Rideau Lakes council meetings to be monitored for the remainder of the term amid ongoing conflicts
RIDEAU LAKES – The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing says it will begin observing Rideau Lakes Township council meetings for the remainder of the term, following what it describes as “governance challenges” affecting proceedings.
A letter dated Oct. 22, 2025, and addressed to Township Clerk Mary Ellen Truelove, was circulated publicly after Coun. Paula Banks shared an image of the correspondence on social media. The letter, signed by Jen Liptrot, regional director for the ministry’s Eastern Municipal Services Office, states that ministry staff “will be attending and observing all of the Township’s council meetings for the remainder of this council term and advising the Minister.”
The ministry noted it had “recently become aware of certain governance challenges affecting the proceedings of council meetings” and described the township’s decision to engage a governance and conflict-resolution consultant as “a positive and proactive step.”
The letter also assures that the ministry “remains committed to supporting the Township’s efforts toward effective governance.” Copies were sent to CAO Shellee Fournier and MPP Steve Clark.
The ministry’s involvement follows months of escalating conflict at the council table. The township has faced repeated disruptions, walkouts, and a growing number of Integrity Commissioner investigations, 24 in total since the current term began.
During the Oct. 6 council meeting, township staff cited workplace-safety concerns and left the chamber after heated exchanges over seven Integrity Commissioner reports involving Mayor Arie Hoogenboom, Couns. Ron Pollard and Marcia Maxwell, and a former councillor. The meeting collapsed mid-agenda and was later continued virtually.
Hoogenboom urged the province to dissolve Rideau Lakes council entirely, calling for a new municipal election to restore public confidence. He cited an “unsustainable state of dysfunction” and ongoing attacks among members.
Council divisions have deepened over repeated breaches of the Code of Conduct, public reprimands, and penalties ranging from 15 days to 180 days of lost pay. The township has since moved its meetings online for staff safety and contracted an outside consultant to provide governance and conflict-resolution training.
The ministry’s monitoring role is intended to provide oversight and guidance. Staff from the Eastern Municipal Services Office are expected to attend upcoming meetings and advise the Minister on proceedings for the remainder of the term.
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