The Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario will be closed on Monday, August 4. Our phone lines will also be closed.
Our services will resume on Tuesday, August 5 at 9 a.m.
A man seeking a property tax deferment complained to us that council had unfairly rejected his request because there wasn’t time to consider it. We spoke with municipal officials, who clarified that the man’s application had been discussed before it was declined, but the discussion took place in a …
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A man seeking a property tax deferment complained to us that council had unfairly rejected his request because there wasn’t time to consider it.
/en/our-work/case-stories/personal-reasons
Culvert conundrum
A homeowner complained to us that her municipality was demanding she pay more than $5,000 in fees for a permit for a culvert that had been built under her driveway years ago. The woman maintained the municipality had installed the culvert, but municipal staff told us they had no record of this. …
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A homeowner complained to us that her municipality was demanding she pay more than $5,000 in fees for a permit for a culvert that had been built under her driveway years ago.
/en/our-work/case-stories/culvert-conundrum
Voting rights – and wrongs
A man who was in jail awaiting sentencing complained to us that correctional officials had told him he could not vote in the September 2021 federal election, even though he was eligible. We immediately contacted senior staff at his facility, who acknowledged that they made a mistake and he should …
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A man who was in jail awaiting sentencing complained to us that correctional officials had told him he could not vote in the September 2021 federal election, even though he was eligible.
A man contacted us in frustration after his application to have his issue heard by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) was dismissed. The reason given was that he hadn’t filed a response to them as requested. He had indeed sent the response – and had email evidence to prove it – but had …
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A man contacted us in frustration after his application to have his issue heard by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) was dismissed.
/en/our-work/case-stories/email-retrieved
Supplemental care
An inmate with HIV complained that he hadn’t been receiving testosterone and other supplements he required to prevent muscle deterioration. He told us he needed to see a specialist, and that health care staff at his facility weren’t responding to calls from his HIV support worker. After our staff …
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An inmate with HIV complained that he hadn’t been receiving testosterone and other supplements he required to prevent muscle deterioration.
/en/our-work/case-stories/supplemental-care
The right to know
After an inmate complained to us that he was pushed to the ground and attacked by several correctional officers, we intervened to verify that a local investigation had been conducted. We discovered that the investigation found that excessive force had been used against the inmate – but that …
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After an inmate complained to us that he was pushed to the ground and attacked by several correctional officers, we intervened to verify that a local investigation had been conducted.
/en/our-work/case-stories/right-know
Timely help
Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) A concerned adult contacted our Office on behalf of a youth who was denied a This link opens in a new tab Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) by a children’s aid society (CAS). VYSAs are available to 16- and …
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A concerned adult contacted our Office on behalf of a youth who was denied a Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) by a children’s aid society (CAS). VYSAs are available to 16- and 17-year-olds who have left home because of concerns about their safety, and who are in need of child protection services.
/en/our-work/case-stories/timely-help
Please try again later
We received a complaint from a Francophone who contacted the Ministry of Finance regarding provincial property taxes in an unorganized territory in Northern Ontario. He said he had to wait on the phone for about an hour before he could reach a bilingual agent. After this call, the man tried to call …
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We received a complaint from a Francophone who contacted the Ministry of Finance regarding provincial property taxes in an unorganized territory in Northern Ontario.
One man from a city in Ukraine that had been evacuated told us the Ministry of Transportation would not validate his Ukrainian licence and driving experience without a letter from the Ukrainian government – something he felt would not be feasible due to the war. He was told the letter was required …
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As large numbers of Ukrainians have sought refuge in Ontario in the wake of Russia’s invasion of their country, Ontario has made efforts to help them settle. However, we recently heard of some having difficulty in obtaining driver’s licences.
A person complained that some LinkedIn accounts of the Ontario government and its agencies, including those of the Ministry of Transportation and Ontario Health, showed a unilingual English logo and title. We contacted the Cabinet Office, which completed a ministry-wide audit to ensure that all …
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A person complained that some LinkedIn accounts of the Ontario government and its agencies, including those of the Ministry of Transportation and Ontario Health, showed a unilingual English logo and title.
/en/our-work/case-stories/french-connections
Transit news, now bilingual
A man informed us that although he had chosen to receive the Metrolinx e-newsletter about the Ontario Line in French, it was still being emailed to him in English every week. Through our discussions with Metrolinx, a government agency under the Ministry of Transportation, we found out that the …
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A man informed us that although he had chosen to receive the Metrolinx e-newsletter about the Ontario Line in French, it was still being emailed to him in English every week.
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Get help) A 14-year-old needed our help getting identification documents to register for school and access health care, after he was removed from his home by a children’s aid society (CAS) over safety concerns. The youth looked to his CAS worker for support …
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A 14-year-old youth needed our help getting identification documents to register for school and access health care, after he was removed from his home by a children’s aid society (CAS) over safety concerns.
/en/our-work/case-stories/id-help
In French, please, Your Honour
We were contacted by a person who requested a bilingual hearing at a courthouse in Northern Ontario. However, at the time of the hearing, the judge present could only speak English and no other means of providing services in French were available. The self-represented person could not follow the …
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We were contacted by a person who requested a bilingual hearing at a courthouse in Northern Ontario.
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Good care); Rights (Get help) A youth sought our help with retrieving belongings she had left behind at her family home after experiencing physical abuse at the hands of her stepfather. She told us that she didn’t feel safe returning there without the support …
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A youth sought our help with retrieving belongings she had left behind at her family home after experiencing physical abuse at the hands of her stepfather.
/en/our-work/case-stories/helping-hand
Refusal reversed
Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA); Rights (Get help) A 16-year-old complained to us that her children’s aid society (CAS) had refused to allow her to enter into a Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) after she had left her home due to the abusive …
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A 16-year-old complained to us that her children’s aid society (CAS) had refused to allow her to enter into a Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) after she had left her home due to the abusive behaviour of her aunt.
/en/our-work/case-stories/refusal-reversed
Overcoming obstacles
Issue: Rights (Get help) A youth in care sought our help in filing a complaint about staff at her residential placement. She complained about the required forms not being made available, staff lacking knowledge about the complaints process, and not receiving a timely response. After we reached out …
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A youth in care sought our help in filing a complaint about staff at her residential placement.
/en/our-work/case-stories/overcoming-obstacles
For follow-up in French, press 2
A man contacted the provincial COVID-19 vaccine system by phone and chose the “French” option to request his proof of vaccination by mail. He contacted us to point out that the follow-up call from the Ministry of Health to verify that he had received his proof of immunization was in English. As a …
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A man contacted the provincial COVID-19 vaccine system by phone and chose the “French” option to request his proof of vaccination by mail.
/en/our-work/case-stories/follow-french-press-2
Electrifying solution
We were contacted by a person living in a designated area of Eastern Ontario who requested the French version of an inspection report conducted by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). The ESA is a Delegated Administrative Authority that does not meet the definition of a government agency under …
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We were contacted by a person living in a designated area of Eastern Ontario who requested the French version of an inspection report conducted by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA).
/en/our-work/case-stories/electrifying-solution
Problem extinguished
A man working at a French-language school board contacted us because he wanted to obtain the French version of the Fire Code (Regulation 213/07 of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act ) in order to know the provisions that apply to school facilities. The regulation is only available in English. …
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A man working at a French-language school board contacted us because he wanted to obtain the French version of the Fire Code (Regulation 213/07 of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act) in order to know the provisions that apply to school facilities.
/en/our-work/case-stories/problem-extinguished
Cured by translation
We were contacted by a person who visited the Ontario Health Data Platform website to learn more about a Ministry of Health research project – only to discover the site was only available in English. We raised the issue with the Ministry, which explained that the site and the platform were not for …
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We were contacted by a person who visited the Ontario Health Data Platform website to learn more about a Ministry of Health research project – only to discover the site was only available in English.
