Town of Grimsby

The Ombudsman received a complaint that council for the Town of Grimsby contravened the open meeting rules when it held a closed meeting on February 21, 2023. Based on the nature of the resolution that council passed in open session afterwards, which was about supporting women in politics, the complaint submitted that the in camera discussion did not fit within the exceptions cited to go into closed session.

The Ombudsman found that council’s discussion fit within the exception for personal matters about an identifiable individual because council discussed and scrutinized the conduct of a particular individual. In addition, legal advice from the Town’s lawyers was conveyed to council during one part of the closed meeting and the Ombudsman found that this part of the discussion fit within the exception for advice subject to solicitor-client privilege. However, the Ombudsman found council contravened section 239(4)(a) of the Municipal Act, 2001 because it failed to include a general description of the topic to be discussed in camera in the resolution to move into closed session.

This link opens in a new tabRead the letter (accessible PDF)