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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

Credit undo

A mother who receives support for her adult child with disabilities sought our help after she inadvertently provided inaccurate information to FRO, resulting in the termination of her support and a $21,000 credit to the payor. Ombudsman staff inquired with FRO officials, who agreed to review the …
A mother who receives support for her adult child with disabilities sought our help after she inadvertently provided inaccurate information to FRO, resulting in the termination of her support and a $21,000 credit to the payor.
/en/our-work/case-stories/credit-undo

Auto-threat

A pensioner who had a longstanding agreement to pay her family support arrears off at $50/month complained to us that the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) sent her a letter threatening to garnish half of her monthly income, which would leave her with no money to pay her utility bills. When our …
A pensioner who had a longstanding agreement to pay her family support arrears off at $50/month complained to us that the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) sent her a letter threatening to garnish half of her monthly income, which would leave her with no money to pay her utility bills.
/en/our-work/case-stories/auto-threat

Not on board

An Ontario Works recipient sought our help when he received a letter saying he would have to repay $1,835 to Ontario Works, and that his monthly income would be reduced by $202. He was baffled and upset by this, and officials had not responded to his request for a review. When we looked into the …
An Ontario Works recipient sought our help when he received a letter saying he would have to repay $1,835 to Ontario Works, and that his monthly income would be reduced by $202.
/en/our-work/case-stories/not-board

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

Builder beware

A man who has physical disabilities and cancer was issued a grant from the province’s Home and Vehicle Modification Program (HVMP) to build a porch lift at his home. The contractors falsely told the man that building permits were not required, and after a city inspection found it was not built to …
A man who has physical disabilities and cancer was issued a grant from the province’s Home and Vehicle Modification Program (HVMP) to build a porch lift at his home.
/en/our-work/case-stories/builder-beware

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

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

Making it clear

A woman renting a basement apartment sought our help after a municipal construction crew broke a water pipe near her unit, flooding her apartment and damaging her belongings. The municipality did not provide a clear process or information on how to submit a claim for such damage, but after our …
A woman renting a basement apartment sought our help after a municipal construction crew broke a water pipe near her unit, flooding her apartment and damaging her belongings.
/en/our-work/case-stories/making-it-clear

Faster lane

We helped a man who waited more than a year to hear back from his municipality about purchasing a portion of the laneway behind his house. Municipal officials told us there was a backlog in similar applications, but confirmed this one was nearly finalized. Less than a month later, the municipality …
We helped a man who waited more than a year to hear back from his municipality about purchasing a portion of the laneway behind his house.
/en/our-work/case-stories/faster-lane

Code found

A mall developer told us that local councillors were interfering with the development of her project, but she believed the municipality did not have a code of conduct or integrity commissioner. We contacted the municipality and learned that it does have a code of conduct and was in the process of …
A mall developer told us that local councillors were interfering with the development of her project, but she believed the municipality did not have a code of conduct or integrity commissioner.
/en/our-work/case-stories/code-found

Double trouble

A mother and adult daughter, both ODSP recipients who live together, complained to us about a mixup after the daughter successfully applied for ODSP for herself from a different office than the one where her mother was a client. She was not aware that her mother received additional ODSP benefits …
A mother and adult daughter, both ODSP recipients who live together, complained to us about a mixup after the daughter successfully applied for ODSP for herself from a different office than the one where her mother was a client.
/en/our-work/case-stories/double-trouble

Mailbox full

A man whose shelter allowance was terminated by the ODSP without notice complained to us after his case worker did not respond to several email messages. He had registered for a secure email program offered to ODSP clients who wish to communicate with case workers without having to phone or meet …
A man whose shelter allowance was terminated by the ODSP without notice complained to us after his case worker did not respond to several email messages.
/en/our-work/case-stories/mailbox-full

Brother’s keeper

We helped sort out a case of mistaken identity between the FRO and a man who could not insure his house because a writ was registered in his name for unpaid support obligations – even though it was his brother who actually owed support arrears. The FRO has a process to deal with such claims, but …
We helped sort out a case of mistaken identity between the FRO and a man who could not insure his house because a writ was registered in his name for unpaid support obligations – even though it was his brother who actually owed support arrears.
/en/our-work/case-stories/brothers-keeper

Cold case

A man contacted our office after the FRO issued an order to garnish his Old Age Security payments and his federal pension, according to a court order from 1982. He disputed his ex-wife’s claim that he owed $62,000 in child support arrears, and noted that the children were now 38 and 42 years old. …
A man contacted our office after the FRO issued an order to garnish his Old Age Security payments and his federal pension, according to a court order from 1982.
/en/our-work/case-stories/cold-case

Sharing the wealth

A woman who was owed more than $17,000 in spousal and child support came to our Office for help in liaising with FRO officials. She provided us with documents showing that her ex-husband was about to receive a substantial profit from selling a property. After we shared this information with FRO …
A woman who was owed more than $17,000 in spousal and child support came to our Office for help in liaising with FRO officials.
/en/our-work/case-stories/sharing-wealth

Clearer definition

An ODSP recipient complained to us about the Social Justice Tribunal of Ontario’s decision on her eligibility for the ODSP’s Work-Related Benefit. The benefit is paid to ODSP recipients for each month they have earnings from employment, and the woman had studied the criteria and believed she …
An ODSP recipient complained to us about the Social Justice Tribunal of Ontario’s decision on her eligibility for the ODSP’s Work-Related Benefit.
/en/our-work/case-stories/clearer-definition

Mental health services for military Children: Collateral Damage

The province created a $2-million emergency fund for children’s mental health services and the federal government committed $100,000 to help traumatized children of Ontario-based Canadian Forces personnel serving in Afghanistan. No report was issued.   Case update - Annual report 2009-2010 Since …
The province created a $2-million emergency fund for children’s mental health services and the federal government committed $100,000 to help traumatized children of Ontario-based Canadian Forces personnel serving in Afghanistan.
/en/our-work/investigations/mental-health-services-military-children-collateral-damage

Public Notice

Ombudsman Report Investigation into a complaint about the Elliot Lake Residential Development Commission “Public Notice” Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario August 2017 Executive Summary 1 After the last uranium mine in Elliot Lake closed in 1996, the city looked for ways to encourage economic …
Investigation into a complaint about the Elliot Lake Residential Development Commission.
/en/our-work/investigations/public-notice