Fewer complaints in 2015
City’s ombudsman laments information delays
More than a quarter of the requests received by Gatineau’s ombudsman office in 2015 concerned land use and planning, revealed André Guay, president of the ombudsman office, during his annual presentation to city council, April 26.
Gatineau’s ombudsman office facilitates dispute resolutions by offering recommendations or notices to the city.
Of the 177 requests received by the office, 56 concerned the Planning and Sustainable Development Division (SUDD), 38 focused on resources external to the city, 22 for public safety and 14 dealt with public works questions.
In most SUDD cases, the problems stem from the city’s inability to communicate complete information to residents at the start. This concerns mainly construction permits. Applicants receive new information after their first visit, which means additional and unexpected fees. This can delay the permit further.
Other complaints were that residents, believing their files were moving along to the city’s urban planning committee (CCU), had them returned to them for missing items, delaying the process further.
Other complaints concerned the 311 call centre, property evaluation, taxation, finances, infrastructure, access to information, and human resources. Requests by elected officials were also addressed.
Complaints about the 311 service stem from the lack of follow-up by the city administration. The ombudsman found that residents can end up with several reference numbers and the city agent is then unable to track some files.
The Office wants the city to transmit information faster — not taking months or even years. And complex files should be given extra attention.
Of the 177 requests, the office received 106 by telephone, 39 by email, 16 in person, and only a small number by other media.
A complaint to the Office can take from one to 60 days; 67% are processed within five days.
Besides handling complaints, volunteers also contributed in two inquiries: Commission sur la réglementation applicable en zone inondable (February 2015); Commission on the Issue of Building Permits in Mass Wasting Zones (January 2016).
Conclusions by city ombudsman commissioners:
1. Citizens do not always receive pertinent and complete information;
2. Insistent and repetitive citizens’ requests cause more harm than good;
3. New requirements for permits can cause delays and additional fees;
4. There’s a lack of follow-up on infrastructure projects so that developers respect their obligations to the city;
5. Many citizens have difficulty finding proper information on the city’s website (by-laws and jurisdictions);
6. Information-sharing is often delayed and citizens lack responses on their files ;
7. There’s a lack of support in complex situations or those involving multiple municipal players;
8. The administration has difficulty setting reasonable timetables in complex situations;
9. There’s a lack of communication between municipal services;
10. Processing citizens’ requests under the access-to-information law should be improved.
