What about income assistance from Ontario Works?

You might be able to get income assistance from Ontario Works (OW) if you have a low income or no income. Some people call this welfare.

Income assistance is money you get from OW to help pay for things you need, like housing and food.

To apply for OW, contact the nearest OW office or apply online at ontario.ca/page/social-assistance. To find the nearest OW office, call ServiceOntario at 1-800-267-8097 or 416-326-1234 in Toronto and give them your postal code. The TTY number is 1-800-268-7095 or 416-325-3408 in Toronto.

Child support payments do not affect the amount of income assistance that you get.

But getting spousal support does affect the amount of income assistance that you get. OW reduces the amount of your assistance by the amount of spousal support you get.

OW can refuse to give you assistance or can reduce or cut off your assistance if you:

might be able to get spousal support, and
do not make “reasonable efforts” to get it.

But sometimes you might not have to try to get support, for example, if you are leaving an abusive relationship. So, it is important to tell OW if your partner has abused you.

If you have a problem getting income assistance, contact a community legal clinic right away. Or if you are staying in a shelter, they may be able to help you.

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