Policy Section:  Customer Service
Policy No:
Subject:  Service Complaint and Appeals Policy
Effective Date: June 5, 2006
Approved by: Board of Directors
Revision Date:

CENTRE FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING IN TORONTO (C.I.L.T.), INC.
SERVICE COMPLAINTS & APPEALS POLICY  

PURPOSE AND APPLICATION OF POLICY

Purpose and Application of Policy: CILT would prefer that our services run 
smoothly all the time. However, sometimes things do go wrong.  The purpose of 
this Policy, then, is to set out clearly how complaints can be made about the 
services that CILT provides, and how CILT will deal with such complaints.

This Policy provides a way in which complaints can be dealt with positively and 
appropriately. The objectives of the complaints procedure are:

* To provide a simple way to register a comment or complaint about CILT 
and the behaviour of CILT’s staff, or if it is felt that there has not been an 
acceptable standard of service. 

* To provide an explanation of what happened, why an incident giving rise 
to a complaint happened, and how it may be avoided in the future, 
together with an apology if one is appropriate in the circumstances. 

* To protect both clients and staff from unnecessary confrontational 
incidents. 

* To use the information gained to improve the delivery of services by CILT 
and help with the long-term planning of CILT’s programs and services.

What this Policy Does Not Cover: This Policy does not cover complaints or 
requests for a review of a CILT decision with respect to the following programs 
and services: 

* Decisions to terminate the participation of a person in the Direct Funding 
Program, which is covered by the “Protocol for Termination of Self-
Managed Attendant Services - Direct Funding Program Agreement”; and

* Complaints concerning CILT’s handling of personal health information, 
which is covered by the “Policy Regarding Privacy and Protection of 
Personal Health Information.”

This Policy also does not cover complaints about discrimination or harassment. 
For these types of complaints, please see CILT Human Rights Policy, March 
1999.


I.COMPLAINT POLICY
1.Who can make a complaint?

a.All consumers of any services provided by CILT have the right to 
make a complaint.

b.For the purpose of this Policy, a “consumer” is:

i.any person who receives a service, or is an applicant for a 
service, from CILT, and it may include a person who is also an 
employee of CILT, a member of the board of directors of CILT, 
a volunteer at CILT, or a member of CILT. For greater 
certainty, however, it is in the person’s capacity as the 
recipient of a service from CILT or an applicant for a service 
from CILT that a person is a “consumer” for the purpose of this 
Policy, and in no other capacity or relationship to CILT; or 

ii.any person, other than a person mentioned in the 
immediately preceding sub-paragraph i., who is affected by 
CILT’s activities and who is a contractor, a supplier or 
another organization with which CILT works.

c.If a friend or relative wishes to complain on behalf of a consumer, 
then the consumer must provide written consent for CILT staff to 
discuss the matter with such friend or relative.

2.What is a complaint?

a.A complaint is any oral, written or electronic communication to CILT 
from a consumer in which the consumer expresses his or her or its 
dissatisfaction with a service provided by CILT or an activity of CILT 
or a failure on the part of CILT to provide a service or do 
something.

3.How is a complaint to be made?

a.A complaint can be made by telephone, in person, by e-mail or in 
writing.

b.A complaint can be made to the person designated from time to 
time by CILT to receive complaints, or to any staff of CILT.

II.COMPLAINT RESOLUTION PROCEDURE

1.Overview of the Complaint Procedure

a.There are four stages to the complaint procedure: 

i.informal resolution;

ii.first review of the complaint, by the manager or other CILT 
staff member who is responsible for the service or CILT 
activity with which the consumer is dissatisfied;

iii.second review of the complaint, by the director of the 
service; and

iv.appeal to complaints panel.

2.Stage 1: Informal Resolution

a.In the first instance it is hoped that if a consumer brings a complaint 
to the attention of CILT, then the member of the staff with whom the 
consumer normally deals will be able to resolve the complaint to the 
satisfaction of the consumer.

3.Stage 2:First Review of Complaint

a.If a complaint is not resolved satisfactorily at Stage 1, then a 
consumer may ask for a review of his or her complaint. The 
consumer will be required to put the complaint in writing and 
addressed to the manager or other CILT staff member who is 
responsible for the service or CILT activity with which the consumer 
is dissatisfied.

b.Once CILT has received the written complaint, the consumer shall 
be given a reply within 15 days after the date when the written 
complaint was submitted to CILT. If CILT needs more time to 
investigate the complaint, then the consumer shall be informed of 
this and of the date when he or she can expect to receive a reply 
from CILT.

c.CILT’s reply to a consumer under this Stage 2 shall be in writing.

4.Stage 3:Second Review of Complaint

a.If a consumer is not satisfied with the reply from the manager or 
other CILT staff member who is responsible for the service or CILT 
activity with which the consumer is dissatisfied, as set out in Stage 
2, then the consumer may complain in writing to the director of the 
service. 

b.Once CILT has received a consumer’s letter in accordance with the 
immediately preceding paragraph, the director will reply to the 
consumer within 25 days. If CILT needs more time to investigate 
the complaint, then the consumer shall be informed of this and of 
the date when he or she can expect to receive a reply from CILT.

c.CILT’s reply to a consumer under this Stage 3 shall be in writing.

5.Stage 4:Appeal to a Complaints Panel

a.If a consumer is still dissatisfied, after receiving the director’s 
response, he or she may appeal to a Complaints Panel. A 
Complaints Panel shall consist of the Executive Director of CILT 
and two members of CILT’s Board of Directors.  If the Executive 
Director is the subject of the complaint, then he or she will be 
replaced on the Complaints Panel by a third member of the Board 
of Directors.

b.If a consumer wishes his or her complaint to go to a Complaints 
Panel, then the consumer must make the request in writing, set out 
the reasons for appeal to the Complaints Panel and provide the 
Complaints Panel with such other information and documentation 
that the consumer considers relevant to his or her appeal and 
complaint.

c.If CILT does not receive a request for an appeal from a consumer 
before the end of 45 days after the date when the consumer 
received the reply from the director (see Stage 3), then the 
Complaints Panel may, in its discretion, decide not to hear the 
consumer’s appeal.

d.A Complaints Panel that is going to consider an appeal from a 
consumer shall do so and provide the consumer with a decision no 
later than 60 days after the date that the request for the appeal is 
received by CILT at the CILT office.

e.The Complaints Panel’s decision is final and cannot be further 
appealed.

III.OTHER MATTERS

1.Confidentiality

a.CILT understands that it may be difficult to come forward with a 
complaint and recognizes a consumer’s interest in keeping the 
complaint confidential. To protect the interests of the consumer 
and, if applicable, any other person of whom a complaint is made, 
confidentiality will be maintained throughout the investigatory 
process to the extent practicable and appropriate under the 
circumstances.

b.The maintenance of a written record, which details the complaint 
and the outcome of the investigation, serves several purposes. It 
serves as a form of precedent for CILT, to ensure that complaints of 
a similar nature are treated similarly; as a reference should any 
questions arise concerning the specific complaint; and as a record 
of prior complaints, which may assist in identifying repeat offenders 
or systemic deficiencies that require attention. The maintenance of 
a written record may also be important in cases where progressive 
discipline is imposed on employees of CILT. All records of 
complaints, including contents of meetings, interviews, results of 
investigations and other relevant material will be kept confidential 
by CILT, except where disclosure is required by a disciplinary or 
other remedial process or by criminal law.

c.Because of the commitment to confidentiality, records related to a 
complaint, the investigation and the appeal shall be stored 
separately and securely from the consumer’s other files and/or 
records.

2.Representation / Support

a.A consumer who makes a complaint and a CILT employee or 
volunteer about whom a complaint is made each has the right to be 
accompanied by a representative or support person of their choice 
in any meetings that occur during the complaint procedure and that 
are intended to resolve the complaint, provided that such 
representative or support-person agrees to observe confidentiality.

3.Protection from Reprisal

a.The consumer, as well as anyone else who is involved (i.e., 
witnesses, representatives, supervisor/program manager, members 
of Complaints Panel) have a right not to be penalized for making 
the complaint/appeal or participating in the process.

4.Accessible formats

a.All consumers involved in the complaint process have the right to 
present and receive information in formats that make the information 
easily accessible to them (e.g., in large print, in Braille, with the 
assistance of a translator or interpreter, etc.).

5.Access to Information

a.All consumers will receive program specific information at the outset 
of their participation in a CILT program or receipt of a service from 
CILT, and in the case of the Project Information Centre and/or Direct 
Funding this information is provided in writing.

6.Quality Improvement System

a.The supervisor/program manager will maintain a process of tracking 
all complaints and appeals and make strategic recommendations 
for the quality improvement system. 

7.Other Complaint Mechanism

a.Depending on the nature of a consumer’s complaint, the consumer 
may, if still dissatisfied after completing the various Stages of the 
procedure set out in this Policy, be able to make a further complaint 
to the Health Services Appeal and Review Board. The consumer 
will have to make contact directly with the Health Services Appeal 
and Review Board in order to find out whether the Health Services 
Appeal and Review Board will deal with the complaint.

b.The Health Services Appeal and Review Board may be contact at 
the following:

Health Services Appeal and Review Board 
151 Bloor Street West, 9th Floor  
Toronto, Ontario M5S 2T5  
Telephone:  416-327-8512  
            1-866-282-2179  
Facsimile:  416-327-8524  
Email: hsarb@moh.gov.on.ca