How to Submit a Complaint

If you are concerned about the content of an ad currently running in Canadian media, you can submit a complaint with us. Your complaint must be received in writing and will be forwarded verbatim to the advertiser. Ad Standards does not accept complaints by phone. We encourage you to submit your complaint through our online complaint submission form.

Confidentiality Note
Your complaint, and all correspondence between you and Ad Standards about the complaint, is confidential and may not be made public. Ad Standards cannot accept or proceed with a complaint if confidentiality is not maintained by the complainant.

Happy Holidays from Ad Standards!

Closure Notice: Please note our offices will be closed starting December 24, at 1pm through January 1st 2025 inclusively. We will re-open Thursday, January 2nd, at 9:00 a.m.

Click the link below to access our Online Complain Submission form:

If you cannot submit a complaint online, Ad Standards also accepts complaints by mail. To proceed, be sure to provide the following information in your submission:

Your name, complete mailing address.
Identify the advertiser and the product/service being advertised.
Describe your concern with the advertisement.
Identify the date you saw/heard the ad.
Identify the medium where you saw the ad (e.g. television, radio, billboard, online, etc.):
- For Broadcast (e.g. TV, radio, TV-on-demand, streaming services):identify the station, date/time where you saw/heard the ad and provide a description of the advertisement.
- For Movie theatre:identify the title of the movie, date of viewing, location of the movie theatre at which you saw the advertisement and provide a description of the advertisement.
- For Online (e.g. email, website, social media): include a print-out of the advertisement.
- For Outdoor (e.g. billboard, poster, transit, store window): include a picture of the advertisement.
- For Packaging (applicable to Spirits only): include a picture of the advertisement.
- For Print (e.g. flyer, mail, magazine, newspaper):include a print-out of the advertisement.
- For SMS/App: include a picture of the advertisement.

Our response time may vary based on various factors such as the extent of information provided in your complaint, the degree of cooperation from the advertiser and the complexity of the case.

By mail, send your complaint to:

Ad Standards
33 Bloor St. East, Suite 303
Toronto, ON, M4W 3H1