The Township of Wilmot has retained the services of Agree Incorporated to provide Ombuds Services in compliance with Bill 8, Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014. The information below has been provided by Agree to help residents through the process if their services are required.
If you have concerns relative to the Township of Wilmot please contact us so that we may have the opportunity to assist you. Please use the list below to direct your concerns to us.
Any general questions about the Local Ombuds Service can be directed to the Director of Clerk's Services. Please review the information below before contacting the Local Ombuds Service.
The Region of Waterloo, together with the Townships of Woolwich, Wilmot and Wellesley and the Cities of Waterloo and Cambridge, have contracted with Agree Incorporated to provide Ombuds services to their respective municipalities.
Matters that ARE within the Ombuds' Mandate to Investigate are:
Where the Township has not followed appropriate procedures in arriving at a decision;
Where the Township has acted in a way that is contrary to its own rules, procedures or By-laws;
Where the Township has made a decision that is outside of its powers to make;
Where the Township has failed to take a specific action that it is required to under its rules, procedures or By-laws;
Any decision or recommendation made, act done or omitted to be done in the course of the administration of the Township, so long as it does not fall under the list of matters that are not within our mandate to investigate (see below).
Matters that are NOT within the Ombuds' Mandate are:
Any Township decision, recommendation, act or omission in respect of which there is a right of appeal, review or objection to any court or tribunal, until that right of appeal, review or objection has been exercised, or the time for the exercise of that right has expired;
Cases where the inquirer has not taken their complaint to the Township first;
Decisions, recommendations, acts or omissions of a legal advisor or counsel to the Township;
Complaints regarding closed meetings of Council;
Complaints that are within the mandate of the Integrity Commissioner;
Complaints where the subject matter is deemed to be trivial, frivolous, vexatious of an abuse of the Ombuds Office process or which are not made in good faith, in the opinion of the Ombuds Office;
Cases where more than one (1) year has passed since the inquirer learned of the facts on which the complaint or inquiry is based, unless special circumstances exist.
Inquirers provide (within one year as above) a completed and signed Inquirer's Submission Form with consent to disclose such evidence and information as is necessary to conduct a full, fair and impartial inquiry or investigation. Complaints and Inquiries must originate with the affected party; the Ombuds does not accept complaints from interested, but unaffected third parties.
An Initial Review is conducted to decide whether a file may be investigated. During the Review, the following questions are considered
Inquirers and the respondent, where appropriate, are advised of the outcome of the Initial Review.
An Initial Review may result in the inquirer and the Township being advised that the issue may be investigated. It may also result in an Initial Review Letter advising the Inquirer (and respondent if appropriate) that the file is being closed because the inquiry is not within the Ombuds Office mandate, together with a referral to the appropriate body to lodge a complaint, wherever possible.
For inquiries that proceed to investigation, the Investigator will review all of the documentation that was provided by both the inquirer and the Township. If the Investigator believes that the issue(s) may be able to be resolved consensually, the matter may be referred for early resolution through a Conflict Management Professional. If a resolution is not possible, the matter will be referred back to the Investigator who will continue investigating the complaint and who may contact the inquirer and the Township to schedule interviews and gather information.
The Report will contain the Investigator's findings, either recommending a remedy for the concern to the Township or rejecting the complaint. In either case, the Report will contain reasons for the decision. Ombuds Offices cannot order a municipality or an inquirer to take any steps, but may make recommendations with persuasive reasons. Such recommendations are often followed.
Please contact the Waterloo Area Municipal Ombuds Office for more information.
Contacts