The Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario was established in 1975, under the Ombudsman Act. The Ombudsman is an impartial officer of the Ontario Legislature, independent of the government and all political parties, who is appointed by an all-party committee of the Legislative Assembly every five years. The Act designates the Ombudsman as the default investigator for municipalities.

The Ombudsman is an independent officer of the Legislature who investigates complaints from the public about Ontario public sector bodies within their jurisdiction, recommending improvements for governance and resolving individual issues.

The City of Cambridge uses the services of the Provincial Ombudsman. This ombudsman can look into a municipality's:

  • Decisions;
  • Recommendations;
  • Omitted acts

On December 11, 2014, the Ontario Legislature gave Royal Assent to Bill 8, the Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014. This Bill lets the Provincial Ombudsman help Ontario municipalities.

The Bill doesn’t stop municipalities from choosing their own Ombudsman. However, the Provincial Ombudsman is the default Municipal Ombudsman for municipalities that don’t choose their own ombudsman.

If you have a complaint:

  • We encourage you to reach out to the City of Cambridge to try to resolve your complaint.
  • If you wish to connect with the Provincial Ombudsman you may contact them at the below website or phone number.
  • You may be asked to provide information about the issue and the steps you've taken to address the problem

Contact the Ontario Ombudsman
https://www.ombudsman.on.ca/contact-us
1-800-263-1830