Ontario’s Ombudsman has found the township of Emo did not contravene the Municipal Act when it held an in-camera meeting in May 2022.

The meeting provided township council with training on a new budget format.

An investigation was launched after the Ombudsman’s Office received a complaint alleging the meeting did not fall within any of the exceptions allowed for in-camera meetings under the Act.

The meeting, identified as a training session, was not publically advertised.

In his report, Ombudsman Paul Dube says there was some disagreement among council members and staff on whether it required public notice.

Only three of five members of council attended; Mayor Harold McQuaker Councillors Warren Toles and Harrold Boven.

In his review, Dube says he found the session did satisfy the requirements of the education and training exemption of the Municipal Act and that the members of council attending made no decisions.

“Our interviews suggest that council members did not interact with each other during the session and only asked questions of staff. My Office found no evidence that council discussed or debated any issues and determined that council did not make any decisions or provide any directions to staff during the session,” writes Dube.

Dube adds that while the training session met the requirements of the education and training exception, it was technically not a meeting subject to the requirements of the Act and the township’s procedure by-law because council members did not carry business or any decisions arising to a subsequent meeting.

“However, while the Township of Emo’s gathering was not technically a meeting for purposes of the Act and the township’s procedure by-law, the decision to record minutes of the open portions of the session increased the transparency of council’s actions and assisted with my Office’s review of this complaint. I commend the township for going beyond the formal requirements of the Act and making additional information available to the
public.”

While it was not a requirement, Dube did encourage the township to post notices and agendas of such training sessions in the future.