Toronto City Council has voted to reimburse Coun. Chris Moise, half of the more than $20,000 in legal expenses he incurred as part of an integrity commissioner’s investigation earlier this year.
During a robust debate at City Hall on Thursday, councillors voted 16-6 in favour of a motion by Coun. John Burnside to allow Moise to claim 50 per cent of his legal costs, minus the $5,000 he has already been reimbursed.
Moise had requested that $20,807.61 net HST be repaid to him.
In a separate motion, council voted 18-4 to delete the $5,000 threshold for eligible legal reimbursement, which Coun. Paula Fletcher noted hasn’t been updated since 2008, and imposes a limit of $20,000.
The city watchdog investigated two complaints against Moise stemming from a tense exchange with a constituent during a town hall meeting on January 16, 2025. Daniel Tate, the executive director of the advocacy group Integrity TO and one of the complainants, had opposed the City’s decision to rename Yonge-Dundas Square to Sankofa Square and approached Moise as he was leaving the meeting to confront him about his role in the renaming.
“So what are you doing this year, in [20]25, relating to renaming things that hurt your feelings for whatever reason?” Tate asked the councillor in a video that was later shared with the media. “What else is on your list?”
Moise responded, saying, “Mr. Tate, I know that you and I have different opinions on many things. I know that you have different views than I do. I know you have a white supremacy view.”
“I don’t support your views,” Moise added.
Tate proceeded to demand an apology from the councillor, saying, “Did you just call me a white supremacist, Councillor Moise? That’s an appalling thing to say to a constituent.”
The dispute then escalated with multiple individuals speaking over each other.
“You have harassed me for months,” Moise quipped. “I will never apologize.”
In a statement to CityNews, Moise claimed that he was cornered by a handful of people, in addition to Tate, who appeared to be his “associates or volunteers.”
One of the individuals is heard on the video saying Moise is “pulling the race card.”
A few days after that interaction, Tate filed a complaint with the City’s Integrity Commissioner. Following an investigation, the commissioner concluded that Moise had engaged with a member of the public “in a derogatory manner while acting in his official role.” However, no penalty was recommended, “due to context.”
In its report, the City watchdog also recognized Moise’s lived experience as a racialized person and said he faced “persistent criticism” of equity, diversity and inclusion policies.
IntegrityTO called the commissioner’s choice not to issue a penalty “disappointing.”