COVID-19 Information and Resources
CALC is available to help you by phone or email ONLY, during regular business hours. Please continue to contact us for help with your legal problem. However, until further notice, you cannot visit our office and we cannot see you in person.
Here are some key links to resources and more information about COVID-19:
NEW – CALC hosting “Virtual Workshops”:
May 29 – Income Security
June 10 – Workers’ Rights – Registration TBA
June 17 – CLEO webinar (CALC is a presenter) – Remote Help for Legal Problems
Still To Be Scheduled – Sexual harassment, Housing
Legal information
Steps to Justice – COVID-19 – Provides practical answers to the important questions that people are asking about the law relating to the COVID-19 situation. They are also sharing updates about changes to government programs and court services. (See button on sidebar.)
Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) – LAO’s COVID-19 update on their client services (family, criminal and immigration law)
- LAO’s changes to summary advice services due to COVID-19 – LAO waiving financial eligibility requirements for summary legal advice. Legal eligibility requirements remain in place.
Government income replacement and emergency assistance programs
Steps to Justice – COVID-19 Income Assistance
CALC Tip Sheets
- List of Available Benefits During COVID-19 – updated May 21, 2020
- Infographic on Financial Resources – updated May 5, 2020
Income Security Advocacy Center (ACTO) – Accessing Income Support in wake of COVID-19
Social assistance (Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support)
Hastings County Community and Human Services (Ontario Works/Social Housing) and Prince Edward, Lennox & Addington Social Services – offer local emergency financial assistance and special COVID-19 support for singles ($100) and families ($200) on Ontario Works or Ontario Disability. If you received this benefit in March or April, it should continue automatically for May, June and July (“if you still qualify”). If you did not get a benefit in March or April you must apply for it. Those on Ontario Works should apply by calling their caseworker. Those on Ontario Disability should call 1-888-444-2412 or apply by email ODSP.EmergencyBenefit@ontario.ca.
- Infographic on the OW/ODSP emergency benefit – from Hamilton Community Legal Clinic
- Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services – COVID-19 supports for those currently on Ontario Works or Ontario Disability, also has link to apply for benefits
- Fact Sheet on COVID-19 and social assistance – From Connecting Ottawa
Provincial assistance programs
Ontario’s Action Plan – List of Benefits
- Support for families – One-time payments of $200/child up to age 12 and $250/child up to age of 21 with special needs – submit applications online
- Support for low-income seniors, doubling the GAINS payment
Federal assistance programs
Canada’s COVID-19 List of Income Supports Available – includes links to apply – benefits include the CERB, Canada Child Benefit extra payment, GST extra payment, etc.
- Find Financial Help During COVID-19 – NEW gov’t of Canada site
- Canada Benefits Finder – not sure what benefits you qualify for? Check here
- How to apply for the CERB – fact sheet from Connecting Ottawa (see also their FAQ) – you must re-apply every 4 weeks
- Employment and Social Development Canada – EI and other federal programs
- Support for Students, including Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) – details on CESB
Housing issues
Steps to Justice – COVID -19 Housing Law
Renting: Changes during COVID-19 – temporary changes to residential rental rules and where to get help (for landlords and tenants)
Information for Landlords:
Employment and work
Steps to Justice – COVID-19 Employment and Work
Workers’ Health and Safety Legal Clinic (WHSLC) – WHSLC tip sheet on “Frequently Asked COVID-19 Workplace Health and Safety Questions”
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) – WSIB COVID-19 update page
Consumer and debt issues
Steps to Justice – COVID-19 Consumer and Debt Rights
Consumer Protection Ontario – report price gouging related to COVID-19
Ontario electricity cost relief
Ontario student loan repayment deferral
COVID-19 Fraud – be aware of scams
Family law
Steps to Justice – COVID-19 Family Law
Legal Aid Ontario – Family law page
Legal Aid – Duty Counsel information
National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP) – COVID-19 resources for self-represented litigants
Law Society of Ontario – COVID-19 response page – includes information about their Emergency Family Law Referral Telephone line (1-800-268-7568) for people who are self-represented and trying to determine whether or not their family court matter meets criteria to be heard by the Court on an “urgent” basis and how to make their request.
Other
ARCH Disability Law Centre – COVID-19 and Disability: Recommendations to the Canadian Government from Disability Related Organizations in Canada – March 24, 2020
ServiceOntario Centre Closures – list of offices open or closed
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) – The CICB continues to hold hearings by teleconference or in writing. Limitation periods are suspended retroactive to March 16, 2020. In-person service counters closed until further notice.
Ontario Small Claims Court (SCC) – All SCC operations suspended except for urgent matters (which will be heard by telephone or video conference) – Effective May 4/20, counter service is suspended and you can no longer file in person but must file online.
Advice for Non-Profits and Startups – call the Pro Bono Ontario Legal Advice Hotline, toll-free 1-855-255-7256 (all in-person help suspended)
Justice for Children and Youth – legal clinic for low-income children and youth in Toronto and vicinity – COVID-19 update page with infographics and links
Steps to Justice – COVID-19 Criminal Law
Steps to Justice – COVID-19 Immigration and Refugee
Income taxes – those eligible can file by phone (you should have received a letter in mid-February), you can also check the Volunteer Income Tax Program for help available near you. See below for local help in our service area.
Local information/resources
COVID-19 website by Todd Smith, MPP, Bay of Quinte – for Bay of Quinte residents and business operators – one-stop online support directory, providing up-to-date, comprehensive information about COVID-19 assistance offered by the provincial and federal governments – you can also sign up for email updates
Daryl Kramp, MPP, Hastings-Lennox & Addington – some info on his main website
COVID-19 Database of Community Services – from Volunteer Information Quinte – search for information on food programs, counselling services, transportation, etc.
United Way Hastings and Prince Edward – lists of resources, grocery info, groceries for seniors
Find Support During COVID-19 – enter your postal code to find supports in your area, from the Ontario Community Support Association
Free wifi internet access from Shaw – look for the Shaw Go network on your device, you can connect without a login or Shaw ID
- Free wifi is also available in the parking lots of local public libraries.
Local help for filing income tax:
- Morningstar Mission – help in Napanee – call 613-354-6355
- Abigail’s Learning Centre – help in Belleville, simple returns, current year only, by appointment – call 613-961-1884 and leave a message
- Prince Edward Learning Centre – help in Prince Edward County, call Ellis at 613-476-1811, ext 4 or email taxes@pelc.ca
Local COVID-19 updates by cities/towns in our service area:
- Amherstview/Loyalist Township
- Bancroft: Bancroft Help, “Who To Call” list, Bancroft Family Health Team,
- Belleville: Lunch Program
- Deseronto: Meals on Wheels to Seniors M-W-F from CCSH (only $3.00 for Deseronto residents, also grocery shopping/delivery service available for seniors in Deseronto or Tyendinaga Township)
- Madoc Township
- Marmora
- Napanee
- Prince Edward County: PEC Helpline; Services from Community Care for Seniors 613-476-7493
- Quinte West: QW Community Resources
- Tweed
Health information
Hastings and Prince Edward Health Unit
Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health (KFL&A)
Ontario Virtual Care Clinic – connect to an on-call doctor today by video or audio during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have a family doctor, please seek care from them first. This service does not replace usual care.
Ontario Government – COVID-19 information, including count of cases in Ontario
Government of Canada – COVID-19 information – updates on numbers of confirmed cases, an FAQ, and links to resources such as prevention & risks page
- Canada COVID-19 Support App – from Health Canada, available on web and as a mobile app (available at app store or google play).
- Cleaning/disinfecting tips from Health Canada
World Health Organization – COVID-19 information and updates
Mental health resources
Addictions and Mental Health Services, Hastings Prince Edward – local pandemic hotline open 9:00 am-6:00 pm, 7 days a week, 613-967-4737
Help Line for Indigenous People – Hope for Wellness – 1-855-242-3310, 24 hrs/day, 7 days/week or use the chatline on their website – counselling available in many languages
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) – Mental health resources
Mental Health Commission – Mental health and wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic
Press releases
Tribunals Ontario – Press releases outlining eviction order suspensions, postponement of in-person hearings