role="main" class="main-container container js-quickedit-main-content" id="main-content">

Bill 260, Stopping Harassment and Abuse by Local Leaders Act, 2021

Blais, Stephen

Please select

View bill

Status

Debates

Acts affected

Original

Bill 260 Original (PDF)

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

The

Bill amends the Municipal Act, 2001 and the City of Toronto Act, 2006 .

The

amendments require the code of conduct for municipal councillors and members of

local boards to include a requirement for those councillors and members to comply

with workplace violence and harassment policies.

The

amendments also permit municipalities and local boards to direct the Integrity Commissioner

to apply to the court to vacate a member’s seat if the Commissioner’s inquiry

determines that the member has contravened the code of conduct by failing to

comply with the workplace violence or harassment policies. These applications

may not be made during regular elections.

Bill 260 2021

Act to amend various statutes with respect to workplace violence and harassment

policies in codes of conduct for councillors and members of local boards

Her

Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the

Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Municipal Act, 2001

Section 223.2 of the Municipal Act, 2001 is amended

by adding the following subsection:

Required

content

(1.1) The

codes of conduct for members of the council of the municipality and of its

local boards must include a requirement for the members to comply with the policies

with respect to workplace violence or harassment that are established by the

municipality or its local boards under

section 32.0.1 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act .

Section 223.4 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Workplace

violence or harassment

(6.1) In

addition to imposing either of the penalties set out in subsection (5), the

municipality or local board may direct the Commissioner to make an application

to vacate the member’s seat in accordance with

section 223.4.0.1 if the

Commissioner reports that, in their opinion, the member has contravened the

code of conduct by failing to comply with the municipality’s or local board’s policies

with respect to workplace violence or harassment.

The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Workplace

violence or harassment application

223.4.0.1

(1) If

directed to do so by a municipality or local board under subsection 223.4

(6.1), the Commissioner shall apply to a judge of the Superior Court of Justice

for a determination of whether a member of the council of the municipality or

local board has contravened the municipality’s or local board’s code of conduct

by failing to comply with the municipality’s or local board’s policies with

respect to workplace violence or harassment.

application during regular election

(2) No

application shall be made under this

section during the period of time starting

on nomination day for a regular election, as set out in

section 31 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 , and ending on voting day

in a regular election, as set out in

section 5 of that Act.

Contents

of notice of application

(3) The

notice of application shall state the grounds for finding that the member contravened

the municipality’s or local board’s code of conduct by failing to comply with

the municipality’s or local board’s policies with respect to workplace violence

or harassment.

Penalty

(4) If

the judge determines that the member has contravened the code of conduct by

failing to comply with the municipality’s or local board’s policies with

respect to workplace violence or harassment, the judge may declare the member’s

seat vacant.

City

of Toronto Act, 2006

Section 157 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 is

amended by adding the following subsection:

Required

content

(1.1) The

code of conduct for members of city council and of local boards (restricted

definition) must include a requirement for the members to comply with the policies

with respect to workplace violence or harassment that are established by the City

or local board under

section 32.0.1 of the Occupational

Health and Safety Act .

Section 160 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Workplace

violence or harassment

(6.1) In

addition to imposing either of the penalties set out in subsection (5), the

City council or local board (restricted definition) may direct the Commissioner

to make an application to vacate the member’s seat in accordance with

section

160.0.1 if the Commissioner reports that, in their opinion, the member has

contravened the code of conduct by failing to comply with the City’s or local

board’s policies with respect to workplace violence or harassment.

The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Workplace

violence or harassment application

160.0.1

(1) If

directed to do so by City council or a local board (restricted definition)

under subsection 160 (6.1), the Commissioner shall apply to a judge of the

Superior Court of Justice for a determination of whether a member of City

Council or of the local board (restricted definition) has contravened the City’s

or local board’s code of conduct by failing to comply with the City’s or local board’s

policies with respect to workplace violence or harassment.

application during regular election

(2) No

application shall be made under this

section during the period of time starting

on nomination day for a regular election, as set out in

section 31 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 , and ending on voting day

in a regular election, as set out in

section 5 of that Act.

Contents

of notice of application

(3) The

notice of application shall state the grounds for finding that the member

contravened the City’s or local board’s code of conduct by failing to comply

with the City’s or local board’s policies with respect to workplace violence or

harassment.

Penalty

(4) If

the judge determines that the member has contravened the code of conduct by

failing to comply with the City’s or local board’s policies with respect to

workplace violence or harassment, the judge may declare the member’s seat

vacant.

Commencement

This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short

title

The

short title of this Act is the Stopping Harassment and

Abuse by Local Leaders Act, 2021 .

Date Bill stage Event Outcome Committee

March 8, 2021

First Reading

Vote

Carried

Debates and Progress

First Reading

March 8, 2021

Committee

Second Reading

Committee

Third Reading

Acts affected - Bill 260

Most Ontario public acts are available electronically; to view copies of the Acts to be amended by this bill visit e-laws

City of Toronto Act, 2006

Municipal Act, 2001

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Was this page helpful? Yes , I found this page helpful. An optional survey will open in a new tab. No , I didn’t find this page helpful. An optional survey will open in a new tab.

Back to top