Ontario Works (OW), which some people call welfare, is intended to help people with little or no income pay for their day-to-day needs, such as rent, food, clothing, and prescription drugs. There are rules about who can get OW assistance and what people must do to keep getting it.
If you have a disability you may qualify for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).
Recorded on December 3, 2012 - In this webinar, Jennefer Laidley of the Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC) provides an understanding of
This online tool was created to help women learn about their economic rights when entering and leaving common law relationships or marriages. It includes information about different legal definitions of spouse in Ontario, spousal and child support,...
This fact sheet explains that you may now be eligible for the Special Diet Allowance if you are pre-diabetic and receive Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program benefits. There are links to help filling out an application for an SDA and to...
This booklet explains under what circumstances a person on social assistance is expected to try to get support payments from someone who is or was their spouse or same-sex partner, or who is the other parent of their children, and what they are...
This booklet provides information about the health benefits available to people who are going off Ontario Works because they have income from other sources. It explains who is eligible for these benefits, how to apply for them, and how to appeal if a...
The home repairs benefit for people on social assistance is being cancelled as of January 2013. This article in the September 2012 Northwest Community Legal Clinic newsletter describes two other Ontario government programs that may help people on...
This booklet describes the Participation Agreement that must be made by people who need financial assistance from Ontario Works (OW). It explains what sorts of activities can be part of an Agreement and what happens when a person cannot do what they...
This rate table reflects the 1 per cent increase to Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program rates announced in the 2012 Ontario budget.
This publication discusses what the legal issues are for a young person who is thinking of leaving home. Some questions it looks at: When can I decide where I want to live? Do my parents have to support me? Can I go to school if I am not living at...
This brochure outlines the process to follow when a person disagrees with decisions about their right to social assistance from Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program. It describes how to request an internal review, file an appeal...
This booklet deals with the rule that spouses who live together must qualify for social assistance as a couple. It explains how Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) decide whether two adults who live together are...
This new Special Diet information sheet reminds health care providers about the importance of helping their clients / patients with the forms and gives them information on how the new application process works.
This brochure discusses landlords' obligations to heat a rental unit, measures tenant can take if they have problems with heating, and low-cost solutions to save on heating bills. Most of the information applies to all of Ontario, but the resources...
This booklet explains how to apply to Ontario Works for financial assistance; the rights of people applying for assistance; the information required by Ontario Works; and what applicants can do if they are told they are not eligible. It includes...
This information sheet explains the Special Diet Allowance changes for people living with HIV who are receiving a current ODSP Special Diet Allowance. These changes take effect on April 1, 2011. Also included is a letter to health care professionals...
The way that tax credits are paid to low-income people in Ontario is changing. This information bulletin explains these changes and what you should know before you file your tax return.
This backgrounder explains the changes to the Special Diet Allowance that take effect on April 1, 2011, and says what people who currently receive the allowance should know about the changes.
Northwest Community Legal Clinic has produced a brochure that covers what Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefits (CSUMB) are, when and how often you can apply for a CSUMB, how much you can receive for one, how to apply for one, and what to do if...
This brochure explains Ontario Works Discretionary Benefits, what they are, who can apply for them, how much you can receive for a Discretionary Benefit, and what to do if it is denied.
This brochure explains Ontario Works Mandatory Benefits, what they are, how they are different from Discretionary Benefits, what is covered by Mandatory Benefits, and what to do if they are denied.
This site contains general legal information for Ontario, Canada. It is not intended to be used as legal advice for a specific legal problem.
