A Staff report on 1/11 Council agenda recommends appointment of an Ombudsman for King. I think that this is the right way to respond to the new legislative requirement to either appoint one or to be subject to the review/engagement of the Provincial Ombudsman’s Office. We are leveraging work York Region has done to identify the right one. Ultimate financial cost will be driven by number and complexity of complaints made to the municipal Ombudsman’s office.
By reading the report you can learn more about the Ombudsman’s role and the legislation to which the municipality is responding. Very briefly: Bill 8 (Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act) was passed in 2014. It expands the Ombudsman Act to include municipalities and their boards and agencies. It ensures that all Ontario municipalities will fall under the jurisdiction of either a municipally appointed Ombudsman or the Provincial Ombudsman’s Office.
1) DO I understand correctly, Debbie, that a complaint reaching the ombudsman’s office will not generate a fee owed by the plaintiff?
2) Would any such complaint be made public at its inception or after a decision is delivered?
Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
VA
Hi Virginia, Thanks for your questions; gives me a chance to elaborate on how process works. Indeed there is no charge to a plaintiff. 1st the plaintiff submits their claim to Municipal Staff; if it can’t be satisfactorily resolved it is then forwarded to the Ombudsman. A fee is not incurred at neither stage. 2nd…To most easily answer this question I would like to compare it to publication of closed Council sessions. Depending on the “substance” of the item(s) considered in a closed session, once Council has made it’s decision, the minutes are published; the minutes might be very explicit such as a decision to promote person X to position Y or it can be less precise because of confidential nature of topic.