Legal Aid
Legal Aid Ontario
Eligibility
- Does the CLC have staff who are qualified to handle your legal situation?
- Do you live in the area it serves?
- Are your income and assets below a certain level?
Services are for:
-People accused of a criminal offence
-Single parents seeking child support from ex-partners,
-Victims of domestic violence
-Parents seeking custody, support or access of children
-People who identify as First Nation, Métis or Inuit
-People who are experiencing mental health or addiction issues, and
-Refugees seeking Canadian immigration status, or immigrants facing deportation
Types of Legal services
1-Legal advice and representation
2-Duty counsel:(for those who arrive in criminal, family or youth courts without a lawyer)
- give you advice and information
- tell you about your rights and what you have to do
- tell you how the court process works
- in some cases, help you with your documents
- in some cases, represent you
Eligibility
Below $22,720 for a family of 1
Below $32,131 for a family of 2
Below $39,352 for a family of 3
Below $45,440 for a family of 4
Below $50,803 for a family of 5 or more
3-Legal advice and representation
- Free consultation and information
- Information and services to help you prepare for your case
- Full representation by a clinic advocate (who may be a lawyer, community legal worker or law student)
- Referral to a private practitioner, duty counsel or community agency
- Public legal education and information
- CLCs provide services in specific areas of law, such as landlord-tenant disputes, employment law, refugee and immigration law, and more.
- If you are experiencing domestic violence, and are in need of immediate help, some CLCs can help you get a free 2-hour counselling session with a lawyer through the Family Violence Authorization Program.
4-Certificate Program – representation by a lawyer
A voucher that guarantees a private practice lawyer, who accepts your case will get paid for providing you with representation for a certain number of hours
April 1, 2020 your annual gross family income and family size must meet the following requirements:
- Up-to $12,330 for a single boarder
- Up-to $18,795 for a family of 1
- Up-to $32,131 for a family of 2
- Up-to $39,352 for a family of 3
- Up-to $45,289 for a family of 4
- Up-to $50,803 for a family of 5 or more
5-Certificate Program – domestic violence cases
If you are experiencing domestic violence, you can call Legal Aid Ontario at 1-800-668-8258 and get a free 2-hour consultation with a lawyer. If you are financially eligible, you may also qualify for a Legal Aid Certificate. Your gross family income and family size as of April 1, 2020 must meet the following requirements:
- Up-to $22,270 for a family of 1
- Up-to $32,131 for a family of 2
- Up-to $39,352 for a family of 3
- Up-to $45,440 for a family of 4
- Up-to $50,803 for a family of 5 or more
6-Contribution Agreements
If your income is higher that the eligible limits, you may still be able to qualify for the Certificate Program, if:
- your income is below a second set of income levels (set out by LAO), and
- you enter into a Contribution Agreement.
A Contribution Agreement outlines how much you are to repay to LAO, based on the amount of your annual gross family income that is above the income limit. You may be required to repay some, or all of your legal fees. If LAO requires you to repay a portion of the legal costs, you will be permitted to make monthly payments.
If you do not want to sign a Contribution Agreement, or you think that the payments are too high, you will only be permitted to make a request for a review of the Agreement, under two circumstances:
- you are in debt; or
- you have high medical expenses.
How Can I Find a lawyer?
HOW DO I APPLY FOR LEGAL AID?
Call 416‑979‑1446/toll free at 1‑800‑668‑8258
Or through Bell Relay service at 1‑800‑855‑0511 from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Special Services
Aboriginal Legal Services
| Address | 211 Yonge Street, 5th floor Toronto M5B 1M4 |
| Telephone | 416-408-4041 |
| Toll-free | 1-844-633-2886 |
Advocacy Centre for Elderly
| Address | 2 Carlton Street, Suite 701 Toronto M5B 1J3 |
| Telephone | 416-598-2656 |
Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario
| Address | 55 University Avenue, Suite 1500 Toronto M5J 2H7 |
| Telephone | 416-597-5855 |
| Toll-free | 1-866-245-4182 |
ARCH Disability Law Centre
| Address | 55 University Ave., 15th Floor Toronto M5J 2H7 |
| Telephone | 416-482-8255 |
| Toll-free | 1-866-482-2724 |
Black Legal Action Centre
| Address | 720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 221 Toronto M5S 2T9 |
| Telephone | 416-597-5831 |
| Toll-free | 1-877-736-9406 |
Canadian Environmental Law Association
| Address | 55 University Ave., Suite 1500 Toronto M5J 2H7 |
| Telephone | 416-960-2284 |
Centre for Spanish-Speaking Peoples
| Address | 2141 Jane Street, 2nd Floor Toronto M3M 1A2 |
| Telephone | 416-533-8545 |
Centre Francophone De Toronto
| Address | 555 Richmond Street West suite 303H Toronto M5V3B1 |
| Telephone | 416-922-2672 |
Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic
| Address | 123 Edward Street, Suite 505 Toronto M5G 1E2. |
| Telephone | 416-971-9674 |
| Toll-free | 1-844-971-9674 |
Community Legal Education Ontario
| Address | 180 Dundas Street West, Suite 506 Toronto M5G 1Z8 |
| Telephone | 416-408-4420 |
HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO)
| Address | 55 University Ave., Suite 1400 Toronto M5J 2H7 |
| Telephone | 416-340-7790 |
| Toll-free | 1-888-705-8889 |
Income Security Advocacy Centre
| Address | 55 University Avenue, Suite 1500 Toronto M5J 2H7 |
| Telephone | 416-597-5820 |
| Toll-free | 1-866-245-4072 |
Industrial Accident Victims Group of Ontario
| Address | 55 University Ave., Suite 1500 Toronto M5J 2H7 |
| Telephone | 416-924-6477 |
| Toll-free | 1-877-230-6311 |
Injured Workers Community Legal Clinic
| Address | 815 Danforth Avenue, Suite 411 Toronto M4J 1L2 |
| Telephone | 416-461-2411 |
Justice for Children and Youth
| Address | 55 University Ave, Suite 1500 Toronto M5J 2H7 |
| Telephone | 416-920-1633 |
Landlords Self-Help Centre
| Address | 55 University Avenue, Suite 1500 Toronto M5J 2H7 |
| Telephone | 416-504-5190 |
| Toll-free | 1-800-730-3218 |
Queen’s Prison Law Clinic
| Address | 303 Bagot St., Suite 500 Kingston K7K5W7 |
| Telephone | 613-533-2102 |
South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
| Address | 45 Sheppard Ave East, Suite 106A Toronto M2N 5W9 |
| Telephone | 416-487-6371 |
Workers’ Health and Safety Legal Clinic
| Address | 180 Dundas Street West, Suite 2000 P.O. Box 4 Toronto M5G 1Z8 |
| Telephone | 416-971-8832 |
| Toll-free | 1-877-832-6090 |