Allegations of a cover-up at Wasaga Beach town hall

CTV News has exclusive details on what one Wasaga Beach town councillor is calling a cover-up at the highest level at town hall.

The alleged cover-up involves a town employee who was given a financial package and left her job following an affair with her boss, the town's fire chief.

The woman's mother is now speaking out, calling for an investigation into why her daughter had to leave while her boss kept his job.

"No mother should have to talk her daughter out of committing suicide, and I've had to do that with my daughter because of what has happened to her in this town," says Sandra McCarl.

McCarl is an ordained minister who says she has kept this family secret for about three years.

"It's outing our family, but these things have to stop, and somebody has to step up and say no, it can't continue," she says.

The Wasaga Beach woman says her daughter, whom CTV News will not name to protect her identity, tried to take her own life after losing her job with the Town of Wasaga Beach in 2020.

"She is embarrassed when she goes out shopping and when she's around with some people because they will make comments to her how about 'we know what you did,'" McCarl adds.

She alleges her daughter was paid out and silenced by the Town of Wasaga Beach after her affair with Fire Chief Mike McWilliam.

"She did whatever he told her to do," which McCarl says included sharing pornographic videos and images. "Pictures of himself naked, and he wanted pictures of her too."

After the affair ended, McCarl says her daughter went to human resources claiming the fire chief was mistreating and harassing her.

"She couldn't function in her job. She was stressed. She was taking medication. She was losing her hair, and she went there for help," her mother states.

CTV News learned that in 2020 the town launched a lengthy investigation into the relationship and allegations of harassment.

A confidential document obtained by CTV News confirms the fire chief was suspended with pay during the course of the investigation.

The report concluded with the recommendation both the woman and the fire chief be fired with cause.

But, as CTV News discovered, the town's CAO George Vadeboncoeur sought a second legal opinion.

Months later, the woman was given a financial package, signed a non-disclosure agreement to keep quiet, and was no longer employed by the town.

McWilliam, however, kept his job as fire chief.

"A victim in a serious situation has been victimized, and I believe that, that then, was covered up," states Wasaga Beach Town Counc. Joe Belanger.

Belanger is calling for the Ministry of Labour to investigate. He says that the mayor and Vadeboncoeur purposely withheld information from the report's findings before council voted on the matter, which ended in a unanimous vote to dismiss the employee.

"Relationships between the fire department and some members of council may have had an impact on how the investigation was conducted and what was shared with council and ultimately what the decision was by council," Belanger adds.

The confidential town memo describes how the woman feared backlash prior to coming forward with her complaint, knowing how closely Mayor Nina Bifolchi, the fire chief and the CAO worked.

McWilliam is also the town's manager of health and safety.

"She left, got a few months' salary, has lost half her pension, and he's still working there," McCarl notes.

CTV News provided a list of questions for the CAO, the mayor and the fire chief. On behalf of all three, Vadeboncoeur responded that the Town does not comment on personnel matters.