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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/right-safety
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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/not-planned
Parked at home
A man complained to us about his municipality issuing parking tickets during the COVID-19 state of emergency. He said he and his wife had both received tickets while working from home. Our staff made inquiries with city officials, who told us certain elements of the parking by-law had been …
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A man complained to us about his municipality issuing parking tickets during the COVID-19 state of emergency.
/en/our-work/case-stories/parked-home
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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/cut-above
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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/left-out-cold
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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/right-process
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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/her-own
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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/right-complain
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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/thats-place
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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/review-askew
Photo proof
After we made inquiries about a man’s complaint that the required notice of a proposed zoning by-law amendment was not posted on the relevant property, the municipality changed its practices. Municipal staff told us they had advised the owner of the property to post the notice, but never checked to …
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After we made inquiries about a man’s complaint that the required notice of a proposed zoning by-law amendment was not posted on the relevant property, the municipality changed its practices.
/en/our-work/case-stories/photo-proof
Water pressure
A man who received a water bill for more than $700 – around seven times more than his usual charge – called us in frustration when the local water company told him his previous bills were only estimates, but this one was based on actual use, and they could not alter his bill. Our inquiries …
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A man who received a water bill for more than $700 – around seven times more than his usual charge – called us in frustration when the local water company told him his previous bills were only estimates, but this one was based on actual use, and they could not alter his bill.
/en/our-work/case-stories/water-pressure
Pothole role
When a snowplow hit a pothole, digging up asphalt and other debris, it dumped the pile in a woman’s front yard and left a larger hole in the road. She complained to us after the municipal crew she called only filled the potholes, leaving the debris in her yard. She could not understand why the crew …
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When a snowplow hit a pothole, digging up asphalt and other debris, it dumped the pile in a woman’s front yard and left a larger hole in the road. She complained to us after the municipal crew she called only filled the potholes, leaving the debris in her yard.
/en/our-work/case-stories/pothole-role
Fine treatment
A man who wanted to dispute a $40 parking ticket told municipal staff he would call back to schedule a hearing, but when he did so, he was told it had already taken place. He complained to us that he received no notice, and no one from the municipality would answer his calls and emails – meanwhile, …
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A man who wanted to dispute a $40 parking ticket told municipal staff he would call back to schedule a hearing, but when he did so, he was told it had already taken place.
/en/our-work/case-stories/fine-treatment
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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/coverage-confusion
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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/staying-connected
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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/moving
Press Pause
O N TA R I O ’ S WAT C H D O G Press Pause Investigation into a meeting of council for the Regional Municipality of Niagara on December 7, 2017 OMBUDSMAN REPORT Paul Dubé, Ombudsman of Ontario July 2018 1-800-263-1830 www.ombudsman.on.ca Press Pause GENERAL COUNSEL Office of the Ombudsman of …
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Investigation into a meeting of council for the Regional Municipality of Niagara on December 7, 2017.
/en/our-work/investigations/press-pause
Hits the spot
When a woman hit a pothole on a county road that damaged her vehicle, she tried to seek reimbursement. The county told her it was the Ministry of Transportation’s jurisdiction, but the Ministry told her the opposite. After our staff contacted both levels of government, Ministry officials determined …
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When a woman hit a pothole on a county road that damaged her vehicle, she tried to seek reimbursement.
/en/our-work/case-stories/hits-spot
Up to code
A man contacted us after getting no response to a complaint about his local Chief Building Official. Under the Building Code Act , municipalities are required to have a code of conduct for building officials and inspectors, and process for enforcement, but this municipality did not have a code of …
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A man contacted us after getting no response to a complaint about his local Chief Building Official.
