The Ontario government has advanced Bill 9, the Municipal Accountability Act, to its final reading to standardize conduct requirements for municipal officials.

安大略省政府已將第 9 號法案《市政問責法》推進至最終讀會，以統一市政官員的行為規範要求。

The legislative trajectory of Bill 9 reflects a protracted period of institutional iteration. Initial attempts to establish a framework for the disqualification of councillors and the reimbursement of investigative costs commenced in 2021, though these efforts were subsequently abandoned. Following a subsequent iteration in late 2024 and a disruption caused by a snap election, the current version of the Act was reintroduced in May 2025. This legislative progression underscores a systemic effort to rectify the absence of uniform disciplinary mechanisms across the province's 444 municipalities.

第 9 號法案的立法軌跡反映了長期的制度反覆修正。最初於 2021 年嘗試建立一套關於取消議員資格及償還調查費用的框架，但隨後被放棄。在 2024 年底經過再次修訂並受到閃電大選干擾後，現行版本的法案於 2025 年 5 月重新提出。這一立法進程凸顯了系統性地努力，旨在解決全省 444 個市政區缺乏統一紀律機制的缺失。

Central to the Act is the establishment of a standardized municipal code of conduct, the implementation of which is intended to mitigate workplace harassment and professional misconduct. The mechanism for the removal and disqualification of a member from office is contingent upon a tripartite verification process: a recommendation by the municipal integrity commissioner, concurrence from the provincial integrity commissioner, and a unanimous vote by the remaining members of the council. While Minister Rob Flack has indicated an intent for these regulations to be operational prior to the October municipal elections, the requirement for council unanimity has generated apprehension among certain stakeholders and smaller municipal entities regarding the practical feasibility of such removals.

該法案的核心在於建立一套標準化的市政行為準則，其執行旨在減輕職場騷擾與專業不端行為。撤職及取消成員資格的機制取決於三方核實程序：市政誠信專員的建議、省誠信專員的同意，以及議會其餘成員的一致投票通過。儘管部長 Rob Flack 表示希望在 10 月市政選舉前讓這些規定生效，但議會需達成一致的門檻，令部分利益相關者與小型市政實體對此類撤職的實際可行性感到憂慮。

Stakeholder positioning remains bifurcated. Emily McIntosh, representing the advocacy group Women of Ontario Say No, characterized the legislation as a foundational step toward the protection of women in municipal politics. Conversely, Liberal Stephen Blais, who previously initiated a similar private member's bill, posited that while the Act constitutes a positive development, further refinements are necessary to expand the disciplinary options available to councils.

利益相關者的立場仍然分歧。代表倡議團體「安大略女性說不」的 Emily McIntosh 將此立法描述為保護市政政治中女性的基礎性步驟。相反，先前曾發起類似私人議員法案的自由黨人 Stephen Blais 則認為，雖然該法案是一項積極的進展，但仍需進一步完善，以擴大議會可用的紀律處分選項。

Bill 9 is expected to be enacted shortly, establishing a new provincial standard for municipal accountability and official conduct.

第 9 號法案預計將於近期頒佈，為市政問責與官員行為建立新的全省標準。