Issues: Group home; Rights (Safety) An 11-year-old told us she felt unsafe in her group home after another resident threatened her with a knife. The Ombudsman’s Children and Youth Unit informed her of her right to have her placement reviewed by the Residential Placement Advisory Committee, and …
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An 11-year-old told us she felt unsafe in her group home after another resident threatened her with a knife.
/en/our-work/case-stories/right-safety
Not as planned
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Good care) A young person who was serving a youth sentence at an adult correctional facility complained to us that he was not being provided CAS access to services required by his court-ordered plan. He was under an Intensive Rehabilitation Custody and …
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A young person who was serving a youth sentence at an adult correctional facility complained to us that he was not being provided CAS access to services required by his court-ordered plan.
/en/our-work/case-stories/not-planned
2019-2020 Annual Report
O N TA R I O O N TA R I O ’ S WAT C H D O G 2019-2020 ANNUAL REPORT Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario 483 Bay Street 10th Floor, South Tower Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C9 Telephone: 416-586-3300 Complaints line: 1-800-263-1830 Fax: 416-586-3485 TTY: 1-866-411-4211 Website: www.ombudsman.on.ca …
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Ombudsman's Message - A year like no other
As mandated by the Ombudsman Act, this report reviews the main trends and highlights of the 26,423 cases my Office handled between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020. In other words, most of the resolutions and investigations described herein took place long before the first cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in Ontario.
An education worker complained to our French Language Services Unit about a unilingual English survey about technology that was being conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Education. Because it was in English only, she said the survey - done by a third party - excluded the views of Francophone …
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An education worker complained to our French Language Services Unit about a unilingual English survey about technology that was being conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Education.
/en/our-work/case-stories/our-opinion-matters
Extended parking
A woman sought our help after she was provided with a temporary accessible parking permit with a duration of only six months, when she had previously had one that lasted five years. We confirmed with ServiceOntario that in fact, the woman’s doctor had provided new information indicating that she …
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A woman sought our help after she was provided with a temporary accessible parking permit with a duration of only six months, when she had previously had one that lasted five years.
/en/our-work/case-stories/extended-parking
Broken telephone
Our staff helped a woman who was having trouble reaching a manager at the Family Responsibility Office (FRO), due to recent changes to its phone system. We spoke with FRO officials and they committed to getting in touch with her, but there was a substantial delay before the woman was able to …
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Our staff helped a woman who was having trouble reaching a manager at the Family Responsibility Office (FRO), due to recent changes to its phone system.
/en/our-work/case-stories/broken-telephone
Proof of identity
A man complained to us after he wore a non-medical mask to prevent coronavirus spread inside his local Liquor Board of Ontario (LBCO) outlet, and staff there asked him to remove it so they could verify his identity. He told us he was concerned that this could put his health at risk. We made …
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A man complained to us after he wore a non-medical mask to prevent coronavirus spread inside his local Liquor Board of Ontario (LBCO) outlet, and staff there asked him to remove it so they could verify his identity.
/en/our-work/case-stories/proof-identity
Parked at home
A man complained to us about his municipality issuing parking tickets during the COVID-19 state of emergency. He said he and his wife had both received tickets while working from home. Our staff made inquiries with city officials, who told us certain elements of the parking by-law had been …
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A man complained to us about his municipality issuing parking tickets during the COVID-19 state of emergency.
/en/our-work/case-stories/parked-home
Paid upfront
A cancer patient who is an Ontario Disability Support Program recipient told us she was about to have surgery and urgently needed funds to pay for transportation, but could not reach her caseworker. We spoke with ODSP officials, who explained that caseworkers are rotating in and out of the office …
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A cancer patient who is an Ontario Disability Support Program recipient told us she was about to have surgery and urgently needed funds to pay for transportation, but could not reach her caseworker.
/en/our-work/case-stories/paid-upfront
Essential licence
A woman whose job was deemed an essential service during the COVID-19 pandemic sought our help when her driver’s licence was suspended due to a medical matter and she was temporarily unable to get to work. Our staff were able to facilitate the reinstatement of her licence within a few days. … …
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A woman whose job was deemed an essential service during the COVID-19 pandemic sought our help when her driver’s licence was suspended due to a medical matter and she was temporarily unable to get to work.
/en/our-work/case-stories/essential-licence
A cut above
Issues: Group home; Black youth; Rights (Identity) A Black youth living in a rural group home with little access to public transit complained to us that staff would not drive him to get a haircut. Our staff suggested that he speak to his caseworker about the matter, and we followed up with the …
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A Black youth living in a rural group home with little access to public transit complained to us that staff would not drive him to get a haircut.
/en/our-work/case-stories/cut-above
Failing the test
A man visited a London DriveTest centre with his son, who wanted to take the theory component of the road test, and requested services in French. He told us the person at the counter was unable to provide services in French and did not try to find a French-speaking colleague to help. Our staff …
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A man visited a London DriveTest centre with his son, who wanted to take the theory component of the road test, and requested services in French.
/en/our-work/case-stories/failing-test
Left out in the cold
Issues: Group home; Police involvement; Disability The mother of a teenager with developmental disability complained to us about an incident involving her daughter at a group home, after the daughter left the home at midnight and was outside in the cold for more than 30 minutes before she was found …
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The mother of a teenager with developmental disability complained to us about an incident involving her daughter at a group home.
/en/our-work/case-stories/left-out-cold
Hold, s’il vous plaît
A francophone man complained to our French Language Services Unit that he waited an hour on the phone for service in French when he called the disability eligibility decision unit of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. He finally hung up in frustration, called back and chose …
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A francophone man complained to our French Language Services Unit that he waited an hour on the phone for service in French when he called the disability eligibility decision unit of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.
/en/our-work/case-stories/hold-sil-vous-plait
The right process
Issue: Children’s aid society A mother called our Children and Youth Unit after her local children’s aid society told her it would not review her complaint due to a lack of information. The agency had a policy that stated a complaint must first be filed with a caseworker, then a supervisor, before …
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A mother called our Children and Youth Unit after her local children’s aid society told her it would not review her complaint due to a lack of information.
/en/our-work/case-stories/right-process
Au revoir, not goodbye
A woman complained to our French Language Services Unit that the Superior Court in Toronto could not serve her in person in French, resulting in a wasted trip and frustration. Our staff contacted the administrative services of the Superior Court to assess the lack of services in French and to …
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A woman complained to our French Language Services Unit that the Superior Court in Toronto could not serve her in person in French, resulting in a wasted trip and frustration.
/en/our-work/case-stories/au-revoir-not-goodbye
On her own
Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA); Rights (Good care); Rights (Get help) A 16-year-old youth in care of a children’s aid society felt that her needs were not being met since she had a change in caseworkers. She told our Children and Youth staff she recently …
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A 16-year-old youth in care of a children’s aid society felt that her needs were not being met since she had a change in caseworkers.
/en/our-work/case-stories/her-own
Website faux pas
A French-speaking woman sought our help after she encountered difficulties with the website of the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office. Not only was the French version of the site not equivalent to the English version, it also had sections in English. We contacted the manager of the organization, …
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A French-speaking woman sought our help after she encountered difficulties with the website of the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office.
/en/our-work/case-stories/website-faux-pas
Right to complain
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Get help) When a woman complained to us about how she and her family were treated by a children’s aid society, we first advised her to contact her caseworker and raise the issue through the society’s internal process. She returned in frustration, saying the …
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When a woman complained to us about how she and her family were treated by a children’s aid society, we first advised her to contact her caseworker and raise the issue through the society’s internal process.
/en/our-work/case-stories/right-complain
That's the place
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Get help); Rights (Fairness) Unhappy with his placement at a foster home, a 17-year-old asked his children’s aid society caseworker for a placement change, only to be told the home he was staying in was best for him. Feeling unheard, the young person …
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Unhappy with his placement at a foster home, a 17-year-old asked his children’s aid society caseworker for a placement change, only to be told the home he was staying in was best for him.