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Ontario. Ministry of the Attorney General - Victims and Vulnerable Persons Division - Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee

Record #: 69042155 |  Last Full Update: 7 Jun 2023

Description and Services
Description (Service) Responsible for:

Protecting Mentally Incapable People:
  • managing the finances and property of adults who have been found incapable of managing their own affairs
  • decision maker of last resort for treatment and placement decisions for those individuals who have no one else to do so
  • temporary guardianship unit can investigate situations where an incapable person may be at risk of abuse or neglect
Services:
  • guardianship or substitute decision making services for personal care in areas such as: food, shelter, clothing, hygiene, safety and health care
Charitable Properties Program:
  • works with charities to help them deal with problems (i.e., improper investments, improper use of donated property)
  • inquires into complaints about charities
  • can protect the public's interest in how charities raise and use their money
Administration of Estates:
  • may apply to become estate trustee of a person who has died in Ontario without a will, without known heirs in the province or where the heirs are children under the age of majority
  • responsible for ensuring that the blood relatives entitled by law receive the net proceeds of an intestate estate
  • routinely searches for the heirs of deceased persons whose estates are administered by the OPGT
Investing Perpetual Care Funds:
  • cemetery owners have the option of having the Public Guardian and Trustee act as trustee of their perpetual care trust funds
  • office pays out the annual income and cemetery owners use the interest earned on the trust funds for the upkeep of the cemetery
Dealing with Dissolved Corporations:
  • when company's assets are forfeit to the Crown
  • office may sell property
  • persons having a legal or moral claim may apply under the Escheats Act for relief from forfeiture
Powers of Attorney and "Living Wills":
  • power of Attorney Kit helps appoint person to make decisions for oneself when no longer able to do so
Hours Administration: 8:30 am-5 pm Treatment decisions: Mon-Fri 8:30 am-5 pm * Sat-Sun, statutory holidays 8:45 am-1:30 pm (answering machine but someone will call back as soon as possible)
Eligibility No restrictions
Languages English, French
Application Application process is complex * call or visit the website for more information * anyone who thinks someone might be at risk can call the investigation unit to assess the situation 1-800-366-0335
Location & Accessibility
Service Area Frontenac County, Hastings County, Lanark County, Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Lennox and Addington County, Ottawa, Prescott and Russell United Counties, Prince Edward County, Renfrew County, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties
Address

351 Preston St
Suite 200
Ottawa, ON K1S 2E6
Canada

Get Directions

Physical Access Fully Accessible
Contact Information
Office 613-241-1202
Office 1-800-366-0335
Toll Free 1-800-891-0506
After Hours 1-800-387-2127
Fax 613-241-1567
Website https://www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-attorney-general