Elliot Lake to wait until appeal is heard before deciding fate of newly elected mayor
The City of Elliot Lake has agreed to wait until an appeal is heard before moving to replace Mayor Chris Patrie.
The move comes after last month’s ruling by an Ontario Superior Court judge that found Patrie guilty of conflict of interest and banning him from office for two years.
Under Ontario law, city councils have to decide how a vacancy will be filled within 60 days.
In 2019, Patrie was councillor in Elliot Lake when he was accused by the city's integrity commissioner of trying to influence the local government's decisions about where to build a new $30 million taxpayer-funded recreational facility.
While lobbying for the new multisport complex to be located behind the strip mall Patrie and his wife own instead of the recommended former Algo Mall site, Patrie is accused of impacting the council vote on the facility after threatening another councillor.
A complaint about the councillor was filed in March 2019 by former Mayor Dan Marchisella.
In a statement Monday, the city said it has agreed to wait until the appeal is heard. Patrie has agreed not to seek a stay of the decision while his appeal goes through the court system.
"Mr. Patrie has indicated that he will appeal the decision but will not seek a stay of the ruling, provided the city does not take any steps to fill the vacancy in the office of the mayor," Elliot Lake said in a statement.
A court hearing is scheduled Feb. 13 to add the City of Elliot Lake to the proceedings and seek formal approval for the city to wait to replace Patrie.
A court order is needed to allow the 60-day deadline to be extended.
A special council meeting is being held Tuesday to hear in more detail from the city’s solicitor, Aird and Berlis LLP.
"Legal counsel for Mr. Patrie, the integrity commissioner and the city will all be appearing before a judge on a case management conference scheduled for the morning of Feb. 13," the city said.
Correction
The City of Elliot Lake's integrity commissioner in 2019 was incorrectly identified as Robert Swayze. He was not retained until Sept. 14, 2020. Expertise for Municipalities (E4m) was appointed the city's integrity commissioner from Feb. 11, 2019.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
$1.6B parts plant for Honda electric vehicle batteries coming to Niagara Region
A Japanese company has announced it will build an approximately $1.6-billion plant in Ontario's Niagara Region that will make a key electric vehicle battery component as part of Honda's supply chain in the province.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Manitoba premier to visit areas impacted by wildfire
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew will get a close-up look at the devastation from a large wildfire burning in northern Manitoba Tuesday.