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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

Parting words

A Francophone man was let go from his position as a volunteer firefighter with a municipality. He complained to us that the municipality sent him a letter explaining his termination in English only. He asked if we could help him connect with someone who could send it in French, given that his …
A Francophone man was let go from his position as a volunteer firefighter with a municipality.
/en/our-work/case-stories/parting-words

One for the price of two

A man sought our help in getting money back from his municipality for a nonexistent water line. He told us that when he bought the property, he was told there were two water lines, and he would be billed for both. He said municipal staff assured him the second line was there, even though it was not …
A man sought our help in getting money back from his municipality for a nonexistent water line.
/en/our-work/case-stories/one-price-two

Sudden shutoff

A woman who was in hospital sought our help after water service was cut off to her home, where her son, who has autism and medical needs, was receiving at-home care in her absence. She told us she had a payment plan with the water service provider and had paid her bills. She was worried for her …
A woman who was in hospital sought our help after water service was cut off to her home, where her son, who has autism and medical needs, was receiving at-home care in her absence.
/en/our-work/case-stories/sudden-shutoff

Saved, not sold

A man called us in distress, saying he would become homeless if he could not immediately pay nearly $25,000 in property tax arrears and fees. He said he had just learned that his municipality had seized his properties for unpaid taxes and put them up for auction. The properties would go to the …
A man called us in distress, saying he would become homeless if he could not immediately pay nearly $25,000 in property tax arrears and fees.
/en/our-work/case-stories/saved-not-sold

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

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

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

Submission regarding proposed changes to the municipal code of conduct and integrity commissioner framework

Submission to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding proposed changes to the municipal code of conduct and integrity commissioner framework Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario February 2025 Overview The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is seeking feedback on proposed changes to …
The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is seeking feedback on proposed changes to the municipal code of conduct and integrity commissioner framework for Ontario municipalities, in connection with legislative amendments that were proposed in Bill 241, the Municipal Accountability Act, 2024.
/en/our-work/submissions-government/submission-regarding-proposed-changes-municipal-code-conduct-and-integrity-commissioner-framework

Inside Job

O N TA R I O O N TA R I O ’ S WAT C H D O G Inside Job Investigation into matters relating to the Regional Municipality of Niagara’s hiring of its Chief Administrative Officer, and its administration of his contract OMBUDSMAN REPORT Paul Dubé, Ombudsman of Ontario November 2019 O N TA R I O O N TA …
Investigation into matters relating to the Regional Municipality of Niagara’s hiring of its Chief Administrative Officer, and its administration of his contract
/en/our-work/investigations/inside-job

By-law Surprise

O N TA R I O ’ S WAT C H D O G By-law Surprise Investigation into the reasonableness and transparency of by-law enforcement and billing practices in the Township of St. Clair and the County of Lambton Ombudsman Report Paul Dubé, Ombudsman of Ontario April 2018 1-800-263-1830 www.ombudsman.on.ca …
Investigation into the reasonableness and transparency of by-law enforcement and billing practices in the Township of St. Clair and the County of Lambton.
/en/our-work/investigations/law-surprise

Support secured

Issues: Duty to report; Disability; Rights (Identity) A staff member from a youth residence contacted us, concerned that a youth with special needs and physical disabilities wasn’t receiving adequate support, such as grab bars in the shower and railings on porch stairs. The youth’s mother and CAS …
A staff member from a youth residence contacted us, concerned that a youth with special needs and physical disabilities wasn’t receiving adequate support, such as grab bars in the shower and railings on porch stairs.
/en/our-work/case-stories/support-secured

Ready, set – redo

Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) Three months after he turned 18, a young man told us he had been forced to rely on social assistance because he had never been registered for “Ready, Set, Go” funding, which supports young people transitioning out of care. He …
Three months after he turned 18, a young man told us he had been forced to rely on social assistance because he had never been registered for “Ready, Set, Go” funding, which supports young people transitioning out of care.
/en/our-work/case-stories/ready-set-redo

Routine violation

Issues: Youth justice facility; Rights (Safety) A young person in a youth justice centre complained to us that he was being routinely strip-searched by staff after every visit he had with his lawyer. He told us he raised his concern with the facility, but staff maintained that all youth justice …
A young person in a youth justice centre complained to us that he was being routinely strip-searched by staff after every visit he had with his lawyer.
/en/our-work/case-stories/routine-violation

Group revelation

Issues: Children’s aid society; Group home; Quality of care; Rights (Good care) After giving a presentation at a group home, our staff were conducting private conversations with the residents, as we normally do. Several of these young people raised serious concerns about access to food and …
After giving a presentation at a group home, our staff were conducting private conversations with the residents, as we normally do.
/en/Resources/Reports%2C-Cases-and-Submissions/Selected-Cases/2024/Group-revelation

More fair, less taxing

A woman who could not pay her property taxes due to financial hardship sought our help after her municipality refused her request to cancel her debt. Instead, it took steps to sell her property. Her complaint raised several questions of fairness, including whether the municipality gave her adequate …
A woman who could not pay her property taxes due to financial hardship sought our help after her municipality refused her request to cancel her debt.
/en/our-work/case-stories/more-fair-less-taxing

In the zone

A homeowner reached out to us when the land around her home was rezoned from agricultural to industrial. She was concerned that her municipality hadn’t engaged with residents before making the decision, and that proper environmental assessments were not done. RESULT: We reached out to municipal …
A homeowner reached out to us when the land around her home was rezoned from agricultural to industrial.
/en/our-work/case-stories/zone

Municipal mine-field

We were contacted by the leaseholder of Crown land that included ski trails and a drainage system that had previously been installed by his municipality. He told us these were contrary to his lease agreement with the Ministry of Mines, which required all activities on the property to be related to …
We were contacted by the leaseholder of Crown land that included ski trails and a drainage system that had previously been installed by his municipality.
/en/our-work/case-stories/municipal-mine-field