Formal Complaints

The City of Kimberley appreciates feedback, as it helps us to monitor and improve our services. Residents and visitors may not always be happy with a decision or service they received, and have the right to raise a concern with a higher level of authority. 

 

Before you begin, determine the type of complaint you are making, to make sure you’re in the right place. 

  • Is your complaint related to a violation of City bylaws? The process to make a bylaw complaint is described on the City’s Bylaw Enforcement Webpage 

    You will also find links to frequently requested bylaws, the bylaw enforcement policy, and contact information for the Bylaw Enforcement Officer. 

  • Are you experiencing an issue with public works? Complaints related to the condition of roads, solid waste pick up, utilities, parks, and facilities should be submitted through the OpsReady Portal  

    This portal allows for quicker and more precise action. Issues reported through the OpsReady portal are managed directly by the Operations team. 

  • Are you dissatisfied with how services were handled or the actions or decisions of City employees? The City aims to address complaints informally in the normal course of business. When this is not possible, the City follows a Formal Complaint Process governed by the Formal Complaints Policy. The Complaints Policy applies and is to be implemented when a service user wants to make a formal complaint about City services or staff. 

About the Formal Complaints Process

The Formal Complaints Process ensures that every complaint about services delivered by the City of Kimberley receives a fair review.

Before submitting a Formal Complaint:

  1. Talk to the division responsible first. Often, your concern can be best addressed at the point of service.
  2. Speak to the manager. If you are not comfortable dealing directly with the staff person that made the decision or was responsible for the action, address the complaint with the manager of the department. The staff person responsible can give you the contact information of their manager, or you can contact the City Hall Reception Desk for this information:
  3. After attempting to resolve the issue at the point of service, and following up with the appropriate manager, if you are still dissatisfied with the outcome, you have the option to file a Formal Complaint by following the procedure described in the Formal Complaint Policy. 

The Formal Complaints Process is not intended to be a further or alternative vehicle to address matters that already offer review processes, such as decisions for which there is a statutorily prescribed process, matters that are outside of the City’s jurisdiction, criminal or policing matters, disputes related to Municipal Ticket Information (MTIs) or Bylaw Notice Adjudication, issues that are governed by collective agreements or legislation, and actions of individuals not employed by the City of Kimberley. 

To submit a Formal Complaint

Formal Complaints must be submitted in writing. To submit a formal complaint, a person should complete and submit the Formal Complaints Form by one of the following methods:

  • By email: feedback@kimberley.ca
  • By letter mail or in person: 
    City of Kimberley – ATTN: Complaints
    340 Spokane Street
    Kimberley, BC, V1A 2E8

Complaints should include as much key information as possible, including:

  • Complainant’s name
  • Complainant’s contact information
  • A detailed summary of the complaint including relevant dates, times, locations, and individuals involved. 

A paper copy of the form is available at City Hall, which is located at 340 Spokane Street, in Kimberley.

Anonymous complaints will not be accepted, given the inability to follow-up with the complainant for additional information.

As described in the Formal Complaints Policy, complaints will be acknowledged within ten business days, at which time the complainant will also receive more information about the next steps in the process.

Public Conduct Policy

The City of Kimberley reasonably expects that interactions between the public and staff will generally be respectful. We are committed to effective relationships with the public and services users, and we strive to resolve challenging communication issues calmly and cooperatively. The City also has a duty to protect staff and others from discrimination, violence, abusive conduct, harassment, sexual harassment, and a poisoned work environment. The City does not expect staff to tolerate behaviour from the public that is abusive or threatening, or that takes up a disproportionate amount of staff resources. 

The Public Conduct Policy provides clear guidelines for the public and service users to behave and communicate with staff in an appropriate manner. The Policy provides a fair, effective, and transparent procedure for identifying, mitigating, and responding to unacceptable public conduct. 

The Policy identifies behaviours from the public that may constitute bullying, harassment and sexual harassment, or may otherwise be threatening, vexatious, discriminatory, or defamatory, and defines Unacceptable Public Conduct, with examples (Appendix A).

Read the Public Conduct Policy.