I’ve heard people wonder why Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin has the power to investigate city council — and lament that his probe will be a pricey process for city hall.

Well, he can. And it won’t cost the city a cent. Here’s why:

It was November 2007 when city council was working to meet a Jan. 1, 2008 deadline to appoint a body that could investigate them whenever the need arose. Board of control recommended going with an Association of Municipalities of Ontario-linked group made up of retired city officials.

One board of control member, Gina Barber, was opposed to that option and instead wanted to appoint the Ontario Ombudsman for the job.

That AMO-affiliated group, the Local Authority Services, would cost city hall $1,250 a day to investigate. The Ombudsman? Zero.

Barber managed to marshal the support needed to have the controllers’ recommendation overturned by full council, which instead agreed to go with the Ombudsman.

And that brings us to today, where the provincial watchdog is probing city council’s Nov. 7 secret vote to evict Occupy London from Victoria Park.

So if complaints are filed by Londoners, the Ombudsman looks into it and can decide to investigate. And it costs the city nothing.