4. Look at other options
You may be able to take your complaint to other places depending on what it is about.
Police
If you think a crime has been committed against you, you can report it to the police.
If you have been hurt or threatened, call 911.
If it is not an emergency, but you think a crime is being committed, call your local police station.
Patient Ombudsman
The role of Ontario’s Patient Ombudsman is to investigate and resolve complaints about health care, without taking sides.
This includes complaints about long-term care homes.
The Patient Ombudsman calls itself an office of last resort. This means that it reviews complaints only after your home has had a chance to deal with the issue.
So before going to the Patient Ombudsman, you need to try to resolve the issue with your home. You can do this yourself or with the help of the Ministry.
If you do this and are not satisfied with the result, you can ask the Ombudsman to investigate.
You must make your complaint in writing. For more information, visit patientombudsman.ca/ or call:
Toll-free: 1-888-321-0339
TTY: 416-597-5371
Professional colleges
To complain about a health-care professional who is regulated, such as a doctor, nurse, or physiotherapist, contact the organization that regulates that person’s profession.
The names of these organizations often begin with the word “College”. For example, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario regulates doctors.
You can find contact information for the colleges that govern health-care professions in a few places.
Visit the website for the Health Profession Regulators of Ontario at regulatedhealthprofessions.on.ca/professionscolleges.html.
Contact ServiceOntario by calling:
Toll-free: 1-866-532-3161
Toll-free TTY: 1-800-387-5559
To complain about a social worker, contact the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Visit www.ocswssw.org or call 1-877-828-9380.
Human rights
If you think you have been discriminated against, you can take your complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO).
Discrimination includes being treated unfairly because of your:
- age
- disability
- race, colour, or creed
- citizenship, ancestry, ethnic origin, or place of origin
- sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression
- marital status or family status
For more information about making an application to the HRTO, visit https://tribunalsontario.ca/hrto or call:
Toll-free: 1-866-598-0322 TTY use Bell’s Relay Service: 1-800-855-0511
For more information about discrimination or for help or advice about making an application to the HRTO, contact the Human Rights Legal Support Centre.
Visit hrlsc.on.ca or call:
Toll-free: 1-866-625-5179
Toll-free TTY: 1-866-612-8627
TTY Toronto area: 416-597-4903