes of conduct for members of council and its local boards. The Township's Policy, Code of Conduct for Members of Council and Local Boards has been updated and approved to meet the legislation. A written Code of Conduct helps to ensure that the Members of Council and Local Boards share a common understanding of what represents acceptable conduct. The purpose and intent of the Code is to establish minimum standards of conduct for Members of Council and Members of Local Boards of the Township. The Code does not replace Council / Local Board Members' roles and responsibilities required by various statutes, by-laws and policies. |
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest |
Pursuant to the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, members of council, committees and local boards are obligated to disclose a pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in any matter at a meeting of the council, committee or local board at which the matter is the subject of consideration. Such declarations are also recorded in the minutes of the meeting. The onus is on the member to determine whether they are affected by the pecuniary interest provisions. Effective March 1, 2019, in addition to disclosing a pecuniary interest, all members must file a written statement of the interest and its general nature with the Clerk or the secretary of the committee or local board advising of same. A full explanation of the requirements can be found in the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. The written disclosures of pecuniary interests shall be maintained in a registry that is available for public inspection. View the Conflict of Interest Registry. |
Freedom of Information |
Access to InformationPublic RecordsMany Township public records are available on request or by appointment during regular office hours. Some of those records include:
Routine DisclosureThe Township has a Routine Disclosure Process that allows staff to provide you with certain types of records with some limitations. If you want to know if something can be provided, contact the Clerk's Department for more information. Freedom of Information (FOI)In accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), the Township of Muskoka Lakes allows any member of the public to submit a request for information for general records. Under the MFIPPA Act
View your Guide to Information Access and Privacy to learn more. How to make a Freedom of Information RequestMake a formal request to access information by completing the Information Request Form and submitting the application fee of $5.00 to: Freedom of Information Officer, Township of Muskoka Lakes, 1 Bailey Street, P. O. Box 129, Port Carling, Ontario, POB 1J0 You can also submit the form by email to the Freedom of Information Officer
Additional Information
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Municipal Integrity Commissioner |
Who is the Township's Integrity Commissioner?On April 12, 2019, By-law 2019-047 was passed appointing Suzanne Craig as the Integrity Commissioner for the Township of Muskoka Lakes. What are the functions assigned to the Integrity Commissioner?Pursuant to section 223.3 of the Municipal Act, 2001, the Township has appointed an Integrity Commissioner who reports to council and who is responsible for performing in an independent manner the assigned functions with respect to,
What is the Role of the Integrity Commissioner?The Integrity Commissioner may investigate potential breaches of the Township's Code of Conduct for Council and Local Boards Policy and the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, and recommend penalties to Council where they have found the Member to have contravened the Code. The Township's Code sets out and identifies the Township's expectations for its Members and establishes rules for appropriate conduct. Under the Code, the Integrity Commissioner has authority to determine whether or not they will investigate any complaints received. Complaints about matters that are outside their jurisdiction, are frivolous or vexatious, not made in good faith, or that the Integrity Commissioner determines has no grounds or insufficient grounds for conducting an investigation, may be dismissed. On conclusion of a Code complaint investigation the Integrity Commissioner will issue a report to Council on their findings, which will contain any recommended penalties, if applicable. At a public meeting Council may, where the Integrity Commissioner has determined there was a violation of the Code, impose either of the following two (2) penalties:
On conclusion of a Municipal Conflict of Interest Act application investigation, the Integrity Commissioner may, if they consider it appropriate, apply to a Judge under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act for a determination as to whether the member has contravened the Act. Contact the Integrity Commissioner
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