The following information is to help members of the public who want to make a complaint about a nurse’s practice or conduct. If you are an employer, facility operator or health professional, please follow the instructions for

How to file a complaint

Step 1: Learn about the complaints process

Read the Addressing Complaints at the College of Nurses of Ontario guide which includes helpful information on completing the form. 

Step 2: Complete the Make a Complaint form

Please fill out the online Make a Complaint form. You will need to include details about your complaint, including the date, the nurse and the facility. Having this information on hand will make it easier to complete the form.

CNO may need to obtain the patient’s personal health information, such as medical records, while investigating the complaint. We will only request records that are relevant to the complaint.

If you are the patient who received the nursing care identified in the complaint, please complete the Patient Consent for Release of Personal Health Information section located at the end of the form. This will help us in moving forward with your complaint. Please note, you are not required to sign the consent section in order to submit your complaint.

If you are completing the form on behalf of someone else, such as a family member, please ask them to complete the consent section.

Once you have completed the form, save it as a PDF document and email it to PublicComplaints@cnomail.org.

We will email you to acknowledge that we received your complaint.

Contact Us

If you have questions about the process or the form, please:

CNO is committed to excellence in serving people with disabilities. Please contact us for more information or to request support in filing a complaint.

Respectful Behaviour

Respect is the foundation of our complaints process. We will treat you with respect, dignity and patience, and we expect the same in return. We know this is an emotional experience, but please be mindful of your behaviour and how you’re treating others when communicating with CNO staff.

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