Sask. ombudsman busy reviewing municipal complaints

It's been a year since Saskatchewan's ombudsman was authorized to begin hearing complaints about cities, towns and rural municipalities in the province and the extra work is keeping Mary McFadyen's office busy.

Since November of last year, the ombudsman has received 489 complaints about municipal governments.

That's vaulted those complaints to the third highest category of all complaints received, after corrections and social services.

McFadyen says that surprised her at first, as some people are still not aware of her broadened mandate to hear municipal concerns.

"But then when I thought about it municipal government, that's the government that clears our roads, collects our garbage, so it is understandable when you think about it," McFadyentold CBC Radio'sBlue Sky.

"These are services that affect you most as a citizen."

Most complaints resolved informally

The ombudsman says most of those nearly 80 per cent can be resolved without a formal investigation.

"We get lots of complaints where people feel, 'I was treated rudely. No one listened to me; I didn't have an opportunity to be heard,'" she said.

McFadyen's office also hears complaints about alleged conflict of interest with local politicians.

She says those make up about one-third of the total complaints received about municipalities and often take more time to investigate.

For instance, McFadyen's office has confirmed it is investigating concerns raised in the RM of Sherwood, which surrounds the city of Regina.

• Corruption charge laid against Regina-area rural councillor Tim Probe