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Services in French at ServiceOntario locations

Media release, "French Language Services Commissioner to investigate in-person service delivery at ServiceOntario" (April 1, 2025) Investigation into services in French at ServiceOntario locations. Announced April 1, 2025. Case update (2024-2025 Annual Report) … Services in French at ServiceOntario …

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 …

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.

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.

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.

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.

Signs of the times

We noticed that signs put up by Metrolinx around the construction site of the Scarborough subway extension were in English only. Metrolinx is a government agency and its communications, including signage, are required to be in English and French. Result: We pointed these signs out to Metrolinx …
We noticed that signs put up by Metrolinx around the construction site of the Scarborough subway extension were in English only.

Eclipse of the chansons

Destination Ontario posted a playlist of eclipse-themed songs on its website, such as “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and “I Can See Clearly Now.” A Francophone man complained to us that all of the songs on the playlist were in English only, on both the English and French versions of the site. He said he had …
As part of a promotion of places in Ontario to view the total solar eclipse in April 2024, Destination Ontario posted a playlist of eclipse-themed songs on its website, such as “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and “I Can See Clearly Now.”

Legal obligation

A Francophone woman complained to us after she went to a provincial courthouse for a family court case in a region that is designated under the French Language Services Act (meaning services in French must be available by law). She said she was unable to obtain services in French at the clerk’s …
A Francophone woman complained to us after she went to a provincial courthouse for a family court case in a region that is designated under the French Language Services Act (meaning services in French must be available by law).

Submission regarding the designation of areas under the French Language Services Act

Submission to the Ministry of Francophone Affairs regarding the designation of areas under the French Language Services Act Carl Bouchard French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario January 2025 Submission to the Ministry of Francophone Affairs regarding the designation of areas under the …
The Ministry of Francophone Affairs is seeking input on its plan to amend the list of areas designated under the French Language Services Act.

Unscientific translations

A Francophone father contacted us after visiting the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto with his family in the summer of 2023. He told us that there were five staff members at the admissions counter, but none of them could speak any French beyond “bonjour.” He asked, in English, if he could be …
A Francophone father contacted us after visiting the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto with his family in the summer of 2023.

The screens on the bus say “we speak French”

GO Transit, the public transit service for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, is a division of government agency Metrolinx. A Francophone reported to us that the Black History Month messages displayed on the electronic destination signage of GO Transit buses were in English only (as were many …
GO Transit, the public transit service for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, is a division of government agency Metrolinx.

The real cost of a “free” translation tool

A Francophone from British Columbia received a ticket from an Ontario municipality requiring him to pay thousands of dollars in fines. Although the notice was bilingual, the website of the Provincial Offences Court was in English only. The Francophone also tried to get telephone service in French …
A Francophone from British Columbia received a ticket from an Ontario municipality requiring him to pay thousands of dollars in fines.

The future is bilingual

The future Ontario line will be a 15.6-kilometre subway line in Toronto. A Franco-Torontonian who wanted to know how work on the line was coming along complained to us that the social media content on X (@OntarioLine) for this Metrolinx project was in English only. He told us he felt it was …
The future Ontario line will be a 15.6-kilometre subway line in Toronto. A Franco-Torontonian who wanted to know how work on the line was coming along complained to us that the social media content on X (@OntarioLine) for this Metrolinx project was in English only.

Tailor-made forms

The Child and Family Services Review Board conducts reviews and hearings on a number of matters that affect children, youth and families in Ontario. The Board is one of 13 tribunals that make up Tribunals Ontario. It sent a mediation report in English to a Francophone mother, despite the fact that …
The Child and Family Services Review Board conducts reviews and hearings on a number of matters that affect children, youth and families in Ontario.

Settling the bills

In the Commissioner’s 2022-2023 Annual Report, we mentioned a Francophone who had received a bill from the Ministry of Transportation’s Highway Incident Claims Unit following a car crash in the Ottawa area. She did not receive services in French when she contacted the Ministry of Transportation. As …
In the Commissioner’s 2022-2023 Annual Report, we mentioned a Francophone who had received a bill from the Ministry of Transportation’s Highway Incident Claims Unit following a car crash in the Ottawa area.

Right on target

A Francophone who was interested in taking a firearm safety course visited the Firearms Safety Education Service of Ontario (FSESO) website, as the FSESO offers firearm handling courses. The FSESO is the sole service provider for the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course in the province. He …
A Francophone who was interested in taking a firearm safety course visited the Firearms Safety Education Service of Ontario (FSESO) website, as the FSESO offers firearm handling courses.

One fare, two languages

While riding the Viva Blue bus line, operated by York Region Transit (YRT) between Newmarket and Toronto, a Francophone woman noticed that a Metrolinx brochure available in the bus was in English only. The brochure offered information about the new One Fare Program. RESULT: We contacted Metrolinx, …
While riding the Viva Blue bus line, operated by York Region Transit (YRT) between Newmarket and Toronto, a Francophone woman noticed that a Metrolinx brochure available in the bus was in English only.

No time to lose

Two Francophone students who were new to Ontario contacted us to report that the financial aid staff at an English-language college who administer the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) were unable to process their applications, as none of them could review the documents the students had …
Two Francophone students who were new to Ontario contacted us to report that the financial aid staff at an English-language college who administer the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) were unable to process their applications, as none of them could review the documents the students had submitted in French.

No test, no job

After completing truck driver training in Ottawa, a Francophone tried multiple times to get a certified bilingual driver examiner for his test at a DriveTest centre in southern Ottawa, a designated area under the French Language Services Act . He complained to us that despite confirming the …
After completing truck driver training in Ottawa, a Francophone tried multiple times to get a certified bilingual driver examiner for his test at a DriveTest centre in southern Ottawa, a designated area under the French Language Services Act.