A city councilor in Dryden, Ontario, has been instructed by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to pay the city $17,000, but he remains committed to running in the upcoming municipal election.
The City of Dryden received several complaints involving Councilor Ritch Noel between late December 2024 and early January 2025, leading to an external investigation that found Noel guilty of bullying and harassing city staff.
As a result, the city required Noel to refrain from attending council meetings or city events in person until he completed a workplace civility training program. Noel contested this decision by filing a Divisional Court application for a judicial review, arguing that the city overstepped its authority and violated his rights.
The case was brought before Justice Karen Jensen, who dismissed Noel’s claims on Monday, stating that the council had acted within its rights and provided procedural fairness to Noel throughout the process.
Dryden, Ontario, home to about 7,400 residents and situated approximately 350 kilometers northwest of Thunder Bay. (Sarah Law/CBC)
Regarding the court ruling, Justice Jensen affirmed the council’s actions as reasonable and proportionate in balancing Noel’s rights with the city’s responsibilities.
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Dryden, with a population of approximately 7,400 residents, is located about 350 kilometers northwest of Thunder Bay.
Noel, a paralegal, has been the subject of eight investigations by the city’s integrity commissioner since his election in 2022. He was found to have violated regulations in two cases:
- On July 24, 2025, the integrity commissioner found Noel in breach of the Code of Conduct due to a Facebook comment regarding a deceased member of Eagle Lake First Nation.
- On May 13, 2026, the integrity commissioner determined that Noel contravened the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act by discussing a matter in which he had a financial interest.
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