Services in Ontario - Paying rent
JusticeNet
Website
justicenet.caJusticeNet is a not-for-profit organization that can help people find legal services when their income is too high for legal aid and too low to afford legal fees. Their website has a list of lawyers, paralegals, and mediators who charge reduced fees based on your income and the size of your family. You must register and pay a small fee to use their services.
Legal clinics
Website
legalaid.on.ca/services/legal-clinicsContact Information
Phone: 416-979-1446 Toll-free: 1-800-668-8258 TTY: 416-598-8867 Toll-free TTY: 1-866-641-8867Legal Aid Ontario funds legal clinics across Ontario. There are two types of legal clinics: community legal clinics and specialty legal clinics.
Community legal clinics provide free legal services to people with low incomes who live in their area. Search for the clinic in your area using your postal code. Most help with:
- income assistance
- tenant rights
- employment problems
Some clinics can help with immigration and refugee problems or debt and consumer problems.
Some specialty legal clinics provide free legal services to specific groups of people with low incomes:
- Advocacy Centre for the Elderly
- Aboriginal Legal Services
- ARCH Disability Law Centre
- Black Legal Action Centre
- Centre Francophone du Grand Toronto
- Chinese and South Asian Legal Clinic
- Centre for Spanish Speaking Peoples
- HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario
- Justice for Children and Youth
- South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
Some specialty legal clinics provide free legal services in only certain areas of law:
Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR)
CCHR is an organization that works with tenants mainly by telephone and email.
Tenants facing eviction can get information about the eviction process and services that can help them. Tenants renting in Toronto can also get help if their landlord has applied for a rent increase above the guideline, or help with maintenance and repair applications to the Landlord and Tenant Board.
CCHR’s human rights services include helping tenants who:
- are being discriminated against when looking for housing
- are being harassed
- need accommodation for a human rights reason, such as a disability
- want general information about human rights or the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario
Francophone legal advice lines
LAO has 4 free regional advice lines that can give legal information and advice in French over the telephone to people living in:
- Eastern Ontario
- Northern Ontario, and parts of central Ontario including:
- Barrie
- Parry Sound
- Muskoka and Kawartha Lakes regions
- Greater Toronto Area
- Southwestern Ontario
The advice lines do not help with family law or criminal law matters.
Ontario Legal Information Centre
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. They provide legal information on any legal topic, and referrals to services. Book a meeting online or call 1-844-343-7462 if you need help.
Pro Bono Ontario – Free legal advice hotline
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.
Tribunals Ontario – Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB)
Website
tribunalsontario.ca/ltbContact Information
Phone: 416-645-8080 Toll-free: 1-888-332-3234 Toll-free TTY: 1-800-855-0511 (Bell Relay Service)The Landlord and Tenant Board is the tribunal that decides issues between landlords and tenants.
The Board’s website has information about housing law, forms that landlords and tenants must use, and a FAQ page that answers common questions about housing law and the Board’s processes.
You can also call the Board for information. The Board can’t give legal advice.
Ontario Community Mediation Coalition
Website
ontcmc-comc.com/index.htmlThe Ontario Community Mediation Coalition is a group of community mediation providers that provide free help to resolve conflict or disagreements. Community mediation is not a legal process. Issues that may be suitable for community mediation include disputes between neighbours, landlords and tenants, and in schools and workplaces. They have a list of member organizations to contact if you’re interested in finding mediation services.