• Investigate complaints and alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members of Council.
• Review the Code of Conduct for Members of Council and make recommendations on an annual basis.
• Serve as an advisor to individual Members of Council in relation to the Code of Conduct and any procedures, rules and policies of the municipality governing ethical behaviour, and act as a proactive educator for Council, the Civic Administration and the public.
• Provide reports to Council, summarizing his activities.
• Provide individual investigative reports, as required, which will include background concerning a complaint and recommendations to Municipal Council with respect to a complaint

Gregory Stewart, of the law firm Donnelly Murphy, is an expert in municipal law and currently acts as the Integrity Commissioner for several area municipalities in Middlesex, Oxford and Perth Counties.

Greg Stewart joined Donnelly Murphy in 2000 after almost 20 years of practice in Windsor and Essex County. His practice is primarily in the areas of Municipal, Planning, Employment, Civil Litigation and Corporate Law as well as some work in the area of Estates and Wills. He acts for several municipalities in the area in addition to having been appointed as Closed Meeting Investigator and Integrity Commissioner for a number of municipalities in Middlesex, Oxford and Perth Counties. In addition to representing clients, Greg is also experienced in mediation and arbitration and available to assist parties in that manner.

Greg is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ontario Bar Association, the Huron Law Association, and the Bayfield Historical Society. He is currently the Chairman of the local advisory committee for the Clinton Hospital and the Huron-Perth Hospital Alliance.

Greg is a graduate of the University of Windsor in Political Science and a graduate of the University of Windsor Faculty of Law.

In 2007, the Municipal Act was amended to include several provisions to assist municipalities in being more transparent and accountable to the public.

Section 270 of the Act requires every municipality to adopt and maintain policies for the sale and disposition of land; hiring of employees, procurement of goods and services, public notice, and transparency and accountability.

The Municipal Act also authorizes a municipality to establish a Code of Conduct for members of council and the local boards of the municipality as well as to appoint an Integrity Commissioner who reports to Council and who is responsible for performing, in an independent manner, the functions assigned by the municipality with respect to the application of the Code of Conduct for members of Council and the application of any procedures, rules and policies of the municipality governing the ethical behaviour of members of Council.

The Act also requires a municipality to appoint a closed meeting investigator to investigate complaints as to whether a municipality has complied with the requirements of the Act regarding open meeting requirements.

In December 2007, Municipal Council confirmed the selection of the Ombudsman of Ontario as the City’s closed meeting investigator.

1. Upon written notification from the Ontario Ombudsman of the intent to commence an investigation related to a matter under the Ontario Ombudsman’s jurisdiction, the City Clerk, or their designate, shall advise Members of Council of the investigation by email, with a copy to the City Manager.

2. After Members of Council have been advised of the Ontario Ombudsman’s intent to conduct an investigation, the City Clerk, or their designate, shall notify the public that the City of London has received notice of an Ombudsman investigation and the general nature of the complaint, by posting the information on the City of London’s website.

3. In accordance with section 18(2) of the Ombudsman Act R.S.O. 1990 c.O.6, no further details of the investigation shall be released to the public, in order to uphold the legislated privacy requirements.

1. Upon receipt of the Final Report of the Ontario Ombudsman regarding an investigation, the City Clerk, or their designate, shall circulate the Final Report to Members of Council by email, with a copy to the City Manager.

2. After Members of Council have been provided a copy of the Final Report, the City Clerk, or their designate, shall provide a copy of the Final Report to the public by posting the Final Report on the City of London’s website.

3. The City Clerk, or their designate, will make the necessary arrangements to place the Final Report on the next available appropriate Standing Committee Agenda for formal consideration and receipt by the Municipal Council.

There are no investigations currently in progress.