Public Conduct, Compliments and Complaints

The City of Richmond Hill is committed to providing exemplary services to the public. The City aims to address service requests and complaints equitably, comprehensively and in a timely manner, while promoting a respectful, tolerant and harassment-free workplace. The City has adopted a Public Conduct and Complaints Policy to contribute to these objectives.

Compliments

A compliment is an expression of satisfaction for a City of Richmond Hill program, service, facility or staff member. Receiving compliments helps the City provide exemplary services to the public by telling us what we are doing right. , Compliments can be warranted when a person believes that the City has provided a service experience to the customer’s satisfaction and a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected.

Compliment Form

Complaints

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction related to a City of Richmond Hill program, service, facility, or staff member. Complaints can occur when a person believes that the City has not provided a service experience to the customer’s satisfaction.

Most complaints made to the City about its services or Staff are resolved informally within the normal course of business. Where a member of the Public is not satisfied with any informal complaint resolution, they may make a formal complaint to the City.

Several City business areas have their own complaint mechanisms. The Public Conduct and Complaints Policy does not apply to initial requests for service, including (but not limited to) the following situations:

• Requesting that the City repair a street surface
• Reporting a burnt out street light
• Notifying the City of a missed garbage collection
• Alerting the City of no water service
• Report a by-law or parking infraction

For any such service request, please contact Access Richmond Hill.

Several City business areas have legislated or formal proceedings in which to file a complaint or appeal a City decision.  The Public Conduct and Complaints Policy does not apply to the following situations:

• Claims against the City – please refer to the City’s Notice of Claims page 
• Disputing Parking Tickets, By-law Offences and the Administrative Penalty System (please refer to the City’s Dispute Parking or By-law Ticket/Penalty Notice page)
• Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) Complaint Form
• Building complaints Building Complaint Form
• Complaints under the City’s Council Code of Conduct and Code of Conduct for Local Boards (please refer to the City’s Integrity Commissioner page)
• Appeals to Courts or tribunals such as the Ontario Land Tribunal

Formal Complaints

If you are not satisfied with an informal resolution provided by the City, and/or have serious concerns about a staff member, you can file a formal complaint with the City. The formal complaint process should generally only be used when you are not satisfied with a response to an issue you have already reported.

In order to file a formal complaint to the City, you will be asked to provide the following information:

• Contact details of the complainant
• Details of what happened, including date, time, location and who was involved
• What kind of resolution is being sought?

Complaint Form

The City is committed to responding to formal complaints in a reasonable amount of time.  Anonymous complaints will not be accepted.

Public Conduct

The City expects that interactions between the Public and Staff will be respectful. The City also recognizes that it has a duty to protect Staff from discrimination, violence, abusive conduct, harassment, sexual harassment, a poisoned work environment, and other matters referred to in the Respect in the Workplace Policy.

Some situations arising from unreasonable behaviour may cause concern for the reasonable safety of Staff and other individuals on City premises. Other situations may compromise the enjoyment of City facilities for its users. It is also recognized that unreasonable behaviour, vexatious, frivolous and/or unreasonably persistent requests may consume a disproportionate amount of time and resources and can compromise the City’s ability to provide assistance or deliver good customer service efficiently and effectively.

Where a person interacting with the City engages in frivolous, vexatious or unreasonable behaviour, the Public Conduct and Complaints Policy permits the City to take remedial action to protect the City, staff and other users of City facilities.