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  1. Info for public bodies and officials
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  3. Open meetings: Case digest
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  5. Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission

Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission

Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission, February 9, 2023

Read the Letter
Notice
airport

A member of the public complained that they were not admitted to a virtual meeting of the Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission on June 20, 2022, which was held over Zoom. The Ombudsman was satisfied the Commission followed its procedure by posting public notice in advance with the date, time, and Zoom link to observe the meeting. The Ombudsman found that, on a balance of probabilities, the Commission did not contravene the Municipal Act, 2001. The Ombudsman suggested, as a best practice, that the Commission may want to highlight any changes to access instructions – such as changes to a link – when publishing meeting notices.

access to meeting (electronic)
meeting (electronic)
airport

A member of the public complained that they were not admitted to a virtual meeting of the Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission on June 20, 2022, which was held  over Zoom. The Ombudsman was satisfied that the Commission followed its procedure by posting public notice in advance with the date, time, and Zoom link to observe the meeting. The Ombudsman found that, on a balance of probabilities, the Commission did not contravene the Municipal Act, 2001. The Ombudsman suggested the Commission consider including in its public meeting notices a phone number for assistance if a member of the public has technical difficulties accessing or observing a meeting.

Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission, June 9, 2022

Read the Report
239(2)(k) Plans and instructions for negotiations
airport
budget
financial information

The Ombudsman reviewed a complaint that the Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 when it went in camera during a meeting on September 27, 2021. The Ombudsman found that the Commission’s discussion about an agreement with a client was permissible under paragraph 239(2)(k). However, the Ombudsman found that there was no evidence that the same exception applied to its discussions about an agreement with municipalities and financial information.

239(2)(f) Solicitor-client privilege
airport
legal advice (none discussed)

The Ombudsman reviewed a complaint that the Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 when it went in camera during a meeting on September 27, 2021. The Ombudsman found that there was no evidence that advice subject to solicitor-client privilege was discussed.

239(2)(b) Personal matters
airport
budget
financial information

The Ombudsman reviewed a complaint that the Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 when it went in camera during a meeting on September 27, 2021. The Ombudsman found that the exception for personal matters about an identifiable individual did not apply to discussions about financial information.

Parse discussion
airport
budget
financial information
negotiation

The Ombudsman reviewed a complaint that the Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 when it went in camera during a meeting on September 27, 2021. The Ombudsman found that a discussion about negotiations with a client could be parsed from discussions about an agreement with municipalities and financial information.

Resolution
airport
resolution (general description)

The Ombudsman reviewed a complaint that the Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 when it went in camera during a meeting on September 27, 2021. The Ombudsman found that, by merely citing the applicable open meeting exception in its resolution to close the meeting, the Commission failed to provide sufficient detail regarding the intended discussion.

Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission, December 9, 2021

Read the Report
local board
meeting (electronic)
Procedure by-law
notice (lack of)
notice (insufficient)
Notice
access to meeting (electronic)
airport

The Ombudsman reviewed electronic meetings held by the Saugeen Municipal Airport Commission. The Ombudsman found that the Commission is a local board subject to the open meeting rules. The Commission contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 by failing to pass a procedure by-law governing its meetings and failing to provide adequate notice of its meetings. The Ombudsman further found that the Commission did not adequately notify members of the public about how to request readmission to the portion of an open meeting following a closed session. The Ombudsman commended the Commission’s efforts to increase transparency through changes to its public notice process and adoption of a formal procedure to ensure that observers are adequately informed about how to observe portions of a meeting occurring after a closed session. The Ombudsman recommended that the Commission adopt a procedure by-law providing for public notice of all meetings and that the Commission ensure the public is able to observe all open portions of meetings.

Note:

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  • For general questions and complaints, please contact us here.

The Ontario Ombudsman’s work takes place on traditional Indigenous territories across the province we now call Ontario, and we are thankful to be able to work and live on this land. 

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Outside Ontario: 416-586-3300
info@ombudsman.on.ca

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