The Immigration Detention Representation Program (IDRP) is a free service available from Legal Aid Ontario (LAO). It’s for anyone in immigration detention in Ontario who needs representation at a detention review hearing.

LAO helps people with low incomes with some immigration and refugee problems. For example, you might be able to get help:

• if you’re detained for immigration reasons
• to complete a Basis of Claim form
• with your refugee hearing,
• to prepare an appeal or application for judicial review,
• with cessation or vacation hearings,
• to prepare for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA)

To get help from LAO, you can:

• call their free telephone line that lets you talk to a lawyer for up to 20 minutes to get information and general advice
• apply for a legal aid certificate if you have a low income and if your legal issue is one that LAO covers
• contact one of the Refugee Law staff offices in Hamilton, Ottawa, and Toronto

LAO funds Refugee Law Offices to help people mainly living in Toronto, Hamilton, and Ottawa who want to make a refugee claim. They can represent refugee claimants who qualify for a legal aid certificate.

To qualify for legal aid, you must show that you have a low income by giving information about your income, property, and savings. And, your refugee law issue must be one that LAO covers.

They also offer other services, for example, representing people at detention reviews. RLO staff can also refer you to a lawyer who can represent you using a legal aid certificate, if you qualify.

Legal 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:

• Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario
• Canadian Environmental Law Association
• Income Security Advocacy Centre
• Industrial Accident Victims Group of Ontario
• Injured Workers Community Legal Clinic
• Workers Health and Safety Legal Clinic

The Law Society of Ontario has on online Law Society Referral Service that gives you the name of a lawyer or licensed paralegal who will give free legal advice for up to 30 minutes in any area of law.

If you can’t wait for a legal representative to call you back, or if you don’t have a call-back number, email lsrs@lso.ca. Or, if you’re in crisis or in custody, call 1-855-947-5255 or 416-947-5255, Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

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.

The directory lists all lawyers and paralegals licensed to give legal services in Ontario. You can search by name, address or postal code, language, and area of law. You can also search for services offered in French and for unbundled services.

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.

The FCJ Refugee Centre has services for refugees and others who are at risk because of their immigration status. They can:

• help with paperwork, translation, and interpretation
• make referals to immigration and refugee lawyers
• give information about social services, skills development, and counselling

They also have free information sessions about hearings and appealing to the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD).

The Canadian Red Cross First Contact Program has services to help refugees. This includes: 

• information about emergency shelter, social services, legal and health services
• information about the refugee process, Interim Federal Health coverage, legal aid, the shelter system, social services, English classes, work permits, and more
• 24/7 telephone information and referral services

This website has a list of settlement organizations that can help people making a refugee claim.