Social Assistance - Ontario Works

Who is eligible to the Social Assistance?

To be eligible for financial assistance under the Ontario Works program, you must:

• Be at least 16 years old;
• Be a resident of Ontario;
• Have assets that do not exceed the program limits;
• Experience financial hardship;
• Participate in employment-related activities.

Financial assistance amounts are set out in the Ontario Works Act, 1997. The amount of assistance you may receive depends on your family size, your housing costs and your income.

For more information on Ontario Works, visit the Ministry of Children and Community Services website.

How to Apply for Social Assistance?

Apply online

• The online application is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• The process should take between 20 to 30 minutes to complete.

Apply by phone

• By contacting  the English IBAU Intake and Benefits Administration Unit (IBAU) at 1-888-999-1142, on Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or at 1-800-387-5559 (TTY).
• By contacting Ontario Works at 613-675-4661 or 1-800-667-6307.

HOW TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTS TO THE ONTARIO WORKS OFFICE OR TO MY CASE MANAGER?

• Register today at MyBenefits;
• By email at [email protected];
• By mail or in one of our drop boxes at the following addresses:
  • Ontario Works office in L’Orignal
    
    • 59 Court Street, P.O. Box 303, L’Orignal ON K0B 1K0;
  • Casselman Early ON Centre
    
    • 676A Principale, P.O. Box 306, Casselman ON K0A 1M0;
  • Hawkesbury Early ON Centre
    
    • 876 James, Hawkesbury ON K6A 2W8;
  • Rockland Early ON Centre
    
    • 2303 Laurier St., Unit 105, P.O. Box 280, Rockland ON K4K 1K4.

MyBenefits

This service is intended for social assistance recipients and trustees.

The service allows you to:

• Send and receive documents electronically to your case manager;
• Communicate directly with your case manager;
• Receive messages and forms from your case manager;
• Check your payment history;
• Report your earned income;
• Report a change of address or phone number; and
• Choose paperless communication.

Register online today on MyBenefits!

To register, you need:

• To use the same email address recorded in your Ontario Works file;
• Your Ontario Works Member ID number.

Important change

As of July 2023, if you have a MyBenefits account and your communications preference is paperless, you will stop receiving the paper statement of assistance, reporting forms and cheque inserts in the mail, in addition to no longer receiving paper letters.

For further information, please visit MyBenefits or contact your Case Manager.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

The IVR is a toll-free telephone system that provides Ontario Works participants the following options:

• Access information through expanded hours - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
• Obtain a breakdown of issued payments and new overpayment information;
• Review outstanding verification items;
• Obtain additional benefit eligibility request decisions;
• Report earnings;
• Obtain local office contact details.

Clients without an email address and with no access to the internet will receive a 9-digit identification number (member ID) and a 4-digit personal identification number (PIN). Both numbers are required to access your case file at 1-800-808-2268.

There are three possible methods of payment for social assistance benefits :

• Reloadable payment card, where applicable ;
• Direct deposit ;
• Paper cheque.

Direct deposit is the preferred payment method, followed by the rechargeable payment card.

Reloadable Payment Card

The reloadable payment card (RPC) is another electronic payment method for social assistance recipients who are unable to open a bank account for direct deposit.

For more information on payment methods and the new reloadable payment card, please contact case managers at 613-675-4661 or 1-800-667-6307.

Direct Deposits and Electronic Statements for Third Parties on Behalf of Social Assistance Recipients

This offer is aimed at third parties who receive payments on behalf of social assistance recipients, such as landlords, utility companies and suppliers of directly billed goods and services.

To register to the Direct Bank Deposit Program (electronic funds transfer) or to change information of third party payees, fill the registration form.

Under the Ontario Works Act, 1997 and Regulations, as an eligibility condition, every employable applicant or participant must participate in employment assistance activities including:

• Single people;
• Couples with or without children;
• Sole support parents;
• Dependent adults 18 years of age or older.

After receiving your initial benefits, you will be required to attend an information session prior to meeting with a Case Manager to develop an effective employment plan. These participation agreements (PA) are reviewed regularly and tailored to your needs. Activities include:

• Community placement;
• Employment placement and job skills training;
• Referral to vocational counselling services or a training program
• Basic education (completion of a high school diploma).

This Presentation on the Ontario Works Program is part of the social assistance application process and gives you an overview of your rights and responsibilities, as well as the services offered in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell.

The Learning, Earning and Parenting (L.E.A.P.) Program is for young parents aged 16 to 25 receiving financial aid under the Ontario Works program.

HOUSING ASSISTANCE FUND

This program is designed to help Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) recipients keep their homes with the following expenses :

• Last month’s rent deposits;
• Rent, heat or hydro arrears;
• Moving costs;
• Minor home repairs;
• Repair or replacement of essential appliances;
• Other circumstances of homelessness as approved by a Supervisor.

Housing assistance funds may also be available to low-income families that does not exceed the prescribed ceiling with the following expenses :

• Rent and energy arrears (heating, electricity);
• Minor home repairs;
• Other homelessness circumstances approved by a Supervisor.

Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)

This program helps pay Hydro One arrears. You must first contact the United Way of Greater Simcoe at 1 855 487-5327 for a financial evaluation.

Homeless Assistance Fund

This fund helps people at risk of homelessness to:

• Relocation costs to improve their situation, such as obtaining less expensive rent, moving from an uninhabitable location for health reasons or escaping a violent situation;
• Last month’s rent deposit to secure housing; and
• Energy arrears (hydro/oil/gas) with a disconnection notice.

To apply to any of the above programs, please call 613-675-4661 or 1-800-667-6307.

For low-income individuals not receiving Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits, please complete this form and submit it to the following e-mail address [email protected] or by calling 613-675-4661 or 1-800-667-6307.

By-Name List

The By-Name List is a real time and highly confidential list of anyone who finds themselves in a situation of homelessness in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell.

Definition of Homelessness

Anyone aged 16 and over who lives temporarily in Prescott and Russell with friends, with a family member, in a shelter for the homeless, for someone who has experienced abuse, in a residence, in a tent, in a shed, in the street, on a park bench, in his vehicle and/or who does “couch surfing”, etc.

Here is a document containing statistics about homelessness in Prescott and Russell as well as additional information on the By-Name List.

The Objectifs of the By-Name List

• Identify homeless people in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell;
• Identify the needs of the people on the By-Name List;
• Identify housing needs by municipality in Prescott and Russell;
• Evaluate the performance of the By-Name List; and
• Advocate for the policies and resources needed to end homelessness in Prescott and Russell.

Reference to the By-Name List

• The homeless person must give their consent for a reference to the By-Name List; and
• Send the reference form to the email address, [email protected].

"Residential Services Homes" means a facility operated independently of United Counties of Prescott and Russell that provides vulnerable adults who meet eligibility criteria with safe and secure housing, nutritious meals, 24-hour supervision and assistance with activities of daily living.

The Social Services Department has entered into agreements with these Homes to offer financial assistance to eligible low-income individuals.

Eligibility depends on these three primary factors:

• Medical Need;
• Financial Need;
• Appropriateness of placement.

To apply, please contact call 613-675-4661 or 1-800-667-6307

Rights and Responsibilities

For more information on your rights and responsibilities under the Ontario Works program, click here.

Request for an Internal Review

An internal review is the informal review of a decision made regarding your financial aid.

You can appeal in any of the following cases :

• Your application for financial assistance under the Ontario Works program has been refused;
• you dispute the amount of financial assistance you are receiving or have received.

You can submit an interval review request in one of two ways:

• Fill out a Request for Internal Review Form;
• Write a letter.

The time limit for requesting an interval review is 30 days from the date you receive the letter informing you of the decision.

Appeal to the Social Benefits Tribunal (SBT)

If you disagree with the result of the internal review you can appeal the decision to the Social Benefits Tribunal.

Interim assistance

The Social Benefits Tribunal may order interim assistance pending a decision from the Social Benefits Tribunal if you are experiencing financial difficulties.

To make the request for interim assistance at any time during the appeal process, complete the section of the appeal form.

If interim aid is granted, you will receive written notice of the decision. This does not mean that the issue on which you are appealing is resolved.

If your appeal is dismissed, or if you do not appear at your hearing, you will have to reimburse the amounts paid to you as interim assistance.

For additional Information on the process of Appeal

Eligibility Review Program

The Eligibility Review Program reviews and investigates fraud or misrepresentation related to Ontario Works. If there is sufficient evidence to suspect that fraud or an offence under social assistance legislation has been committed, the case may be referred to the police for investigation.

The Public Is Encourage to Report Any Fraudulent Activity

Here are different ways to report to the provincial “Welfare Fraud Hotline”:

• Filling the online form to report a welfare fraud;
• Writing to [email protected].

Public and Private Organisations

• Ontario Provincial Police
  • 911 or 1-888-310-1122
• Ambulance
  • 911
• Ontario
  • 211
• Assaulted women's helpline
  • 1-866-863-0511
• Canadian Mental Health Association Champlain East
  • 1-800-493-8271
• Eastern Ontario Health Unit
  • 1-800-267-7120
• Prescott & Russell Community Mental Health Centre
  • 1-800-267-1453
• Centre Novas-Calacs francophone Prescott and Russell
  • 1-800-772-9922
• Regional Mental Health and Addiction Centre
  • 1-844-304-1414
• Clinique juridique de Prescott-Russelll Inc.
  • 1-800-250-9220 or 613-632-1136
• Groupe action pour l'enfant, la famille et la communauté de Prescott & Russell-Fiers de nos enfants
  • 1-866-363-3210 or 613-632-7837
• Mental Health Crisis Line 24/7
  • 1-866-996-0991
  • www.crisisline.ca
• Maison Interlude House
  • 1-800-461-1842
• Care Program for victims of Assaults HGH
  • 613-632-1111
• Victims/Witness Assistance Program
  • 1-866-296-0164 or 613-675-1991
• Prescott & Russell Victim Services
  • 1-877-632-7530 or 613-632-5282
• Community Services of Prescott & Russell
  
  • 1-800-267-0853 or 613-632-0939
• Probation Services
  • 1-877-680-7832
• Valoris for Children and Adults of Prescott & Russell
  • 1-800-675-6168

Hospitals

• Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
  • 613-737-7600
• Hawkesbury and District General Hospital
  
  • 613-632-1111