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Maplehurst Correctional Complex December 2023 incident

Media release, "Ombudsman to investigate Ontario’s response to incident at Maplehurst Correctional Complex" (June 9, 2025) Investigation into the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s response to a December 2023 incident at Maplehurst Correctional Complex. Announced June 9, 2025. Case update …
/en/our-work/investigations/ongoing-investigations/maplehurst-correctional-complex-december-2023-incident

Child welfare agencies placing youth in hotels, motels, offices and trailers

Media release, "Ombudsman to investigate child welfare practice of placing children and youth in hotels, motels, offices and trailers" (September 5, 2024) Investigation into the practice of child welfare agencies placing young children and teens in hotels, motels, offices and trailers. Announced …
/en/our-work/investigations/ongoing-investigations/child-welfare-agencies-placing-youth-hotels-motels-offices-and-trailers

Adults with developmental disabilities inappropriately housed in hospitals

Media release, "Ombudsman to investigate cases of people with developmental disabilities who are inappropriately housed in hospitals " (March 27, 2023) Investigation into the plight of adults with developmental disabilities who are inappropriately housed in hospital due to a lack of supports and …
/en/our-work/investigations/ongoing-investigations/adults-developmental-disabilities-inappropriately-housed-hospitals

Get me to the court on time

An inmate reached out to us to complain about a rapidly approaching court date. He was scheduled to appear in court in person, but the courthouse was a 15-hour drive away, and facility staff had not made travel arrangements to get him to court. Result: We made immediate inquiries with senior staff …
An inmate reached out to us to complain about a rapidly approaching court date.
/en/our-work/case-stories/get-me-court-time

A timely response

An individual who sent a complaint letter to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) came to us for help, saying they had been told the SIU had no formal complaint process or timeline for receiving a response. As a fairness best practice, we generally recommend that public bodies establish a clear …
An individual who sent a complaint letter to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) came to us for help, saying they had been told the SIU had no formal complaint process or timeline for receiving a response.
/en/our-work/case-stories/timely-response

A history of violence

An inmate reached out to us after getting in a fight with another inmate. Both had previously been involved in physical altercations with each other, and should have been placed in separate units within the facility to prevent further ones. Result: Our Office spoke with senior staff at the …
An inmate reached out to us after getting in a fight with another inmate.
/en/our-work/case-stories/history-violence

Urgency overlooked

An injured inmate sought our help with complications related to his eye socket, which had become seriously swollen. He told us he had raised this multiple times with health care staff, who had dismissed his concerns, suggesting it was just swelling and not a cause for alarm. Result: We immediately …
An injured inmate sought our help with complications related to his eye socket, which had become seriously swollen.
/en/our-work/case-stories/urgency-overlooked

Language bridge

A Russian-speaking woman came to us for help in dealing with her daughter’s care through Ontario Health at Home. Since this matter falls under the mandate of the Patient Ombudsman, we referred her to them. However, she struggled to navigate the automated phone system and could not reach a live …
A Russian-speaking woman came to us for help in dealing with her daughter’s care through Ontario Health at Home.
/en/our-work/case-stories/language-bridge

Decades later

A man who was born in Portugal but has been a Canadian citizen for more than 50 years sought our help in renewing his health card. He did not have his original citizenship documents, and the Ontario Health Insurance Plan had extended his coverage to allow him time to get replacements. However, he …
A man who was born in Portugal but has been a Canadian citizen for more than 50 years sought our help in renewing his health card.
/en/our-work/case-stories/decades-later

Continued care

Issues: Children’s aid society, Rights (Get help), Rights (Fairness) A young woman who had been in the care of a children’s aid society (CAS) sought our help because she was not provided with continued care and support – including mental health supports – after she turned 18, even though she was …
A young woman who had been in the care of a children’s aid society (CAS) sought our help because she was not provided with continued care and support.
/en/our-work/case-stories/continued-care

Hair help

Issues: Youth justice facility, Rights (Good care), Rights (Identity) A group of nine youths detained at a youth justice centre complained to us that they could not get hair oil. They complained that this left them with dry hair that was prone to breakage. Result: We made inquiries with the centre …
A group of nine youths detained at a youth justice centre complained to us that they could not get hair oil.
/en/our-work/case-stories/hair-help

Healthy review

Issues: Youth justice facility, Physical restraints, Rights (Safety) A young person in a youth justice centre contacted us after an incident where mechanical restraints were used on him. He complained that he was never assessed by the health care team at the centre after this use of restraints, …
A young person in a youth justice centre contacted us after an incident where mechanical restraints were used on him.
/en/our-work/case-stories/healthy-review

Fiscal fumble

A woman complained to us that the Trillium Drug Program made a mistake in calculating her out-of-pocket costs because they used an income tax return from the wrong year. Result: After speaking with program staff, we confirmed they were required to use information from the previous tax year, but …
A woman complained to us that the Trillium Drug Program made a mistake in calculating her out-of-pocket costs because they used an income tax return from the wrong year.
/en/our-work/case-stories/fiscal-fumble

Coming of age

Issues: Rights (Good care), Disability, Indigenous A group home director contacted us about an Indigenous youth with special needs who had been in the home’s care for seven years. The youth was nearing her 18th birthday, and the director was concerned that nothing had been done to ensure that she …
A group home director contacted us about an Indigenous youth with special needs who had been in the home’s care for seven years.
/en/our-work/case-stories/coming-age

Traditional medicines

An Indigenous inmate told us he had not been able to smudge regularly at his facility, and he wasn’t allowed traditional medicines such as cedar, sage, sweetgrass and tobacco. RESULT: After we intervened, he met with a Native Inmate Liaison Officer and was provided with smudge spray, sage medicine, …
An Indigenous inmate told us he had not been able to smudge regularly at his facility, and he wasn’t allowed traditional medicines such as cedar, sage, sweetgrass and tobacco.
/en/our-work/case-stories/traditional-medicines

Indigenous healing lodge

An Indigenous inmate complained of repeated delays in response to her requests to see a social worker, so she could apply to an Indigenous healing lodge. RESULT: We spoke with facility officials, who said staffing shortages had resulted in delays. We kept in touch with the inmate, who confirmed she …
An Indigenous inmate complained of repeated delays in response to her requests to see a social worker, so she could apply to an Indigenous healing lodge.
/en/our-work/case-stories/indigenous-healing-lodge

Family care

We stepped in to help an Indigenous man who was struggling to care for the newborn child of relatives suffering from addiction. No paperwork had been done to secure funding for necessary medication, foster care and other resources. RESULT: As a result of our involvement, a Customary Care Agreement …
We stepped in to help an Indigenous man who was struggling to care for the newborn child of relatives suffering from addiction.
/en/our-work/case-stories/family-care

Oversight 911

O N TA R I O O N TA R I O ’ S WAT C H D O G OVERSIGHT 911 Investigation into how the Ministry of Health oversees patient complaints and incident reports about ambulance services OMBUDSMAN REPORT n PAUL DUBÉ, OMBUDSMAN OF ONTARIO n MAY 2021 911 OVERSIGHT 911 DIRECTOR, SPECIAL OMBUDSMAN RESPONSE TEAM …
Investigation into how the Ministry of Health oversees patient complaints and incident reports about ambulance services
/en/our-work/investigations/oversight-911

Missed Messages

O N TA R I O Missed Messages Investigation into unilingual out-of-home government advertising regarding health services between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2023 REPORT OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVICES COMMISSIONER Carl Bouchard July 2024 O N TA R I O FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVICES UNIT www.ombudsman.on.ca …
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontarians turned to the provincial government for important information on protecting their health and that of their families and communities.
/en/our-work/investigations/missed-messages

Service for a smile

A woman whose daughter had to have an emergency root canal procedure – at a cost of $700 – sought our help in obtaining coverage through Healthy Smiles Ontario, a provincial program that covers dental care for eligible children and youth who are 17 and under. The child’s dentist had not enrolled …
A woman whose daughter had to have an emergency root canal procedure – at a cost of $700 – sought our help in obtaining coverage through Healthy Smiles Ontario, a provincial program that covers dental care for eligible children and youth who are 17 and under.
/en/our-work/case-stories/service-smile