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Ontario Land Tribunal
655 Bay Street, Suite 1500, Toronto, ON M5G 1E5
Tel: 416-212-6349 | 1-866-448-2248
Web Site: olt.gov.on.ca

Complaint and Redress Mechanism

INTRODUCTION

The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) is committed to providing a high quality of service to the public in keeping with its core values of accessibility, diversity, fairness, transparency and timeliness. The Policy on Public Complaints sets out how complaints about the OLT’s services and/or the conduct of an adjudicator or staff person are to be made, reviewed and resolved.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT MAKING A COMPLAINT

Some important things you must know before making a complaint:

a dispute about a Tribunal decision or order cannot be resolved using the complaint policy;
complaints cannot be made anonymously. You must provide your contact information including your name, address, telephone number and email;
complaints must be submitted in writing, unless made at a hearing to the presiding adjudicator. If you require accommodation, including TTY, in order to file your written complaint, contact the Complaints Coordinator;
OLT contact information is provided at the end of this policy;
everyone involved in the complaint process, including any person who is the subject of a complaint, will be treated fairly and respectfully;
this process is separate from your right to seek a review of a decision, to appeal a decision or order, or to apply for a judicial review of a decision; and
this policy does not affect your right to complain to the Ombudsman of Ontario.

The OLT will not deal with a complaint where:

the complaint is about a Tribunal order or decision;
the complaint is in fact a request for review or reconsideration of an order or decision;
you have not adequately identified yourself;
you have failed to respond to requests for additional information and the OLT does not have sufficient information to proceed further;
you have made the same or a similar complaint before and it has been addressed by the OLT; or
the complaint is frivolous, vexatious or made in bad faith

HOW TO MAKE YOUR COMPLAINT

Complaints about Staff or Services

If your complaint is about Staff, raise your concern directly with that person. Together you may be able to resolve the problem without the need for a formal complaint.

If you are unable to resolve your complaint directly, or if your complaint relates to an OLT service, please send your written complaint to the attention of the Complaints Coordinator. Explain the reasons for your complaint (who, what, when, where) and how you think the complaint may be resolved. Provide the file number if known.

Where the complaint is about Staff, the person will be informed of the complaint and given an opportunity to respond.

The Complaints Coordinator will acknowledge your complaint within five business days of receipt. The OLT will either respond to your complaint or provide a timeframe within which it will respond to your complaint within 15 business days. You may be asked to provide further information throughout the complaints process.

Complaints about Adjudicators

If your complaint is about an adjudicator it may be made at any point in the hearing or mediation process. Raise your complaint directly with the adjudicator and in the presence of the other parties. Explain how you would like the complaint resolved and whether you feel the problem is so serious the adjudicator should not continue with your case. The other parties may be asked for their views. Depending on the circumstances, the adjudicator may respond orally or by way of written decision.

If you do not wish to make your complaint directly to the adjudicator or are dissatisfied with the adjudicator’s response or if the hearing event is over, send your written complaint to the attention of the Complaints Coordinator. Provide the file number, the name of the adjudicator(s), explain the reasons for your complaint (who, what, when, where) and how you think the complaint may be resolved. The Chair, or delegate, will acknowledge your complaint within five business days of receipt. The adjudicator will be informed of the complaint and given an opportunity to respond.

Depending on the nature and timing of your complaint, you may be advised as follows:

that the adjudicator has been informed of your complaint and an investigation has commenced;
that the investigation is postponed until the final decision is issued or the adjudicator’s involvement in the case has ended in order to protect the fairness and impartiality of an ongoing proceeding; or
to make your complaint directly to the adjudicator, because if you do not raise the issue in the hearing you may prejudice your rights and interests.

The Chair will not deal with a complaint about a Tribunal order or decision. The Chair will respond within 15 business days or tell you when a response will be coming. You may be requested to provide further information.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Attention: Complaints Coordinator

Ontario Land Tribunal 655 Bay Street, Suite 1500 Toronto, ON M5G 1E5

Tel:	416-212-6349
Toll Free:	1-866-448-2248
TTY:	1-800-855-1155	via Bell TTY relay service
Email:	OLT.Coordinator@ontario.ca
Web:	www.olt.gov.on.ca

This policy is available online at www.olt.gov.on.ca and upon request in various accessible formats.

The OLT is authorized under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, sections 38(2) and 41(1)(b), to collect and use the information provided in your complaint about the OLT’s programs and services. We do this to make sure we are providing the best customer service possible. Some of the information that you provide may be your personal information. We will use this information only to review, investigate and respond to your complaint. We care about protecting your privacy. If you have any questions about the complaint process, please use the contact information above.