Council

Who decides, and how you can hold them to account

Champlain is run by an elected council of 9 people. They set the budget, approve big purchases and hire the senior staff who run the town day to day.

Current council

• MayorNormand Riopelnormand.riopel@champlain.ca
• Councillor, Ward 1 - Vankleek HillPaul Emile Duvalpaulemile.duval@champlain.ca
• Councillor, Ward 1 - Vankleek HillPeter Bartonpeter.barton@champlain.ca
• Councillor, Ward 2 - L'OrignalAndré Royandre.roy@champlain.ca
• Councillor, Ward 2 - L'OrignalMichel Lalondemichel.lalonde@champlain.ca
• Councillor, Ward 3 - LongueuilPaul Burroughspaul.burroughs@champlain.ca
• Councillor, Ward 3 - LongueuilGinette Clémentginette.clement@champlain.ca
• Councillor, Ward 4 - West HawkesburyGerry Minergerard.miner@champlain.ca
• Councillor, Ward 4 - West HawkesburySarah Bigelow

Names and official email addresses from the town's council page. None of the members lists a public social media account there.

Top number: pay. Second number: benefits and expenses together, such as health cover, mileage, conferences and training. Exactly what goes in it differs a little from town to town; the note below says what this town’s statement includes. Some members take the town’s health plan and some do not, so a higher second number is not a problem by itself. The statements give only totals; the receipts behind them can be requested from the clerk.

Each year links to the town's statement. From the Township's web page Council Remuneration and Expenses (2025), prepared by the treasurer under s. 284 of the Municipal Act, 2001. "Pay" is the column headed Remuneration. "Other" is committee meeting payments plus convention, mileage and other expenses, added by us. We found only 2025 on the page. Names are as the page prints them; the council page prints one member as "Gerry Miner" and this page as "Gerard Miner". Council appointees listed on the same page are not shown here.

• Partly
  Budgets posted online

  The Township's budget and finance page explains the budget process but does not post a budget book. The 2026 draft budget and operating budget are attached to the agenda of the February 5, 2026 special budget meeting on the Township's meeting portal, but those files sit behind a browser check there (a plain download returned an HTTP 403 page headed "Verifying your browser"), so we did not read them. Source

• Yes
  Audited financial statements

  Audited statements for 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 are posted as PDFs. The 2025 statements carry an auditor's report that says they "present fairly", dated May 28, 2026. Source

• Partly
  Council pay and expenses (s. 284)

  The Township's page shows the 2025 statement as a table for members of council and for council appointees. We found no earlier years on the page. Source

• Yes
  Meeting agendas and minutes

  Agendas and minutes are on the Township's eScribe portal, which the meetings page says covers June 1, 2021 to June 2026 and which listed an upcoming meeting on October 15, 2026. Minutes of the February 5 and February 26, 2026 meetings are posted as web pages. Attached files (reports, budgets) are behind a browser check. Source

• Unknown
  Integrity Commissioner reports

  The Township explains how to make a complaint. We did not find any published reports from the Integrity Commissioner. Source

• Township of Champlain on YouTube

  The Township's meetings page links this channel and says Regular Council and Committee of the Whole meetings are streamed live and can be watched there. We did not check how many past meetings are kept on it.

1. Integrity Commissioner

   Complaints about a member of council breaking the Code of Conduct go to the Township's Integrity Commissioner. The Township's page says a complaint must be sent in a sealed envelope with a sworn affidavit and a $100 deposit, which is refunded if the complaint is accepted. We did not find any Integrity Commissioner reports on the pages we read.