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Ontario Ombudsman Annual report is now available
Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé’s tenth Annual Report, released on 25 June 2025, reflects record and near-record complaints in several areas of his jurisdiction, including those focused on the rights of vulnerable children, people with disabilities, inmates and Ontarians seeking services in French.
The Ombudsman received 30,675 cases – complaints and inquiries – in fiscal 2024-2025, and resolved 53% of them in two weeks or less.
A woman had her Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits reinstated just in time to make her rent payment. In another case, a man received more than $11,000 in ODSP back payments.
The Ombudsman and staff flagged a 55% increase in complaints about correctional facilities to the Ministry of the Solicitor General, visited 12 correctional facilities, and launched a new investigation regarding Maplehurst Correctional Complex.
The Ombudsman’s office received a record 3,908 cases about municipalities. In many of these, the Ombudsman and staff promoted best practices for fair, transparent and accountable processes and policies. The Ombudsman also published 35 reports and letters regarding complaints about 66 closed municipal meetings.
Families received refunds ranging from $7,000 to $15,000 from the Ministry of Education after Ombudsman staff helped confirm they were exempt from tuition.
The Ombudsman launched a new investigation into child protection agencies’ practice of placing young children and teens – many with complex special needs – in unlicensed settings (e.g., hotels, motels and offices). Ombudsman staff also helped individual families who felt they had no choice but to give up custody of children with special needs to agencies in order to get residential care for them – a persistent issue first investigated by the office in 2005.
The French Language Services Commissioner’s investigation reviewed 17 of the province’s out-of-home advertising campaigns regarding health services between 2020 and 2023 and found none met the rules for communications in French. The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Francophone affairs accepted five of the Commissioner’s recommendations while two others remain under review.
Kindly refer to the download section to read the annual report.
Source: The Ombudsman Ontario, Canada
