The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has mandated that Dryden City Councillor Ritch Noel pay $17,000 to the City of Dryden. This ruling follows a formal probe that validated claims of bullying and harassment against municipal staff.
The $17,000 court order for workplace bullying
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice determined that City Councillor Ritch Noel must compensate the City of Dryden with $17,000 after an external investigation confirmed a pattern of harassment. according to the report, the conflict intensified between late December 2024 and early January 2025, prompting the municipality to seek an unbiased third-party assessment of Noel's behavior toward employees.
In response to the findings, the City of Dryden initially barred Ritch Noel from attending council meetings and city events in person. this restriction was designed as a temporary measure,contingent upon the councillor completing a workplace civility training program to ensure a professional environment for the municipal staff.
A pattern of Conflict of Interest Act violations since 2022
This recent ruling is part of a broader trend of disciplinary issues for Ritch Noel, who first entered office in 2022.. As the source reported, Noel has been the subject of multiple complaints filed with the city's integrity commissioner, resulting in two separate findings of wrongdoing.
One significant breach involved a violation of clause 5 (1) (b) of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. The integrity commissioner found that Ritch Noel inappropriately attempted to influence discussions on a matter where he held a direct monetary interest, a move that compromised the impartial nature of his public office.
The legal fight over the October 26 election bid
Despite the financial penalty and the findings of harassment,Ritch Noel is pursuing re-election in the municipal vote scheduled for October 26. Noel previously attempted to overturn the city's restrictions through a judicial review in the Divisional Court, arguing that the City of Dryden had exceeded its legal authority and violated his constitutional rights.
However, the court rejected these claims , ruling that the municipality's actions were a proportionate response to the need for a safe workplace. The justice concluded that the City of Dryden acted fairly and possessed the necessary authority to implement corrective measures against the councillor.
Sinding's claim of a 'relentless legal campaign'
The defense for Ritch Noel, led by legal representative Sinding, frames these legal setbacks as a political struggle rather than a conduct issue. sinding asserts that the harassment allegations are politically motivated attempts to silence a councillor who demands accountability from senior municipal staff on behalf of taxpayers.
While the defense claims a specific, unnamed staff member has waged a "relentless legal campaign" against Ritch Noel for years, several key details remain unverified. The report does not specify the identity of this staff member, nor does it detail the exact nature of the "monetary interest" that led to the Conflict of Interest Act violation. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether the City of Dryden intends to seek further sanctions should Ritch Noel win the October 26 election.
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