Complaints & Compliments

If you wish to appear before Council, complete a delegation request form to address Council at an upcoming Council meeting. You will be contacted by Legislative Services Department to confirm or decline the request to appear before Council.

A complaint is related to a municipal program, facility, or staff member, where a citizen believes that the Municipality has not provided a service experience to the customer's satisfaction at the point of service delivery and a response or resolution is expected. A complaint is not a request for service, enquiry, feedback, opinion, comment or expression of interest.

Most complaints can be resolved promptly by the department. Citizens may speak with a staff member in the appropriate department about their concern or you may wish to contact the departmental Manager or Director.

All complaints will be dealt with in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and other applicable legislation. The identity of the complainant will be made known only to those who need to know in order to consider the complaint.  

Conflict of Interest - Complaint Protocol

Complaints to the Integrity Commissioner Fees:

Code of Conduct.......................$100.00                 

Conflict of Interest....................$100.00

 The Integrity Commissioner appointed for the Municipality of Leamington conducts inquiries upon a complaint in connection with breaches of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. You may reach the Municipality's Integrity Commissioner at:

Aird & Berlis LLP
Brookfield Place
181 Bay Street, Suite 1800
Toronto, ON
M5J 2T9

Telephone: 416-863-1500
Fax: 416-863-1515
Email: airdberlis@airdberlis.com  

Municipal Councils must conduct business only at meetings that are open to the public but there are some exceptions where we have closed meetings.

Members of the public have the right to complain if they feel the Municipality held a closed meeting that did not follow the rules/ exemptions listed in the Municipal Act, 2001, Section 239.2 (1) or with any procedure By-laws under Subsection 238 (2).

The Ontario Ombudsman is the closed meeting investigator for the Municipality of Leamington. His duties include:

• Conducting an investigation when he receives a complaint about a meeting or part of a meeting that is closed to the public
• Determine whether the meeting complied with the Municipal Act/Municipal Procedure By-law
• Report the results of the investigation

Any corporation or member of the public can submit a complaint to the investigator about a meeting or part of a meeting that is closed to the public. Complaints are always confidential. Please visit the website of the Ontario Ombudsman for more information about how to submit a complaint.

As of March 1, 2019, municipalities are required to have in force a code of conduct for members of council and members of local boards of the municipality. The Municipality of Leamington has had a Code of Conduct for members of Council and local boards since 2008. The Municipality has also appointed an Integrity Commissioner. The Integrity Commissioner reports to Council and is responsible for performing in an independent manner the functions assigned by the Municipality.

Code of Conduct - Complaint Protocol

Complaints to the Integrity Commissioner Fees:

Code of Conduct.......................$100.00                 

Conflict of Interest....................$100.00

 Responsibilities of the Integrity Commissioner include:

a) The application to members of council and local boards of the municipality of:

• the Code of Conduct
• rules governing the ethical behaviour of the members
• key sections of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

and advice respecting their obligations in connection with the same.

b) Conducting inquiries upon complaints in connection with breaches of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and code of conduct.

c) Providing educational information to the public, the municipality and members of council and local boards about local codes of conduct and the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

Powers of the Integrity Commissioner include:

a) Conducting investigations based on complaints from electors of persons demonstrably acting in the public interest that a member of a local board contravened the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

b) Applying to a judge for post-investigation determination as to whether the member contravened the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

Code of Conduct Complaint Form 

Municipal Conflict of Interest Act Statutory Declaration 

The Integrity Commissioner for the Municipality of Leamington is:

Aird & Berlis LLP
Brookfield Place
181 Bay Street, Suite 1800
Toronto, ON
M5J 2T9

Telephone: 416-863-1500
Fax: 416-863-1515

John Pappas
Email: jpappas@airdberlis.com 

The Ombudsman is a last-resort option for members of the public to bring forward unresolved complaints when all other internal complaint processes have been exhausted. The municipal Ombudsman is an impartial investigator who makes recommendations to improve public services.

A complaint may only be filed with the Ombudsman if it is related to the administration of the Municipality. It is not a request for service, such as missed garbage collection, or a question such as asking for specific information related to a municipal program or service. If, after exhausting all complaint processes established by the municipality, you feel that the review of your complaint undertaken was inadequate, you may refer your complaint to the Ombudsman for further investigation.

Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario
Bell Trinity Square
483 Bay Street, 10th Floor, South Tower
Toronto, ON
M5G 2C9

Phone: 1-800-263-1830
Outside Ontario: 416-586-3300
E-mail: info@ombudsman.on.ca

A Request for Service is a request by a citizen to have a service provided or corrected such as:

• repair a street surface
• malfunctioning street light
• missed garbage collection
• reporting a by-law infraction
• snow plowing
• road construction

Service requests can be made by contacting a Customer Service Representative at the Municipality between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM Monday to Friday. You may also self-enter your information directly 24 hours a day, seven days a week here: leamington.ca/reportanissue

Municipal staff will be alerted and will respond within a reasonable time to address the request.