CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES REVIEW BOARD
BETWEEN:
JN Applicant
-and-
Children’s Aid Society of Toronto Respondent
DECISION
Adjudicator: Caroline Sand Date: April 25, 2025 Citation: 2025 CFSRB 55 Indexed As: JN v Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CYFSA s.120)
Introduction
1This is an Application filed under section 120 of the Child and Family Services Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, ch.14, Sched.1 (the “Act”).
2The Applicant is a youth who has been seeking disclosure of his file from the Respondent since November 2024.
3The Applicant alleges that despite repeated attempts to follow up on his disclosure request, he has only received what appear to be automated email replies from the Respondent.
4This Decision explains why the Application in not eligible for review by the CFSRB.
ANALYSIS
5In paragraph 6 of the Application, that identifies why the Applicant is applying to the CFSRB, the Applicant checked the following boxes:
- The Society did not give you reasons for its decisions that affect your interests.
- The Society did not follow its complaint review process or timelines.
The CFSRB Can Only Review Formal Complaints Made to a Society that Comply with the Regulation
6Subsection 119(2) of the Act requires that a complaint to a children’s aid society be made in the format set out in the Regulation, namely, Section 56 of Ontario Regulation 156/18 General Matters Under the Authority of the Minister. This includes the filing of a specific “Formal Complaint to a Society’s Internal Complaints Review Panel (“ICRP”) form. Subsections 120(4)1, 120(4)2 and 120(4)3 of the Act permit the CFSRB to review the way a children’s aid society has dealt with a section 119 complaint only if the complaint to the children’s aid society is in the required format.
7At paragraph 7 of the Application, the Applicant indicated that he complained to the Society in writing, however, the specific “Formal Complaint to a Society’s Internal Complaints Review Panel” form was not attached as part of the Application and no evidence was provided that the Applicant had completed and submitted this form to the Respondent.
8Moreover, the CFSRB does not have jurisdiction over issues related to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information. Under Part X of the Act, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario has that jurisdiction.
ORDER
9The Application is dismissed.
confidentiality order
10Pursuant to Rules 9.3 and 9.4 of the CFSRB’s Rules of Procedure, parties and their representatives must not use, share, discuss or disclose any CFSRB documents or decisions, or any other documents or information provided or used in this Application, with anyone including through the media or online. The CFSRB prohibits the use of any of this information for any purpose outside of the CFSRB’s proceedings, except with an order of the Court or the CFSRB, as appropriate.
Dated at Toronto, April 25, 2025.
Caroline Sand
Caroline Sand Vice-Chair