City Clerk’s Office – Complaints and Suggestions

How to Make a Complaint or Suggestion

The City Clerk’s Office is committed to satisfying expectations in all our services.

If you have a concern with the way our service was provided, or a suggestion about how we can improve, we want to hear from you. We suggest you follow this process:

Step 1: Speak to someone

First speak directly with someone in the service area where you have an issue, in person or by telephone during business hours. Most complaints are received this way and resolved promptly. (Use our staff directory).

Generally our offices are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (You can check online for specific service hours).

Step 2: Send a written complaint

If you prefer, or if you are not satisfied with how your verbal complaint is handled, you can submit a written complaint by mail or email. You can use our complaint form (Word) but it is not required. Please include as much detail as possible. If someone else is writing on your behalf regarding a complaint, a representative consent form (PDF) should also be submitted.

Step 3: As a last resort

If your concern is not resolved, you may contact the City of Toronto Ombudsman’s Office. The Ombudsman can be reached by calling 416-392-7062, via e-mail at ombuds@toronto.ca or through their website at www.ombudstoronto.ca.

Anonymous complaints

You may submit an anonymous complaint. Anonymous complaints are reviewed in the same manner as those with names included.

What Happens with Your Written Complaint

City Clerk’s Office management staff review all written complaints. The information is treated as confidential to protect your privacy; however, you should be aware that in investigating a complaint, the circumstances may indirectly identify you (even if you wrote anonymously).

If you provide contact information, we will confirm in writing that we have received your complaint within one working day if emailed, and within four working days if by mail or fax. We will then inform you of any investigations or actions as a result.

If your concern is about a different division or must be handled by an external process, we will inform you.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome, we will advise you of options to escalate the complaint.

Notice of Collection

The personal information you choose to provide on our form is collected under the authority of the City of Toronto Act, 2006. The information you provide will be used to investigate the complaint and may be used for contact purposes. Questions about this collection can be directed to the City Clerk’s Office c/o Management Consultant, City Hall, 13th Floor West, 100 Queen Street W., Toronto, ON, M5H 2N2, ph 416-392-8107.

Complaint procedures for specific areas

Following are details about complaint processes for specific City Clerk’s Office services. If you prefer, or where there is no process listed, you may use the general process outlined above. Click on a topic to see more details.