Judicial review for Edmonton city councillor Jennifer Rice set for after next civic election
Rice is challenging investigation results that she harassed and bullied staff last year
Edmonton city councillor Jennifer Rice's day in court to challenge findings that she harassed and bullied members of her staff comes on May 6, 2026 — several months after the next municipal election.
The Court of King's Bench granted Rice a judicial review of the matter after the Ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi councillor asked the court to stop a sanctioning hearing against her in August.
City integrity commissioner Jamie Pytel began investigating Rice last October under council's code of conduct, after an employee filed a complaint about the councillor's behaviour.
Rice claims the investigation was unfair, that the commissioner didn't give her a copy of the full complaint, didn't identify the witnesses interviewed and that some information had been removed from the complaint.
Several other city councillors say they haven't seen the report, which was released to Rice in March.
Timing raising eyebrows
The next municipal election is set for Oct. 20, 2025.
The timing of the judicial review is raising eyebrows for some.
Michael Janz, city councillor for Ward papastew, said the public deserves to know the findings, especially if Rice runs for re-election next October.
"Coun. Rice should be explaining herself to her colleagues, to Edmontonians, to her constituents," Janz said in an interview with CBC News Wednesday.
Councillors' behaviour and decisions are subject to scrutiny under the council code of conduct, adopted in 2018 to enhance accountability.
The integrity commissioner is an independent third party who investigates complaints against councillors.
"If the integrity commissioner has made a finding and done research — I mean, that's what we have that individual to do — we should have that report and then we should have a discussion about next steps," Janz said.
Rice has not responded to CBC's request for comment on the timing of the court date nor on whether she intends to run for re-election.
Chaldeans Mensah, a political scientist at MacEwan University, said Rice has the right to seek legal recourse if she thinks the investigation was unfair.
At the same time, she'll benefit from a late court date, he suggested.
"This actually works to her benefit to have that process delayed," Mensah said in an interview. "The voters won't have an opportunity to assess their findings and the sanctioning process that the integrity commissioner wants to follow."
She has two important things going for her, he said: being an incumbent and having name recognition.
"Those are two strong factors which she's hoping to capitalize on," he said. "But I think her opponents will likely bring this ethical cloud that she's facing to the discussion during the campaign."
Janz believes the process will cost the city, and subsequently the taxpayers, money.
Janice Schroeder, a spokesperson for the city, said a legal team will be in court and may provide submissions.
"The city might have perspectives on who participates in a sanction hearing or how it is conducted," Schroeder said in an email to CBC News Wednesday.
City administration has not asked for the judicial review to be expedited, she added.
Code of conduct complaints
Janz himself was the subject of a code of conduct investigation more than two years ago for retweeting a post that was found to be derogatory toward the police.
"Even as part of the investigation, I said 'Yes, I made a mistake and I want to atone for it,'" he said.
Janz said Rice should own up or explain why she believes she's not guilty of the allegations.
"And my advice to Coun. Rice would be Edmontonians are a very understanding and forgiving people. Just confess your sins, apologize and people will be understanding."
Two positions were created when the city adopted its code of conduct: an ethics adviser to guide councillors in their decision-making and an integrity commissioner to investigate when complaints are made against a councillor.
Members of the public, staff or other councillors can file complaints.
The integrity commissioner's report also contains suggested reprimands against a councillor.
Those can range widely, from demanding a letter of apology, to taking away duties, or anything other councillors find appropriate.
Ultimately, council decides what the sanction will be.
- Mike Nickel violated council's code of conduct, city integrity commissioner finds
- Edmonton appoints city's first integrity commissioner and ethics adviser
Former councillor Mike Nickel was also found to be in conflict of the code of conduct.
Pytel's annual report goes in front of council next week for review. It is delayed from the spring as the Rice complaint from 2023 was not concluded.
Since September 2018, Pytel has received 124 complaints and investigated 40, her annual report says.
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