Pickering: Council returns to in-person meetings Nov. 16 after nearly two years online

Pickering city council will return to in-person meetings on Nov. 16, CBC News reported on Nov. 2. Council meetings had been held virtually for nearly two years, since 2024, after staff and councillors were subjected to threats, harassment and intimidation, including a death threat against the mayor, according to CBC. The shift followed a chaotic meeting on Jan. 20, 2025, CBC reported.

The council chamber renovation cost $3.3 million, was scheduled to be completed by late November 2026 and was finished ahead of schedule, CBC reported. The building is more than 30 years old and had one previous major renovation, in 1994. The renovation includes bullet-resistant glass, improved acoustics, an integrated security system and better accessibility, including hearing loops. Mayor Kevin Ashe called the move back to in-person meetings prudent and said, "I feel comfortable that we're turning the page," according to CBC. Ashe also credited former interim chief administrative officer Marisa Carpino with taking the threat seriously and acting immediately, CBC reported.

CBC reported that former councillor Lisa Robinson was investigated nine times since 2023, was found to have violated the code of conduct and received several pay suspensions of 30 to 90 days, and lost to Ashe in Monday's mayoral race. CBC attributed the history of the virtual shift to its previous reporting.