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A woman informed us that French subtitles had disappeared from the videos on the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development’s Facebook page entitled “Lieux de travail de l’Ontario [Ontario At Work].”

Commissioner's Message - The future begins now This is already my third Annual Report as French Language Services Commissioner, within the Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario. When I reflect on the progress we have achieved since May 1, 2019, I am proud of the work we have accomplished. My objective with this report is to take stock and to seize the opportunity to look to the future, in light of possibilities arising from the modernization of the French Language Services Act.

The Ombudsman reviewed a complaint about numerous closed meetings held by the Township of Nipissing. The complaint alleged that council’s in camera discussions did not fit within any of the closed meeting exceptions under the Municipal Act, 2001, and should have occurred in open session. The Ombudsman determined that council for the Township of Nipissing did not contravene the Municipal Act, 2001 during in camera meetings on February 17, March 9, April 6, May 18, June 8, and August 3, 2021. The Ombudsman found that these in camera discussions were permissible under the Act’s closed meeting exceptions. However, the Ombudsman found that the Township contravened the Act on July 13, 2021, when it discussed the Township’s hiring plan in camera. This discussion did not fall within any of the Act’s closed meeting exceptions, and could have been parsed from the rest of council’s in camera discussion.

The Ombudsman reviewed complaints that council for the Township of McKellar contravened the open meeting rules during meetings on August 24, August 31, and September 9, 2021, and April 12, 2022 relating to the public’s ability to observe meetings of council. The Ombudsman found that the Township contravened the Municipal Act, 2001, on August 24, 2021, when audio and connectivity issues prevented the public from observing the livestreamed meeting, and on August 31, 2021, when it failed to publicly livestream the meeting after council came out of closed session. Council also contravened the open meeting rules when it provided contradictory information about the time and location of its September 9, 2021 meeting and the location of its April 12, 2022 meeting in public notices.

The Ombudsman reviewed two complaints about an emergency closed meeting held by council for the Township of Prince on March 15, 2022.

The Ombudsman received a complaint regarding closed meetings held by council for Norfolk County on March 8, April 12, and May 10, 2022.

A 13-year-old in the care of a children’s aid society (CAS) contacted us when he didn’t hear back from his CAS about making arrangements to see his mother.

Investigation into the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto’s response to child protection concerns involving “Brandon” between December 31, 2015 and October 26, 2018

The Ombudsman received a complaint alleging that the Coordinated Committee for the Town of Wasaga Beach contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 on July 21, 2022, when it moved in camera to discuss a report pertaining to the redevelopment of Town-owned property.

The Ombudsman received a complaint alleging that the City of Hamilton’s Working Group of the Physician Recruitment and Retention Steering Committee violated the open meeting rules in the Municipal Act, 2001 when it held meetings on January 12, September 14, October 14, October 29, November 23, and December 14, 2021.

The Ombudsman reviewed a complaint about a training session held by council for the Township of Emo on May 28, 2022. The complaint alleged that council contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 and its procedure by-law when it held a budget training in a closed session without providing notice to the public. The Ombudsman found that council for the Township of Emo did not contravene the Municipal Act, 2001 or its own procedure by-law when it held a training session in camera on May 28, 2022. The session fit into the “education and training” exception since council received training on the new budget format and did not materially advance its business or decision-making.  Additionally, the Township was not required to post notice of the training session, as it did not constitute a meeting under the Municipal Act, 2001, and was therefore not subject to the open meeting rules.

A Francophone man who wanted some information about renewing his licence plate contacted our Office because he was unable to obtain service in French from a ServiceOntario office in a designated area.

A woman contacted us to complain about her experience with inadequate French services from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, both during telephone conversations and in written communications in response to her access to information request.

A 16-year-old complained that staff at his group home weren’t helpful to him after his personal belongings, including a laptop, were stolen or damaged by other youths living in the home.

The Ombudsman reviewed complaints about meetings held by the Cultural Vitality Committee and the Tourism Board of the City of Sault Ste. Marie. The Ombudsman determined that the Cultural Vitality Committee contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 on November 17, 2021, by holding a meeting that did not comply with the open meeting requirements. The Ombudsman found that the meeting was not open to the public, as the Committee did not provide the public with information about how to attend the virtual meeting. However, the Ombudsman found that the Cultural Vitality Committee’s resolution to proceed in camera was sufficiently descriptive to provide information to the public without undermining the reason for excluding the public. The Ombudsman also found that the Tourism Board contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 on November 25, 2021 by holding a meeting that did not comply with the open meeting requirements. The meeting was not open to the public, as the Board did not provide the public with information on how to attend the virtual meeting.

The Ombudsman received a complaint regarding closed meetings held by council for the Township of Minden Hills in 2021 and 2022.

The Ombudsman received complaints alleging that council for the Municipality of Casselman contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 when it discussed the purchase of an identified property during a closed session.

The Ombudsman received a complaint regarding a meeting held by the Heritage Permit Review Sub-Committee on March 15, 2022, and a meeting held by the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Advisory Committee on March 29, 2022, for the City if Hamilton.

The Ombudsman received a complaint alleging that the Town of Kearney improperly held a closed special meeting of council on August 25, 2010 and that prior notice of the meeting had not been given.

The Ombudsman received a complaint alleging that council for the City of Niagara Falls held a closed meeting on April 12, 2022 that did not comply with the requirements in the Municipal Act, 2001.