Your Voice of Fairness.
WHAT HAPPENED? Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) is a program that offers financial and health benefits for eligible Albertans with a permanent medical condition that prevents them from otherwise earning a living. An individual receiving AISH applied for an additional personal benefit to fund a specialized treatment to relieve symptoms of a severe…
WHAT HAPPENED? The Ombudsman’s office received an email from a youth in a desperate situation regarding her court ordered guardian. She said there were conditions in the court order that affected her, but she believed her interests were not being considered and she was at risk of harm and abuse. The youth felt no one…
WHAT HAPPENED? It all started with a broken fence, a frustrated neighbour, and a confusing bylaw. An individual contacted the Ombudsman’s office with concerns regarding her neighbour’s fence. She included pictures and the fence mirrored that of a hockey player’s smile—there were more missing planks than those still standing. It was clear the fence was…
WHAT HAPPENED? An Albertan complained that a large municipality overcharged him when he applied for a permit to complete renovations on his basement suite. The City advised that it charged the penalty because the complainant did the work without first obtaining the necessary permits and approvals. WHAT DID THE OMBUDSMAN’S OFFICE DO? Our investigator determined…
WHAT HAPPENED? An Alberta resident raised concerns when a summer village approved a development permit for their neighbour’s property. As an affected party, the resident submitted an appeal to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB). The individual learned that because of a recent bylaw change, the fee to submit the appeal had increased to…
WHAT HAPPENED? Our office received a complaint from a senior who was denied assistance to fund a dental procedure. At the time, he was receiving benefits through a program called the Dental Assistance for Seniors Program, or DASP. The individual, who was familiar with the Ombudsman’s office, believed the denial was unfair because he was…
WHAT HAPPENED? An individual complained to the Ombudsman about a trespass order he received from a small rural municipality after he lost his temper and yelled at a Council meeting. In response, Council discussed the matter privately. It then issued a trespass order, banning the individual from physically attending Council meetings for 60 days. WHAT…
This article first appeared in a collaborative series produced by the Alberta Municipalities, Rural Municipalities of Alberta and the Ombudsman’s office. To read the full four-part series, start here. The Ombudsman looked deeper into a code of conduct complaint against several elected officials and recommended a municipal council provide a written decision to the complainant, including…
This article first appeared in a collaborative series produced by the Alberta Municipalities, Rural Municipalities of Alberta and the Ombudsman’s office. To read the full four-part series, start here. A senior couple affected by an annexation agreement between municipalities wanted to continue to live in their home which over the years had been modified…
Approaching sensitive complaints with empathy is more likely to help those in need. This is what happened when a mourning husband turned to the Ombudsman’s office to seek justice following the loss of his spouse. Mr. Bastien* complained to the Ombudsman’s office following a chain of events involving ambulance services, medical treatment, and the recent…