VICTORIA – Complaints to British Columbia's ombudsperson have spiked to a 10-year high and most of those grievances originated with the two government ministries that provide services to vulnerable people.

Ombudsperson Jay Chalke says in his annual report that his office received 8,400 complaints over the past year from people seeking fair and reasonable treatment by provincial and local governments.

He says the highest numbers of complaints involve the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction and the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

Chalke says the Social Development Ministry received the most complaints at 625, but he's hoping the introduction of a poverty reduction strategy later this year will address fairness issues.

His report highlights a case where a man complained after his monthly rental supplement of $500 went to a landlord even though he had moved from the apartment and it left him with only $138 for food.

Chalke says recommendations from his office dating back to 2009 to reduce regulations for people with disabilities or barriers to employment at the Social Development Ministry have yet to be implemented.

The ministry was not immediately available for comment.