The OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance (OLHI), Canada’s only independent complaint resolution service for insurance consumers, is making expanding into western provinces its priority for the coming year, the organization announced Friday.

With a new office in Edmonton, its focus will be to ensure that more consumers in Western Canada are aware of its services, OLHI says in a news release.

In fiscal year ended March 31, public contacts increased by 18%, exceeding 103,000, OLHI says.

During fiscal 2017-2018, the service received 2,636 complaints, 85% of which were about disability insurance, life insurance and employee healthcare and dental. Most referrals, it says, came from its member companies.

“Our members are being more diligent of advising their consumers with complaints of our services,” says Brigitte Kent, acting executive director, in a statement. “It is nice to see that most of our referrals are now coming from our members companies.”

At its Sept. 13 annual general meeting, OLHI introduced two new board members: Geoff Plant, a former British Columbia attorney general, and Louise Shiller, who has served as senior advisor, rights and responsibilities at Concordia University.