1. Think about what you need to prove
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.
Question & Answer
How do I prepare for an OW hearing at the Social Benefits Tribunal?You need to show the (SBT) that the Ontario Works (OW) decision is wrong. So it's important to know why OW made the decision you're appealing.
What OW says about their decision
After OW gets a copy of your Appeal Form from the SBT, they have 30 days to fill out a Response to Appeal (Form 3) and it with the SBT.
You file documents when you give them to the SBT and have followed the rules about how to do this.
OW can also do what's called a “written submission”. This means that they explain in writing:
- why they made the decision you're appealing,
- why they think it's correct, and
- what they have that supports their decision
If the OW office does a written submission, they have to send it to the SBT within the same 30 days.
And they have to send you a copy of whatever they send to the SBT.
If you don't get a copy of a written submission, call the OW office.
You can also contact a community legal clinic for help.
Explaining why you disagree with OW
You need to prove to the SBT that the OW decision is wrong. How you show this depends on your situation.
For example, you might need to prove that:
- you're not living with a partner
- you do not have too much or own too many assets
- you've given OW all the information they need to decide that you qualify
- you do not have an
- you have a reason to be excused from doing the employment assistance activities that OW wants you to do
