Searching for Legal Information

Information and education, outreach and tenant associations organizing, civic engagement, workshops, publications and resources; works for legislative change to benefit tenants

• monthly newsletter
• literature
• speakers

Tenant Infohub and Tenant Hotline, 416-921-9494, hotline@torontotenants.org
Responds to questions by telephone, email and social media regarding tenant rights and options; free tenant's rights counselling services for Toronto residents; not a crisis service

Tenant Defence Fund, 416-413-9442
Assists tenants disputing rent increases above annual guideline; assistance in accessing grants

Does not provide legal advice or crisis services

Crisis intervention and culturally sensitive counselling, support and referral * support for families and friends of survivors * support groups * information on alternatives to legal justice system * court support, accompaniment and advocacy program * research, public education, workshops * comprehensive volunteer training * all services confidential * trans-positive environment

Online legal information -- finding a lawyer, tickets and fines, lawsuits and disputes, family and criminal law, human rights, wills and estates

Does not provide legal advice

Free and confidential online legal advice for teens in Ontario

COVID19 -- closed to all in-person services until further notice, go to Legal Advice Hotline -- 1-855-255-7256 Tue-Thu 12:30 pm-4 pm

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Free legal services for persons being sued or who are suing in civil courts or require help with problems in employment law, consumer law, corporate law (non-profits, newcomer entrepreneurs and small businesses) housing issues, and Powers of Attorney

• no family or criminal law, immigration or estate administration issues
• clinic located at Small Claims Court, 47 Sheppard Ave

Education -- legal services for children with education-related problems such as accommodating disabilities or exceptionalities, bullying, or discipline matters such as suspension or expulsion

Start-ups, non-profits and charities -- business law services, including incorporation, charitable status, corporate structure, intellectual property and contracts

Legal Advice Hotline, 1-855-255-7256, Tuesday-Thursday 12:30 pm-4 pm -- up to 30 minutes free legal advice and help drafting legal documents

Workplace Sexual Harassment Hotline, 1-855-776-1855, Monday-Friday 1 pm-6 pm -- free legal advice and assistance for victims of workplace sexual harassment in Ontario

Free telephone hotline providing legal assistance to Ukrainians arriving in Canada affected by the war in Ukraine, with focus on immigration related issues, and also provides assistance and referrals for other legal issues related to resettlement, such as housing, employment

• assistance identifying nature of legal issue, advice and assistance on steps to take
• help drafting basic legal document for use in Canadian justice system
• where appropriate, referrals to pro bono and other lawyers for ongoing services
• referrals to support services

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 -- 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

COVID-19 (29 Nov 2021): 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-19

Online, step-by-step legal information about common legal problems

• 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, French language rights, and wills and powers of attorney
• plain language
• links to checklists
• forms and practical guides
• information and referral for legal and social services
• live chat for additional questions

Legal information clinic

• 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
• CLEO Connect resource
• Steps to Justice resource
• most publications available in French
• legal information for new Canadians - print materials in Arabic, Chinese, (Mandarin and Simplified Chinese), English, French, Somali, Spanish, Tamil and Urdu

Funded by Legal Aid Ontario, the Law Foundation of Ontario and Department of Justice Canada

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, French language rights, wills and powers of attorney

• plain language
• links to checklists, forms and practical guides
• tools such as courtroom illustrations, flowcharts, letter-writing and videos
• information and referral for legal and social services
• live chat and email support for additional questions

Guided Pathways, stepstojustice.ca/guided-pathways -- series of online interviews to help complete court forms and documents

• pathway asks questions and puts answers into required form, questions include information as to what is needed
• Family Law Guided Pathways for divorce, separation, children, support and property issues
• Housing Law Guided Pathways for tenants with maintenance and repair problems and tenants who are owed money from their landlord
• Wills and Power of Attorney Guided Pathways to create a simple will or power of attorney for personal care or property
• Guided Pathway for responding to elder abuse, to learn about elder abuse and how to respond to it
• Guided Pathway for open work permits to fill out draft forms
• Nonprofit bylaw builder

Community Legal Education Ontario
Legal information available online and in print on income assistance, 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

• ESL resources for teachers
• most publications available in French

Legal information for new Canadians -- print materials in Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin and Simplified Chinese), English, French, Somali, Spanish, Tamil and Urdu

CLEO Connect, cleoconnect.ca -- provides public legal education and information to help community workers assist clients with legal problems

• free training, tools and resources including webinars, podcasts, and research

Funded by Legal Aid Ontario, the Law Foundation of Ontario and Department of Justice Canada

Community legal clinic

• advice and representation
• advocacy
• research and consultation for individuals
• community education
• law reform
• referrals to union organizers
• outreach, particularly to small workplaces with immigrant workforces
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

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

Crisis intervention centre, residential, non-residential and community support services, including education, pastoral ministry, runaway prevention program, day program and community youth meal programs

For full details on Emergency Shelter, see separate listing

Community Support Services, 416-204-7037
Drop-in for ex-residents and non-residents

• hot meal or food package
• clothing and hygiene necessities
• showers and laundry
• assessment and referrals
• counselling
• health care
• housing help
• legal resources, ID clinic
• literacy and life skills
• assistance in finding and keeping a job
• computers and free wifi
• recreation

BensKids Health Centre
Health services, including primary medical care

• diagnostic services and referrals
• access to health and mental health professionals
• health education
• assistance in obtaining medical coverage

Member agency of Toronto Drop-in Network (TDIN), and member of Daily Bread Food Bank

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

• adaptive technology workstations for Internet access temporarily unavailable

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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

COVID19 -- service by phone, no in person meetings without an appointment and limited 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

Specialty 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 Clinics of Ontario

Specialty 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, people requiring legal advice or representation relating to housing issues should contact their local community legal clinic, to find local clinic call Legal Aid Ontario 1-800-668-8258
• public legal education including tip sheets providing legal information on common tenant concerns available at www.acto.ca/for-tenants/tip-sheets/
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

Tenant Duty Counsel Program -- legal advice and information for unrepresented low income tenants, with a scheduled hearing at the Landlord and Tenant Board (see separate entry) offered by phone once clients sign up at tdc.acto.ca/, Tenant Duty Counsel will call within five days of hearing

COVID19 -- services available by phone only, physical office closed
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Community legal clinic

• legal representation in the many areas of law including education, criminal matters, child welfare, human rights, financial assistance or support and leaving home
• legal information and assistance to youth, professionals and community groups
• also to parents in limited circumstances
• community development and outreach
• advocacy
• seminars
• accepts collect calls
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

Street Youth Legal Services (SYLS) -- legal advice and outreach to street-involved youth at shelters and youth services

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

Community legal clinic and resource centre

• information, referrals and summary advice on housing issues from landlord's perspective
• educational tools
• law reform
• rental forms
• funded by Legal Aid

Community legal clinic

• deals primarily with tenant issues, social assistance, immigration, Employment Insurance (EI), employment rights
• may provide representation
• community education
• law reform
• referrals
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario