We’re here to make sure everyone in Ontario is treated fairly by government and public services. We can take complaints about more than 1,000 government and public sector organizations.
How we can help
We can review a complaint about or problem with:
- Provincial ministries and programs
- Crown corporations
- Administrative tribunals
- Agencies, boards and commissions
- Cities, towns and municipalities
- Universities and colleges
- School boards
- Child protection services
- French language services
We can also:
- Help you connect with the right people so you can try to resolve the problem directly
- Step in if you haven’t been able to resolve it directly with the organization(s)
- Assess whether the organization acted fairly and followed best practices
- Put you in touch with other organizations that are better able to address your concerns
When we review or investigate a complaint, we remain impartial. If something is unfair, we will work to make it right.
What we can’t take complaints about
However, there are limits to the types of complaints and problems we can help with.
We can’t take complaints about:
- Individual elected officials at the provincial or federal levels, including the Premier, Cabinet and its decisions, and political staff
- Judges and courts
- Legal disputes
- Private companies
- Individual people
- Local, provincial or federal police services or conduct (except some Ontario Provincial Police administrative matters)
- The federal government and its departments and agencies
- Federally regulated industries (such as banks, insurance companies, etc.)
- Self-regulating professions (e.g., lawyers, doctors, nurses)
- Student associations and student unions at the university and college level
- Local public health units and library boards
- Hospitals and long-term care homes (except those designated under the French Language Services Act)
We also can’t:
- Reverse decisions made by politicians
- Redo the work of other investigative bodies or local complaint or oversight bodies, such as integrity commissioners in towns, cities or municipalities
- Take sides in a complaint or advocate for you or the organization in question
- Provide legal advice or act as your lawyer
This list of organizations may be able to help with your issue if we can’t.
Ready to file a complaint?
Need more information?
Learn about the step-by-step process for making a complaint.