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The Annual report is now available
The Ontario Ombudsman fielded more than 35,000 cases this past year about a wide range of public services – a new record in a period of steadily increasing demand for the Office’s independent, non-partisan assistance.
The Office’s 2025-2026 Annual Report, released on 25 June 2026, highlights the results it achieved in handling 35,023 complaints and inquiries across all areas of its jurisdiction.
“This number represents a new record in case volume – more people seeking our help across more of the public sector than ever before. Not only that, it comes on top of successive year-over-year increases: 43% in the past three years alone,” Acting Ombudsman Barbara Finlay writes in the report.
“I can attest that in my more than 20 years with this Office, we have never seen such broad demand for our services. Our role as a non-partisan democratic institution – with expertise in navigating bureaucracy and promoting fairness – has never been more important,” says Ms. Finlay, who assumed the role of Acting Ombudsman on April 1 after former Ombudsman Paul Dubé completed his 10-year term.
“Thanks to the thousands of individuals who took the time to bring their complaints to us and the public servants who worked with us to find solutions, we have been able to improve the system for the benefit of all Ontarians,” she says.
The report highlights record or near-record complaint volumes in several sectors including child protection services, youth justice centres, school boards, tribunals, and social benefits programs.
Kindly click here to read the full media release.
Source: The Office of the Ombudsman Ontario, Canada
