Accountability and Transparency

The Township of North Huron acknowledges that it is responsible for providing good government for the community in an accountable and transparent manner and will promote this by following these principles:

• Decision-making will be open and transparent.
• Municipal operations will be conducted in an ethical and accountable manner.
• Municipal resources will be managed efficiently and effectively.
• Inquiries, concerns and complaints about accountability and transparency of the municipality will be responded to in a timely manner.
• Reports on service standards, financial information, and municipal performance will be made available to the public to encourage public involvement in municipal government.
• Delegations of powers and duties will have appropriate corresponding accountability mechanisms.

Accountability and transparency are important in maintaining public trust in Council and Staff. The Reeve and Councillors are accountable to the public every four years through municipal elections. It is important that procedures and policies be clearly set out and accessible. In 2025, Council adopted an updated Accountability and Transparency Policy to better reflect the Township's commitment to accountability and transparency in governance.

Code of Conduct

A Code of Conduct Policy for Member of Council and Local Boards was adopted in 2019 and applies to all members of the North Huron Council, Committees and Boards.

The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to establish a general standard to ensure that all Members share a common basis for acceptable conduct, and to which all Members are expected to adhere to and comply with.

A Code of Conduct encourages the public's right to expect that its representatives adhere to the highest standards of conduct. Adherence to such standards will in turn help to protect and maintain North Huron's reputation and integrity.

Closed Meeting Investigations

Municipal Councils, Boards and their Committees must meet behind closed doors on occasion to deal with some matters.

Local governments in Ontario must be transparent and accountable. To this end, the Province has set the rules for a Council, Board or a Committee to go into closed session meetings. These guidelines can be found in Section 239 of the Municipal Act, 2001. These are strict rules and must be followed by municipalities.

Complaint Procedure

Anyone can make a complaint by following the proper procedure and by using the form provided in Appendix B to the Code of Conduct Policy. The below information provides further details on the complaint procedure:

• Complaints can be made by filing a sworn/affirmed affidavit, as provided in Appendix B to the Code of Conduct, directly with the Integrity Commissioner or Clerk.
• When a complaint is filed with the Clerk, that individual is to forward the complaint to the attention of the Integrity Commissioner, without added comment, as soon as possible.
• When a complaint is filed by an Employee, Member of Council, or by Council, the affidavit contained in Appendix B to the Code of Conduct is not required, however similar information must be submitted.
• A complaint shall not be made available to the public except as may be required under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) or as completed by Order of Court.

Integrity Commissioner

The Township of North Huron has appointed Aird Berlis LLP as the Municipal Integrity Commissioner and Closed Meeting Investigator. The role of the Integrity Commissioner is to help ensure that Members of Council perform their functions in accordance with a Code of Conduct, and other procedures, rules or policies governing their ethical behaviour.

Integrity Commissioner Contact Information:

John Mascarin, Aird Berlis LLP

P: 416-865-7721 | E: jmascarin@airdberlis.com

Freedom of Information

The Township of North Huron strives to provide as much information as possible to the public without the necessity of submitting a formal Freedom of Information Request. If you would like to access our records, please contact the Clerk’s Department at 519-357-3550. We will let you know if we can release the information informally, or if you need to complete a formal access request.

Submitting a Formal Request

The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) provides you the right to request access to government-held information, including information about you. You can request access to general information held by provincial and municipal government institutions by making a freedom of information request.

How do I make a freedom of information request?

There are three steps:

• Find the institution most likely to have the information you are looking for
• Complete a request form or write a letter requesting the information
• Forward your completed request form to the Freedom of Information Coordinator, along with the $5.00 application fee

For all freedom of information requests to the Township of North Huron, please provide your request in person or by mail to

Municipal Clerk
Township of North Huron
P.O. Box 90, 274 Josephine Street
Wingham, Ontario
N0G 2W0

You should receive a response within 30 days. For more information visit the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) website or contact the Clerk’s Department.