Temporary service changes due to COVID-19
Last updated: August 13, 2020
As part of our response to the COVID-19 emergency, all of our office locations, including those in courthouses, are closed until further notice.
We continue to provide legal aid services via telephone only. Call us at:
- Toll-free: 1-800-668-8258
- GTA: 416-979-1446
- Bell Relay: 1-800-855-0511
To help people at high risk during this public health crisis, we’ve made a number of service changes.
Qualifying for legal aid certificates
Until further notice, eligibility requirements will be waived for legal aid applications for the following matters:
- Criminal defence certificates for in‑custody accused (excluding homicide)
- Urgent Child, Youth, and Family Services Act (CYFSA) matters
- Family court assistance, including initial and motion to change proceedings, for individuals experiencing domestic violence.
- Psychiatric patients seeking help with Consent and Capacity Board (CCB) and Ontario Review Board (ORB) matters.
To apply for legal aid call:
- Toll-free: 1-800-668-8258
- GTA: 416-979-1446
- Bell Relay: 1-800-855-0511
If your legal issue is not listed on this page, LAO’s regular financial eligibility rules apply.
Free legal advice over the phone
Until further notice, eligibility requirements be will be waived for up to 20 minutes of free legal advice over the phone for:
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A family law matter, including issues involving a Children’s Aid Society.
Call 1-800-668-8258 (toll-free) to access this service.
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In-custody accused people with an upcoming criminal court date (within four days) who do not have a lawyer. A lawyer will be called for the in‑custody accused person at the police department.
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Out-of-custody accused people who do not have a lawyer.
Call 1-800-668-8258 (toll-free) to access this service. Your information will be taken by an agent and a lawyer will call you back within 48 hours to provide legal information and advice.
Services for people accused of a crime
Until further notice, eligibility requirements will be waived for:
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Legal aid applications for criminal defence certificates for in‑custody accused people (excluding homicide). Access to this service will be made available at the police station.
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Up to 20 minutes of free legal advice over the phone for in‑custody accused people with an upcoming criminal court date (within four days) who do not have a lawyer. A lawyer will be called for the in‑custody accused person at the police department. Call 1-800-668-8258 (toll-free) to access this service.
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Up to 20 minutes of free legal advice over the phone for out-of-custody accused people who do not have a lawyer.
Call 1-800-668-8258 (toll-free) to access this service. Your information will be taken by an agent and a lawyer will call you back within 48 hours to provide legal information and advice.
Important notice: You have the right to information about your case (this is called disclosure).
Contact us at 1-800-668-8258 (toll-free) to find out if you qualify for a government-funded lawyer to represent you.
If you do not have a lawyer representing you, either because you don’t qualify for legal aid, or because you have not retained a lawyer using your own money, or because you choose to represent yourself, you can follow these steps to obtain information about your case:
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Call or email the Crown Attorney’s office where you were charged.
Click here for contact information for Crown Attorney offices across the province.
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Let them know that you are a self-represented accused, and ask for:
- Your Crown Screening Form
- An appointment with an assistant crown attorney to discuss your case
When you contact the Crown Attorney’s office, be prepared to provide:
- Your full name
- Your date of birth
- A list of your charges
- The police occurrence number (found on your release papers)
- Your contact info: telephone number, email*, and home address
You may be asked to provide identification or other information to confirm your identity.
*Please make sure to tell the person you speak with if your email account is not private or secure so they know not to send you sensitive information about your case via email.
If you have a lawyer, contact them and stay in touch to make sure that you are aware of all future court dates, new disclosure materials received, and other details of your case.
Domestic violence
Until further notice, eligibility requirements will be waived for anyone experiencing domestic violence that needs the following legal aid services:
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A legal aid certificate to pay for a family lawyer.
To apply for legal aid call:
- Toll-free: 1-800-668-8258
- GTA: 416-979-1446
- Bell Relay: 1-800-855-0511
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Up to two hours of free legal advice and referrals.
Call your local shelter or community legal clinic for more information.
Other sources of help:
- Luke’s Place is a community agency that helps improve the safety and experience of abused women and their children. (Safety planning)
- ShelterSafe will help you find the nearest shelter that will provide safety and support.
- Assaulted Women’s Hotline offers a 24‑hour telephone crisis line to all woman who have experienced abuse.
- Family Court Support Worker program provides direct support to victims of domestic violence who are involved in the family court process.
- Steps to Justice has COVID‑19 related family law information to help you understand your rights and options.
- Barbara Schlifer Commemorative Clinic offers legal, counselling and interpretation services to marginalized women who have survived violence.
- Law Society of Ontario offers 30 minutes of free legal advice to help determine whether a family law matter is urgent. Call their emergency family law telephone line at 1‑800‑268‑7568 (toll‑free) to access this help.
Mental health
Until further notice, anyone in a mental health facility qualifies for free legal help with:
- Consent and Capacity Board (CCB) matters
- Ontario Review Board (ORB) matters
Individuals or members of their care team can call 1‑800‑668‑8258 to apply for legal aid.
You may speak with a Rights Advisor from the Psychiatric Patient Rights Advocate Office (PPAO) for help to apply for legal aid. Rights Advisors are now providing help via telephone only. Visit the PPAO website for contact information.
Refugee and immigration
In recognition of the high risk that COVID‑19 poses to detained people, until further notice immigration law services have been expanded in the following ways:
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LAO’s Immigration Duty Counsel Program now provides legal representation at immigration detention hearings at all provincial detention centres, except Ottawa and Kingston. Please call the immigration and refugee law office nearest to the detention centre for more information.
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Legal representation by staff lawyers is available for immigration detention hearings in Ottawa and Kingston by request (613-569-7448 (local) or 1-800-348-0006 (toll-free)).
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Representation at a detention hearing continues to be available from private lawyers acting on a legal aid certificate.
LAO’s immigration and refugee law offices are currently operating Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., by phone only.
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Toronto office
(serving the GTA, except Hamilton and Oshawa)
Toronto: 416-977-8111
Toll-free: 1-855-854-8111 -
Hamilton office
(serving Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, Niagara Region, London, Windsor)
Hamilton: 905-528-0134 ext. 13
Toll-free: 1-877-449-4003 ext. 13 -
Ottawa office
(serving Eastern Ontario, including Ottawa and Kingston)
Ottawa: 613-569-7448
Toll-free: 1-800-348-0006
Learn more about how to get free legal help for detention review hearings.
Services for people in jail or prison
In recognition of the high risk that COVID‑19 poses to detained people, the following service changes are now in place to help lower the number of people in jail or prison.
Your lawyer may now apply for:
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A legal aid certificate if you are detained in jail prior to trial (held on remand)
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A legal aid certificate if you are incarcerated (a person found guilty and serving sentences) and qualify for temporary absence permits (TAPs).
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A legal aid certificate if you are incarcerated and are eligible for emergency early release.
Social assistance, income support, and employment insurance issues
Community legal clinics funded by LAO continue to operate across the province, providing legal representation and support to resolve legal issues with:
- Social assistance (e.g., Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP))
- Income support (e.g., Ontario Works (OW), Canada Child Benefit, Ontario Child Benefit)
- Employment insurance (EI)
- Canada Emergency Response Benefit
- Oher forms of emergency assistance
Notice: Each clinic sets its own business hours so you must call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Find the closest legal clinic to you.
Visit the following websites for the latest information about COVID-19 support programs:
- Steps to Justice for information about income support programs.
- Government of Ontario website for provincial support programs.
- Government of Canada website for federal support programs.
Tenant and landlord issues
Community legal clinics funded by LAO continue to operate across the province providing legal representation and support to resolve legal issues, including:
- If you are unable to pay your rent during the COVID‑19 crisis
- Temporary changes to residential rental rules and processes
- Evictions
Notice: Each clinic sets its own business hours so you must call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Find the closest legal clinic to you.
Landlord and Tenant Board hearings
If you have received a ‘Notice of Hearing’ from the Landlord and Tenant Board, you can call your local legal clinic or contact Tenant Duty Counsel by registering at www.tdc.acto.ca.
Tenant duty counsel is a lawyer that provides legal assistance on the day of their hearing at the Landlord and Tenant Board to tenants that do not have a lawyer. People facing eviction are given priority.
More information:
- Government of Ontario temporary changes to residential rental rules and processes and how landlords and tenants can get help.
- Steps to Justice: COVID-19 housing information
- Landlords with questions about what happens if tenants are unable to pay rent during the COVIDÑ19 crisis can contact the Landlord’s Self Help Centre at 1‑800‑730‑3218.
Important notice: Although financial eligibility requirements are temporarily waived for some of our services during the COVID‑19 crisis, LAO will still ask you to provide information about your financial circumstances (e.g., earnings and assets) in order to complete your legal aid application. This financial information will help us to assess and monitor recent service changes; it will not affect your application.
Relief for clients with contribution agreements
To help ease the financial burden that clients may be experiencing due to the COVID‑19 emergency, LAO will provide temporary relief for clients with contribution agreements in place.
The following options are available until further notice:
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You may postpone monthly contribution payments in three month increments without a financial reassessment.
For example, if your request is approved in July, you won’t have to make a monthly contribution payment until October. Before your October contribution payment is due, you may request to postpone payment for another three months.
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If your contribution agreement with LAO includes a lien in place, you can request any of the following options:
- To have the interest on the existing debt waived in three month increments.
- To have the lien postponed without negotiation, to support re‑financing.
These accommodations are only available to clients who have an existing contribution agreement in place with LAO.
To qualify, you MUST request this temporary relief by calling 1-800-668-8258 Monday to Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Help is available in over 300 languages.
Courts and tribunals
Some courthouses have resumed in‑person hearings. Before you go, please check to see if the courthouse you need to go to is open and complete the COVID‑19 courthouse screening assessment. Your result will tell you if you can or cannot enter the courthouse. If you are told you cannot enter, you will get information about what to do next.
The Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice, and the Court of Appeal for Ontario will also continue to hear matters via phone, video conferencing, or in writing (for appeals only) as not all courthouses are open or are restricting entry.
Tribunals Ontario (Social Justice Division) has postponed all in‑person hearings until further notice.
The Consent and Capacity Board and Ontario Review Board (mental health tribunals) continue to hear some matters via phone or video conferencing.
Please visit the website of the court or tribunal scheduled to hear your matter for more information.
Government supports for individuals and families
You may be eligible to receive temporary benefits, including financial help, from the Government of Canada through one or more of their programs for individuals and families affected by the COVID‑19 outbreak. Specific programs are available for Indigenous people, women and children fleeing violence, people experiencing homelessness, seniors, and students.
The Government of Ontario is also offering financial, mental health and other supports during COVID‑19, including emergency short‑term financial relief for eligible individuals.
Related Services
Criminal legal issues
Charged with a crime that could send you to jail? Going to court without a lawyer? Charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act?
Domestic Violence
Abuse is never ok. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, we may be able to provide you with legal advice or representation.
Family legal issues
Do you want to separate from your partner? Need to decide custody, support or access? Contacted by Children’s Aid?
Mental health legal issues
Need legal help with a mental health hearing or appeal? Are you being held in a psychiatric facility?
Refugee and immigration legal issues
Want to apply for refugee status? Need help completing your Basis of Claim form? Was your refugee claim rejected?
Legal clinics
Were you denied Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support? Need help with income supports such as pension? Being evicted?
How do I apply for legal aid?
You can call us at 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.