Legal Resources

Community legal clinics
Community legal clinics can provide summary advice, referral, and representation on various types of legal issues, including landlord and tenant law. Student legal clinics in law schools in Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa, London, and Windsor can also provide representation and assistance.

To find the legal aid office, community legal clinic, or student legal clinic nearest you, call one of the numbers listed below or visit Legal Aid Ontario’s web site.

Toll-free: 1-800-668-8258
Toronto area: 416-979-2352
Web site: www.legalaid.on.ca

Finding a Lawyer
The Law Society of Upper Canada offers information on finding and working with a lawyer.

Toll-free: 1-800-668-7380
Toronto area: 416-947-3300
Web site: www.lsuc.on.ca/public/a/finding/

Other Resources
The Centre for Equality Rights in Accomodation (CERA) is a non-profit human rights organization that promotes human rights in housing.

Toll-free: 1-800-263-1139
Toronto area: 416-944-0087
Web site: www.equalityrights.org/cera

Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) provides clear language legal education and information materials for low-income and disadvantaged people in Ontario. All CLEO publications are free of charge and can be ordered through the web site or by telephone. CLEO does not provide legal advice or representation.

Telephone: 416-408-4420 ext. 33
Web site: www.cleo.on.ca
Online CLEO publications for tenants: www.cleo.on.ca/english/pub/onpub/subject/landlord.htm

The Federation of Metro Tenants Associations (FMTA) is a non-profit organization that advocates for better rights for tenants. They operate a Tenant Hotline and produce publications that explain tenant rights.

Web site: www.torontotenants.org
Telephone: 416-646-1772
Tenant Hotline (Toronto area only): 416-921-9494

Rent Banks provide interest free loans to tenants in arrears who qualify.

Toronto Rent Bank
Telephone: 416-924-3862
Web site: www.city.toronto.on.ca/housing/rentbank.htm

Outside Toronto: To find out if there is a rent bank in your area, contact your local community legal clinic or municipal government office.

Landlord and Tenant Board
www.ltb.gov.on.ca

Government information on Residential Tenancies Act
www.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_1_26923_1.html

Residential Tenancies Act
www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Statutes/English/06r17_e.htm

Commercial Tenancies Act
www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Statutes/English/90l07_e.htm