Surrey City Council votes to re-establish Ethics Commissioner Office

Photo: City of Surrey

SURREY City Council on Monday voted to re-establish an Ethics Commissioner Office. 

Council’s Surrey Connect members voted to establish a selection committee to recruit a Surrey Ethics Commissioner instead of re-appointing the former commissioner.

The selection committee will be comprised of five voting members and one non-voting member as follows:

  • Three members of the public;
  • Two City of Surrey Council members; and
  • One legal professional (non-voting member).

Surrey Council first adopted the Council Code of Conduct Bylaw in May, 2020 and appointed a Surrey Ethics Commissioner that July. The term of the commissioner ended on July 13, 2022, after the previous Council directed staff not to appoint a new Ethics Commissioner. The previous Council also amended the Code of Conduct Bylaw to suspend the processing of complaints between April 12, 2022, and the civic election. The decision on future of the Ethics Commissioner’s office was deferred to the newly elected Council.

The Surrey Ethics Commissioner is an independent officer that performs advisory and educational functions in relation to administering the Code of Conduct and assisting Council members in understanding their ethical obligations. The Ethics Commissioner has the power to investigate allegations of misconduct in relation to Mayor and Council, report their findings to Council and provide recommendations to Council as to the appropriate sanction or discipline.

Learn more here.