Normal Farm Practices Protection Board - Public Complaints Policy

Table of Contents

1. Quality Service Standards
2. Important Points about the Policy
3. Board Complaints Procedure
4. Board Complaints Contact Information

Quality Service Standards

The Normal Farm Practices Protection Board (NFPPB) is committed to providing the highest quality service to the public.

• The Board is open and honest in its behaviour, responsive to change, and committed to continuous self-improvement and integrity.

• The Board will make every reasonable effort to resolve an issue in a fair, consistent manner and is committed to effective relationships with the general public, clients and other staff within and across ministries, and with elected officials.

From time to time, the Board may receive complaints about the quality of service related to Board policies and procedures, the application of those policies and procedures or the conduct of the Board members and staff. The purpose of this policy is to create a transparent and fair method of responding to public complaints.

Important Points about the Policy

• Dissatisfaction with the outcome of a decision is not a complaint. Such an issue cannot be resolved by the Board directly. The complaint procedure is not another form of reconsideration, appeal or judicial review. If your complaint would best be resolved through a reconsideration, appeal or judicial review, the Board Secretary will advise you of the appropriate procedure.

• As part of the Board's commitment to service quality, the Board will accept complaints from the public about quality of the Board's service. Persons who can make a complaint include a party to a Hearing; a party's representative, friend or family member; a witness; or any member of the public who has dealt with the Board.

• Where possible, complaints will be addressed immediately. However, some complaints may require more effort to address. The Board Secretary will acknowledge verbal or telephone complaints within two business days, and complaints received by mail, email, fax or diskette within 15 business days.

• If the complaint cannot be resolved immediately, the acknowledgement will indicate when it will be resolved, within a 30-day limit.

• The Board will respond to your complaint and make every reasonable effort to resolve it in a fair and consistent manner.

• This policy does not affect your right to raise your concerns with the Ombudsman of Ontario if you are dissatisfied with the responses provided by the Board.

Board Complaints Procedure

Confidentiality: Complaints are kept strictly confidential. However, for a thorough and fair review, the Board must advise the person who is the subject of the complaints.

Making a Complaint about Agency Policies and Procedures

• Your complaint should be taken to the Board Secretary. If the Secretary cannot resolve it, the Secretary will take it to the Chair. The Secretary's contact information is listed below.

Making a Complaint about the Secretary

• You can raise a complaint about the Secretary directly with the Secretary. If you do not receive a satisfactory response, you can take the complaint to the Manager, Innovation, Engineering & Program Delivery, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
  
  or
  
  
• You can bypass the Secretary and take your complaint directly to the Manager identified above.

Making a Complaint about a Board Member (other than the Chair)

• If you have a complaint about the conduct of a Board member while the Hearing is in process, contact the Board Secretary. Except in unusual circumstances, the Chair may defer the review in order to maintain the integrity and impartiality of the Hearing process. The Chair will provide an initial response within 15 days. The Chair will advise the Board member, conduct a review and fully respond to the complaint as soon as, in the Chair's opinion, it is appropriate to do so.

• If your complaint about the Board member occurs after the Hearing is finished, or if the Board member is not involved in the Hearing, the Chair will respond within 15 days.

Making a Complaint about the Board Chair

• The Minister or Minister's delegate is the most appropriate choice for reviewing complaints against the Board Chair. You can submit the complaint in writing, or in other forms as appropriate for persons with disabilities, either through the Secretary or directly to the Minister's office. The review may be conducted by the Minister or the Minister's delegate, who is the Director of OMAFRA's Environmental Management Branch, Mr. Jim Richardson.

Board Complaints Contact Information

Ombudsman Ontario

483 Bay Street
10th Floor, South Tower
Toronto, ON M5G 2C9
General Inquiry Client Access Centre
(416) 586-3300 or 1-800-263-1830