Ombudsman’s Message Statistical Charts Significant Cases Ministry of Citizenship Ontario Human Rights Commission Ministry of Community, Family and Children’s Services Community and Developmental Services Program Unit Family Responsibility Office Integrated Services for Children Unit Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Drug Programs Branch Northern Health Travel Grant Program Ministry of Labour Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal Ministry of Public Safety and Security Correctional Services Ministry of Transportation Inside Ombudsman Ontario Policy Human Resources Training Corrections Information Technology Complaints About Us Frequently Asked Questions Reaching out to Ontario’s communities Auditor’s Report 1. Accounting Policies 2. Expenditure and Miscellaneous Revenue 3. Employee Future Benefits Notes to Financial Statement: March 31, 2003 Salary Disclosure Effective Complaining The Story in Numbers General Provincial Government Complaint and Enquiry Trends Correctional and Young Offender Services Delivering Results In a Timely Fashion Complainant Profile Other highlights: Demographic Profile — Selected Groups Demographic Profile by Race Glossary of Outcomes Fairness Standards for Decision-Making by Governmental Organizations Introduction Fairness Standards For Decision-Making (When a complaint is made against a ministry in general, it is identified as ‘other’.) Complaints and Enquiries Closed 2002–2003 Against Provincial Government Organizations* by Final Resolution (When a complaint is made against a ministry in general, it is identified as ‘other’.) – Continued Complaints and Enquiries Closed 2002–2003 Against Provincial Government Organizations* by Final Resolution (When a complaint is made against a ministry in general, it is identified as ‘other’.) – Continued Complaints and Enquiries Closed 2002–2003 by Provincial Ridings (excluding complaints against Correctional Facilities)* Complaints and Enquiries Received 2002-2003 Against the Ministry of Public Safety and Security Correctional Facilities* – Continued Ministry of the Attorney General Legal Aid Ontario Criminal Injuries Compensation Board Assessment Review Board Ministry of Citizenship Ontario Human Rights Commission Ministry of Community, Family and Children’s Services Family Responsibility Office Ontario Disability Support Program Ministry of Consumer and Business Services Office of the Registrar General Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology Hydro One Networks Inc. (Hydro One) Ministry of Finance Ontario Securities Commission Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Assistive Devices Program Consent and Capacity Board Ontario Health Insurance Plan Ontario Hepatitis C Assistance Plan Ministry of Labour Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Ministry of Public Safety and Security Correctional Services Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Ontario Student Assistance Program Ministry of Transportation Ombudsman Ontario Staff List: March 31, 2003 Mission Statement Our Values Contact Information OMBUDSMAN ONTARIO June 2003 Speaker Legislative Assembly Province of Ontario Queen’s Park Dear Mr. Speaker: I am pleased to submit to you my Annual Report for the period of April 1, 2002 to March 31, 2003, pursuant to Section 11 of the Ombudsman Act so that you may table it before the Legislative Assembly. Yours sincerely, Clare Lewis, Q.C. Ombudsman Clare Lewis, Q.C. 125 Queens Park Toronto, Ontario M5S 2C7 Telephone: 416-586-3300 Facsimile: 416-586-3485 TTY: 1-866-411-4211 1-800-263-1830 (English) 1 800 387-2620 (Français) Contents Ombudsman’s Message . 2 Significant Cases . 11 Year in Review . 30 Complaints . 40 Statistical Charts . 51 Case Stories . 58 Staff List . 77 ISSN 1708-0851 Clare Lewis, Q.C. Ombudsman Ontario: Working to ensure fair and accountable provincial government service “It is my intention to ensure that my office demonstrates the values of Fairness, Accountability, Integrity and Respect not just in its words but in its actions.” Clare Lewis, Q.C. Ombudsman of Ontario 1 Ombudsman Ontario Annual Report 2002–2003 Ombudsman’s Message This past year has seen a continuation of the process of organizational renewal commenced last year as we pursue our mission of “working to ensure fair and accountable provincial government service.” It is my intention to ensure that my office demonstrates the values of Fairness, Accountability, Integrity and Respect not just in its words but in its actions. To that end, we have spent considerable time looking inward and reviewing our policies and practices to ensure that they are consistent with our stated values. An extensive human resources audit was completed this year. The resulting audit report made 86 recommendations in 15 areas including strategic directions, recruitment, orientation and training, performance development and staff relations. Many of the recommendations made in this report have already been implemented and we continue to plan strategically for implementation of the remaining recommendations. My office produced a document entitled Looking Forward which reflects our corporate vision to the year 2005, the end of my term of office, and focuses on our public identity, service delivery model, staff and workplace culture and structure. In this process we recognized that a corporate vision should not be imposed by upper level management on an organization, but evolve with appropriate consulta- tion with staff. We initiated a comprehensive business planning process. The mission, values and vision of our organization are central to that business planning process and guided the creation of the organizational goals and team objectives for the year 2003–2004. Internal and external environmental scans were conducted to provide an overview of the emerging issues that are affecting the office today and that likely will impact our operations over the next few years. These scans also assist in the planning process. Flowing from the overarching organizational goals, the three functional areas of the office, which are complaint, corporate and legal services, each developed their own team objectives. Staff consultation and contribution was an important factor in this business planning process. The Annual Business Plan for 2003–2004 is available on our website (www.ombudsman.on.ca). Our Annual Business Plan was critical in our financial forecasting and budget planning. This year, my office engaged in zero-based budgeting and further, developed multi-year forecasts for the subsequent two fiscal years. Rather than simply using averages or percentages in estimating budgets for the next fiscal year, each area of the office was required to justify its estimates from the ground up, based on the organizational goals. The final budget estimates and the methodology used to prepare them were shared with staff to foster a better understanding of the budget process and our organization’s financial accountability. 2 Ombudsman Ontario Annual Report 2002–2003 I believe that my office is well on its way to re-establishing a sound organizational foundation for the future. However, to remain relevant to the publics we serve, my office must also look outward. In the past year, our community education program saw significant results from our increased focus on connecting with community organizations whose clients are often most in need of our services. An Ombudsman’s effectiveness depends to a large extent on whether persons with complaints are aware of the Ombudsman’s existence. This year my office adopted an economical but effective strategy for the delivery of our message through the use of such vehicles as public service announcements and a variety of posters. Early indications, based on analysis of complaint statistics, suggest that these strategies are producing results. There are many complaints that I cannot address, as they remain outside of the scope of my review. For instance, one issue that is of great significance to me in my role as Ombudsman is the public’s right of access to independent complaint resolution when complaints arise about services that are essentially public in nature but which are not within my jurisdiction. I believe that independent review of complaints provides a vital accountability mechanism. In addition to investigating individual complaints and recommending individual remedies, an independent oversight model that allows for broader review of issues, may result in systemic improvement and more efficient use of resources. In previous Annual Reports, I have discussed the importance of ensuring that the Ombudsman continues to have an oversight role when specific services have been privatized. I was referring on those occasions to the privatization of driver testing and the operation of a correctional facility. In the context of the private operation of Highway 407, I noted that when government does engage in privatization initiatives, there must be accountability mechanisms which will enable government to ensure that private sector partners act fairly with the public. I believe that independent complaint resolution is integral to ensuring accountability. In 1998, as part of its mental health reform strategy, the Ontario government began divesting control of a number of provincial psychiatric hospitals. Six of Ontario’s 10 provincial psychiatric hospitals have been divested to date and others are slated for divestment. When these facilities have been divested to public hospitals, because of their governance structure, they