THOROLD, Ont. – The Niagara Region is apologizing to a reporter for seizing his equipment after the regional council thought it was being used to record a closed session.
The St. Catharines Standard reported that municipal staff called police Thursday night and officers forced one of the newspaper’s reporters to leave the region’s headquarters.
The paper says staff accused Bill Sawchuk of secretly recording a closed-door council meeting and took his computer and notes.
Niagara Region says in a statement today that staff found two electronic devices on the media table during the closed session and that one appeared to be recording, so they seized the devices to turn them over to police.
The municipality says after receiving assurances from the Standard’s lawyer that Sawchuk had not been recording, it returned his device to him and says it apologizes to the reporter.
Niagara Region says it will be reviewing its policy and protocols to prevent further incidents.
It says the second device has been turned over to police.