BackThe Ombudsman de Montréal, Ms Nadine Mailloux, tabled her annual report for the year 2020 to City Council. Presented under the theme Here for you, the report shows a record number of complaints with 2,150 files handled, including 498 new investigations, 20 of which were initiated by the OdM, compared with 1,966 files handled in 2019.
“The past year was marked by our enquiry into the summer urban development projects, which alone accounted for some 300 complaints, but also by a wide range of complaint topics. The majority of new enquiries, 316 out of 498, concerned commitments under the Montréal Charter of Rights and Responsibilities, which has guided our work since its creation in January 2006," explains Ms Mailloux, who was appointed to her position last August.
Discrimination and exclusion
“In this regard, we intend to intensify our efforts with partners and communities to reiterate our jurisdiction in matters of discrimination and exclusion, two fundamental principles of the Charter. We want to reach out to citizens who may be experiencing such situations so that they can confidently access our services and understand that we are here to help them. The theme of our 2020 report: Here for you, is specifically aimed at these people,” adds Ms Mailloux.
Listening carefully to people’s problems
The diversity of the cases dealt with is just as revealing as the number of topics tackled and shows that citizens have found someone who will listen to their problems, most of the time, with a favourable outcome.
About the OdM
The OdM intervenes on the basis of complaints or on its own initiative to ensure that citizens' civic rights are respected and that their files are treated with respect, justice, fairness and goodwill by all municipal stakeholders. The OdM also provides the only available recourse to ensure compliance with the Montréal Charter of Rights and Responsibilities. The OdM uses every intervention as an occasion to promote a culture based on quality of services, greater transparency and fair and just decision-making processes.
Since the 2003 creation of the office, the OdM has handled more than 25,380 files and conducted more than 4,000 enquiries. Having recourse to the OdM is free of charge and easily accessible. You can download the OdM's annual report in French and English below.
Source: Ombudsman of the City of Montréal, Canada
