Media releases

December 29, 2017

Ombudsman promotes changes to Municipal Act : New rules for open meetings as of New Year’s Day

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé today shared new resources to inform municipal councils and their constituents about changes to the open meeting rules that take effect on New Year’s Day.
November 2, 2017

Statement by Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé on announcement of new policing legislation

The new package of policing legislation tabled by the government today is a welcome response to numerous recommendations my office has made to improve the oversight and accountability of policing in...
August 10, 2017

Boards mishandled school bus driver shortage, Ombudsman finds; Recommendations accepted, improvements in place for new school year

Toronto’s two largest school boards have taken steps to prevent another bus driver shortage this fall, after an investigation by Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé revealed their “actions and inactions” led...
June 27, 2017

Ombudsman lauds new era of oversight - Annual Report 2016-2017

Greater oversight of public sector bodies will improve accountability and services to Ontarians, provided it is consistent and effective, Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé notes today in his latest Annual...
June 2, 2017

Ombudsman nominated as one of Canada’s most influential lawyers

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé is among the nominees for Canadian Lawyer magazine’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada.
May 31, 2017

Ombudsman finds municipality’s trespass order against councillor unjust and excessive

Barring a councillor from the local town hall for more than two years is “excessive and unjustly punitive,” Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé has found in his first investigation of a complaint about a...
May 24, 2017

Ombudsman to investigate communication of driver’s licence suspensions and reinstatements

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé today announced an investigation into how the province communicates licence suspensions and reinstatements to drivers who were suspended for unpaid fines, in the wake of...
April 20, 2017

Ombudsman calls for clear new law, strong oversight of inmate segregation

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé today called on the province to reform its flawed system of placing and tracking inmates in solitary confinement, after his latest investigation revealed numerous issues...
March 6, 2017

Ombudsman clears Brampton in procurement investigation, calls for improvements to optimize transparency and accountability

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé’s investigation into non-competitive procurements in the city of Brampton found no evidence of maladministration, but identified several ways the city could improve its...
December 30, 2016

Ombudsman’s top 10 stories of 2016

It’s been a year of historic change for our office, as the Ombudsman’s mandate doubled and we were able to help Ontarians with a whole new range of issues in the broader public sector. Here are 10 of...
December 29, 2016

Ontario Ombudsman marks one year of oversight of municipalities and universities

As the new year approaches, the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman is set to mark one year of oversight of municipalities and universities. Since the historic new jurisdiction took effect Jan. 1, the...
November 2, 2016

Ombudsman reports on first year of expanded mandate; pledges continued effectiveness as agent of positive change Annual Report 2015-2016

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé today released the first annual report of his office’s new, expanded mandate, which was doubled in the past year to include more than 1,000 public sector organizations –...
October 27, 2016

Police oversight reform long overdue: Ombudsman

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé today released his submission to the province’s Independent Police Oversight Review, calling for new legislation to make police oversight bodies more effective, accountable...
September 6, 2016

Ontario Ombudsman marks one year of school board oversight

As the new school year begins, the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman is marking one year of oversight of school boards, after receiving 701 complaints and inquiries in the first year of its new mandate.
August 24, 2016

Ombudsman calls for systemic overhaul to help adults with developmental disabilities in crisis

Province accepts 60 recommendations to fix chronic service gaps.
June 29, 2016

Ombudsman urges province to ensure police are trained in de-escalation

Leadership long overdue in teaching alternatives to lethal force.
May 19, 2016

Reports on two Ombudsman investigations in final stages

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé confirmed today that he expects to release reports on two of his office’s in-depth systemic investigations in June and July, once required processes are complete.
May 10, 2016

Abolish indefinite segregation: Ombudsman

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé today urged the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services to abolish the practice of placing inmates indefinitely in segregation and develop alternatives to...
April 1, 2016

New Ontario Ombudsman takes office

New Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé took his oath of office today, beginning a five-year term as the province’s independent, impartial watchdog. Mr. Dubé is the province’s seventh Ombudsman since the...
February 17, 2016

New Ontario Ombudsman to start April 1: Mr. Paul Dubé

Mr. J. Paul Dubé of Ottawa has been appointed as Ontario’s seventh Ombudsman for a five-year term, to begin April 1, 2016. His appointment by an all-party committee of the Legislative Assembly was...
December 31, 2015

Ombudsman begins taking complaints about Ontario municipalities and universities on New Year’s Day

Beginning tomorrow – January 1, 2016 – the Ontario Ombudsman is officially able to take complaints about the province’s 444 municipalities and 21 publicly funded universities. This historic expansion...