TORONTO - The chair of the Niagara Parks Commission has been cleared of any wrongdoing in renewing the lease for the Maid of the Mist tour boats.
Ontario's integrity commissioner has concluded there was no wrongdoing by chairman Jim Williams.
However, commissioner Lynn Morrison says there are other issues that require the government's attention to instill public confidence in the commission.
Morrison's report follows a complaint filed in July by Niagara Falls businessman Bob Gale, who at the time was a member of the provincial government agency.
Gale objected to the fact a 25-year lease with the Maid of the Mist Steamboat Company was renewed without inviting other bidders.
The Maid of the Mist leases land from the commission on the Canadian shore of the Niagara River to run its boat tours.
An American businessman took the commission to court this month to stop what he called the secret lease renewal for the famous tour boats from proceeding.
Bill Windsor of Atlanta claims the commission violated its own procurement policies by failing to take bids to operate the boats, which shuttle tourists to the base of Niagara Falls.
