Access to information

Do you want to request access to information or ask for information to be corrected?

Use our online form:

Or print and fill out the form (PDF, 212 KB)

The Québec Ombudsman’s principles

Generally, anyone whose personal information is held by the Québec Ombudsman has the right to obtain it.

However, the investigations carried out by the Québec Ombudsman are private. The information and documents obtained by the Québec Ombudsman during an investigation are confidential and cannot be accessed, even by the person concerned.

When you write to ask for personal information about you, the person in charge of access only conveys the information he or she is allowed to give you.

If the information or documents are from another public body, you must contact that organization.

Ref.: s. 83 of the Act respecting access to information held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information (A-2.1), ss. 24 and 34 of the Public Protector Act and s. 35 of the Act respecting the Health and Social Services Ombudsman.

Procedure for requesting personal information or for having it corrected:

Your request must be in writing (s. 94 of A-2.1);
You must state and prove in which capacity you are acting (concerned person, heir, estate liquidator, life insurance beneficiary, or holder of parental authority);
You must specify:
- which personal information you want to access, as well as how you want to receive it (at the office of the Québec Ombudsman or by mail); or
- which incomplete, inaccurate, or ambiguous information you want corrected (s. 89 of A-2.1). Requests for corrections apply only to personal information. Opinions, conclusions, or recommendations cannot be changed.

Procedure for access to documents from the Québec Ombudsman:

Your request may be made verbally or in writing (s. 43 of A-2.1). Only written applications can be reviewed by the Commission d’accès à l’information.
You must specify which document(s) you want, as well as how you want to receive them (at the Québec Ombudsman’s office or by mail). For institutional documents (leaflets, brochures, speeches, annual reports, etc.), send your requests directly to publications@protecteurducitoyen.qc.ca.

Processing requests

When your request is received, the officer responsible for access sends an acknowledgement and contacts you with a decision within 20 days. This may be extended by up to ten days if processing within the deadline would interfere with the Québec Ombudsman’s normal activities.

The officer responsible for access to information and the protection of personal information is Hugo Lafontaine. He is mandated to assist anyone with requests made under A-2.1. He must also assist anyone who asks for help understanding a decision that has been made.

Hélène Vallières
Responsable de l'accès à l'information et de la protection des renseignements personnels
Protecteur du citoyen
800, place D'Youville, 19^e étage
Québec (Québec) G1R 3P4 Canada

Phone: 1-800-463-5070
Fax: 1-866-902-7130
Email: acces@protecteurducitoyen.qc.ca

Distribution of information

The Regulation respecting the distribution of information and the protection of personal information does not apply to the Québec Ombudsman. However, we have a policy with content similar to the Regulation’s.

See:

Information about contracts

Information about expenses

Travel expenses
The Québec Ombudsman provides services from its Québec City office and its Montréal office. To carry out investigations, employees are regularly required to travel to different regions of Québec. This includes visits to health and social services institutions and to correctional facilities.

Official expenses of senior management
Official expenses or representation costs of senior management. Costs are reimbursed upon presentation of receipts.

Hospitality expenses
Hospitality expenses, in particular, for visits by organization representatives or dignitaries or for official ceremonies (e.g. expenses for activities under the retirement recognition policy).

Training
Costs incurred (registration and instructional material) for attending training activities, symposiums, or conventions. These travel expenses are indicated in tables Frais de déplacement du personnel and Frais de déplacement des titulaires d’un emploi supérieur.

Advertising and promotion contracts
Contracts for various publicity-strategy activities. These include strategic thinking, conception, production, media planning, and promotional activities. Contracts for media purchases (print media, radio, television, billboards, internet) are also included.

Mobile telecommunication contracts
Information about mobile telecommunication contracts (types of equipment, acquisition costs, number of packages, service costs).

Leases for space rental
Information about each lease for space rented to the Québec Ombudsman.

Indemnities, allowances and annual salaries
Annual salary (information as at March 30 of every year), indemnities and allowances of senior management (Ombudsperson and Deputy Ombudspersons).