Issue: Children’s aid society A 15-year-old emailed us that she was being physically and verbally abused by her mother, and had started to self-harm and even attempted suicide as a result. Our Children and Youth Unit connected her to a children’s aid society and the Kids Help Phone crisis line. We …
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A 15-year-old emailed us that she was being physically and verbally abused by her mother, and had started to self-harm and even attempted suicide as a result.
Overtaxed
A homeowner sought our help after learning that his property type had been incorrectly recorded by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) when it was first assessed almost a decade earlier. He had paid higher taxes than necessary for several years. MPAC was willing to fix the issue so …
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A homeowner sought our help after learning that his property type had been incorrectly recorded by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) when it was first assessed almost a decade earlier.
Loan protection
After a woman under the guardianship of the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (OPGT) took out two short-term, high-interest loans without the OPGT’s knowledge or consent, we asked for more information about how it prevents unauthorized loans and other dissipation of clients’ assets. We were …
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After a woman under the guardianship of the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (OPGT) took out two short-term, high-interest loans without the OPGT’s knowledge or consent, we asked for more information about how it prevents unauthorized loans and other dissipation of clients’ assets.
Right to safety
Issues: Group home; Rights (Safety) An 11-year-old told us she felt unsafe in her group home after another resident threatened her with a knife. The Ombudsman’s Children and Youth Unit informed her of her right to have her placement reviewed by the Residential Placement Advisory Committee, and …
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An 11-year-old told us she felt unsafe in her group home after another resident threatened her with a knife.
Not as planned
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Good care) A young person who was serving a youth sentence at an adult correctional facility complained to us that he was not being provided CAS access to services required by his court-ordered plan. He was under an Intensive Rehabilitation Custody and …
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A young person who was serving a youth sentence at an adult correctional facility complained to us that he was not being provided CAS access to services required by his court-ordered plan.
Proof of identity
A man complained to us after he wore a non-medical mask to prevent coronavirus spread inside his local Liquor Board of Ontario (LBCO) outlet, and staff there asked him to remove it so they could verify his identity. He told us he was concerned that this could put his health at risk. We made …
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A man complained to us after he wore a non-medical mask to prevent coronavirus spread inside his local Liquor Board of Ontario (LBCO) outlet, and staff there asked him to remove it so they could verify his identity.
A cut above
Issues: Group home; Black youth; Rights (Identity) A Black youth living in a rural group home with little access to public transit complained to us that staff would not drive him to get a haircut. Our staff suggested that he speak to his caseworker about the matter, and we followed up with the …
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A Black youth living in a rural group home with little access to public transit complained to us that staff would not drive him to get a haircut.
Left out in the cold
Issues: Group home; Police involvement; Disability The mother of a teenager with developmental disability complained to us about an incident involving her daughter at a group home, after the daughter left the home at midnight and was outside in the cold for more than 30 minutes before she was found …
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The mother of a teenager with developmental disability complained to us about an incident involving her daughter at a group home.
The right process
Issue: Children’s aid society A mother called our Children and Youth Unit after her local children’s aid society told her it would not review her complaint due to a lack of information. The agency had a policy that stated a complaint must first be filed with a caseworker, then a supervisor, before …
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A mother called our Children and Youth Unit after her local children’s aid society told her it would not review her complaint due to a lack of information.
On her own
Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA); Rights (Good care); Rights (Get help) A 16-year-old youth in care of a children’s aid society felt that her needs were not being met since she had a change in caseworkers. She told our Children and Youth staff she recently …
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A 16-year-old youth in care of a children’s aid society felt that her needs were not being met since she had a change in caseworkers.
Right to complain
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Get help) When a woman complained to us about how she and her family were treated by a children’s aid society, we first advised her to contact her caseworker and raise the issue through the society’s internal process. She returned in frustration, saying the …
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When a woman complained to us about how she and her family were treated by a children’s aid society, we first advised her to contact her caseworker and raise the issue through the society’s internal process.
That's the place
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Get help); Rights (Fairness) Unhappy with his placement at a foster home, a 17-year-old asked his children’s aid society caseworker for a placement change, only to be told the home he was staying in was best for him. Feeling unheard, the young person …
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Unhappy with his placement at a foster home, a 17-year-old asked his children’s aid society caseworker for a placement change, only to be told the home he was staying in was best for him.
Review askew
Issues: Children’s aid society; ; Group home; Rights (Safety); Rights (Get help) A 16-year-old girl living in a group home told us she had asked her children’s aid society worker to initiate a review of her placement because she felt unsafe, but the caseworker didn't follow up with her. We …
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A 16-year-old girl living in a group home told us she had asked her children’s aid society worker to initiate a review of her placement because she felt unsafe, but the caseworker didn't follow up with her.
Cracking the fire code
A small business owner sought our help after he was ordered to install fire detectors and alarms on his property, noting that he could not access the technical standard of the Ontario Fire Code that was cited in the order. He was told that because the information was copyrighted, the only way to …
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A small business owner sought our help after he was ordered to install fire detectors and alarms on his property, noting that he could not access the technical standard of the Ontario Fire Code that was cited in the order.
Coming up empty
A cannabis purchaser received a delivery from the OCS that turned out to be an empty box. OCS officials told him he could place a new order without charge, but he would first have to print out a return shipping label, attach it to the empty box, and send it back to them. Faced with the absurdity of …
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A cannabis purchaser received a delivery from the OCS that turned out to be an empty box.
Unsigned but delivered
A woman placed an order with the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) on October 17, 2018, the first day that recreational cannabis became legal in Canada. She complained that two weeks later, she arrived home to find the package had been left on her porch – contrary to the requirement that an individual …
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A woman placed an order with the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) on October 17, 2018, the first day that recreational cannabis became legal in Canada.
Sharing the wealth
The family of a man who won $2,000 in the lottery but died before he could collect the prize sought our help in dealing with OLG officials, whom they had contacted several times over the course of four months. They were told they would have to submit the man’s death certificate, along with …
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The family of a man who won $2,000 in the lottery but died before he could collect the prize sought our help in dealing with OLG officials, whom they had contacted several times over the course of four months.
Coverage confusion
Issues: Rights (Good care); Rights (Get help) A pregnant youth called us for help when she went for an ultrasound and was told her health card was cancelled. She thought her children's aid society worker had cancelled her health coverage. We determined that the card wasn't cancelled, but required …
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A pregnant youth called us for help when she went for an ultrasound and was told her health card was cancelled.
Staying connected
Issues: Children’s aid society; Group home; Rights (Fairness) A young person in a treatment group home called us, saying she felt like she had no one to talk to. We determined that she was connected to a children's aid society and a children's mental health agency, but she wasn't aware of either …
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A young person in a treatment group home called us, saying she felt like she had no one to talk to.
Moving on
Issues: Group home; Rights (Get help) A 15-year-old who had been in a group home for three years sought our help in moving into a foster home where he could become more independent. Our staff explained his right to a placement review through the Residential Placement Advisory Committee, which he …
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A 15-year-old who had been in a group home for three years sought our help in moving into a foster home where he could become more independent.
