How We Work - Ontario Ombudsman

About our Office
Investigation and reporting process
What can't the Ombudsman investigate?

About our office

We assess all complaints and refer them to relevant mechanisms for quick resolution wherever possible.
If existing mechanisms are unsuccessful, we may contact the organization in question for more information.
We will attempt to resolve the issue, but If an investigation is necessary, the organization will receive written notice and will be required to provide relevant information and documents. Read more about our investigation and reporting process.
If the Ombudsman makes recommendations, the organization under investigation is given a chance to respond before any report is made public.
The Ombudsman follows up on all recommendations to ensure they are implemented and have the desired effect.

Investigation and Reporting Process

Most complaints to the Ombudsman are resolved individually without need for a formal investigation. When a formal investigation is launched, the process is as follows:

Notice

If the Ombudsman determines that an investigation is warranted, based on public complaints or on his own motion in light of a matter of public interest, his Office must issue a notice of investigation to the relevant Ministry or government/broader public sector organization.

Investigation

Ombudsman staff gather relevant evidence, including interviewing witnesses (by phone, Skype or in person) and reviewing documents as warranted. The Ombudsman Act requires that Ombudsman investigations be conducted in private.

Findings and Response

Based on the evidence, the Ombudsman makes findings and recommendations. The Ombudsman Act requires that these be shared confidentially with the organization under investigation, to give it the opportunity to respond. The response is taken into consideration in any final report by the Ombudsman.

Tabling and Public Report

The final production process for an Ombudsman report normally includes editing, translation, printing and preparation for web posting. If the report involves a provincial government organization, it must be tabled with the Legislative Assembly, after which it is immediately made public. Occasionally, if the response indicates the issue has been satisfactorily resolved, the Ombudsman may elect not to publish a separate report, but include the case in his Annual Report.

What can't the Ombudsman investigate?

The Ontario Ombudsman is an independent, impartial officer of the Legislature, appointed to take complaints about the administrative processes and policies of public sector bodies, as well as French language services and services provided in the child protection sector. The Ombudsman does not advocate for individuals and cannot address every complaint or grievance citizens might have. While we strive to assist complainants in any way we can, there are legal limits to our authority.

When we receive a complaint, we examine it thoroughly according to universally-accepted Ombudsman practices. The Ontario Ombudsman is an office of last resort; if the complainant has not already tried to resolve their issue through existing complaint resolution mechanisms, we will refer them there for resolution whenever possible.

While we advocate for fairness and good administration, we do not take sides in disputes. We cannot provide legal advice or representation and do not intervene in matters beyond our legal authority.

The matters which we generally cannot address include, but are not limited to, complaints about the following:

Individual elected officials at the municipal, provincial or federal levels
The Premier, Cabinet and its decisions, and political staff
Judges and the provincial and federal courts
Matters within the jurisdiction of the Toronto Ombudsman
Legal disputes
Criminal activity
Local, provincial or federal police services or conduct (except some Ontario Provincial Police administrative matters)
The federal government and its departments and agencies
Hospitals and long-term care homes (except those designated under the French Language Services Act)
Individuals and private businesses

View the full list of organizations we oversee.

We want to help, and even if a matter is outside our jurisdiction, we will try to provide whatever assistance we can. If there is another office or agency that deals with the issue raised in a complaint, we will inform the complainant and assist with a referral to that agency (such as the Patient Ombudsman, the Toronto Ombudsman, the Integrity Commissioner, or the Office of the Independent Police Review Director, to name a few examples).

View the organizations where we commonly refer people.