Legal Aid Ontario

* see Client Services during COVID-19* Legal Aid Ontario has suspended all in-person services at all office and court locations* during closure call Client Service Centre at 1-800-668-8258 (Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm) to apply for legal aid, inquire about application status, and summary legal advice for criminal or family law mattersAdvice Lawyer for Family Law and Family Law Information Centres* Legal Aid Ontario has suspended all in-person advice at Family Law Information Centres (FLIC) * Clients can access family advice counsel services in the Central East District by calling new toll free line1-888-616-0119 ext.18 and in the alternative will also be directed to contact the Client Service Centre at 1-800-668-8258* Ontario Superior Court of Justice will only be hearing matters that are deemed urgent in nature* Protocols will be established to have matters filed electronically at the courthouse and hearings to take place by either video or teleconference depending on local availabilityEmployment and Housing Help* Call Community Legal Clinic Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm at 705-326-6444 or Toll Free 1-800-461-8953* Consult Steps to Justice Housing Law for answers to questions you might haveCourthouses* visit COVID-19 Tribunals and Courts * visit Superior Court of Justice and Ontario Court of Justice for detailed informationEmergency Court Services* Criminal and family courts are still open but emergency family matters and criminal matters for clients who are in custody will come first * To find out if your matter is urgent, visit the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice websites or contact your lawyer or legal representative* if you don't have a lawyer or legal representative, you can now get summary legal advice for your criminal and family matter over the phone without having to qualify, see Summary Legal Advice Services during COVID-19 pandemic Refugee and Immigration Offices* Refugee and immigration offices are operating by phone only from Mon-Fri 8:30 am -4:30 pm * Toronto Refugee Law Office (GTA, all areas except Hamilton and Ottawa)* Toronto: 416-977-8111* Toll-free: 1-855-854-8111* visit COVID-19 Immigration and Refugee Law Ontario Review Board* visit the Ontario Review Board website for updates and informationConsent and Capacity Board* hearings are being held by teleconference but some limited matters will be held by video, further details will be included with your notice of hearing* visit the Consent and Capacity Board website fpr information

Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO)

* funded by Legal Aid Ontario, the Law Foundation of Ontario and Department of Justice Canada* provides reliable legal information on income assistance, landlord and tenant law, refugee and immigration law, employment law, family law, domestic and elder abuse, debt and consumer rights and collection agencies, health and disability, some criminal issues* visit Steps for Justice for online legal information and critical changes or updates to government or court services, supports, laws, and regulations as they relate to COVID-19* visit COVID-19 News Updates from CLEO for up-to-date information on changes in government programs and court services.* live chat available Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 11 am-1 pm, 2 pm-4 pm * Thu 11 am-1 pm, 7 pm-9 pmSee updates on:* COVID-19 Education * COVID-19 Family Law * COVID-19 Abuse and Family Violence * COVID-19 Employment and Work * COVID-19 Housing Law * COVID-19 Health and Disability* COVID-19 Wills and Powers of Attorney* COVID-19 Debt and Consumer Rights * COVID-19 Immigration and Refugee Law * COVID-19 Income Assistance * COVID-19 Criminal Law * COVID-19 Provincial Offences * COVID-19 Tribunals and Courts Additional Information:Better Business Bureau Ontario COVID-19Price Gouging during COVID-19* Consumers can report an individual who is price gouging by filing a complaint at 1-800-889-9768 Mon-Fri from 8:30 am-5:00 pm or by filing a report online

Community legal clinic

• pursues test cases, Charter and appellate litigation to address systemic issues arising from federal and provincial income security programs, and from the political, economic and social causes of poverty
• law reform
• policy development
• community development and provincial organizing* public legal education
• no direct legal services to individuals except in relation to test and Charter cases
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario
• nember of the Association of Community Legal Clinics of Ontario

Community legal clinic

• pursues test cases, Charter and appellate litigation to address systemic issues arising from federal and provincial income security programs, and from the political, economic and social causes of poverty
• law reform
• policy development
• community development and provincial organizing* public legal education
• no direct legal services to individuals except in relation to test and Charter cases
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario
• Member of the Association of Community Legal Clincis of Ontario

COVID19 -- staff working remotely, providing representation and legal advice services via phone and email

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Community legal clinic

• representation through all levels of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
• case consultation and training for other agencies
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

COVID19 -- office closed for visits, staff working remotely, intake line open



Free confidential service for Ontario workers who have experienced harassment and/or sexual assault in the workplace * legal information and advice, referrals * community outreach

COVID19 -- service by phone, no in person meetings or public education activities * intake Mon, Wed, Fri 9 am-5 pm

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Community legal clinic

• advice, representation, referrals, advocacy
• areas of law include privacy, social assistance, immigration, housing/tenant, pensions, Employment Insurance (EI), private insurance benefits, health, criminal, prison (HIV-related), human rights, substitute decision making and powers of attorney
• community legal education speakers and publications
•  law reform and test case litigation
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario, AIDS Bureau (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care), foundations and donors
• also known as HALCO

Toll-free telephone advice service to low income Franco-Ontarians residing in northern Ontario and parts of central Ontario * This advice line provides an opportunity to francophone clients to discuss their legal questions or difficulties and obtain information about their rights and obligations The service will provide access to French telephone legal information, advice and referrals in the following areas of law: * housing (tenants only)* social assistance (Ontario Disability Support Program and Ontario Works) * Canada Pension Plan * Employment Insurance Service may include referrals to your local Community Legal Clinic if its staff has the capacity to provide French Legal Advice or other agencies, if appropriate

Online resource of plain language legal information on women's rights under Ontario family law * webinar recordings posted regularly on website* alternative dispute resolution and family law* child protection and family law* child/spousal support* criminal and family law* child custody and access* domestic contracts* family law issues for immigrant, refugee and non-status women* how property is divided in family law* marriage and divorce* domestic contact* how to find help with your family law problem

• Provides legal assistance for low income individuals
• Participates in public legal education, law reform, and community development projects

Provides advice and representation in area of law which include:

• Tenant Rights
• Ontario Works
• Ontario Disability Support Program
• Canada Pension Plan
• Old Age Security
• Criminal Injuries Compensation
• Native Issues
• Pardons
• Small Claims Court matters
• Will Preparation and Power of Attorney

Legal information on income assistance, housing law, refugee and immigration law, employment and work, abuse and family violence, family law, domestic and elder abuse, debt and consumer rights and collection agencies, health and disability, some criminal issues * most publications available in FrenchLegal information for new Canadians - print materials in Arabic, Chinese, (Mandarin and Simplified Chinese), English, French, Somali, Spanish, Tamil and UrduCLEO Connect, cleoconnect.ca: Website to support community workers with public legal education and information. People can find free training, tools, resources (such as webinars/research/podcasts), and connections to help them help their clients with legal problems.Funded by Legal Aid Ontario, the Law Foundation of Ontario and Department of Justice CanadaSteps to Justice, stepstojustice.ca: Online, step-by-step legal information about common legal problems, including family law, housing law, employment law, refugee law, immigration law, criminal law, income assistance, health and disability law, abuse and family violence, human rights, debt and consumer rights, tribunals and courts, and French language rights. * plain language * links to checklists, forms and practical guides * information and referral for legal and social services * live chat for additional questions

COVID19 (21 Apr 2020): Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) is providing updates on the law and legal information during COVID-19 on their Steps to Justice website.  For updated information on areas of law including criminal law, debt and consumer law, employment and work law, family law, immigration and refugee law, housing law, provincial offences, tribunals and courts, wills, and income assistance, visit: stepstojustice.ca/covid-19Online, step-by-step legal information about common legal problems, including family law, housing law, employment law, refugee law, immigration law, criminal law, income assistance, health and disability law, abuse and family violence, human rights, debt and consumer rights, tribunals and courts, and French language rights. * plain language * links to checklists, forms and practical guides * information and referral for legal and social services * live chat for additional questionsGuided Pathways, stepstojustice.ca/guided-pathways: series of online interviews to assist in filling out court forms * pathway asks questions and puts answers into required forms, questions include information as to what is needed * Family Law Guide Pathways for divorce, separation, children, support and property issues * Guided Pathway for Housing Law for tenants with maintenance and repair problems

COVID-19 -- Updates on the law and legal services on stepstojustice.ca/covid-19

Online legal information on common legal problems including family law, housing law, employment law, refugee and immigration law, criminal law, youth criminal law, income assistance, health and disability law, abuse and family violence, human rights, debt and consumer rights, tribunals and court, finding help from lawyers and paralegals and French language rights

• plain language * links to checklists, forms and practical guides
• information and referral for legal and social services
• live chat for additional questions

COVID19 -- walk in services suspended, call 416-971-9674

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Community legal clinic

• deals primarily with immigration, tenant issues, social assistance, employment rights, human rights, poverty law
• most refugee cases referred to Legal Aid
• may provide representation
• summary advice in domestic violence and other family law cases
• community education
• speakers
• law reform
• community advocacy
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

A branch of the Canadian Bar Association, represents 17,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers and law students from across the province.

COVID19 -- telephone inquiries only, online information about housing security during the COVID19 emergency
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Legal clinic focusing on individual and systemic anti-Black racism

• legal representation
• test case litigation
• law reform and community development
• summary legal advice, brief services and public legal education
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

COVID19 -- office closed but staff working remotely * call or email, no access to TTY
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Community legal clinic

Summary Advice and Referral -- confidential advice and information related to disability issues

• telephone service * limited representation in test case litigation
• representation for individuals in priority cases
• collect calls accepted
• public speaking
• law reform initiatives
• adaptive technology workstations for Internet access, Monday-Friday 10 am-4 pm
• electronic newsletter
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

Community legal clinic

• representation in cases involving issues of particular importance to seniors, such as long term care, hospital discharge issues, elder abuse, government pensions, income maintenance, retirement home tenancies, mental health and mental capacity issues
• assistance in dealing with government bureaucracies
• visits to home or care facility if necessary
• advocacy
• community legal education
• speakers
• law reform
• confidential
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

Community legal clinic

• representation in cases involving issues of particular importance to seniors, such as long term care, hospital discharge issues, elder abuse, government pensions, income maintenance, retirement home tenancies, mental health and mental capacity issues
• assistance in dealing with government bureaucracies
• visits to home or care facility if necessary
• advocacy
• community legal education
• speakers
• law reform
• confidential
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

COVID19 -- Tenant Duty Counsel Program, evictions halted until further notice, Landlord and Tenant Board has suspended all in-person hearings but is holding emergency hearings, if you are a tenant and have a scheduled phone meeting visit tdc.acto.ca/ to sign up for free legal advice from a Tenant Duty Counsel
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Community legal clinic * works to better the housing situation of low income Ontario residents including tenants, housing cooperative members and homeless people * no direct legal services for individuals except in relation to test cases * law reform * policy development * community organizing * public legal education * funded by Legal Aid Ontario

Tenant Duty Counsel Program -- Karen Andrews, Program Director * legal advice and information for unrepresented low income tenants, provided at offices across Ontario of the Landlord and Tenant Board (see separate entry) * walk-in service only

COVID19 -- serving clients by phone as much as possible * agency will continue to prepare Gladue reports and Gladue Letters and provide Court Worker services to the Toronto courts * all walk-in service, group programming, notarization, commissioning of documents and public legal education and outreach activities are currently suspended

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Community Legal Clinic 416-408-4041, fax 416-408-1568 * deals primarily with landlord and tenant issues, Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Plan (ODSP), Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD), human rights, police complaints, criminal injuries compensation, poverty law, Indian Act * no criminal or family law * may provide representation * referrals to lawyers in private practice where appropriate * law reform and public legal education activities * funded by Legal Aid Ontario

Aboriginal Court Worker Program -- support to those appearing in court * assistance in finding lawyers and contacting family members * referrals * available at all criminal courts in Toronto

Community Council Program -- criminal diversion program for young and adult Aboriginal offenders charged with a wide variety of offences * substitutes court appearance with an appearance before community members, with a disposition focusing on culture, tradition and healing

Gladue (Aboriginal Persons) Courts -- support available at Old City Hall, College Park and 1000 Finch Ave W courts

Gladue Writer/Caseworker -- call for information

Giiwedin Anang Council -- Aboriginal alternative dispute resolution for families involved in the child welfare system * family counselling delivered by community Elders and members focus on traditional teachings and Talking Circles

Community legal clinic

• assistance and representation in all matters under jurisdiction of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
• support groups
• workshops and seminars
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario