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No longer a loan

After being injured and hospitalized, a college student was unable to complete his one-year course, so the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) converted his $15,000 grant to a loan. He sought our help in asking OSAP to convert the loan back to a grant, so he could apply for further funding to …
After being injured and hospitalized, a college student was unable to complete his one-year course, so the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) converted his $15,000 grant to a loan.
/en/our-work/case-stories/no-longer-loan

Course completed

A transgender student at a college of applied arts and technology complained to us that she had experienced harassment, bullying, and a lack of accommodation. The college had investigated her allegations, but found them to be unsubstantiated, and their attempt to reach a mediated solution failed. …
A transgender student at a college of applied arts and technology complained to us that she had experienced harassment, bullying, and a lack of accommodation.
/en/our-work/case-stories/course-completed

Second chance

A federal inmate who was taking university courses sought our help with submitting a grade appeal. He had tried to submit it to the university’s senate committee, but received no response because he sent it directly to his professor instead of the registrar. We clarified the appeal process for him, …
A federal inmate who was taking university courses sought our help with submitting a grade appeal. He had tried to submit it to the university’s senate committee, but received no response because he sent it directly to his professor instead of the registrar.
/en/our-work/case-stories/second-chance-0

Sensitive subjects

We received three complaints about a chaotic meeting of council for the Municipality of West Nipissing in March 2019. A portion of the meeting was closed under the exception for “personal matters” in order to discuss an item on the agenda listed as “Municipal Act/Roles & Responsibilities.” …
We received three complaints about a chaotic meeting of council for the Municipality of West Nipissing in March 2019.
/en/our-work/case-stories/sensitive-subjects

Out-of-town breakdown

As noted in last year’s Annual Report, we received 77 complaints in February 2019 about a City of Hamilton committee’s decision to meet outside of the city – the highest number of complaints we have ever received in a single closed meeting case. At issue were two meetings by the City Manager …
As noted in last year’s Annual Report, we received 77 complaints in February 2019 about a City of Hamilton committee’s decision to meet outside of the city – the highest number of complaints we have ever received in a single closed meeting case.
/en/our-work/case-stories/out-town-breakdown

Per-pet-ual licence

A dog owner who went to renew the licences for her pets complained to us when the municipality also charged her to renew the licence of a dog that had died six months earlier. She was told she had missed the timeframe to report the dog’s death and return its tag – a requirement that was not on the …
A dog owner who went to renew the licences for her pets complained to us when the municipality also charged her to renew the licence of a dog that had died six months earlier.
/en/our-work/case-stories/pet-ual-licence

Fair warning

A man who moved a trailer onto a property while he waited for a permit to build a house on it complained that the municipality had removed the trailer without notice. Our inquiries determined that the municipality had warned him to move the trailer several times before he obtained his building …
A man who moved a trailer onto a property while he waited for a permit to build a house on it complained that the municipality had removed the trailer without notice.
/en/our-work/case-stories/fair-warning

How much?

A man complained to us that he was charged $123.79 for the installation of a new water meter at his cottage, even though the municipality’s fees by-law listed the fee for water meter replacement as $34.38. He was told he should actually have been charged $112.86 – a fee listed elsewhere in the …
A man complained to us that he was charged $123.79 for the installation of a new water meter at his cottage, even though the municipality’s fees by-law listed the fee for water meter replacement as $34.38.
/en/our-work/case-stories/how-much

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 …
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

Changed course

A student who was close to completing her program at a college of applied arts and technology was unsure if she had all the credits she needed for her diploma, so she enrolled in an extra course just in case. She was told that if she discovered it wasn’t necessary, her enrolment would be …
A student who was close to completing her program at a college of applied arts and technology was unsure if she had all the credits she needed for her diploma, so she enrolled in an extra course just in case.
/en/our-work/case-stories/changed-course

Oh brother

In a case that officials called “unprecedented,” a brother and sister complained to us about difficulties in applying to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) – one to attend college, the other university. It turned out that the federal government had accidentally issued them identical …
In a case that officials called “unprecedented,” a brother and sister complained to us about difficulties in applying to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) – one to attend college, the other university.
/en/our-work/case-stories/oh-brother

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 …
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 …
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 …
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, …
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

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 …
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 …
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

Just missed the mark

A mother of three who was enrolled in a combined college and university nursing program was not allowed to progress to the university portion of the program because her grade in a college course was 1.5% below the required threshold. She appealed the mark, but complained to us that the college’s …
A mother of three who was enrolled in a combined college and university nursing program was not allowed to progress to the university portion of the program because her grade in a college course was 1.5% below the required threshold.
/en/our-work/case-stories/just-missed-mark

Right to appeal

A university student contacted our Office with several concerns, including a stalled academic appeal, the conduct of one of his professors, administrative fees, and the university’s unwillingness to release his official transcript. Our Office made several inquiries and determined that he could …
A university student contacted our Office with several concerns, including a stalled academic appeal, the conduct of one of his professors, administrative fees, and the university’s unwillingness to release his official transcript.
/en/our-work/case-stories/right-appeal

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 …
A man contacted us after getting no response to a complaint about his local Chief Building Official.
/en/our-work/case-stories/code