The Ombudsman found that council for the Town of Hawkesbury contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 when it held a closed meeting to receive a presentation from consultants related to the development of the Town’s new strategic plan, relying on the open meeting exception for education or training under the Act. The Ombudsman found that council’s discussion did not fit within that exception because the presentation and council’s discussion were not about the strategic planning process in general, but rather about particular issues affecting the business of the municipality, such as growth opportunities, and council discussed them in a way that materially advanced its business or decision-making.
Town of Hawkesbury - March 2, 2026
Read the ReportTown of Hawkesbury, March 28, 2022
Read the LetterThe Ombudsman reviewed a closed meeting held by council for the Town of Hawkesbury on November 8, 2021. The meeting was closed under the exception for personal matters about an identifiable individual. The Ombudsman concluded that council met in camera to discuss the conduct and performance of an identifiable individual. Accordingly, the Ombudsman found that council’s discussion fit within the closed meeting exception for personal matters about an identifiable individual under section 239(2)(b) of the Municipal Act, 2001.
Town of Hawkesbury, March 29, 2021
Read the ReportThe Ombudsman received a complaint alleging that on June 15, 2020, a quorum of councillors for the Town of Hawkesbury discussed council business that they intended to introduce and vote on at a council meeting scheduled for the next day. The complaint alleged that this discussion amounted to a “meeting” and was improperly closed to the public contrary to the Municipal Act, 2001. The Ombudsman’s investigation found that the Mayor individually spoke with three councillors regarding employee terminations in separate discussions. The Ombudsman found that these serial discussions were not a meeting because a quorum of councillors was never present, as required by the definition of “meeting” in the Act.