Search

Displaying 1 - 20 of 132

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

Language bridge

A Russian-speaking woman came to us for help in dealing with her daughter’s care through Ontario Health at Home. Since this matter falls under the mandate of the Patient Ombudsman, we referred her to them. However, she struggled to navigate the automated phone system and could not reach a live …
A Russian-speaking woman came to us for help in dealing with her daughter’s care through Ontario Health at Home.
/en/our-work/case-stories/language-bridge

Decades later

A man who was born in Portugal but has been a Canadian citizen for more than 50 years sought our help in renewing his health card. He did not have his original citizenship documents, and the Ontario Health Insurance Plan had extended his coverage to allow him time to get replacements. However, he …
A man who was born in Portugal but has been a Canadian citizen for more than 50 years sought our help in renewing his health card.
/en/our-work/case-stories/decades-later

Fiscal fumble

A woman complained to us that the Trillium Drug Program made a mistake in calculating her out-of-pocket costs because they used an income tax return from the wrong year. Result: After speaking with program staff, we confirmed they were required to use information from the previous tax year, but …
A woman complained to us that the Trillium Drug Program made a mistake in calculating her out-of-pocket costs because they used an income tax return from the wrong year.
/en/our-work/case-stories/fiscal-fumble

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

Oversight 911

O N TA R I O O N TA R I O ’ S WAT C H D O G OVERSIGHT 911 Investigation into how the Ministry of Health oversees patient complaints and incident reports about ambulance services OMBUDSMAN REPORT n PAUL DUBÉ, OMBUDSMAN OF ONTARIO n MAY 2021 911 OVERSIGHT 911 DIRECTOR, SPECIAL OMBUDSMAN RESPONSE TEAM …
Investigation into how the Ministry of Health oversees patient complaints and incident reports about ambulance services
/en/our-work/investigations/oversight-911

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

Missed Messages

O N TA R I O Missed Messages Investigation into unilingual out-of-home government advertising regarding health services between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2023 REPORT OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVICES COMMISSIONER Carl Bouchard July 2024 O N TA R I O FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVICES UNIT www.ombudsman.on.ca …
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontarians turned to the provincial government for important information on protecting their health and that of their families and communities.
/en/our-work/investigations/missed-messages

Service for a smile

A woman whose daughter had to have an emergency root canal procedure – at a cost of $700 – sought our help in obtaining coverage through Healthy Smiles Ontario, a provincial program that covers dental care for eligible children and youth who are 17 and under. The child’s dentist had not enrolled …
A woman whose daughter had to have an emergency root canal procedure – at a cost of $700 – sought our help in obtaining coverage through Healthy Smiles Ontario, a provincial program that covers dental care for eligible children and youth who are 17 and under.
/en/our-work/case-stories/service-smile

Action reaction

A woman reached out to us after contacting the Ministry of Long-Term Care’s Action Line with concerns about her mother’s death in a long-term care home. She felt the Ministry had failed to respond to her concerns about the medical care given to her mother, who suffered an infection and dehydration …
A woman reached out to us after contacting the Ministry of Long-Term Care’s Action Line with concerns about her mother’s death in a long-term care home.
/en/our-work/case-stories/action-reaction

More fair, less taxing

A woman who could not pay her property taxes due to financial hardship sought our help after her municipality refused her request to cancel her debt. Instead, it took steps to sell her property. Her complaint raised several questions of fairness, including whether the municipality gave her adequate …
A woman who could not pay her property taxes due to financial hardship sought our help after her municipality refused her request to cancel her debt.
/en/our-work/case-stories/more-fair-less-taxing

In the zone

A homeowner reached out to us when the land around her home was rezoned from agricultural to industrial. She was concerned that her municipality hadn’t engaged with residents before making the decision, and that proper environmental assessments were not done. RESULT: We reached out to municipal …
A homeowner reached out to us when the land around her home was rezoned from agricultural to industrial.
/en/our-work/case-stories/zone

Municipal mine-field

We were contacted by the leaseholder of Crown land that included ski trails and a drainage system that had previously been installed by his municipality. He told us these were contrary to his lease agreement with the Ministry of Mines, which required all activities on the property to be related to …
We were contacted by the leaseholder of Crown land that included ski trails and a drainage system that had previously been installed by his municipality.
/en/our-work/case-stories/municipal-mine-field

Stair-struck

A business owner complained to us after his municipality informed him that a set of stairs on the back of his building encroached on municipal property. He told us his family had operated a business in the building for 40 years before buying the land from the city in 2004 and had never been told …
A business owner complained to us after his municipality informed him that a set of stairs on the back of his building encroached on municipal property.
/en/our-work/case-stories/stair-struck

Submission to the Ministry of Northern Development regarding the proposed modernization of the Northern Services Boards Act

Submission to the Ministry of Northern Development regarding the proposed modernization of the Northern Services Boards Act Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario March 2024 Overview The Ministry of Northern Development has recently sought feedback on potential changes to the Northern Services Boards Act. …
The Ministry of Northern Development has recently sought feedback on potential changes to the Northern Services Boards Act.
/en/our-work/submissions-government/submission-ministry-northern-development-regarding-proposed-modernization-northern-services-boards