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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

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

Work permit woes

A student from abroad whose attendance at an Ontario university was dependent on his father’s federal work permit needed our help when the extension of his father’s permit was delayed. If his parent could not produce a current work permit, the university would charge him the tuition fee of an …
A student from abroad whose attendance at an Ontario university was dependent on his father’s federal work permit needed our help when the extension of his father’s permit was delayed.
/en/our-work/case-stories/work-permit-woes

Transcript tribulations

A man hoping to return to university needed a college transcript for courses he had taken several decades ago. He had been trying for more than two months to get a copy of his transcript, even though the college’s typical turnaround time for such requests was 7-10 days. Result: We raised his case …
A man hoping to return to university needed a college transcript for courses he had taken several decades ago.
/en/our-work/case-stories/transcript-tribulations

Credit carryover

A student came to us for help after trying for months to get her out-of-province post-secondary credits recognized by her Ontario college of applied arts and technology. Result: After we intervened, the college agreed to review the coursework and confirmed with the student that her out-of-province …
A student came to us for help after trying for months to get her out-of-province post-secondary credits recognized by her Ontario college of applied arts and technology.
/en/our-work/case-stories/credit-carryover

Balance reset

A mother sought our help in stopping the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) from enforcing a child support order against her from 40 years ago. She said a court had previously terminated the support order and she did not owe any money – but the FRO was still going to court to get her to pay what it …
A mother sought our help in stopping the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) from enforcing a child support order against her from 40 years ago.
/en/our-work/case-stories/balance-reset

Unwarranted hold

An Indigenous woman who had moved from a city to a First Nations reserve was referred to us by her local legal aid clinic for help with her Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits. The ODSP had confirmed her medical eligibility, but she had been waiting for seven months and still hadn’t …
An Indigenous woman who had moved from a city to a First Nations reserve was referred to us by her local legal aid clinic for help with her Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits.
/en/our-work/case-stories/unwarranted-hold

Subsidy sorted

A mother had been trying to reach her Ontario Works (OW) caseworker for more than a month about her daycare subsidy application. She was paying the full rate for her child’s daycare while she waited for a response. Result: After we made inquiries with OW about her case, the mother was approved for …
A mother had been trying to reach her Ontario Works (OW) caseworker for more than a month about her daycare subsidy application.
/en/our-work/case-stories/subsidy-sorted

Bridging support

The mother of a 17-year-old Indigenous youth with complex special needs sought our help, concerned that her son was about to lose his residential placement. She said he was turning 18 in a month, and no plan had been created to transition him to adult services. With no other options, the mother …
The mother of a 17-year-old Indigenous youth with complex special needs sought our help, concerned that her son was about to lose his residential placement.
/en/our-work/case-stories/bridging-support

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

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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/suitable-support

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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/appeal-reason

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.
/en/our-work/case-stories/pricey-blunder

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).
/en/our-work/case-stories/long-distance-resolution

Helpful information

An international student at a college of applied arts and technology requested a tuition refund when he decided to leave his program and return home to India. The college told him he had missed its deadline to withdraw and receive a refund. He asked our Office for help, saying the financial …
An international student at a college of applied arts and technology requested a tuition refund when he decided to leave his program and return home to India.
/en/our-work/case-stories/helpful-information