Municipal Accountability

Municipal governments are the foundation of our local communities, and they must be held to the highest standards. It is for this reason that local governments and local sector bodies across Ontario rely on Aird & Berlis, the leading provider of municipal accountability services, to deliver timely, strategic advice and impartial oversight that councils, local boards and other public bodies trust. With unmatched depth and a collaborative approach, we ensure that local governments lead with integrity.

Our municipal clients hail from municipalities of all types and sizes in rural, urban and suburban settings. Our team approach enables us to provide accountability services more efficiently and cost-effectively than other law firms or service providers. Our lawyers focus on all aspects of municipal, workplace, election and administrative law. There is always someone available to expertly respond to requests for accurate information and strategic advice, which must frequently be supplied on short notice. Our team’s breadth and specialization set us apart as the most comprehensive accountability service provider in Ontario.

The diversity of our clients and the volume of advice we have provided means that we have encountered, and successfully navigated, many of the difficult circumstances faced by local governments. We have advised councils and local boards and their members on codes of conduct and the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, including enforcement matters such investigations, penalties and remedial measures. Our team has advised, written, taught and presented extensively on the accountability and transparency provisions in Part V.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001. We have also drafted, revised and updated dozens of codes of conduct, complaint protocols and council-staff relations policies, and regularly provide opinions to councils and staff on various aspects of the municipal accountability regime.

We have conducted and participated in numerous formal and informal inquiries on a variety of matters under the Municipal Act, 2001, including ethical and other issues, both within and beyond the legislative provisions under Parts V and V.1 of the statute. Our firm has considerable experience with investigations and in applying investigative procedures and principles within the local government context. We provide expert and timely advice to members and regularly guide councils, local boards and administrative staff on municipal governance, municipal ethics, open and closed meetings, municipal freedom of information and other related areas.

Our lawyers have experience in all matters affecting municipalities governed by provincial statute. We work collaboratively with municipal staff to ensure enforcement and prosecution efforts are fair and effective. Our team has handled a wide range of municipal and by-law enforcement matters and regularly provides authoritative opinions on the Municipal Act, 2001; Municipal Elections Act, 1996; Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act; and Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. We also work closely with our municipal clients to help educate them on the implications of evolving legislative changes introduced by the provincial government, most particularly as they relate to the municipal accountability framework, as proposed by Bill 9, the Municipal Accountability Act, 2026. 

Our core services include:

• Integrity Commissioner Services: We advise councils and local boards on their codes of conduct, including reviewing and revising codes of conduct and complaints protocols, and investigating alleged breaches. We provide advice and rulings on ethical issues, and educate members of council and local boards, as well as their staff, on their ethical obligations. We also advise on and review applications involving alleged contraventions of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.
• Closed Meeting Investigations: We conduct investigations in respect of meetings that are closed to the public to determine compliance with the open meeting rule in the Municipal Act, 2001 or municipal procedural by-laws.
• Municipal Ombudsman Services: We investigate and provide independent reports to municipal councils on decisions, recommendations, or acts done or omitted in the course of the municipality’s administration, including those of local boards and municipally-controlled corporations.
• Education and Training: Our lawyers assist councils and local boards, their members and staff, and the public in understanding and abiding by the municipal accountability and ethical framework. We have presented to a wide range of well-known organizations, such as the Law Society of Ontario, Ontario Bar Association, Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario, and Ontario Municipal Administrators Association. We conduct new council orientation sessions for dozens of municipalities of all sizes and types during municipal election cycles and have conducted training for dozens of compliance audit committees, their members and municipal staff.
• Accountability Officer Advisory Services: We represent a number of Integrity Commissioners throughout Ontario who require guidance with precedent-setting, novel or contentious situations. We also routinely advise other accountability officers such as Auditors General and Lobbyist Registrars.
• Municipal Election Advice & Representation: We prosecute candidates and contributors and advise on third-party advertising rules. We act as legal counsel for and have trained a large number of compliance audit committees throughout all of Ontario.  We have provided counsel and representation on a number of high-profile election matters and prosecutions that have attracted significant media attention. We assist with all aspects of municipal elections, including recounts and controverted election proceedings.

The professional background and experience of our team, together with our commitment to information and education, makes us the leading provider of accountability and transparency services to municipalities and other public sector bodies in Ontario. We are widely recognized among clients and peers for our credibility, professional judgment and the way we handle challenging and often high-profile matters. Our municipal and public sector clients trust Aird & Berlis to serve as their accountability officers because we provide excellent value, which is vital in an area of law where hiring a leading practitioner is the most important thing a client can do to ensure a successful resolution.