Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake has filed his 2023-2024 annual report with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

The report covers the activity of the Office’s seven mandates and includes anonymized examples of advice provided to Members of Provincial Parliament and direction provided to ministers’ staff based on their respective ethical obligations. Summaries of completed investigations under the Lobbyists Registration Act, 1998, the Members’ Integrity Act, 1994, as well as disclosure of wrongdoing cases under the Public Service of Ontario Act, 2006 are also published in the report.

Annual Report Highlights

• The Office responded to 413 inquiries from MPPs regarding the rules under the Members’ Integrity Act, 1994, a significant increase from the 290 inquiries received in the previous year.
• It handled 204 inquiries from ministers’ staff regarding ethical conduct, political activity and post-employment obligations.
• It responded to 183 matters under the public sector ethics mandate, including 47 determinations to chairs and senior leaders of Ontario public bodies.
• Ontario public servants filed 32 disclosures of wrongdoing with the Office, and nine matters were investigated and concluded.
• Lobbyists requested 57 Advisory Opinions on various topics, and three investigations into lobbying non-compliance were concluded.
• Staff reviewed 3,304 travel, meal and hospitality expense claims.

In his annual message, Commissioner Wake indicates his intention to retire as Integrity Commissioner within the next year. He also reflects on the progress, achievements and challenges of each mandate in the more than eight years he has served as Commissioner.

The report is available on the Office website under Publications.

About the OIC

The Office has seven mandates under five pieces of legislation:

• Members’ Integrity, providing confidential conflict of interest advice to MPPs and conducting inquiries into alleged contraventions of ethical obligations;
• Ministers’ Staff Ethical Conduct, providing conflict of interest advice and direction to public servants in ministers’ offices;
• Lobbyists Registration, operating Ontario’s lobbyist registry and conducting investigations into potential non-compliance;
• Public Sector Ethics, providing conflict of interest advice and direction to Ethics Executives in public bodies;
• Disclosure of Wrongdoing, receiving whistleblowing disclosures from current and former members of the Ontario Public Service; and,
• Expenses Review:
  • Reviewing the travel, meal and hospitality expenses of ministers, parliamentary assistants, Opposition leaders, and their staff; and,
  • Reviewing the travel, meal and hospitality expenses of selected provincial agencies.

Contact: Michelle Renaud, Manager, Communications and Outreach | michelle.renaud@oico.on.ca |