Service Excellence

This charter outlines the Ministry of the Environment's core service principles and commitment to providing high quality service. You will also find service standards specific to the ministry's key programs areas.

In addition, this charter provides detail on our feedback process so that we continue to improve our level of service to meet our customer's needs.

Our Vision

An Ontario with clean and safe air, land and water that contributes to healthy communities, ecological protection and sustainable development for present and future generations.

Our Mission

To serve the public interest and uphold the public's trust. To enhance public health, environmental quality and economic vitality, we work with all Ontarians and engage in partnerships with business and government to prevent pollution, and restore and protect the environment.

Our Customers

Our customers include anyone to whom we provide a service, who works with us in delivering a service or who has an interest in what we do.

Our Commitment to Service Excellence

We are committed to providing consistent high quality, cost effective services that keep pace with rising public expectations in an open and transparent manner.

We are committed to the following service principles:

Accessible: easy to access; accessible to persons with disabilities; integrated and coordinated; and meets the requirements of the French Language Services Act
Responsive: timely response to questions, requests and concerns; service improvements based on feedback; duplication avoided and administrative burden minimized
Reliable: clear, accurate and relevant; dependable
Caring: equitable, fair and courteous service by knowledgeable staff; customers treated with dignity
Accountable: protection of privacy and personal information; efficient and effective management of resources; focus on service value

The ministry is a diverse and inclusive organization committed to providing barrier-free services for Ontario's diverse population.

We are committed to serving the French-speaking population of Ontario with an active offer of service. We will ensure these services are of equal quality and are provided in an equivalent manner in French. Services in French may be obtained at any ministry office located in or serving a designated area, or by contacting the ministry's Public Information Centre or any of the topic-specific toll-free lines listed under "Other Contact Options" below.

We strive to provide services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of all persons, including persons with disabilities. We are committed to ensuring that customers with disabilities receive services with the same quality and timeliness as others do. We will provide accessible customer service in accordance with the OPS Accessible Customer Service Policy.

As part of Ontario's Open for Business Service Standards initiative, we are committed to delivering faster, smarter and more streamlined government-to-business services. With input and feedback from business, we continue to improve the consistency, quality and accessibility of our business service standards.

The Ministry of the Environment's Business Service Standards can be reviewed under the following four categories:

Information
Permits and Licenses
Customer Service
Approvals and Decisions

We are responsible for implementing and administering the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act within the ministry and its affiliated agencies. We are committed to providing access to government records and to protecting personal information in accordance with legislation. Please contact our office using the methods listed under "Feedback Options" below for more information about the Act and filing a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

OPS Common Service Standards

We will endeavour to:

Answer phone calls before the fourth ring, and forward our phones when we are unavailable
Not redirect your call more than once
Return your call within one business day
Respond to your mail, fax or email within 15 business days of receiving it
Respond to your FOI request within 30 calendar days of receiving it

Our core hours of operation are 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday unless otherwise posted.

Our Program Service Standards

The ministry manages a comprehensive legislative and regulatory framework that keeps up with emerging science and develops leading-edge policy to incorporate the newest and best approaches to environmental management and protection. The MOE has developed standards for key ministry programs that will guide us in our efforts to meet or exceed customers' needs and expectations.

Our Service Standards for the ministry's key programs can be reviewed under the following five categories:

Approvals and Decisions

Customer Service

Funding

Ontario Community Environment Fund

Information

Permits and Licenses

These standards will be used to monitor, measure and report on our performance in order to develop service improvements.

How You Can Help

You can help us serve you better by:

giving us pertinent, timely and accurate information
providing feedback on the service we provide
treating our staff with courtesy and respect

Feedback

The MOE welcomes public feedback about how we provide our services. To assess our performance, the ministry gathers feedback through various means, including through our online feedback form, telephone/TTY, email, fax, and in person.

Feedback received in person or by telephone or TTY at our front counters/desks will be recorded by ministry staff and directed to the appropriate branch/division/program area to address the feedback. All feedback received will be logged and tracked to ensure that feedback received by the ministry is managed appropriately.

Where feedback is provided by any of the means described above, we will endeavour to provide a response by mail or email within 15 business days in accordance with the OPS Common Service Standards.

Complaints or inquiries regarding services in French may also be made directly to the French Language Services Commissioner.

Complaints about decisions regarding your FOI request may be made by contacting the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario, 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8 (800-387-0073 or 416-326-3333). Please note that there is a $25.00 fee and you have 30 days from receipt of the decision letter to request a review.

Feedback Options

Online:	MOE Internet site under Contact Us
In person:	At any ministry front counter office across the province
Telephone:	416-325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923
TTY:	416-326-9236 or 1-800-515-2759
Fax:	416-325-3159
Email:	picemail.moe@ontario.ca
Mail:	Public Information Centre 135 St. Clair Ave West, 1st Floor Toronto, Ontario M4V 1P5