Residents who live close to an open-pit mine contacted us in frustration after complaining to their municipality about noise, dust, and emissions for years. Our review revealed that the municipality had not established a clear complaints procedure or communicated how people should raise their …
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Residents who live close to an open-pit mine contacted us in frustration after complaining to their municipality about noise, dust, and emissions for years.
Under the gun
We received numerous complaints in 2020-2021 about delays in approvals by Ontario’s Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) for transfers of restricted firearms. We learned that this backlog was largely due to COVID-19, as the office was struggling with staff shortages and technological limitations related to …
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We received numerous complaints in 2020-2021 about delays in approvals by Ontario’s Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) for transfers of restricted firearms.
Report duty
An inmate sought our help after he was involved in an altercation with another inmate and then pepper sprayed and assaulted by correctional officers. He had reported the assault to health care staff, but our review showed that they did not report the incident to superiors as required by Ministry …
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An inmate sought our help after he was involved in an altercation with another inmate and then pepper sprayed and assaulted by correctional officers.
Search terms
Several inmates in the same facility complained to us that they were strip searched in a main hallway, in view of security cameras. Ministry policy requires that searches be conducted in an area and a manner that preserves inmates’ privacy and dignity. Our inquiries led us to escalate the matter to …
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Several inmates in the same facility complained to us that they were strip searched in a main hallway, in view of security cameras.
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 …
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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.
Repairing wrongs
Issues: Children’s aid society; Duty to report; Quality of care; Rights (Get help); Rights (Fairness) A woman sought our help after her two foster children disclosed to her that their former foster parent had been physically and verbally abusive toward them. She had already reported this to the …
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A woman sought our help after her two foster children disclosed to her that their former foster parent had been physically and verbally abusive toward them.
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 …
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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 …
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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).
Payment received
A mother complained to us because she was not receiving any family support payments from her children’s father, even though the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) had the ability to garnish his wages. After Ombudsman staff contacted FRO officials, they immediately did so, and the mother received …
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A mother complained to us because she was not receiving any family support payments from her children’s father, even though the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) had the ability to garnish his wages.
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 …
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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).
Seeking the right support
Issues: Children’s aid society; Disability; Rights (Get help) After her second suicide attempt, a 15-year-old girl contacted us from the hospital. She said she did not want to return to her family home because she did not feel safe there. She had contacted her local children’s aid society (CAS), …
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After her second suicide attempt, a 15-year-old girl contacted us from the hospital.
The right balance
Issues: Group home; Rights (Good care); Rights (Get help) A 16-year-old youth complained to us that staff at his group home threatened to lock the refrigerator after he helped himself to food at night when he was hungry. He had lodged an internal complaint at the home, but still felt his concerns …
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A 16-year-old youth complained to us that staff at his group home threatened to lock the refrigerator after he helped himself to food at night when he was hungry.
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 …
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After requesting information from the Ministry of Health in French and receiving answers in English twice, a Francophone journalist complained to our Office.
Keep on truckin’
A truck driver who crosses the Canada-U.S. border weekly as an essential worker complained to us that a ServiceOntario location would not let him in and demanded he self-isolate for 14 days because he had recently crossed the border. Our staff discovered that ServiceOntario had a COVID-19 screening …
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A truck driver who crosses the Canada-U.S. border weekly as an essential worker complained to us that a ServiceOntario location would not let him in and demanded he self-isolate for 14 days because he had recently crossed the border.
Keeping watch
Issues: Children’s aid society; Quality of care A woman worried about the health and safety of a young relative complained to us that the local children’s aid society (CAS) had done “nothing” in response to her concerns. Our Children and Youth Unit contacted the CAS, which provided us with …
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A woman worried about the health and safety of a young relative complained to us that the local children’s aid society (CAS) had done “nothing” in response to her concerns.
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 …
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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.
At your service
A small business owner reached out to us after he was unable to update the information attached to his business licence through ServiceOntario, despite several attempts. He also told us that he had received poor customer service while seeking assistance. We contacted the Ministry of Government and …
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A small business owner reached out to us after he was unable to update the information attached to his business licence through ServiceOntario, despite several attempts.
Right-ing on the wall
Issues: Group home; Disability; Rights (Get help) A 16-year-old who has a developmental disability and lives in a group home contacted us to raise questions about his rights. We spoke to his caseworker, who told us the young man had been informed about his rights when he first arrived at the home …
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A 16-year-old who has a developmental disability and lives in a group home contacted us to raise questions about his rights.
A better way
Issues: Children’s aid society; Police involvement; Rights (Identity) A 13-year-old racialized youth complained to us after her children’s aid society (CAS) called the police to transport her to a new group home – which they did by handcuffing her and placing her in the back of a police vehicle. …
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A 13-year-old racialized youth complained to us after her children’s aid society (CAS) called the police to transport her to a new group home – which they did by handcuffing her and placing her in the back of a police vehicle.
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 …
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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.
