2. Learn about LAO phone lines

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) provides services over the phone that gives general legal information and advice about certain legal problems.

Summary advice phone line

If you need general legal information or advice about family law or criminal law, call 1-800-668-8258 during business hours. Services are provided in French and English.

French phone lines

For general legal information and advice on legal matters other than family law and criminal law, there are 4 regional advice lines. These advice lines give free, confidential legal information and advice in French. These are:

• Northern Ontario through the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic:
  • Toll free: 1-877—2847 (1-87 POUR AVIS)
  • Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Northern Ontario includes:
    • Sudbury-Manitoulin
    • Algoma
    • Kenora
    • Nipissing
    • Timiskaming
    • Orillia
    • Simcoe
    • Cochrane
    • Rainy River
    • Thunder Bay
    • Barrie
    • Parry Sound
    • Kawartha Lakes
• Eastern Ontario through Vanier Community Service Centre
  • Call toll free: 1-877-500-4508
  • Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Eastern Ontario includes:
    • Belleville
    • Cornwall
    • Ottawa
    • Peterborough
    • Sharbot Lake
    • Cobourg
    • Kingston
    • Perth
    • Renfrew
• Greater Toronto Area through the Centre Francophone du Grand Toronto 
  • Call toll free: 1-877-966-7345
  • Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Greater Toronto Area includes:
    • Toronto
    • Halton
    • Durham
    • Peel
    • York
• Southwestern Ontario through theWindsor-Essex Bilingual Legal Clinic
  • Call toll free: 1-855-9716
  • Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Southwestern Ontario includes:
    • Essex
    • Middlesex
    • Bruce
    • Brant
    • Norfolk
    • Huron
    • Perth
    • Kent
    • Elgin
    • Grey
    • Haldimand
    • Niagara
    • Waterloo Region
    • Guelph/Wellington
    • Lambton
    • Oxford
    • Dufferin

Even if they can’t give you legal advice on your issue, they may be able to refer you to other legal services provided in French by other LAO offices, legal clinics, or agencies.