The Housing Secretariat is one of the City’s Development and Growth divisions responsible for working in partnership to deliver and maintain housing. The division also administers programs that help residents find and maintain rent-geared-to-income, affordable and supportive housing, and funds and provides oversight of more than 90,000 social and affordable homes and the housing providers that operate them. The Housing Secretariat aims to enhance the well-being of Toronto’s residents, neighbourhoods, economy and environment by delivering funding, incentives, and developing innovative housing solutions to create and maintain safe, affordable housing.
Complaints
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction with the Housing Secretariat’s policies, procedures, employees or quality of service. Examples include, but are not limited to, the perception of:
- failure to do something agreed to do
- failure to observe policies or procedures
- unacceptable delay
- staff error
- lack of access to information or services (i.e. language or disability barriers)
- discourteous actions or statements by staff
- fraudulent behaviour, such as improper use of City IT resources; theft of cash or City equipment; false benefit claims (i.e. sick leave); abuse of work hours; vendor misconduct or conflict of interest; misstated or misleading information to a decision maker and false claims and submissions by program recipients.
How to Submit a Complaint
A complaint may be received verbally, by telephone or in writing by hand delivery, mail, or email.
In your submission, please be sure to include:
- Full name
- Email and phone number
- Nature of the complaint (include as much information as possible)
- Attach copies of relevant documents that support your complaint
- How would you like to see the complaint resolved?
Email
hss@toronto.ca
Phone
416-392-4126
Mail
Housing Secretariat
Metro Hall
55 John St.
Toronto, ON M5V 3C6
What Happens Next
- The Housing Secretariat will acknowledge receipt of a complaint received within 48 hours and refer it to the appropriate team for response.
- Staff will work to review, verify and if needed, investigate complaints submitted.
- All complaints will receive a written notice of the outcome and/or resolution to their complaint.
Unsatisfied with the Outcome of Your Complaint?
If the initial resolution proposed is not to the complainant’s satisfaction, they can request an escalation to the Housing Secretariat’s senior management for further consideration.
How to Escalate
If the matter is not resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction, they can contact Ombudsman Toronto.
Our Commitment
The Housing Secretariat strives to operate in a professional and courteous manner. It is also focused on treating its partners in an equitable, transparent and timely manner. In keeping with these principles, the Housing Secretariat has established a complaints process for individuals and organizations for provide feedback. Housing Secretariat staff will adhere to the process for responding to, handling and resolving complaints.
Guiding Principles
- Complaints are dealt with promptly and resolved as quickly as possible.
- Staff treat complaints as confidential and protect complainant’s privacy.
- Complaint investigations are fair, impartial and respectful to parties involved.
- Complainants are advised of their options to escalate their complaint if they are dissatisfied with its treatment or outcome.
- Complainants are provided clear and understandable reasons for how decisions on the complaint were made.
- Updates are provided to complainants during investigations.
- Complaints are used to assist in improving services, policies and procedures.
