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Direct education payment programs

Media release, "Ombudsman to investigate direct education payment programs" (December 11, 2023) Case Update (Annual Report 2023-2024) Investigation into the Ministry of Education’s direct payment programs for parents and students. Announced December 11, 2023. … Direct education payment …

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)   Case Update (Annual Report 2023-2024) Case Update (Annual Report 2022-2023) Investigation into the plight of adults with developmental …

Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation)

The Ombudsman and staff met with community members and leaders. During this visit, the Ombudsman was told there had been a delay in Hydro One installing the poles to bring electricity to these homes, and there appeared to be a communication breakdown between the community and Hydro One.  RESULT: …

The Ombudsman and staff met with community members and leaders. During this visit, the Ombudsman was told there had been a delay in Hydro One installing the poles to bring electricity to these homes, and there appeared to be a communication breakdown between the community and Hydro One. 

RESULT: The Ombudsman reached out to Hydro One’s Ombudsman, and by working together, they were able to communicate the urgency of the situation to the corporation. The hydro line was installed within the month.

Water clarity

A landlord complained to us that his municipality had put his tenant’s unpaid water and wastewater charges on his property tax bill, without notifying him in advance. He told us he was frustrated because he could not obtain detailed information about the water account – which was in the tenant’s …
A landlord complained to us that his municipality had put his tenant’s unpaid water and wastewater charges on his property tax bill, without notifying him in advance.

Powerful help

A woman whose medical condition makes her reliant on an electric wheelchair, bed and lift was facing having her hydro disconnected because of an outstanding bill of $15,000. Given her vulnerable situation, we prioritized her case, working closely with the hydro company. RESULT: The company arranged …
A woman whose medical condition makes her reliant on an electric wheelchair, bed and lift was facing having her hydro disconnected because of an outstanding bill of $15,000.

Billing blunder

A low-income senior complained that her utility provider had been incorrectly applying her Ontario Electricity Support Program credit to her water bill for more than five years. Because of this error, the woman was being asked to repay approximately $1,800. RESULT: We inquired with the utility …
A low-income senior complained that her utility provider had been incorrectly applying her Ontario Electricity Support Program credit to her water bill for more than five years.

Suitable support

A father in crisis sought our help to find services and supported living for his son, a 15-year-old with complex special needs. He told us his son was prone to violence and had been taken to hospital by police on several occasions. RESULT: We spoke with the involved agencies and Ministry staff to …
A father in crisis sought our help to find services and supported living for his son, a 15-year-old with complex special needs.

Appeal to reason

A woman had her ODSP application denied after a year of waiting. Her daughter then submitted documents multiple times for an appeal of the decision, but was told the appeal wasn’t processed because she didn’t include specific information in the body of her email. When she sent yet another email …
A woman had her ODSP application denied after a year of waiting.

Pricey blunder

A woman sought our help because she hadn’t received Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) payments or drug benefits from August 2020 to October 2021. RESULT: After our intervention, the manager reviewing the file discovered the woman’s caseworker had made a mistake in calculating her benefits. …
A woman sought our help because she hadn’t received Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) payments or drug benefits from August 2020 to October 2021.

Long-distance resolution

A woman who had been living outside of Canada for 15 years sought our help in obtaining more than $25,000 in child support through the Family Responsibility Office (FRO). When she left Ontario, she had asked the FRO to hold the payments for her as they accumulated, as it was easier for her to cash …
A woman who had been living outside of Canada for 15 years sought our help in obtaining more than $25,000 in child support through the Family Responsibility Office (FRO).

Submission to the Ministry of Education regarding integrity commissioners and meeting procedures for school board trustees

Submission to the Ministry of Education regarding integrity commissioners and meeting procedures for school board trustees Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario April 2024 2 Submission to the Ministry of Education regarding integrity commissioners and school board meetings April 2024 ` Overview The …
The Ministry of Education has requested comments on three regulatory proposals related to school board governance and accountability.

Flood of concern

When a conservation authority approved a permit to fill regulated flood plains, we received several complaints from local residents concerned about the negative effects on the environment. Officials at the conservation authority told us the permit was unprecedented, but found no grounds to deny the …
When a conservation authority approved a permit to fill regulated flood plains, we received several complaints from local residents concerned about the negative effects on the environment.

A grey area

An environmental group complained to us when they didn’t hear back from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry about their concerns related to a development project’s unregulated grey water and natural septic systems. They were worried the development would affect a nearby lake, as well as …
An environmental group complained to us when they didn’t hear back from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry about their concerns related to a development project’s unregulated grey water and natural septic systems.

Going the extra mile

A mother complained to us that her child’s school bus route was far too long, averaging four hours per day. We spoke to the school board superintendent, who said a driver shortage was affecting the route, but the local transportation consortium was working to hire and train new drivers. The …
A mother complained to us that her child’s school bus route was far too long, averaging four hours per day.

Section connection

A Francophone student complained to us that his French-language high school couldn’t provide him with a “section 23” program, which is support provided through the ministries of Education and Children, Community and Social Services to students who cannot attend school due to identified social, …
A Francophone student complained to us that his French-language high school couldn’t provide him with a “section 23” program, which is support provided through the ministries of Education and Children, Community and Social Services to students who cannot attend school due to identified social, emotional, behavioural or mental health needs.

Sound the alarm

A vendor complained to us after attempting to bid on a school board’s fire alarm testing contract. The board initially provided information about the bidding process, but later told the vendor only pre-qualified organizations could submit proposals. The vendor said he would have gone through the …
A vendor complained to us after attempting to bid on a school board’s fire alarm testing contract.

Funding frustration

The mother of an 11-year-old with autism and developmental disabilities contacted us when she wasn’t able to access funding under the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) or the Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities program (ACSD), even though she believed her child was eligible for both. When …
The mother of an 11-year-old with autism and developmental disabilities contacted us when she wasn’t able to access funding under the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) or the Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities program (ACSD), even though she believed her child was eligible for both.

Suspended payment

A woman was owed thousands of dollars in support payments by a former spouse who was living in British Columbia. She told us she was concerned that the Interjurisdictional Support Orders Unit of the Family Responsibility Office (FRO), which handles interprovincial cases, was not enforcing a court …
A woman was owed thousands of dollars in support payments by a former spouse who was living in British Columbia.

Seal of disapproval

A man who pays family support through the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) complained to us that the FRO was garnishing too much from his federal disability payments, leaving him unable to pay his rent. We raised the case with FRO staff, noting that a recent court order set out how much it could …
A man who pays family support through the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) complained to us that the FRO was garnishing too much from his federal disability payments, leaving him unable to pay his rent.

Submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy regarding Bill 98, Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023

Submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy regarding Bill 98, Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario May 2023 2 Submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy regarding Bill 98, Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 May 2023 …
The Ombudsman of Ontario is appointed under the Ombudsman Act as an independent and impartial Officer of the Ontario Legislature.