Can I still get OW while I’m in the hospital?
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.
Long delays for appeal hearings
If you're appealing a decision made by OW or ODSP in 2020, your appeal hearing may not happen for a long time. People report that they're getting hearing dates from the that are between 9 and 16 months in the future. We'll update this information as things change.
Ontario Works (OW) can pay you while you're in the hospital.
For the first 3 months, this assistance can include the amount they give you for housing if:
- you have a place to live outside the hospital, and
- you're still paying your housing costs, for example, your rent.
If you're in the hospital longer than 3 months, OW can reduce the amount of assistance they give you.
Getting assistance as part of a household
If a child who's part of your household is in the hospital, OW keeps paying assistance for the child. For example, you'll still get the Transition Child Benefit.
And OW pays assistance for your child even if they're in the hospital longer than 3 months.
If an adult who's part of a household is in the hospital longer than 3 months, OW can reduce the amount of assistance they pay for that person.
