Glossary
When Ontario Works (OW) or the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) makes a decision about your right to social assistance, they put it in writing. This is called a Notice of Decision and it’s supposed to include the reasons for the decision.
An Old Age Security (OAS) pension is a monthly amount that the Government of Canada pays to people 65 and older. To qualify, people must:
- be a Canadian citizen or legally resident in Canada, and
- have lived here for a certain number of years. This is never less than 10 years and can be more.
In Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
An Old Age Security (OAS) pension is a monthly amount that the Government of Canada pays to people 65 and older. To qualify, people must:
- be a Canadian citizen or legally resident in Canada, and
- have lived here for a certain number of years. This is never less than 10 years and can be more.
Ontario Works (OW) or the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) will say you have an overpayment if they think that they paid you more money than they should have.
If you’re still on social assistance, OW or ODSP will try to collect the overpayment by reducing the amount you’re getting.
You may be able to appeal a decision about an overpayment to the Social Benefits Tribunal.
In Migrant workers, Immigration Law, Income Assistance, Refugee Law
A permanent resident is someone who has the right to live permanently in Canada. A permanent resident is not a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents can be ordered to leave Canada for reasons given in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
In Immigration Law, Income Assistance, Refugee Law
After someone becomes a permanent resident, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada gives them a permanent resident card. The card proves that the person has permanent status in Canada and includes details like their name, photograph, and date of birth.
A permanent resident card usually expires in 5 years but can be renewed.
Permanent residents who travel outside Canada need to make sure that they have their permanent resident card and that it is valid at the time they plan to return.
In Income Assistance, Child tax benefits
The law says that the parent who’s “primarily responsible” is the one who takes care of their child on a daily basis. If both parents do this, it’s the parent who spends more time taking care of the child’s needs.
In a family with a female and male parent, the law considers the female parent to be primarily responsible. Same-sex parents or fathers who apply for the Canada child benefit may need a letter from the child’s other parent saying that they’re primarily responsible.
In Immigration Law, Income Assistance, Refugee Law
A protected person is someone who:
- the Refugee Protection Division or the Refugee Appeal Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board recognizes as a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection
- a visa officer outside Canada accepts for resettlement to Canada as someone who needs protection
Most people who have a successful Pre-Removal Risk Assessment are also protected persons. But this is not true if they’re inadmissible to Canada for certain reasons, for example, they’re considered a security risk. In that situation, they’re not ordered to leave Canada, but Canada Border Services Agency can review the decision to let them remain in Canada.
Provincial correctional facilities are run by the Government of Ontario. They’re for people who are:
- in custody while waiting for their trial on criminal charges, or
- serving a sentence of less than 2 years.
They include correctional centres, detention centres, jails, and treatment centres.