Updates on Addressing Workplace Harassment and Discrimination

Consequently, the Integrity Commissioner recommended that Council request a report back from his Office with options exploring how Council could address these matters in the absence of provincial legislation. Prior to the return of the Legislative Assembly in October 2024, the Premier of Ontario advised he had requested the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario to examine this matter and report back to the government with options for legislative reform. The Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario has advised it has recently reported back to the provincial government on these matters. Previously, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing advised that the government would introduce legislation addressing these matters once the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario had reported back to the provincial government. As the provincial government has indicated it is planning to introduce legislation to address these matters, as requested by Council in October 2023 and municipal councils across Ontario, there is no immediate need to report back on measures that the City of Toronto could adopt in the absence of provincial legislation. Rather, with the commitment of the provincial government to introduce legislation addressing these matters, it makes sense to consider these issues again once the provincial government introduces its promised legislation. This report will focus on the recommendation that the Integrity Commissioner be appointed as ethics executive to Members' staff and the Human Resources Management and Ethical Framework be updated accordingly. The City Clerk will then report back on the other updates to the Human Resources Management and Ethical Framework as was noted in my report from October 2023.

Members' staff under the Human Resources Management and Ethical Framework for Members' Staff and direct the City Clerk to update the Framework accordingly.