The Ontario Legal Information Centre offers a free 30-minute meeting with a lawyer to anyone in Ontario, online or by phone in English or French. The centre provides legal information on any legal topic, and referrals to services. Book a meeting online or call 1-844-343-7462 if you need help.

There are five Ontario Financial Empowerment Champions that can help people manage their finances. These are:

• EBO Financial Education Centre in Ottawa
• Family Service Thames Valley in London
• Sudbury Community Service Centre in Sudbury
• Thunder Bay Counselling in Thunder Bay
• WoodGreen Community Services in Toronto

Services include personalized financial coaching sessions, financial literacy workshops, and clinics to help people with their taxes.

Consumer Protection Ontario helps you make a complaint against a business through the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services.

The Ministry deals with complaints against a variety of businesses, including stores, fitness centres and gyms, home renovation companies, wireless and phone companies, payday loan companies, debt settlement companies, and collection agencies.

Credit Counselling Canada has an online tool to help you search for certified credit counsellors and agencies by postal code. Credit counsellors at not-for-profit agencies help people who are in debt and have problems paying their bills. They help people review their finances, make a budget, deal with creditors, and improve their credit record.

The hotline can give you 30 minutes of free legal help and advice over the telephone on civil law matters, which include:

• employment
• housing
• consumer issues
• Powers of Attorney
• corporate law for charities, non-profits, and small businesses

It doesn’t help with family law or criminal law problems.

The hotline generally accepts calls Monday to Friday between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The association has a list of qualified credit counsellors and agencies from across Ontario. Credit counsellors at not-for-profit agencies help people who are in debt and have problems paying their bills. They help people review their finances, make a budget, deal with creditors, and improve their credit record.

If you live in the Ottawa or Champlain region and have a disability, ABLE2’s Reach Legal Referral Services may be able to help. They can refer you to a lawyer or paralegal for up to 3 hours of free legal advice in any area of law. But they cannot help with urgent legal issues.

If ABLE2 cannot help, they may refer you to community resources.

Book a meeting online, or call 613-761-9522 extension 452 or 453. You can also email reachlegalreferral@able2.org.