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Maplehurst Correctional Complex December 2023 incident

Media release, "Ombudsman to investigate Ontario’s response to incident at Maplehurst Correctional Complex" (June 9, 2025) Investigation into the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s response to a December 2023 incident at Maplehurst Correctional Complex. Announced June 9, 2025. … Maplehurst …

Traditional medicines

An Indigenous inmate told us he had not been able to smudge regularly at his facility, and he wasn’t allowed traditional medicines such as cedar, sage, sweetgrass and tobacco. RESULT: After we intervened, he met with a Native Inmate Liaison Officer and was provided with smudge spray, sage medicine, …
An Indigenous inmate told us he had not been able to smudge regularly at his facility, and he wasn’t allowed traditional medicines such as cedar, sage, sweetgrass and tobacco.

Indigenous healing lodge

An Indigenous inmate complained of repeated delays in response to her requests to see a social worker, so she could apply to an Indigenous healing lodge. RESULT: We spoke with facility officials, who said staffing shortages had resulted in delays. We kept in touch with the inmate, who confirmed she …
An Indigenous inmate complained of repeated delays in response to her requests to see a social worker, so she could apply to an Indigenous healing lodge.

Stress reducer

A man lost his house when his Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefits were cut off. Although this decision was eventually reversed and his benefits were reinstated through the WSIB, he was diagnosed in the meantime with severe depression. He told our Office he was having difficulty …
A man lost his house when his Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefits were cut off.

Bridging the gap

A man sought our help in obtaining his Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification through the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. He said the Ministry refused to recognize his training because there was a 14-year gap between his completion of the first and second …
A man sought our help in obtaining his Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification through the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

Proof of skills

A man had been waiting to receive a new wallet card from Skilled Trades Ontario – proof of his skilled trade credentials – for more than a year. He told our Office he received conflicting information about the reasons for the delay. RESULT: After we raised the case with Skilled Trades Ontario …
A man had been waiting to receive a new wallet card from Skilled Trades Ontario – proof of his skilled trade credentials – for more than a year.

Report as required

We received complaints from two inmates at the same facility, alleging they had been sexually assaulted. One inmate complained that they were sexually assaulted by another inmate, and the other complained that they were sexually assaulted by staff. When we inquired with facility staff, we found …
We received complaints from two inmates at the same facility, alleging they had been sexually assaulted.

Privacy protections

We received complaints from a group of 10 inmates, all women, that they were strip searched by correctional officers in their unit, in view of one another. We flagged this case to senior staff at the facility. RESULT: After our intervention, the facility purchased privacy screens to prevent similar …
We received complaints from a group of 10 inmates, all women, that they were strip searched by correctional officers in their unit, in view of one another.

Mistaken identity

A transgender inmate contacted our Office after she was involved in an altercation with correctional officers. When we made inquiries, we learned that the facility’s computer system had not been updated with the correct information regarding the inmate’s gender identity, even though she had …
A transgender inmate contacted our Office after she was involved in an altercation with correctional officers.

Submission to the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s consultation regarding training for peace officers and use of force by police services

Submission to the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s consultation regarding training for peace officers and use of force by police services Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario October 2023 1 Submission to the Ministry of the Solicitor General regarding training and use of force October 2023 Overview …
The Ministry of the Solicitor General has requested public and stakeholder input on various proposed regulations made under the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019.

Dues blues

A Francophone man in Quebec had been told he still owed dues for his trade licence, dating back to when he lived in Ontario a decade ago. He couldn’t understand what was owing, or why, and he had trouble getting information in French. We intervened on two fronts: We connected with supervisors at …
A Francophone man in Quebec had been told he still owed dues for his trade licence, dating back to when he lived in Ontario a decade ago.

Expense suspense

An injured worker had been approved by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to see a doctor some distance from his home. He tried to claim travel and meal expenses from the WSIB, but both were denied. He appealed the decision, but only his travel expenses were approved – and he had to …
An injured worker had been approved by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to see a doctor some distance from his home.

Wait for it

A woman who had been approved for a second payment of $10,000 from the Ontario Small Business Support Grant program, sought our help after months of waiting. She said program officials had told her just to wait. At our urging, they reviewed her case and said they would expedite her second payment – …
A woman who had been approved for a second payment of $10,000 from the Ontario Small Business Support Grant program, sought our help after months of waiting.

Added grief

A woman whose common-law spouse had died while they were living in a homeless shelter complained to us that the Chief Coroner’s Office had buried him even though she had requested to claim the body. When we spoke to the Coroner’s Office, we were told that the woman hadn’t taken the appropriate …
A woman whose common-law spouse had died while they were living in a homeless shelter complained to us that the Chief Coroner’s Office had buried him even though she had requested to claim the body.

Issues overlooked

An inmate told us a correctional officer threw him to the ground and started punching and kneeing him – leaving the inmate with swollen arms and a broken hand. We confirmed that the inmate had received medical treatment, including medication and multiple x-rays. However, we discovered that although …
An inmate told us a correctional officer threw him to the ground and started punching and kneeing him – leaving the inmate with swollen arms and a broken hand.

Dangerously close

An inmate sought our help because he was housed on the same range with another inmate who was facing charges for stabbing him – and, he told us, was now extorting him for access to the canteen, food and phone calls. We alerted senior staff at the facility, and the two inmates were separated shortly …
An inmate sought our help because he was housed on the same range with another inmate who was facing charges for stabbing him – and, he told us, was now extorting him for access to the canteen, food and phone calls.

Submission to the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s consultation regarding equipment and use of force by police services

Submission to the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s consultation regarding equipment and use of force by police services Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario October 2022 1 Submission to the Ministry of the Solicitor General regarding equipment and use of force by police services October 2022 Overview …
The Ministry of the Solicitor General has requested public and stakeholder input on proposed amendments to Ontario Regulation 926/90 concerning equipment and the use of force by police services.

Submission in response to the Ministry’s consultation on proposed changes to Regulation 778

Submission in response to the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s consultation on proposed changes to Regulation 778 Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario May 2021 2 Submission on Ministry of the Solicitor General’s consultation on Regulation 778 May 2021 Introduction 1 Thank you for the opportunity to …
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s proposed amendments to Regulation 778 related to segregation, inmate discipline and misconduct, and mandatory training for correctional officers.

Submission in response to the Ministry’s consultation on proposed changes to Regulation 778, regarding segregation reviews

“Ensuring Truly Independent Segregation Reviews” Submission in response to the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s consultation on proposed changes to Regulation 778, regarding segregation reviews Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario September 23, 2019 3 “Ensuring Truly Independent Segregation Reviews” …
My team and I appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s three proposed changes to Ontario Regulation 778.

Submission regarding proposed regulations for special constables

Submission to the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s consultation regarding proposed regulations for special constables Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario February 2023 Submission to the Ministry of the Solicitor General regarding special constables February 2023 1 Overview The Ministry of the …
The Ministry of the Solicitor General has requested public and stakeholder input on four proposed regulations under the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 regarding special constables.