Ontario Works (OW) assistance is meant to help you with your day-to-day needs, such as rent, food, clothing, and prescription drugs.

OW assistance is for people who need money because:

• they cannot find work,
• they are temporarily unable to work,
• they are earning so little that they qualify for assistance, or
• they are applying to the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and they need assistance while waiting for disability benefits to begin.

There are rules about who can get OW assistance and what you must do to keep getting it.

If you speak French

You may have the right to get your OW-related government services in French.

If you are appealing a decision about your right to social assistance from OW, this could mean that you have the right to a hearing before a French-speaking member of the Social Benefits Tribunal, as well as other French language services.

To find out more about your language rights, ask a lawyer or a community legal clinic. See Social Assistance > Where to get help.