Searching for Community Legal Services

COVID-19 (August 15, 2022): The three food banks supported by PQCHC continue to run on modified schedule and program. Services are accessed by appointment only and available to those people living in the catchments assigned to each location: Pinecrest Terrace Community House 613-596-6703, Morrison Gardens Community 613-596-6229 and Foster Farms Community House 613-596-4866. The Health Clinic operates on appointments only. For more details and up-to-date information, see website.

Health centre focused on family and community health

Primary Health Care:

• medical clinic staffed by family physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses / community clinics
• nutrition: individual and group support provided by registered dietitians
• clean needle exchange / safe inhalation
• diabetes education
• falls prevention program
• primary care outreach for seniors
• dental screening
• nursing foot care
• lung health program

Community Health:

• community development: advocacy, education and supports to community residents to increase involvement in the community
• multicultural outreach: assistance to newcomers to facilitate integration into existing services
• health promotion: focusing on enabling people to increase control of their health and address determinants of health
• community house coordination: develop and facilitate programs and outreach to five low-income housing communities, support to planning and community initiatives
• safety and trust: support to community leaders and training to support the development of healthy communities and address issues of concern
• youth programming: homework clubs, United Sisters program for girls 10-14, training, workshops and events for youth, Somali Youth leadership and skills development
• pathways to education: support to high school students from low-income communities to help complete high school and move on to post-secondary education: tutoring, mentoring, financial and advocacy support

PQ Employment Services:

• PQ Employment Services: bring the right people together with the resources they need to find success
• Canada Ontario Job Grant program: provides financial support to individual employers who want to purchase training for their employees

Employment Programs:

• Youth LEAD Employment Program: assists permanent resident and refugee youth between the ages of 15-29 to develop skills and experience working in Canada
• Job Track: 15 week program that provides pre-apprenticeship training in the Child Development Practitioner trade through paid placements in child care settings
• Future Builders: 15 week program that provides pre-apprenticeship training and work experience to youth with barriers to employment (aged 16-29 years) in residential construction trades (i.e. general carpentry)

Children and Family Services:

• Headstart Nursery School: subsidized preschool program
• Early ON Child and Family Centre: universal access, information and referrals, bilingual designation
• Leaping Lizards: after-school programming
• Toy Lending Libraries: educational and recreational toys
• Circle of Support: parenting support for vulnerable families - home visiting
• Pre-Post Natal Programs: focus on infant care, parent education, nutrition program for high risk pregnant women
• School's Cool: school readiness program

Specialized Preschool Programs:

• First Words: screening clinics and treatment for children with speech language developmental delays
• Infant Hearing: screening of all newborns born deaf or at risk of deafness
• Blind/Low Vision: intervention and consultation services for families with infants diagnosed as blind or low-vision

Mental Health:

• Assertive Community Treatment Team: support and treatment to those with severe persistent illness
• Families First: housing assistance
• System Navigation: increase client self-efficacy and autonomy

COVID-19 (24 Oct 2022): Offices are currently closed and appointments are by phone. Some in-person appointments may be available going forward from November 2022. Call to confirm.

Free legal help to people of low income Specializes in problems involving:

• landlord and tenant law
• social assistance
• immigration
• employment insurance
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)
• Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
• Also provides education on legal matters and is involved in various law reform issues

Legal clinic

COVID-19 (November 9, 2021): We are currently not meeting with people in-person. We are holding meetings by phone. Please call us and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Services

• employment and work
• housing law
• income assistance
• tribunals and courts
• health and disability
• immigration law
• refugee law

Legal information

• abuse and family violence
• debt and consumer rights
• French language rights
• human rights
• criminal law
• family law
• help with lawyers and paralegals
• wills and power of attorney

An incorporated non-profit organization dedicated to assisting injured workers and their families in seeking justice, dignity and equality.

Promotes the proper health, safety and security of injured workers in the workplace.

Resources and education to assist injured workers in dealing with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and injured workers rights

• regular meetings to discuss injured worker issues
• promotion of political activism
• empowers or acts on behalf of clients, sometimes working with their union (where applicable), or refers to the Office of the Worker Adviser or other legal services.

Full service, non-sectarian agency

• more than 65 programs and services

Walk-in counselling clinics:

• Thelma Steinman Seniors Support Unit
• Settlement services
• see separate program records for description

Student support:

• support towards academic and social success by engaging parents, teachers, school administration and other resources in a collaborative model

Shalom Bayit:

• support, guidance and advocacy offered to Jewish women who are experiencing emotional or physical abuse in an effort to assist them and their children towards safety
• seeks to educate the community around issues of domestic violence and to encourage them to intervene where indicated

Street Smarts:

• non-denominational outreach program to the homeless which links homeless people who are ready for change to resources

Children and Youth Services:

• offers Jewish day school support, psycho-educational testing, bullying workshops and crisis intervention

Member agency of Support Support Services Network for Male Survivors in Ontario

Integrated social services for the Nepean, Rideau and Osgoode area (some programs are offered to all residents of Ottawa)

• information and referral
• counselling for individuals, couples, youth and families
• community development
• violence against women services
• elder abuse response and referral (see separate record for details)
• youth programs
• after school kids programs
• playgroups (0-6 years)
• health promotion groups
• Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) application support
• referral to emergency food programs for residents of Nepean, Rideau and Osgoode Townships
• Emergency diapers/formula support
• Diabetes Education Program (see separate record for details)
• Good Food Box
• Tools 4 School (see separate record for details)
• general legal advice, notarization of documents and affidavits

Referral to following programs:

• Toy Mountain
• The Snowsuit Fund
• various programs/services provided during the holiday season by local faith and community groups

Independent traffic ticket agency providing legal representation in court to motorists charged with traffic violations under the Highway Traffic Act.

Offers counselling, mediation and assessment services. Services are client focused and follow a psycho-social holistic model with a structural perspective.

Counselling services:

• Crisis counselling
• individual and couple counselling
• family therapy
• child and youth counselling
• substance abuse assessment and counselling
• counselling for victims/survivors of emotional, physical and sexual violence
• children who witness violence
• children of parents who are separating/divorcing.

Mediation services:

• A way of resolving disputes in a private confidential non-adversarial process with a professional and neutral third party.
• aims to look at the needs and interests of all parties involved in a dispute rather than focusing only on rights.
• allows parties to maintain control of the process which is quicker and usually less expensive than litigation

Family mediation:

• Parenting agreements, custody, access, support and property division, family disputes, prenuptial agreements, parent-child, elder-care, etc.

Civil and work related mediation:

• Voluntary process where the parties involved in a matter currently before the courts agree to meet together with a mediator to achieve a mutually satisfactory resolution to their dispute. Civil court disputes, corporate, landlord/tenant, small claims, harassment.

Family and parenting assessments:

• Process for separated couples unable to agree on custody and access for their children to have a neutral professional specializing in the welfare of children, assess and make recommendations to help resolve the issues.

Assists individuals with disabilities (focus persons) and their families to create a personal support network

• educational workshops such as: wills, trusts, and estate planning
• Beyond Graduation
• Disability Savings Plan Information

Social Events:

• dances
• picnics
• bowling

COVID-19 (July 12, 2021): Reach's Legal Referral program is accepting calls from clients with disabilities in Ottawa and the Champlain region who require legal assistance. Referrals made to legal resources will now be in the form of telephone or videoconference meetings. Reach's Legal Referral team will be working remotely until further notice. Response time may be impacted by these new working arrangements.

Services

• educates and informs persons with disabilities, family members, lawyers and the general public about the rights and interests of persons with disabilities
• provides speakers to groups and educational programs
• lawyer referral services for people with disabilities through a network of lawyers who volunteer
• ensuring that quality legal and social representation are provided

Community-based program, which provides a full range of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, two spirit, queer and questioning (2SLGBTQI+) education, programs, support services and counselling

• supports the inclusion of equity and diversity in childcare, preschools, schools, recreational facilities, community health and resource centres
• workshops on gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation and human rights are adjusted according to the needs of the organization
• parent and caregiver support group for parents with transgender, two spirit and gender diverse children, youth and adults (hosted in partnership with CHEO)
• TRANSCEND Drop-in arts-based trans youth group for trans, gender diverse and non-binary youth ages 11-17
• Rainbow Families Art & Play social group for 2SLGBTQI+ families with young children and families with young gender diverse children

Planning facilitators help individuals and their caregivers plan for life changes, such as:

• leaving school and plans after graduation
• moving
• looking for work, professional experience, educational opportunities
• future care planning
• wanting more meaningful activities and involvement
• looking at ways to have more friends or meaningful relationships
• planning for housing and supports
• just thinking about the future and what is important to you

Community services centre for immigrants and refugees

• assists newcomers, refugees and ethno-cultural groups to become equal participants in social, economic and political life
• creating community and safe spaces
• visiting programs include Legal Aid, Housing Help
• free citizenship test classes for eight weeks, three hours per week
• requirements Canadian Language Benchmark 4

Community Economic Development:

• delivers career mentoring and networking programs to support newcomers to:
• obtain employment in their field
• develop an understanding of the workplace culture
• build networks
• develop strategies for employment maintenance and advancement

Programming includes

• Core Career Mentorship
• Federal Internship for Newcomers (FIN)
• Refugee and Immigrant Supports to Employment (RAISE)
• Pre-Arrival Supports
• Ottawa Mentoring Collaborative
• Job Search Workshops

Multicultural Liaison Officer Program: Multicultural Liaison Officer (MLO) partnering with the English Public and English Catholic school boards of Ottawa to provide:

• settlement services to newcomer families in schools and summer programs
• leadership development
• civic engagement opportunities
• helps create a welcoming school environment for newcomer students
• helps youth gain the necessary skills to achieve their goals and develop a positive mindset to overcome the challenges they may be facing so that they can contribute to Canadian society
• offered both at the elementary and high schools levels for immigrant and refugee youth, ages 13-24

Settlement and Integration Program:

• multilingual and multicultural services to facilitate successful adaptation and integration processes
• information and orientation sessions for individuals, families and groups
• supportive counselling
• settlement consultation
• client advocacy
• community referrals

Counselling Program:

• see separate record for more information

YOCISO:

• offers academic, life skills, counselling, and arts-based support in a fun and interactive way

Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC):

• full-time and part-time English language training for newcomers for settlement and community
• open to all landed immigrants and convention refugees over the age of 17
• classes are offered in the South region of Ottawa
• daytime and evening classes available
• child care is also available

Refugee Sponsorship: private sponsorship of refugees by any group of five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents 18 years of age and older who live in the expected community of settlement

• group must collectively commit to provide the necessary support for their sponsored refugee for the full duration of the sponsorship
• refugee must qualify as refugee according to Canada's refugee and humanitarian resettlement program.

Advice and assistance when medical-legal issues arise from a member's medical professional work

• compensation to patients proven to have been harmed by negligent care
• public policy, submissions, and responses relating to medical-legal matters that impact physicians' practice and the Canadian medical liability system

Professional development programs and resources that help physicians provide:

• safe care
• manage risk
• be knowledgeable about their obligations

Independent agency of the Ontario Ministry of Labour

• advises and represents non-union workers who have been injured at work or who have been threatened or punished for following health and safety laws

Responsible for:

Protecting Mentally Incapable People:

• managing the finances and property of adults who have been found incapable of managing their own affairs
• decision maker of last resort for treatment and placement decisions for those individuals who have no one else to do so
• temporary guardianship unit can investigate situations where an incapable person may be at risk of abuse or neglect

Services:

• guardianship or substitute decision making services for personal care in areas such as: food, shelter, clothing, hygiene, safety and health care

Charitable Properties Program:

• works with charities to help them deal with problems (i.e., improper investments, improper use of donated property)
• inquires into complaints about charities
• can protect the public's interest in how charities raise and use their money

Administration of Estates:

• may apply to become estate trustee of a person who has died in Ontario without a will, without known heirs in the province or where the heirs are children under the age of majority
• responsible for ensuring that the blood relatives entitled by law receive the net proceeds of an intestate estate
• routinely searches for the heirs of deceased persons whose estates are administered by the OPGT

Investing Perpetual Care Funds:

• cemetery owners have the option of having the Public Guardian and Trustee act as trustee of their perpetual care trust funds
• office pays out the annual income and cemetery owners use the interest earned on the trust funds for the upkeep of the cemetery

Dealing with Dissolved Corporations:

• when company's assets are forfeit to the Crown
• office may sell property
• persons having a legal or moral claim may apply under the Escheats Act for relief from forfeiture

Powers of Attorney and Living Wills:

• power of Attorney Kit helps appoint person to make decisions for oneself when no longer able to do so

Dedicated to raising awareness of elder abuse and neglect through

• public education
• professional training
• advocacy
• service coordination
• regional resources and educational materials available online

Organization providing information and support to both grandparents who feel alienated from access to their grandchildren and to parents estranged from their adult children

• meetings are now offered on Zoom

Advice line for French-speaking clients

Services

• Immigration
• Housing (tenants only)
• Human rights
• Social assistance
• Ontario Works
• Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
• Employment rights

COVID-19 (10 Sep 2021): implemented a number of changes to its operations until further notice. In-person service counters are closed, email the LTB at EA-ltb@ontario.ca.

On September 1, 2021, amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) came into effect. Learn more
about the RTA amendments.

Navigate Tribunals Ontario, is a convenient online tool that empowers users with information about their rights and responsibilities and tribunal specific rules and processes. Try it out!

The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) resolves:

• disputes between residential landlords and tenants
• eviction applications filed by non-profit housing co-operatives

The LTB also provides information about its practices and procedures and the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act.

Administers and processes registrations for:

• patents
• trade-marks
• copyrights
• industrial designs
• integrated circuit topographies

Website has resources such as:

• Canadian trade-mark and patent databases
• information guides
• e-services

Administration and processing of the greater part of intellectual property, including:

• patents
• trade-mark
• industrial designs
• integrated circuit
• copyright
• intellectual property database
• updates to legislative IP regime
• integrated circuit topographies

Independent administrative tribunal that has the power to grant, deny, revoke Parole or detain offenders

Provides information to crime victims and their families regarding:

• sentences
• eligibility for release
• review and National Parole Board hearings of federal offenders
• receives victim impact statements and updates

Independent administrative tribunal that has the power to grant, deny, revoke Parole or detain offenders

Provides information to crime victims and their families regarding:

• sentences
• eligibility for release
• review and National Parole Board hearings of federal offenders
• receives victim impact statements and updates

Issues/grants/denies/revokes record suspensions and makes recommendations for clemency

National office

• Follows the Criminal Records Act
• Supervises all record suspensions and clemency recommendations

Record suspension

• Allows people who were convicted of a criminal offense to have their criminal record kept separate from other criminal records

Clemency

Granted in exceptional circumstances. Can be requested for:

• employment
• perceived inequity
• medical conditions
• immigration to Canada
• compassion
• financial hardship