We have released our first Annual Report ‘Advocating for Fairness’, in which you will find a review of our first nine months of operation. It is a privilege to advocate for fairness in the administration of local government on behalf of all Toronto’s residents.
Just as it was for the rest of the city and many of its residents, 2009 – our start-up year - was one of fiscal prudence. We opened our doors carefully, so we could start managing the business of being responsive to public demands for fairness in administration.
We developed policies, procedures and standards even before we opened our doors. Once we opened in April, our focus shifted to service delivery. In our first nine months, we received 1,057 complaints and enquiries, 958 of which have been processed and closed. Six formal investigations were launched, two of which are completed.We got to know Toronto’s public servants, the vast majority of whom have been willing, cooperative and helpful in their interactions with us.
We started looking for trends that could lead to systemic investigations in the coming year. While individual remedies are important, it is the systemic fix that helps everyone. It saves the public money, reduces frustration and enables public servants to get on with other work. It also demonstrates good governance on the part of legislators and a responsive public service.
Balancing the need to meet our mandate with the ongoing constraints of city finances will be a major challenge. I am committed to launching systemic investigations that will have results for a broad swath of residents. To do so, we need the appropriate staffing for a mature organization, so that we can also continue to manage individual complaints.
I am grateful to the members of City Council, all of whom have shared their insights and expertise with me, as well as the senior ranks of the City’s administration, and many representatives from community organizations. I also appreciate to the hundreds of public servants who have helped us understand their work.
Fiona Crean, Ombudsman
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