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The right words

A Francophone education professional complained to us about the inadequate quality of French on some of the forms for the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), a school-to-work transition program offered in high schools across the province. We raised the issue with the Ministry of Labour, …
A Francophone education professional complained to us about the inadequate quality of French on some of the forms for the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), a school-to-work transition program offered in high schools across the province.

Un-fur treatment

A First Nations trapper sought our help in obtaining a refund from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry for licences to sell furs commercially, and a mandatory humane trapping course. He had learned that the course was available through his First Nation at a greatly reduced cost, and …
A First Nations trapper sought our help in obtaining a refund from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry for licences to sell furs commercially, and a mandatory humane trapping course.

Upstream battle

A homeowner complained to us about a pipe outlet on his property that was leaking foul-smelling fluid. His municipality referred him to the Ministry of Transportation, which denied responsibility. Our inquiries determined that it was a matter for the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and …
A homeowner complained to us about a pipe outlet on his property that was leaking foul-smelling fluid. His municipality referred him to the Ministry of Transportation, which denied responsibility.

For service in French, dial OO

A Francophone student seeking information about scholarships via the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) contacted us when he discovered there was no option to select services in French in the automated phone system of the OSAP department he called. Our French Language Services Unit raised …
A Francophone student seeking information about scholarships via the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) contacted us when he discovered there was no option to select services in French in the automated phone system of the OSAP department he called.

Landing test

A woman returning from an overseas trip complained to us that she was not served in French during the COVID-19 test she was required to undergo at Toronto Pearson airport. We discovered that the test was administered by a third party as part of a pilot-screening project set up by the Ministry of …
A woman returning from an overseas trip complained to us that she was not served in French during the COVID-19 test she was required to undergo at Toronto Pearson airport.

Better bilingual service for landlords and tenants

Our French Language Services Unit received many individual complaints from landlords and tenants who had difficulty receiving services in French from the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). These were brought to the board’s attention, and it has made improvements, including hiring more bilingual staff …
Our French Language Services Unit received many individual complaints from landlords and tenants who had difficulty receiving services in French from the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).

Easier to complete

A French-speaking member of the board of directors of a small housing co-op in northern Ontario sought our help when he had trouble completing an annual form from the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO). The form, which all condominium boards are required to submit by the beginning of March, was …
A French-speaking member of the board of directors of a small housing co-op in northern Ontario sought our help when he had trouble completing an annual form from the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO).

Email fail

After requesting information from the Ministry of Health in French and receiving answers in English twice, a Francophone journalist complained to our Office. He also reported that the email signatures of the government employees he contacted were in English only. We discovered that all media …
After requesting information from the Ministry of Health in French and receiving answers in English twice, a Francophone journalist complained to our Office.

2019-2020 Annual Report of the French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario

Annual Report of the French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario 2019-2020 O F F I C E O F T H E O M B U D S M A N O F O N T A R I O O N TA R I O ’ S WATC H D O G O N T A R I O 2 2019-2020 | ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVICES COMMISSIONER OF ONTARIO | OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN OF …
Commissioner's Message - Two watchdogs, one access point On January 13, 2020, I officially took up my duties as French Language Services Commissioner, following a rigorous selection process conducted across the country by the Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario.

You have the choice

Our French Language Services Unit received two complaints from people who called the general DriveTest phone line to book driving tests and were obligated to listen to a 90-second message in English only. The message, which was added to the line to explain new information about services during the …
Our French Language Services Unit received two complaints from people who called the general DriveTest phone line to book driving tests and were obligated to listen to a 90-second message in English only.

To be or not to be… in French

A woman in Thunder Bay decided to go to a local ServiceOntario to update her home address on her driver’s licence, after first checking the website to confirm the service location offered services in French. When she arrived, however, she found that wasn’t the case, and contacted our Office to …
A woman in Thunder Bay decided to go to a local ServiceOntario to update her home address on her driver’s licence, after first checking the website to confirm the service location offered services in French.

Fish story

When new signs were installed at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's Fish Culture Station in North Bay, some Francophone residents noticed something fishy - the signs were in English only. Photos of them circulated on social media and in the local newspaper, and caught the notice of …
When new signs were installed at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's Fish Culture Station in North Bay, some Francophone residents noticed something fishy - the signs were in English only.

A message in French will follow

With the current pandemic and the necessity to work from home, using conference call lines has become the norm in many organizations. The French Language Services Unit received a complaint that the greeting message on one of the conference call lines being used by the Ontario Public Service (OPS) …
With the current pandemic and the necessity to work from home, using conference call lines has become the norm in many organizations.

Whose sewage

A trailer park owner contacted us when a dispute arose about responsibility for the municipal sewage system servicing the park. She and her family had maintained the sewage collection part of the system for many years, on the understanding that they owned the property it was on, while the …
A trailer park owner contacted us when a dispute arose about responsibility for the municipal sewage system servicing the park.

After the fire

After firefighters used foam containing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) to put out a fire at her property, a woman complained to us about how long it was taking to ensure her water was safe to drink. Officials at the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks told us a new …
After firefighters used foam containing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) to put out a fire at her property, a woman complained to us about how long it was taking to ensure her water was safe to drink.

Our opinion matters

An education worker complained to our French Language Services Unit about a unilingual English survey about technology that was being conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Education. Because it was in English only, she said the survey - done by a third party - excluded the views of Francophone …
An education worker complained to our French Language Services Unit about a unilingual English survey about technology that was being conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Education.

Failing the test

A man visited a London DriveTest centre with his son, who wanted to take the theory component of the road test, and requested services in French. He told us the person at the counter was unable to provide services in French and did not try to find a French-speaking colleague to help. Our staff …
A man visited a London DriveTest centre with his son, who wanted to take the theory component of the road test, and requested services in French.

Hold, s’il vous plaît

A francophone man complained to our French Language Services Unit that he waited an hour on the phone for service in French when he called the disability eligibility decision unit of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. He finally hung up in frustration, called back and chose …
A francophone man complained to our French Language Services Unit that he waited an hour on the phone for service in French when he called the disability eligibility decision unit of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.

Au revoir, not goodbye

A woman complained to our French Language Services Unit that the Superior Court in Toronto could not serve her in person in French, resulting in a wasted trip and frustration. Our staff contacted the administrative services of the Superior Court to assess the lack of services in French and to …
A woman complained to our French Language Services Unit that the Superior Court in Toronto could not serve her in person in French, resulting in a wasted trip and frustration.

Website faux pas

A French-speaking woman sought our help after she encountered difficulties with the website of the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office. Not only was the French version of the site not equivalent to the English version, it also had sections in English. We contacted the manager of the organization, …
A French-speaking woman sought our help after she encountered difficulties with the website of the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office.