Ontario Works
Program Overview:
Ontario Works (formerly General Welfare Assistance) is a municipal program, administered through your local Social Services under the authority of the provincial Ontario Works program. Each municipality is different, although there are many similarities from one region to another. OW offers basic monthly financial assistance to people who have immediate financial need. OW is short-term assistance with the goal to helping people back to work or retraining. OW is an “asset-tested” program – you must demonstrate you have immediate financial need and no available financial resources.
Qualifying Criteria:
In order to be eligible for Ontario Works, you must verify that you have very limited liquid assets (savings, stocks, bonds, RRSPs, etc) or other sources of income (employment income, Employment Insurance, rental income, etc), and/or the income from all sources is less than your needs according to a budget limit established by Ontario Works. When you apply for OW you will need to verify information related to your previous income, housing/rental charges, family size, all your liquid and acquired assets, plus any other large assets. You may need to provide information for several months, even the last couple of years to determine your eligibility.
Definition of Disability:
Ontario Works has 3 categories of assistance:
- Employable: those folks who have no barriers to obtaining employment and can actively participate in employment-search related activities
- “Restrictions to Participate” – for those you have a temporary barrier to their job search such as temporary ill health or caring for an ill family member
- Disabled – people who have a permanent barrier to employment due to ill health, and will probably be applying for Ontario Disability Support Program
For both Restrictions to Participate and Disabled category, your physician will be required to complete a medical form. The definition of disability varies for each.
Waiting Period:
Once you have completed an intake (done either over the phone and/or in person) and provided all necessary supporting information (income, assets, eligibility for other government programs, family size, housing/rental charges, health information), the first payment is usually received within 3-4 working days. Ontario Works will monitor your on-going eligibility and entitlement.
Payment Amount:
The monthly entitlement is determine on two calculations – a basic allowance to cover primary needs (food, clothing, other needs) and a shelter allowance (rent, mortgage, utilities, taxes) to a maximum amount. The entitlement increases with the size of the family unit.
Other Benefits:
- Ontario Drug Benefits Card that covers medications listed in the Ontario Drug Benefits formulary
- Limited dental benefits for dependent children
- Discretionary Costs for such needs as dentures, vision coverage, funeral and burial costs, transportation allowance, special diet allowance, employment start up costs, and some necessary health benefits. Check with your local Ontario Works program to learn of specifics
Tips/suggestions:
- Have as much information related to your income, assets and housing charges as possible, for as long back as possible
- If you feel you are permanently disabled, tell OW at the time of your intake that you wish to apply for Ontario Disability Support Program. The OW worker will give you the medical package to apply for ODSP
- You can work when you are receiving OW – you must declare your earnings and an amount will be deducted off your cheque
- There are many changes coming to the OW program regarding employment supports, training programs, earnings, drug benefits coverage, assets and case management – speak to your worker or look on the website for more changes
- Local OW offices can be found in the Blue pages of your phone book, and your City Councillor may be a source of information
Contact information:
Find out more information on the Ontario government website: www.gov.on.ca
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