Ontario's former integrity commissioner, J. David Wake, has passed away a year after his retirement. He served as the integrity commissioner from 2016 until his recent retirement in 2025, during which he was responsible for multiple investigations that significantly influenced Ontario's public ethics landscape.

Wake is perhaps best known for authoring a comprehensive report on the Ontario provincial government’s Greenbelt scandal. This scandal revolved around the controversial decision to remove certain lands from the protected Greenbelt area to facilitate housing development. The report was particularly impactful, resulting in the resignation of a cabinet minister following its publication.

In his investigation regarding the Greenbelt issue, Wake and his team interviewed a total of 62 witnesses and meticulously reviewed more than 2,300 documents. Their findings concluded that the Ontario housing minister had inadequately supervised his top staff member, who managed a process that was described as “chaotic.” This mismanagement allegedly created opportunities for certain developers to improperly advance their interests, leading to significant ethical questions about the provincial government's actions.

Prior to his tenure as integrity commissioner, Wake held the position of associate chief justice of the Ontario Court of Justice from 1999 to 2005. This lengthy career in public service placed Wake in a unique position to assess and comment on issues of ethics within the provincial government.

Current integrity commissioner Cathryn Motherwell has expressed that Wake's influence on public sector ethics in Canada is indelible. She praised his contributions and noted the important role he played in raising the standards of accountability in government operations.

Wake is survived by his wife, two children, and five grandchildren. Premier Doug Ford has publicly expressed his condolences to Wake's family and loved ones, acknowledging the significant impact Wake had on the realm of public ethics in Ontario.