Ontario Ombudsman releases Indigenous Services Plan, commits to ongoing dialogue to improve public service delivery for Indigenous Peoples

(TORONTO – March 12, 2025) Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé today released his Office’s Indigenous Services Plan, committing to internal improvements and external engagements to help ensure public services in Ontario respect Indigenous rights.

Noting that many Indigenous individuals and communities do not feel reflected or understood by public institutions, Mr. Dubé said: “We feel strongly that Ombudsman Ontario has a responsibility to help change that.”

The Ombudsman’s job is to promote fairness, accountability, transparency and respect for rights in the delivery of public services, he pointed out. “We are independent of government, and we are empowered to ensure that public bodies treat people properly and justly – we are uniquely positioned to make a difference.

“We oversee hundreds of provincial and municipal bodies that affect almost every aspect of daily life. When those services fail Indigenous people, we can investigate. We can recommend change. And we can shine a light on problems that would otherwise remain invisible.

“By improving how we serve Indigenous complainants and communities, we can help ensure better public services and greater respect for Indigenous rights. That is how we can contribute – within our mandate – to the broader journey of reconciliation.”

The Ombudsman’s Office worked with Tawi:ne Consulting Inc., a First Nation woman-owned and operated firm, to co-develop the plan, including by holding engagement sessions with more than 100 Indigenous participants from across Ontario.

Mr. Dubé and team have also travelled to several First Nations and met with numerous Indigenous leaders and organizations over the past few years, listening to concerns and feedback about public services as well as about Ombudsman Ontario itself.

The plan summarizes the concerns heard during the engagement sessions, including that:

• Government services and administrative systems often operate in ways that reinforce anti-Indigenous racism, poverty and exclusion.
• Indigenous students are routinely forced to leave their families and communities to access secondary education, and often face discrimination and inadequate access to mental health and culture-based supports.
• Indigenous people are disproportionately represented in the child welfare and correctional sectors, while access to rights-based and culturally safe services is obstructed by underfunding, staff shortages and administrative barriers.
• Bureaucratic service processes are confusing, uncoordinated and often difficult for Indigenous individuals to understand and access, resulting in delayed or denied access to essential services people “falling through the cracks.”

The plan includes five core commitments, under which the Ombudsman’s Office will:

1. Prioritize continuous learning and the expansion of Indigenous cultural competencies across its personnel. 
2. Build reciprocal relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals, governments, communities and organizations. 
3. Enhance service accessibility and experience for Indigenous Peoples.
4. Contribute its voice and expertise to addressing systemic issues in support of reconciliation.
5. Measure the impact of the plan and report on progress in implementing it.

“This moment represents the culmination of several years of dedicated effort, reflection and relationship-building,” Ombudsman Dubé said. “It also marks the beginning of a new chapter in how our Office serves Indigenous Peoples and communities across Ontario, building on stories shared and lessons learned.”

Mr. Dubé thanked all of the participants in the engagement sessions to date, and the work led by Tawi:ne principal Sara Loft. He also recognized artist Que Rock, whose original artwork for the published plan provides a powerful visual acknowledgement of the many layers and “infinite possibilities” of the Anishinaabe Medicine Wheel.

The plan is a “living commitment,” he stressed. “It will continue to evolve as our relationships deepen and as we learn from experience.

“Our goal is simple but ambitious: to ensure that Indigenous Peoples see Ombudsman Ontario as a place they can turn to with confidence – an institution that listens, that understands, and that helps make government services more fair, more inclusive, and more respectful.”

For more information, contact: 
Linda Williamson, Director of Communications
[email protected] 

About Ombudsman Ontario: The Ombudsman, established in 1975 to help protect the rights of all Ontarians, is an independent and impartial officer of the Legislature. In the past 50 years, the Ombudsman’s Office has handled more than 1 million cases and made more than 1,300 recommendations to improve public services, benefiting millions of people across the province. 

Under the Ombudsman Act, the Ombudsman reviews and resolves complaints and inquiries from the public about provincial government organizations, French language services, child protection services, municipalities, universities and school boards.