French-language services at ServiceOntario locations fall short of the province’s obligations to French-speaking Ontarians, according to a new report from the office of Ontario’s ombudsperson.
In the report titled, In search of services in French, released Thursday, French language services commissioner Carl Bouchard found “significant issues” in how services are delivered in French at locations where they are required to be offered in the language.
Bouchard’s findings include confusion among front-line staff about whether French services were required, a reliance on translation tools and staff from other agencies, sub-par audits and little oversight of third-party operators.
“ServiceOntario is an entryway to the government of Ontario and an essential part of everyday life for Ontarians,” said Bouchard in French at a news conference at Queen’s Park Thursday.
“When we talk about language rights, we are talking about constitutional and quasi-constitutional rights and values,” said Bouchard. “These are not suggestions, nor are they mere administrative formalities.”
ServiceOntario issues driver’s licences, health cards, birth registrations, permits and certificates. Bouchard said investigators reviewed more than 1,000 documents, conducted nearly 70 interviews and visited more than 20 locations across the province for the report.
French languages services commissioner Carl Bouchard launched an investigation in April 2025 after a ‘trend’ of complaints involving ServiceOntario locations. (CBC)
Among the incidents detailed in the investigation was a situation where a woman was denied services in French at the counter and was then told by other customers that she was harassing staff.
In another instance, Bouchard said a man was required to translate a letter from his employer aloud, which detailed his status as a temporary resident. Other clients, he said, were forced to use hand gestures or refused service outright and asked to come back the next day.
Bouchard launched an investigation in April 2025 after what the commissioner referred to as a “trend” of complaints involving the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, which runs the service centres.
The commissioner said the ministry had one of the highest number of complaints each year, and that nearly all of the cases involved ServiceOntario.
According to the province’s French Language Services Act (FLSA), individuals have the right to communicate in French with, and to receive available services in French from, any office of a government agency or institution of the legislature.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement says the province will continue holding service providers to the highest standards and expanding access to French-language services in Ontario. (Yan Theoret/CBC)
Jean-Claude N’Da, president of the Association of Francophone Communities of Ontario in Toronto, which advocates for better Francophone services in Toronto, says access to the services in the correct language is important.
“It is our right, but it is also a question of having good services … it is about the quality of services,” he says.
N’Da said he and his organization are happy that the commissioner has released the report, and welcome improvements.
“Every person in Ontario wants to be well served,” he said. “It is a question of dignity.”
The report included 25 recommendations from Bouchard to better support Francophones throughout Ontario and strengthen French-language service delivery. These include clarifying which locations serve French-speaking locations, tracking bilingual staffing and limiting contingency plans to exceptional circumstances.
According to the report, the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement and the Ministry of Francophone Affairs have accepted 18 of the 25 recommendations and committed to reviewing the outstanding issues and recommendations intended to address them.
The Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement said in an email that it has increased oversight and is strengthening bilingual staffing and enhancing employee training “to help maintain services when unexpected issues arise.”
“Franco-Ontarians should be able to access the government services they rely on in the language of their choice,” said media advisor Joey Wu. “Our government will continue holding service providers to the highest standards and expanding access to French-language services across Ontario.”
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CBC News reached out to the Ministry of Francophone Affairs for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
One of the major issues identified in the report is miscommunication between the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement and ServiceOntario locations contracted to third-parties, as well as lack of oversight for those cases.
According to Bouchard, approximately 30 per cent of its service locations are operated directly by the ministry, while approximately 70 per cent are operated by third parties.
“The Ministry provides little or no support to third-party operators to help them meet their linguistic obligations,” said Bouchard.
There are 25 regions of Ontario specified under the FLSA as areas where people have the legal right to receive provincial government services in French.
Marthe Dumont lives in one such area: Chatham-Kent, an area serviced by a designated ServiceOntario under the FLSA. She told CBC News she has experienced a lack of French language services firsthand.
In early July, Dumont says she and her husband were visiting a ServiceOntario to renew her health card and driver’s licence. Dumont says there was nobody who could assist them in French. Instead, Dumont says she was offered interpretation services, which she declined.
“This is my mother tongue, this is the way I think, my brain is wired that way,” she said, adding that her spouse is French-speaking and requires her help to communicate in English-speaking environments.
“It is not acceptable in 2026 to have to struggle to receive services in French.”
CBC News has reached out to the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement for comment on the incident.
