Steps to Justice News

Steps to Justice has new information on some of Canada’s temporary immigration programs. These programs are for people from places that are in crisis.
The crisis could be caused by, for example, a war or a natural disaster like an earthquake or famine.
Every program is for a specific country or region and has different rules,

Starting January 1, 2025, married partners who are separated for 3 years or more get nothing from their partner’s estate when they die. This month’s On the Radar looks at changes to estates law for married partners.

CLEO is pleased to announce the new Guided Pathway for people who are being sued in Small Claims Court. This pathway allows someone to reply to the Plaintiff’s Claim, make a claim of their own, or both.
This pathway can help you:

fill out a Defence (Form 9A) to reply to a Plaintiff’s Claim against you
fill out a Defendant’s Claim (Form 10A) to make a claim of your own against the plaintiff or another person or organization related to the Plaintiff’s Claim
learn more about the types of claims you can take to Small Claims Court
understand how easy or hard it may be to collect your money if you win

The pathway is available on CLEO’s Steps to Justice website.

As 2025 approaches, it’s time to look ahead at some upcoming changes that will affect workers and tenants in Ontario. This month’s On the Radar looks at EI rates and rent increases for 2025.

Steps to Justice has updated information about the minimum wage increase that took effect on October 1, 2024.

Steps to Justice has a new tool to help people who experienced discrimination at work, by their landlord, or by the police. The tool lets them compare the legal options they have. For each option, it explains:

who can make a claim
what they can get
the deadline to make a claim
the process
how much it costs

It’s important for people to choose the right legal option to deal with the discrimination they experience.

In June 2024, the Homeowner Protection Act came into effect in Ontario. It aims to stop companies from using a legal tool called a notice of security interest or NOSI to scam homeowners. Older adults were their primary targets.
People ended up owing thousands of dollars and some lost their homes.

Steps to Justice has information on the new permanent residence pathway for people who were in care as children. It lets them apply for permanent residence if:

they came to Canada under the age of 19,
a child protection agency or authority, such as a Children’s Aid Society in Ontario,

Steps to Justice has updated information on the amount someone can get from the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). The rates have gone up 4.5%. The basic ODSP rate for a single person who gets the highest amount of shelter allowance is now $1,368 a month, up from $1,308.

All temporary help agencies and recruiters now need licenses to operate in Ontario. And they must renew their licenses every year. Read more in this month’s On The Radar.