2. Learn why OW might pay your money to a trustee
Beware of scams
People have been getting phone calls with a pre-recorded message telling them their Ontario Works account has been deleted.
This is a scam to trick you into sharing your personal information. If you get a call like that, hang up the phone. You can report these calls to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
Question & Answer
Can Ontario Works pay my assistance to someone else for me?Ontario Works (OW) pays your to a trustee if you're under 18 and living on your own.
Step 3 has more details about trustees.
If you’re 18 or older
Sometimes OW pays your financial assistance to a trustee even if you're an adult. They may do this if they decide that:
- you're likely to “misuse” your assistance or use it in a way that's not good for you or others in your household, or
- you're not capable of looking after your finances. For example, you have health problems that prevent you from understanding when you owe money and how to pay your bills.
OW will ask you to agree about having a trustee. If you don't agree, they can still decide to pay your assistance to a trustee.
Not using your assistance in the right way
OW talks about people “misusing” their financial assistance. This means that they run out of money to pay for rent or food because they spend it on things that are not necessary or as important.
When OW decides to pay your assistance to a trustee because you're misusing it, they look at things like:
- Have you been misusing your assistance for a while? How long has this been going on?
- Are you hurting your health or well-being or that of other people in your household because of the way you're spending your money?
- Would it solve the problem if OW paid your rent or utilities directly to your landlord or the utility company?
- Do you agree that it's a good idea to have a trustee get your assistance?
OW can use information from other people, including:
- your family
- your friends and neighbours
- people who know you, for example, doctors or social workers
If you’re not capable of managing your finances
OW might think that you need a trustee because you're not capable of managing your finances. To decide about this, they need you to get a doctor's report.
The doctor meets with you and decides if they think you're not capable of managing your money.
OW looks at the doctor's report and decides if they should pay your assistance to a trustee.
