You are here
Programs and services across Ontario - Repairs and maintenance
Programs and services across Ontario - Repairs and maintenance
Community legal clinics
Legal Aid Ontario funds community legal clinics across Ontario to give free legal services to people with low incomes. Lawyers, community legal workers, and law students can help people with some legal problems, like social assistance, housing, and workers' rights.
To get help from a clinic:
- your legal issue must be one the clinic deals with
- you must live in the area the clinic serves
- you must have a low income
Most clinics also give brief advice or what’s called "summary advice", without asking about your financial situation. If your local clinic can't help you, they may be able to refer you to someone in your community who can.
Housing Help Association of Ontario
Website
The association has a listing of housing help centres. These centres help people find a place to live, avoid eviction, and get financial support, including social assistance, rent bank loans, and help to pay utility bills.
Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB)
Website
Contact Information
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.
Francophone legal advice lines
LAO has 4 free regional advice lines that 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
Website
Contact Information
The centre offers a free 30-minute meeting with a lawyer to anyone in Ontario by telephone or in person at their Ottawa office in any area of law in English or French. You may have to leave a message, and a lawyer will call you back.
Pro Bono Ontario - Free legal advice hotline
Website
Contact Information
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 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., and from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
York Region Housing Mediation Services
Website
Contact Information
The York Region Housing Mediation Services provides free mediation services to help resolve disputes between landlord and tenants, and between tenants. Both sides must agree to mediation. If you agree, you will each meet with a different mediator to discuss your issues and how you would like resolve them. Everyone will then meet together to see if an agreement can be reached.