VIA Rail's Ombuds

Anaïs Lacroix joined VIA Rail on March 1, 2025, as the new Organizational Ombuds. She is also Chief Executive Officer at Latitude, an independent firm that acts exclusively as a neutral and impartial third party to promote harmonious relationships within organizations across Canada. As a lawyer and accredited mediator, Anaïs Lacroix specializes in conflict management, institutional investigations, and organizational ethics.

Her role:
The Ombuds is an independent, impartial, and confidential resource whose mission is to facilitate the fair resolution of ethical concerns and complaints. Accessible to both members of the public and VIA Rail employees, the Ombuds’ role is to receive reports related to ethics in a neutral, independent and confidential manner, to make recommendations to address systemic issues, where appropriate, and to contribute to the improvement of the organization’s policies and practices.

When to Consult the Ombuds
The Ombuds is the right person to help you resolve your concerns about an organizational ethics breach, particularly when other internal mechanisms have been exhausted or are inappropriate given the circumstances.

Examples of situations that might prompt you to consult the Ombuds include:

• Fraud committed by one or more staff members.
• Corruption.
• Misuse of public funds.
• Negligence by one or more employees regarding environmental protection or safety of employees, passengers, or the public.
• Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information by one or more staff members.
• Illegitimate use of the Corporation’s name, logo, or property.

For complaints related to your customer experience, please visit the following section of our website: Contact Us | VIA Rail

Please note that complaints relating to customer experience without an ethical dimension are specifically excluded from the Ombuds' remit.

Ombuds' Charter

How to Contact the Ombuds

You can reach Anaïs Lacroix by:
Phone: 514-912-5237 | Toll-Free: 1-800-316-6804
Email: viaombuds@latitudemgmt.ca
Via the Clearview platform completely anonymously: ClearView Connects

VIA RAIL Ombuds – Frequently Asked Questions

Both members of the public and VIA Rail employees can reach out to the Ombuds.

Complaints related to human resources and labour relations matters are excluded from the Ombuds’ jurisdiction.

Complaints related to customer experience (including delays, service quality, ticketing, etc.), are also excluded from the Ombuds' jurisdiction. For those, please visit VIA Rail's Contact Us page.

Yes. Confidentiality is a core principle of the Ombuds' role. However, the Ombuds may depart from its confidentiality commitment where there is an imminent and serious risk of harm to the individual or another identifiable person or where disclosure is required by law or compelled by an appropriate judicial authority. Reports can also be submitted completely anonymously through the ClearView Connects platform. However, the Ombuds' ability to act may be limited when the reporter's identity is unknown, and the Office reserves the right to close a file where a meaningful assessment is not possible without additional information.

Yes. The Ombuds Office provides services in both official languages. You may communicate with the Office and receive services in the official language of your choice.

After contacting the Ombuds office, you can expect an acknowledgement of receipt within 72 hours. A member of the Ombud's team will contact you and introduce themselves and explain the next steps. They may ask you to for additional information to gather a better understanding of the situation. The aim is to keep you updated on the resolution of your matter.

The Ombuds is independent of VIA Rail's formal structures and reports directly to the VIA's Board of Directors.

No. The Ombuds operates through recommendations, not binding decisions. The Ombuds cannot impose or recommend disciplinary measures, make or change VIA’s policies, provide legal advice, or act as an advocate for any party.

The Ombuds can act as an appeal mechanism when internal channels have not led to a satisfactory resolution, provided that doing so would not result in a misuse of resources or that other reasonable grounds do not prevent it. The Ombuds does not replace existing complaint, grievance, or investigative processes, but complements them. The Ombuds will only intervene in cases where the internal process raises issues under the Code of Conduct and Ethics.

No. Contacting the Ombuds does not constitute formal notice to the Corporation and does not trigger any formal process, grievance timeline, or limitation period. Use of the Office is voluntary and without prejudice to any other avenue available to you.

The Ombuds' default approach is to explore informal options first. Depending on the nature of the matter, available mechanisms include:

Listening, coaching and information
Referral to another channel
Informal facilitation
Mediation
Formal investigation

No. Engaging with the Ombuds Office will not result in adverse consequences. The Corporation's Code of Conduct and Ethics expressly prohibits reprisal against any individual who, in good faith, raises a concern or reports conduct contrary to the Code of Conduct and Ethics. If you believe you have been subject to reprisal, you are encouraged to notify the Ombuds immediately.

If you have already contacted Customer Service and have not yet received a response, they may be experiencing a high volume of inquiries, which can result in longer processing times.

We recommend following up with Customer Service to check the status of your request and obtain an update on your situation. You can reach them by phone or visit the following website for more information on the complaint process, including the steps to follow based on the type of issue and the expected response times. Contact us | VIA Rail

Matters involving workplace harassment and violence should be directed to VIA Rail's Designated Recipient instead, who is the appropriate contact for these situations. If you're an employee and would like their contact information, we'll be happy to provide it as well.

Yes, of course. You are welcome to reach out to arrange a private discussion with the Ombuds about any questions or concerns regarding your ethical obligations under the Code of Conduct and Ethics, including any of its specific provisions. If you'd prefer to remain anonymous, you can also submit your question through ClearView Connects and the Ombuds will respond to you through the platform.