Can I get child support and money from OW?
Beware of scams
People have been getting phone calls with a pre-recorded message telling them their Ontario Works account has been deleted.
This is a scam to trick you into sharing your personal information. If you get a call like that, hang up the phone. You can report these calls to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
There's a rule that says payments don't affect the amount of you get from Ontario Works (OW).
So, if you get child support, you get that money and your financial assistance.
This is a new rule that applies starting February 1, 2017. But it only applies to child support payments that are owed for periods of time that begin on February 1, 2017, or after that date.
And it has to be child support that the law says a person must pay. For example, someone might have to pay child support because of a court order or an agreement.
Trying to get child support
OW will not say that you must try to get child support when you apply for assistance or while you're getting assistance.
But the rule is different for spousal support.
Reporting child support payments
Even when child support payments don't affect the amount of financial assistance you get, you still have to tell OW about them. See Step 2.
Applying to OW
OW does not count child support payments when they decide if you qualify for financial assistance.
This is important because to qualify for OW, your can't be more than a certain amount. That amount depends on the number of people in your and the cost of your housing.
