New Brunswick Ombudsman
The New Brunswick Ombud investigates complaints involving provincial government departments, public agencies, and certain public services. The office also has responsibilities relating to access to information and privacy matters. This page provides New Brunswick-specific information, official resources, and guidance on accessing ombudsman services.

At A Glance
Filing Methods
Form, Email, Fax, Mail, Phone
Deadlines
Varies by office.
Update Status
Jul 14, 2026
In This Guide
Below are official and trusted sources for digital rights escalations, privacy complaints, consumer complaints, and oversight bodies in New Brunswick.
These authorities handle issues such as wrongful account disabling, automated moderation errors, data-handling concerns, and platforms refusing to respond.
Office of the Ombud for New Brunswick – Access to Information and Privacy (ATIPPA / PHIPAA)
Handles provincial privacy complaints, misuse of personal information, refusal to grant access to your data, and concerns involving unfair or unclear administrative decisions about your information.Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC)
Handles privacy complaints involving national and international platforms such as Meta, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Google, Snapchat, and other digital services that operate under federal law.Financial and Consumer Services Commission (FCNB)
Handles complaints related to online financial products, deceptive digital marketing, deceptive subscriptions, and unfair online business practices.New Brunswick Human Rights Commission
Handles discrimination involving online platforms, automated systems, profiling, and AI-generated decisions tied to protected grounds.Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS)
Handles issues related to phone carriers, including blocked verification codes, failed account recovery, and digital access problems linked to telecom services.New Brunswick Ombud (General Oversight)
Handles issues related to digital government services, online access to provincial programs, digital ID concerns, and unfair decisions within public-sector digital systems.
Digital rights complaints in New Brunswick often involve both provincial and federal authorities.
The correct place to file depends on the type of harm and who controls the data.
Use the New Brunswick Ombud (Access and Privacy Division) for privacy issues involving provincial jurisdiction.
This office handles complaints involving the improper collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information by organizations regulated under New Brunswick’s privacy laws.You would file here if:
your information was used incorrectly in an automated decision
you were denied access to your personal data
a digital service refused to delete or correct your data
your identity verification materials were mishandled
a provincial digital system incorrectly flagged your account
This applies especially when an image, message, or profile was misclassified by algorithms and you were denied meaningful review.
Use the Federal Privacy Commissioner when dealing with major digital platforms.
Large tech platforms such as Meta, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Google fall under federal jurisdiction. You would submit a federal complaint if the issue involves:wrongful account disablement
false “child exploitation” or “harmful activity” flags
refusal to explain or review moderation decisions
automated decisions with no human review
cross-border transfer or storage of your data
use of your ID or biometric data without explanation
Most platform-based account removal issues belong to the federal regulator, not the province.
Use the Financial and Consumer Services Commission for online purchases or financial harm.
The FCNB handles matters involving:digital subscriptions
paid platform services
online financial products or deceptive online conduct
digital advertising purchased through platforms
This is the correct escalation point if you paid for a service and the account was removed or inaccessible.
Use the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission if discrimination is involved.
If an automated platform decision may have been influenced by a protected ground such as:disability
race or ethnicity
gender identity or expression
religion
age
family or marital status
then a human rights complaint may be appropriate.
Use the New Brunswick Ombud (General) for government digital services.
This applies when the digital issue involves:Government of New Brunswick online accounts
health portals or vaccination portals
online benefit systems
provincial digital ID access
If you’re unsure which authority applies, begin with the Federal Privacy Commissioner or the New Brunswick Ombud.
They will redirect your complaint if needed.
Before submitting your complaint to any regulator or oversight body, gather your documentation and complete all internal steps required by the platform.
Completing these steps strengthens your complaint and provides the necessary evidence.
Attempt to resolve the issue with the platform
You must submit an appeal or support request directly to the platform. Include:a clear explanation of the problem
supporting evidence
a request for restoration or review
any identifying information required
Document every attempt.
This includes screenshots of:
the disabling notice
appeal submissions
instant denials or auto-responses
emails or support replies
identity verification attempts
Regulators cannot proceed without proof of your attempt to resolve the issue.
Gather your documents
Organize:screenshots of the violation or disabling notice
the full appeal history
emails, help tickets, or support case numbers
proof of purchases if it was a paid service
evidence showing your account was used appropriately
timelines showing what happened and when
Having a clear record will make your complaint more credible.
Prepare your summary
You must provide a detailed written summary when submitting your complaint. Include:the full story of what happened
why the platform’s decision is wrong
what harm you suffered (financial loss, reputation harm, emotional distress, or access issues)
what outcome you want (restoration, deletion, disclosure, correction)
reference to all supporting documents
Once this is completed, you are ready to file.
Where you file depends on which organization oversees the type of digital harm you experienced.
New Brunswick Ombud – Access and Privacy Complaints
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada – Social Media Complaints
Financial and Consumer Services Commission – File a Complaint
New Brunswick Human Rights Commission – Filing a ComplaintCCTS – File a Complaint (telecom verification code issues)
Follow the instructions provided by each organization and submit all requested documents.
Intake and screening
The office first reviews your complaint to confirm its jurisdiction. If the matter belongs to another authority, they will inform you and direct you to the correct agency.Early resolution
If the issue is straightforward, the office may attempt early resolution by contacting the organization, requesting documentation, and resolving misunderstandings or errors.Formal investigation
If early resolution is not possible, the office may begin a formal investigation. This can involve:
• reviewing platform decision processes
• evaluating the use and handling of your personal data
• requesting internal logs from the platform
• examining whether automated decisions were fair
• determining if privacy laws were violatedFindings and outcomes
Possible outcomes include:
• ordering access to your personal data
• requiring corrections or deletions
• recommending reinstatement of your account
• issuing findings about unlawful or unfair automated decisions
• broader recommendations if systemic issues are discoveredEach regulator’s authority varies, but privacy bodies can impose corrective obligations.
