Accountability and Transparency

Accountability and transparency are fundamentally important in the operation of a municipal government. 

Code of Conduct
A Code of Conduct was adopted in 2013 and applies to members of Central Huron and local boards. It serves as a reference guide on ethical behaviour when members are acting in their official capacity and supplements legislative standards and parameters within which members are obligated to conduct themselves.
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 a municipality's reputation and integrity.

For information on how to make a complaint, please contact the Clerk who will outline the process. The Clerk can be contact by email at clerk@centralhuron.com or by telephone at 519-482-3997 ext. 1246.

Integrity Commissioner
The role of the Integrity Commissioner is to help ensure that Members of Council perform their functions in accordance with the Code of Conduct, and other procedures, rules or policies governing their ethical behaviour. The complaint protocol can be found under Appendix B of the Code of Conduct. 

Making a complaint
  1. Anyone may make a complaint. 
  2. 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 CAO/Clerk.
  3. Where a complaint is filed with the CAO/Clerk, that individual is to forward the complaint to the attention of the Integrity Commissioner, without added comment, as soon as possible. 
  4. Where 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. 
  5. 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. 

Contact information for complaints

Integrity Commissioner 
Aird & Berlis LLP
181 Bay Street, Suite 1800
Toronto, ON, M5J 1T9
Attention: John Mascarin
Telephone: 416-865-7721
Email: jmascarin@airdberlis.com 

Ontario Ombudsman - General Complaints and Closed Meeting Investigator
Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario
483 Bay Street, 10th floor South Tower
Toronto, ON, M5G 2C9
Toll-free (Ontario only): 1-800-263-1830
Email: info@ombudsman.on.ca 
ombudsman.on.ca 

Closed Council Meetings
Municipal councils, local boards, and their committees must meet behind closed doors on occasion to deal with some matters. For example, if a municipality is involved in legal proceedings or if Council is considering purchasing a piece of land, or if Council must deal with a labour relations issue, then it is appropriate it be able to do so at a closed meeting. The purpose of such a closed meeting is to receive information or give direction. 

Local government in Ontario must be transparent and accountable. To this end, the Province has set the rules for a council, local board, or a committee to go into a closed meeting. These rules are found in section 239 of the Municipal Act 2001 and they must be strictly followed.

Freedom of Information
In the Municipality of Central Huron, the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) enables you to:

  • protect your privacy as an individual when you provide personal information to institutions; and
  • access records that are available to the public.
Accessing our records
If you would like to access our records, please give us a call at 519-482-3997. 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
If we require a formal request, please send us a completed Access/Correction Request form along with the legislated $5.00 application fee. 

You can apply in person or by mail to: 

Municipal Clerk
Municipality of Central Huron
Town Hall
23 Albert Street
P.O. Box 400
Clinton, ON, N0M 1L0

In most cases, we issue decision letters 30 days after we receive your payment and application.
Appeal process
If you are not satisfied with the decision regarding your request, please complete an Appeal Form within 30 days of receiving the decision. 

Please send your appeal to: 

Mr. Brian Beamish, Commissioner
Information and Privacy Commission of Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, ON, M4W 1A8

Telephone: 1-800-387-0073

The appeal fee is $25.00, which must be paid to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) if they file the appeal.
Requesting personal information
If you are requesting access to, or would like to correct, your own personal information, please include a photocopied piece of identification (e.g. a driver's licence) that has your signature. This will allow us to verify your identify and ensure that we do not disclose your information to someone other than yourself. 

If you are acting as an agent for someone else, please include a signed Consent to Release from that person, which authorizes you to act on their behalf. Please include a photocopy of a piece of their identification that has their signature for verification.