Employment and financial assistance

Starting July 6, all four Employment and Social Services office hours to the public are from 10 am to 3 pm for limited counter and drop-off services at:

• 370 Catherine Street
• 100 Constellation Drive
• 2020 Walkley Road
• 2339 Ogilvie Road

Effective July 15, 2020, masks are required to be worn in enclosed public spaces at City of Ottawa facilities as per the Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law.

For all other services, staff will continue to provide telephone or email support from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday.

• Phone: Call 3-1-1, then 4 for Social Services.
• Online: For Ontario Works and Emergency Assistance.
• Existing clients can call or email their case worker.
• Ontario Works clients can use the online tool MyBenefits to get payment information, report income or change your address. For help to register, call 1-888-999-6130 or your case worker.

Social Services Hubs remain closed to the general public; activities and workshops cancelled, e.g. no income tax clinics or job-search activities.

The City’s Employment Ontario virtual services are available during COVID-19 closures.

Note: For a full list of Canada’s financial assistance programs, visit Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan.

Financial support for individuals and families

• Increasing the Canada Child Benefit
• Special Goods and Services Tax credit payment
• Extra time to file income tax returns
• Mortgage payment deferral
• Get support for families

Financial support for people facing unemployment or unable to work

• The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
• Apply for Employment Insurance

Financial support for people who are sick, quarantined, or in directed self-isolation

• The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
• Improved access to Employment Insurance sickness benefits

Financial support for seniors

• Reduced minimum withdrawals for Registered Retirement Income Funds

Financial support for students and recent graduates

• A moratorium on the repayment of Canada Student Loans
• Coming soon - Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)
• Federal government will launch a new national service initiative to support students and recent grads

Additional supports

• A new Indigenous Community Support Fund
• Enhancing the Reaching Home initiative
• Support for women’s shelters and sexual assault centres

Would you like to receive news about our programs and services through your email? If so, sign up for our Employment and Social Services e-newsletter. Each month, you will get an email with information on things like:

• Finding a job
• Workshops
• Job fairs
• Programs and services
• And more

All we need is your name (optional) and an email address. Sign up! If you no longer want to receive the newsletter, you can unsubscribe at any time.

Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP)

If you receive money from Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program or are in a lower-income home, you can save $35 to $75 on your electricity bill every month. If you pay an electricity bill directly, you can receive a monthly credit on your bill. The amount of the credit will depend on how many people live in your house and your combined household income.

You can apply for the OESP online. To learn more:

• Visit the Ontario Electricity Support website
• Call 1-855-831-8151

Did you know you might be able to get up to $2000 from the federal government to help pay for your child’s future education? The money you get will not affect your Ontario Works or ODSP payments. And you do not need to add any of your own money. To see if you qualify and to apply for the Canada Learning Bond, visit smartsaver.org.

Do you know someone who is getting money from Ontario Works that should not?

While there are many people who honestly need our help, there are some who take unfair advantage of social assistance programs. We are committed to making sure these programs are provided to those who need it the most.

If you want to report welfare fraud, the City will take you very seriously. We will investigate every case and act, where appropriate.

Who to contact if you suspect fraud?

If the person lives outside the city of Ottawa:

• Make your report online or
• Call 1-800-394-7867 or
• Email, fax or mail your report to the provincial Welfare Fraud Hotline (see bottom of online form for contact information)

If the person lives inside the city of Ottawa:

• Make your report online or
• Call 613-580-2424 ext. 14784

Staff are bound by the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. They cannot discuss the results of a fraud investigation with the person who filed the complaint.