You can start your application by phone or online.
You will then need to have an in-person meeting with an Ontario Works Case Manager before a final decision on your eligibility is made.
When applying for financial assistance, you will need to provide some basic information during the phone or online portion. At the in-person meeting, you will need to hand in more detailed information.
To start the process by phone or online you will need the following information for each family member:
- the names of all your family members included on the application
- dates of birth of all family members
- immigration status for all family members
- income information for all family members (amounts for support, employment, etc.)
- asset information for all family members (balances of bank accounts, cash on hand, etc.)
- your address
- your housing costs (mortgage cost, rental amount, heat and hydro costs, etc.)
- cost of child care expenses
- Social Insurance Number and Health Card Numbers for each family member if available
To Apply by Phone
To apply for financial assistance, call our office at 905-546-4800, and press 1.
We will ask you some basic questions and will let you know if you may be eligible. At the end of the application we will book an appointment for you to come to an Ontario Works office and complete the application with a Case Manager. They will give you a list of items to bring with you to this appointment.
To Complete the Eligibility Calculation and Online Application
On-line application: www.ontario.ca/socialassistance
By using the online application you can find out if you may be eligible for AND apply for all three social assistance programs:
- Ontario Works
- Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
- Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD)
The Online Application for Social Assistance is:
- Confidential
- Convenient – you can access it from any computer with an Internet connection
- Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- More accessible for people with disabilities
- Available in English and French
Step One - Is the online application right for you?
The first step asks you a few questions to make sure this process is right for you.
Step Two - Determine Am I Eligible?
The second step of the online application is “Am I Eligible”. During this step, you should get an idea whether or not you are eligible. Once you complete this portion you move on to the actual application.
Step Three - Completing an Application
The online application will ask you to input more detailed information about you and any family members who are applying with you. It will take 20-30 minutes to complete the online application.
Step Four - Booking an Office Appointment
To complete the application process, you will need to come to the local office to meet with a Case Manager. To book an appointment, call our office at 905-546-4800, and press 1.
For those with phones
We will call you within 3 business days of completing the online application to confirm that we have received your online information. During this call, we will tell you when your appointment is and will give you a list of what you need to bring with you.
For those without phones
If you do not have access to a phone, you will need to call our office at 905-546-4800, and press 1 within 5 days of completing the online portion of the application. We will tell you when your appointment is and will give you a list of what you need to bring with you.
Step Five - Attending the in-person Appointment
After you have given us your initial information, you will have an appointment to complete your application.
You will meet with a Case Manager and provide all the documents necessary to support your application.
You will need to bring your spouse (if you have one) and any children who are 18 or older to the appointment.
At this appointment, the Case Manager will verify the information you gave us over the phone or sent in online.
Some examples of things you will need to bring include:
- Social Insurance Cards or other official documents with your social insurance number on it
- Ontario Health Card
- Birth Certificate or Immigration Documents
- Copy of your rental lease or mortgage agreement
- Utility bills (gas, hydro, property insurance)
- Income information (paystubs, support agreements, employment insurance)
- Bank statements
- Investment statements (RRSPs, life insurance policies)
- Vehicle ownership slip