A complaint is dismissed if the complaints director is satisfied that there is insufficient or no evidence of unprofessional conduct, or if satisfied that the complaint is trivial (without merit) or vexatious (complaint is solely to harass or subdue a person). 

If a complainant believes the dismissal was unreasonable, they have the right to request a review by the complaint review committee (CRC). 

How to Request a Review

The complainant has 30 days from the Notice of Dismissal to request a review. The request must: 

• Be in writing (email, fax or letter) 
• Be signed by the complainant 
• Include reasons for requesting the review 

The Review Process 

The dismissed complaint is forwarded to the CRC. The CRC reads the request, the investigation report and the decision of the complaints director. The CRC then considers whether the complaints director reached a reasonable decision. 

The CRC will decide to either: 

• Uphold the complaints director’s decision to dismiss the complaint.
• Refer the matter back to the complaints director for further investigation.
• Refer the matter to a hearing.

The complainant and investigated registrant are notified in writing of the outcome. There is no right to a further review of the CRC's decision. 

If you continue to have concerns about the way this complaint was handled, you may contact the Office of the Alberta Ombudsman to request a review of the process used in the management of your complaint.