The Ombudsman received a complaint that members of council for the County of Simcoe held an illegal meeting on March 25, 2025, when a quorum of council left for a short recess and did not return to council chambers for the remainder of the meeting.
The Ombudsman received a complaint that members of council for the County of Simcoe held an illegal meeting on March 25, 2025, when a quorum of council left for a short recess and did not return to council chambers for the remainder of the meeting. The Ombudsman found that no quorum of council was present to discuss or advance council business during the recess, and that there was no evidence of a collective decision not to return to council chambers following it. Accordingly, the Ombudsman concluded that no illegal meeting took place and council did not contravene the open meeting rules in the Municipal Act, 2001. Nonetheless, the Ombudsman urged members to be mindful of how their conduct reflects perceived adherence to the open meeting rules.
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