Ontario Child Advocate

The Ontario Child Advocate (Advocate’s Office) was an independent office of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Our work was guided by the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), including the principles of non-discrimination; adherence to the best interests of the child; the right of all children to life, survival and development; and the right of children to participate. In 2007, the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth Act established the Advocate’s Office. Advocacy, as outlined in the Act, was defined as: “Promoting the views and preferences of children and youth.” This meant that advocates took instructions directly from the young person.On November 15, 2018 the Progressive Conservative government announced that they would be repealing the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth Act, 2007 and would be closing the Advocate’s office. This meant that the largest province in Canada would become one of the only provinces without an independent child advocate. On May 1, 2019, the Ontario Ombudsman officially took over his new duties to oversee the new Child and Youth Unit based in Toronto and build on the work of the former Ontario Child Advocate Investigation Unit. To learn more about the Ombudsman, visit https://www.ombudsman.on.ca/