Ontario Court Upholds Sanctions Against Councillor in Legal Win for the City of Pickering

Third Judicial Review Ends in City’s Favor

The Ontario Divisional Court has ruled in favor of the City of Pickering for the third time, upholding sanctions against Councillor Lisa Robinson. This latest decision marks the conclusion of the third judicial review initiated by the Councillor, each requiring the City to defend both the Integrity Commissioner’s findings and Council’s decisions.

Court’s Key Findings

The Court’s ruling addressed several critical points:

• No breach of procedural fairness occurred in the proceedings
• The Integrity Commissioner’s factual findings were reasonable, including determinations that Councillor Robinson made false claims about the City and deliberately misrepresented City policy
• The City’s duty to protect staff dignity and maintain public trust outweighed any limitations on the Councillor’s Charter rights

Financial Implications

The Divisional Court ordered Councillor Robinson to reimburse the City $10,000 in legal costs. However, this represents only a fraction of the total expenses, as the City remains responsible for over $100,000 in legal costs accumulated through the Councillor’s repeated challenges.

Looking Forward

Mayor Kevin Ashe expressed satisfaction with the outcome while emphasizing the need to move forward. He described the ruling as a complete vindication of the City, Council members, and staff, and stressed that the community deserves the Council’s full attention on important municipal work ahead.