Case Stories
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Ms F’s mother died in September 2009, a month after she had paid for her car license sticker for two years. In Toronto, the sticker price includes $60 in a personal vehicle tax that goes to the city.
Ms F thought that, since her mother had died, she should be able to get a refund. When she called to inquire, city staff told her no. That didn’t seem fair to Ms F who talked with the Ombudsman at a community meeting.
Ombudsman staff called a city manager and explained the situation.
Result: The manager agreed that, in this case, it was possible to issue a refund and asked Ms F to send the current vehicle ownership and the receipt.
This case raises a larger issue. There is no provision in the City of Toronto Act for paying refunds. The Ombudsman is working with the public service to see if the provincial law can be amended or if there are other ways to fix this obvious unfairness.
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