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  • Make a complaint
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Ombudsman Ontario Home

Ombudsman Ontario

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  1. Make a complaint
  2. What we can help you with
  3. Municipalities

Municipalities

We can help solve problems with city, town and municipal services in Ontario. Our services are confidential and free.

We can help you with problems like:

  • Access to public housing
  • Complaints about by-law enforcement
  • Council meetings that are closed to the public (learn more)
  • Mistakes in electricity or water bills
  • Problems with Ontario Works benefits
  • Services like garbage collection or snow removal
     

You can complain to us about:

  • Local or regional councils, committees and local boards
  • Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
  • Municipal housing providers
  • Municipal integrity commissioners or ombudsmen
  • Municipal utility companies
  • Ontario Works

Make a complaint


There are some things we can’t do. We can’t:

  • Reverse decisions made by elected officials
  • Take complaints about:
    • The conduct of elected officials
    • Library boards
    • Municipal police services and police service boards
    • Matters handled by the Toronto Ombudsman

If we can’t help, we’ll tell you who can.


Still have questions?

  • See the full list of organizations you can complain about
  • Read our Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact us with your questions

How we’ve helped

Discover how our team has helped people deal with their concerns about municipal issues in Ontario:

More examples of case stories
Person shovelling snow on a residential street

Snow problem

A man told our Office he had tried for 10 years to find out why the municipality removed the snow from the sidewalk in front of his neighbours’ homes, but not his.

Yellow parking ticket on car windshield

Bad signs

A man who received a ticket for stopping in a “no stopping” zone complained that only a “no parking” sign was visible from the spot.

Woman with open laptop speaking on phone

Triple trouble

A woman complained to us that she had no idea why her water bill had tripled in a few months with no change to her consumption, and the municipal billing department would not help.

See more examples of results we’ve achieved in the municipal sector.

Ready to make a complaint?

Start here

Learn more about our work in this area

  • Municipal trends and cases (2023-2024 Annual Report)
  • Investigations
  • Complaints about closed council meetings: Case digest
  • Find your closed meeting investigator
  • More resources about municipalities

The Ontario Ombudsman’s work takes place on traditional Indigenous territories across the province we now call Ontario, and we are thankful to be able to work and live on this land. 

Ombudsman Ontario Home

Ombudsman Ontario

483 Bay Street
10th floor, South Tower
Toronto, ON M5G 2C9

Toll-free (Ontario only): 1-800-263-1830
Outside Ontario: 416-586-3300
info@ombudsman.on.ca

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