Before Making a Complaint

We take complaints from people who believe they have been treated unfairly by a provincial or municipal government service. This may include a decision or action, a failure to act, or a delay in service. Before we get involved, we will ask what you have done to try to resolve the problem.

Complaints We Can Take

We take complaints about provincial government:

ministries

agencies

Crown corporations

boards

commissions

health entities (see the Health page for more details)

We also take complaints about municipal governments, including:

cities

towns

villages, & resort villages

rural municipalities

northern municipalities

municipal council members and committees of council

Complaints We Can’t Take

We can’t take complaints about:

the federal government

the courts

decisions of Cabinet

school boards

the RCMP

band councils

private companies

banks

If you are not sure whether we can take your complaint, check our Where to Complain section or contact us. We will tell you if we can take the complaint and may be able to help you understand your options. For example, we may talk with you about whether an appeal process is available and who you might wish to contact.

When to Contact Us

If you think you are being treated unfairly, the first step is to try to resolve it with the public service institution that made the decision. For example, you could:

Ask them to give you reasons for their decision.

Ask to speak to a manager.

Find out if there is an appeal process and try it.

If you have not taken these steps, we will ask you to do so. If you are not sure what to do next, we may be able to help you understand the options available to you. For more information about resolving issues, see Solving Problems On Your Own.

If you have done what you can to resolve the problem, and you still think the result is unfair, contact us to make a complaint.