Bad experience with a hospital, doctor, or care home? Covers Ontario's Patient Ombudsman, BC's Patient Care Quality Offices, and more.
Find Your Path
Care quality — Ontario
Problems with a public hospital, long-term care home, or home/community care organization. Contact the organization first — the Ombudsman steps in if you're not satisfied with their response.
Patient Ombudsman — 1-888-321-0339 →Care quality — British Columbia
Each regional health authority runs its own Patient Care Quality Office. If it's not resolved there, it can be escalated to the Patient Care Quality Review Board.
Vancouver Coastal Health PCQO — 1-877-993-9199 →Other regions: Fraser Health 1-877-880-8823 · Northern Health 1-877-677-7715 · Provincial Health Services Authority 1-888-875-3256.
Other provinces & territories
Alberta has the Health Advocate offices; Saskatchewan uses Client Concern Specialists at each health region. Every province has an equivalent — ask Asya below with your province and it can point you to the right one.
A specific doctor's conduct
If the issue is about a physician's professional conduct — not general care quality — it goes to your province's medical regulator instead.
College of Physicians & Surgeons of Ontario — 1-800-268-7096 →Concerns involving sexual abuse: ext. 629, answered by a social worker.
Suspected Canada Health Act violation
Improper extra billing or a suspected breach of the Canada Health Act's principles (universality, accessibility) can be raised federally.
Health Canada, via Service Canada — 1-800-465-7735 →Where ComplaintCA Fits
ComplaintCA doesn't replace your Patient Ombudsman, Patient Care Quality Office, or physician college — it helps you identify the right one and drafts a clear, factual complaint in one of 7 supported languages, so you walk in prepared.
No need to read this whole guide — Asya can ask a few questions and point you to the right body in seconds.
Start with Asya Now →Frequently Asked
Who do I complain to about a hospital or long-term care home in Ontario?
Ontario's Patient Ombudsman, at 1-888-321-0339 — once you've already raised it with the organization directly.
Where do I complain about a doctor's conduct?
Your province's College of Physicians and Surgeons. In Ontario, that's the CPSO at 1-800-268-7096.
Who handles healthcare complaints in British Columbia?
The Patient Care Quality Office for your regional health authority — for example Vancouver Coastal Health at 1-877-993-9199.
Is there a federal health complaint body?
Healthcare is mostly provincial jurisdiction. The federal exception is a suspected Canada Health Act violation, raised via Health Canada at 1-800-465-7735.
What is ComplaintCA?
A Canadian civic complaint platform that routes you to the correct authority, with AI-assisted drafting in 7 languages, an MP finder, a lawyer panel, and cyber crime reporting support.
I'm Deaf or hard of hearing — how do I call a phone-only authority?
Use Canada VRS (free sign-language video relay, available 24/7) or dial 711 for a text-based relay operator — both let you place a real phone call to any number listed on this page.
Sources & Verification
This guide is maintained by ComplaintCA and checked against the official sources linked throughout, including:
- Patient Ombudsman
- Vancouver Coastal Health PCQO
- College of Physicians & Surgeons of Ontario
- Health Canada, via Service Canada
Learn more about how ComplaintCA verifies information on our About page.