Emergency Assistance

If you are in a crisis or emergency, you may apply for temporary financial support. A crisis or an emergency could be:

  • Are being evicted from your home
  • Are in or are leaving an abusive relationship
  • Are worried about your safety
  • Health-related crisis
  • Death in your immediate family
  • Fire
  • Flood
  • Theft

If you are eligible for emergency assistance, the amount you get will depend on your situation.

You are not eligible if you are getting assistance from Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program.

Before you begin

Submit only one application for you and your immediate family. Make sure all family members living with you are included in your application.

Important:  While we encourage you to apply online, there are exceptions to the online application where you must apply by phone. Be sure to review the ‘Apply’ section before you start your application.

Eligibility

You might be eligible for Emergency Assistance if you:

  • Live in Ontario (and are not a visitor or a tourist) 
  • Are in a crisis or emergency

What you need

You will be asked basic personal and financial information for you and your family members:

  • Date(s) of birth
  • Documents confirming you live in Ontario (and are not a visitor or a tourist) 
  • Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) number
  • Social Insurance Number (SIN)
  • Housing costs (rent/mortgage, heat and other utilities)
  • Income (any money you receive from a job, EI, WSIB etc.)
  • Assets (anything you own such as a bank account, vehicle, RRSP, etc.)

Apply

Depending on your situation, you will either apply by phone or online.  Be sure to follow the right path! 

Phone

If you meet any of the following criteria, call the City to apply:

  • Do not have a Canadian social insurance number (SIN), email address or phone number
  • Require an interpreter
  • Are under the age of 18 and not living with your parent(s)
How to apply to City

Call 3-1-1 to apply and select:

  • 1 for English, 2 for French
  • 4 for Community and Social Services
  • 3 for Ontario Works
  • TTY Line 1-800-855-0511

If the above criteria do not apply to you, you can apply

Online

Start your online application.

What's next

A Case Worker will contact you within 4 business days to review your application. They may ask you to provide more information to verify your application, like copies of bills or other documents.

If no other information is required, they may tell you if your application has been approved and how much you can expect to receive.

If your application is approved, we may issue a payment right away. If you provided your bank information, you may get a payment in your bank account within two business days. If you did not provide your bank information, you can expect a cheque in the mail in seven business days.

Contact

For more information:

Call 3-1-1 to apply and select:

  • 1 for English, 2 for French
  • 4 for Community and Social Services
  • 3 for Ontario Works
  • TTY Line 1-800-855-0511

Employment and Social Services Centres are open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm: