RIDEAU LAKES – Rideau Lakes council has issued a formal reprimand to Mayor Arie Hoogenboom following four Integrity Commissioner reports that found wrongdoing, including breaches of confidentiality and misleading statements made to the media.
It was posted on the municipal website, Oct. 23.
Breach of Confidentiality
In a report dated May 26, 2025 (IC-35605-0625), the Integrity Commissioner found that Mayor Hoogenboom violated Section 6.2.6(i) of the township’s Code of Conduct when he publicly stated during a Municipal Services Committee meeting that he was under investigation by the IC.
The code requires members of council to maintain confidentiality regarding all communications with the Integrity Commissioner. The report recommended a public reprimand.
Misleading Public Comments
In a June 4, 2025 interview on CBC Radio’s All in a Day, Mayor Hoogenboom said he had “spoken to the province” and that “they told me I’m well within my power to utilize strong mayor powers in this particular case,” citing MPP Steve Clark as the source.
Clark’s office later called the claim “categorically false” and urged the mayor to “do the honourable thing and immediately retract his untruthful comments.”
Although Hoogenboom later told the Integrity Commissioner that his remarks had been “misread and interpreted wrong,” the IC rejected that explanation.
“The mayor is incorrect in his recollection of what he said and in saying that his comments were misread or misinterpreted. Accordingly, the mayor’s comments were misleading to anyone who heard them,” the report stated.
The IC found that by making misleading comments, Hoogenboom breached Section 6.10.1 of the Code of Conduct, which requires members to treat council, staff, and the public appropriately.
Rideau Lakes Council Statement on Trust and Leadership
Council stated that trust in the mayor is essential for effective governance and public confidence.
“Leadership requires truthfulness, sound judgment, and strict respect for confidentiality. When the mayor discloses confidential information or makes categorically false statements, it undermines council’s integrity and damages public confidence,” the statement read.
The Integrity Commissioner noted that the mayor apologized to MPP Clark and his staff.
Council concluded that “residents expect and deserve leadership grounded in honesty, accountability, and respect at all times.”
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