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ATTENTION – OFFICE CLOSED – MONDAY, OCTOBER 13: The Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario will be closed on Monday, October 13. Our phone lines will also be closed. Our services will resume on Tuesday, October 14 at 9 a.m. Complaints can still be filed using our online complaint form or via email at info@ombudsman.on.ca.

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Displaying 81 - 100 of 5039

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 …
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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 …
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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

Township of Wollaston - February 10, 2025

The Ombudsman investigated a complaint alleging that the Township of Wollaston’s Communication Team is a committee of council, and that any meetings it may have held since its inception should have been subject to the open meeting requirements in the Municipal Act, 2001 . The Ombudsman found that …
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The Ombudsman investigated a complaint alleging that the Township of Wollaston’s Communication Team is a committee of council, and that any meetings it may have held since its inception should have been subject to the open meeting requirements in the Municipal Act, 2001.
/en/our-work/municipal-meetings/township-wollaston-february-10-2025

Submission regarding the designation of areas under the French Language Services Act

Submission to the Ministry of Francophone Affairs regarding the designation of areas under the French Language Services Act Carl Bouchard French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario January 2025 Overview The Ministry of Francophone Affairs is seeking input on its plan to amend the list of …
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The Ministry of Francophone Affairs is seeking input on its plan to amend the list of areas designated under the French Language Services Act.
/en/our-work/submissions-government/submission-regarding-designation-areas-under-french-language-services-act

Township of The North Shore - February 3, 2025

Ombudsman Report Investigation into informal gatherings held by council for the Township of The North Shore on March 20, 2024, and between March 21 and March 25, 2024 Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario January 2025 Complaint 1 My Office received a complaint alleging council for the Township of The …
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The Ombudsman received a complaint alleging council for the Township of The North Shore contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 by holding an informal meeting immediately following a council meeting on March 20, 2024. The complaint also alleged council held informal meetings in the days following. The Ombudsman found that a quorum of council engaged in an informal discussion after a council meeting on March 20, 2024, and also participated in discussions over group text message between March 24 and March 25, 2024. However, although these discussions involved a quorum of council, they were not “meetings” subject to the open meeting rules because members did not materially advance the business or decision-making of council.
/en/our-work/municipal-meetings/township-north-shore-february-3-2025

Unscientific translations

A Francophone father contacted us after visiting the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto with his family in the summer of 2023. He told us that there were five staff members at the admissions counter, but none of them could speak any French beyond “bonjour.” He asked, in English, if he could be …
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A Francophone father contacted us after visiting the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto with his family in the summer of 2023.
/en/our-work/case-stories/unscientific-translations

The screens on the bus say “we speak French”

GO Transit, the public transit service for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, is a division of government agency Metrolinx. A Francophone reported to us that the Black History Month messages displayed on the electronic destination signage of GO Transit buses were in English only (as were many …
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GO Transit, the public transit service for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, is a division of government agency Metrolinx.
/en/our-work/case-stories/screens-bus-say-we-speak-french

The real cost of a “free” translation tool

A Francophone from British Columbia received a ticket from an Ontario municipality requiring him to pay thousands of dollars in fines. Although the notice was bilingual, the website of the Provincial Offences Court was in English only. The Francophone also tried to get telephone service in French …
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A Francophone from British Columbia received a ticket from an Ontario municipality requiring him to pay thousands of dollars in fines.
/en/our-work/case-stories/real-cost-free-translation-tool

The future is bilingual

The future Ontario line will be a 15.6-kilometre subway line in Toronto. A Franco-Torontonian who wanted to know how work on the line was coming along complained to us that the social media content on X (@OntarioLine) for this Metrolinx project was in English only. He told us he felt it was …
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The future Ontario line will be a 15.6-kilometre subway line in Toronto. A Franco-Torontonian who wanted to know how work on the line was coming along complained to us that the social media content on X (@OntarioLine) for this Metrolinx project was in English only.
/en/our-work/case-stories/future-bilingual

Tailor-made forms

The Child and Family Services Review Board conducts reviews and hearings on a number of matters that affect children, youth and families in Ontario. The Board is one of 13 tribunals that make up Tribunals Ontario. It sent a mediation report in English to a Francophone mother, despite the fact that …
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The Child and Family Services Review Board conducts reviews and hearings on a number of matters that affect children, youth and families in Ontario.
/en/our-work/case-stories/tailor-made-forms

Settling the bills

In the Commissioner’s 2022-2023 Annual Report, we mentioned a Francophone who had received a bill from the Ministry of Transportation’s Highway Incident Claims Unit following a car crash in the Ottawa area. She did not receive services in French when she contacted the Ministry of Transportation. As …
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In the Commissioner’s 2022-2023 Annual Report, we mentioned a Francophone who had received a bill from the Ministry of Transportation’s Highway Incident Claims Unit following a car crash in the Ottawa area.
/en/our-work/case-stories/settling-bills

Right on target

A Francophone who was interested in taking a firearm safety course visited the Firearms Safety Education Service of Ontario (FSESO) website, as the FSESO offers firearm handling courses. The FSESO is the sole service provider for the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course in the province. He …
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A Francophone who was interested in taking a firearm safety course visited the Firearms Safety Education Service of Ontario (FSESO) website, as the FSESO offers firearm handling courses.
/en/our-work/case-stories/right-target

One fare, two languages

While riding the Viva Blue bus line, operated by York Region Transit (YRT) between Newmarket and Toronto, a Francophone woman noticed that a Metrolinx brochure available in the bus was in English only. The brochure offered information about the new One Fare Program. RESULT: We contacted Metrolinx, …
Body
While riding the Viva Blue bus line, operated by York Region Transit (YRT) between Newmarket and Toronto, a Francophone woman noticed that a Metrolinx brochure available in the bus was in English only.
/en/our-work/case-stories/one-fare-two-languages

No time to lose

Two Francophone students who were new to Ontario contacted us to report that the financial aid staff at an English-language college who administer the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) were unable to process their applications, as none of them could review the documents the students had …
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Two Francophone students who were new to Ontario contacted us to report that the financial aid staff at an English-language college who administer the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) were unable to process their applications, as none of them could review the documents the students had submitted in French.
/en/our-work/case-stories/no-time-lose-0

No test, no job

After completing truck driver training in Ottawa, a Francophone tried multiple times to get a certified bilingual driver examiner for his test at a DriveTest centre in southern Ottawa, a designated area under the French Language Services Act . He complained to us that despite confirming the …
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After completing truck driver training in Ottawa, a Francophone tried multiple times to get a certified bilingual driver examiner for his test at a DriveTest centre in southern Ottawa, a designated area under the French Language Services Act.
/en/our-work/case-stories/no-test-no-job

New exhibits – on social media

In fall 2023, a Francophone contacted us to report the lack of French in the social media posts of an Ontario museum. He noted that the headings and content of some posts on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook were in English only. RESULT: We brought this concern to the museum, an agency of the …
Body
In fall 2023, a Francophone contacted us to report the lack of French in the social media posts of an Ontario museum.
/en/our-work/case-stories/new-exhibits-social-media

Making room for French

A Franco-Torontonian looking for a family activity in his neighbourhood was interested in the exhibition called “Lumière: The Art of Light” at Ontario Place. He contacted us after noticing that Ontario Place’s four social media accounts (X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube) were in English only. …
Body
A Franco-Torontonian looking for a family activity in his neighbourhood was interested in the exhibition called “Lumière: The Art of Light” at Ontario Place.
/en/our-work/case-stories/making-room-french

Lost in translation

While watching the livestream of the tabling of the province’s 2024 budget on the Government of Ontario’s French YouTube channel, a Francophone noticed that, when the Minister of Finance spoke in French near the end of the video, the interpreter translated what he said into English. The woman …
Body
While watching the livestream of the tabling of the province’s 2024 budget on the Government of Ontario’s French YouTube channel, a Francophone noticed that, when the Minister of Finance spoke in French near the end of the video, the interpreter translated what he said into English.
/en/our-work/case-stories/lost-translation

Long-term solution

A Francophone reached out to us after taking part in a webinar hosted by a non-profit organization that receives funding from the Ministry of Long-Term Care. She had signed up for the webinar as she is part of the family council for a long-term care home. She received a bilingual email from the …
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A Francophone reached out to us after taking part in a webinar hosted by a non-profit organization that receives funding from the Ministry of Long-Term Care.
/en/our-work/case-stories/long-term-solution

Language support

The Ontario Autism Program, administered by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, offers support to families of children and youth on the autism spectrum. A Francophone parent of a child with autism complained to us that the program communicated with them in English, both orally …
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The Ontario Autism Program, administered by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, offers support to families of children and youth on the autism spectrum.
/en/our-work/case-stories/language-support

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The Ontario Ombudsman’s work takes place on traditional Indigenous territories across the province we now call Ontario, and we are thankful to be able to work and live on this land. 

Ombudsman Ontario Home

Ombudsman Ontario

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10th floor, South Tower
Toronto, ON M5G 2C9

Toll-free (Ontario only): 1-800-263-1830
Outside Ontario: 416-586-3300
info@ombudsman.on.ca

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