Procedures for Managing Complaints

Relevant FAQs

What kinds of problems can the Ombudsman help me with?

The Ombudsman can investigate complaints about:

• Yukon government departments,
• crown corporations and independent authorities or boards,
• public schools,
• Yukon University,
• hospitals,
• professional and occupational governing bodies, and
• municipalities and Yukon First Nations (at their request only).

What kinds of problems can the Ombudsman NOT help me with?

There are a number of problems that are outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction. The Ombudsman cannot investigate:

• disputes between individuals;
• complaints about the federal government, the RCMP, the courts, the Yukon Legislature, the Yukon Elections Office, or lawyers acting on behalf of government;
• landlord/tenant matters;
• home or auto insurance;
• banks;
• businesses; and
• matters which took place before the Ombudsman Act became law (1996)

What should I do if I want to get help from the Ombudsman?

The Ombudsman is generally a place of last resort. This means that you should first try to resolve your problem by using any internal complaint and appeal procedures available within the government body you are dealing with. Many complaints can be resolved quickly in this way. If you are not certain what complaint procedures are available, you can speak to the government body directly or ask the Ombudsman to help you find information on how to address your problem.

Remember to:

• make notes of your interactions with the government body,
• get the names and titles of the people you have dealt with,
• keep track of the dates of your contacts with the government body, and
• keep all papers and letters or emails relating to your complaint.