Conflict rules may leave the council vote today
Staff want Windsor's 2002 conflict-of-interest rules moved from a council policy to a CAO procedure, so future changes would not need a council vote. Item goes to council Mon. Nov. 9. Driven by Auditor General findings.
Topics: Council and City Hall
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Windsor City Council decides Monday whether to turn the City's 2002 staff ethics and conflict-of-interest rules into a procedure the chief administrative officer can approve without another council vote.
The request is report C 122/2026 on the Nov. 9, 2026 council agenda. Staff say the change answers Auditor General findings tabled in March and would keep the rules in force until they are updated.
What staff want
Report C 122/2026 asks council to:
receive a progress report on the Auditor General's March 2026 conflict-of-interest recommendations
convert the Employee and Volunteer Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policy into a procedure under the Working Environment Policy
leave final approval of that procedure with the CAO and the Corporate Leadership Team
The policy was approved by council on Oct. 21, 2002 and amended in 2010 and 2015. Councillors keep their own Code of Conduct in the council procedure bylaw; that code is not part of this conversion.
Why this is on the agenda
On March 30, 2026, council received two Auditor General complaint investigation reports on conflict of interest in a municipal department (CR134/2026 and CR136/2026) and directed Administration to implement the recommendations.
The public AG reports said disclosure and oversight gaps created perceived-conflict risks. They did not find proven actual conflicts of interest, improper City outcomes, or misuse of City time in the specific instances reviewed. The former employee at the centre of the first complaint was not named in the public reports.
Staff say Human Resources, not the CAO's office, will administer the updated process. Plans include an online conflict-of-interest disclosure application, training, and a conflict check during annual performance appraisals. In April 2026, council also amended Purchasing By-law 60-2026 to tighten rules when employees have a financial interest as a vendor.
What it means for you
If council agrees, future changes to staff and volunteer conflict-of-interest rules would be approved by the CAO rather than by a recorded council vote. The ethics rules themselves would remain in place until updated. You can read report C 122/2026 in the Nov. 9 agenda and email clerks@citywindsor.ca about agenda items.
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