Victoria – Have you been treated unfairly by a provincial or local public organization like ICBC, BC Hydro, a government ministry, a school district or local municipality? Have a complaint and feel like nobody’s listening? The BC Ombudsperson may be able to help. Ombudsperson staff will be holding in-person appointments to hear complaints from the public the week of February 24th in the Lower Mainland.

“This is a chance for us to hear first-hand from people who have complaints about how they were treated when receiving public services,” said Ombudsperson Jay Chalke. “It may be you didn’t receive clear reasons for a decision that impacts you, it could be you feel specific policies or procedures weren’t followed properly, or maybe you’ve experienced a lengthy delay – these are the kinds of areas we may be able to address,” said Chalke.

The Office of the Ombudsperson is independent of government with the legal power to impartially investigate complaints and recommend system improvements that promote fair treatment for all British Columbians. The Ombudsperson has wide-ranging jurisdiction over more than 1,000 public sector bodies. The office receives the most complaints about the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, the Ministry of Children and Family Development and ICBC.

“We encourage anyone who believes they have been treated unfairly to call us. Whether it’s an issue with a small municipality or a large complex government ministry, let us know if something has gone wrong and we’ll see if we can help make it right.” said Chalke.