Policy directives interpret the laws that govern Ontario's social assistance programs: Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program. Staff follow the directives when making decisions about eligibility and benefits. Policy directives explain:

• how the programs work
• supports available
• roles and responsibilities of staff and clients.

Read the directives:

• Ontario Works
• Ontario Disability Support Program
• Employment Supports
• Income Support

Read the legislation.

Section 1

• 1.1 — Overview of Ontario Works

Section 2

• 2.1 — Application Process
• 2.2 — Reapplications and Reinstatements
• 2.3 — Emergency Assistance
• 2.4 — Referral to the Ontario Disability Support Program
• 2.5 — Participation Requirements
• 2.6 — Employment Information Session
• 2.7 — Emergency Hostel Services — First Nations Delivery Agents
• 2.8 — Home Visits

Section 3

• 3.1 — Residency Requirements
• 3.2 — Residential Arrangements
• 3.3 — Co-Residency
• 3.4 — Living with Parents
• 3.5 — Applicants and Participants under 18
• 3.6 — Trusteeship
• 3.7 — Pay Direct
• 3.8 — Post Secondary Students
• 3.9 — Dependent Children
• 3.10 — Temporary Care Assistance
• 3.11 — Sponsored Immigrants
• 3.12 — Labour Disputes

Section 4

• 4.1 — Summary of Assets
• 4.2 — Asset Limits
• 4.3 — Real Property
• 4.4 — Business Assets
• 4.5 — Motor Vehicles
• 4.6 — Settlement Agreements and Other Awards
• 4.7 — Pensions, RRSPs and RESPs
• 4.8 — Life Insurance Policies
• 4.9 — Prepaid Funerals
• 4.10 — Funds Held in Trust
• 4.11 — Assignment and Transfer of Assets

Section 5

• 5.1 — Income and Exemptions
• 5.2 — Assignments
• 5.3 — Earnings Exemptions
• 5.4 — Child Care Deductions
• 5.5 — Family Support
• 5.6 — Federal and Provincial Benefits for Families with Children
• 5.7 — Gifts and Voluntary Payments
• 5.8 — Interest and Dividends
• 5.9 — Loans
• 5.10 — Subrogation
• 5.11 — Farm Income
• 5.12 — Private Child Care Income
• 5.13 — Self Employment Income

Section 6

• 6.1 — Calculating Assistance
• 6.2 — Basic Needs
• 6.3 — Shelter
• 6.4 — Board and Lodging
• 6.5 — Pregnancy and Breast-Feeding Nutritional Allowance
• 6.6 — Special Diet Allowance
• About the Special Diet Allowance
• 6.7 — Persons in Long Term Care Homes
• 6.8 — Persons in Interval and Transition Homes
• 6.9 — Persons in a Hospital
• 6.10 — Persons in Residential Programs for the Treatment of Substance Abuse
• 6.11 — Persons in Domiciliary-type Hostels
• 6.12 — Persons Detained in Custody
• 6.13 — Calculating Reduced Assistance
• 6.14 — Recovery of Transition Child Benefit
• 6.15 — Protection from Seizure or Garnishment
• 6.16 — Emergency Hostels and Shelters – Consolidated Municipal Service Managers (CMSMs) and District Social Services Administration Boards (DSSABs)

Section 7

• 7.1 — Summary of Benefits
• 7.2 — Health Benefits
• 7.3 — Extended Health Benefits
• 7.4 — Employment and Participation Benefits
• 7.5 — Housing-Related Benefits
• 7.6 — Transition Child Benefit
• 7.7 — Other Benefits
• 7.8 — Assistive Devices

Section 8

• 8.1 — Early Employment Supports
• 8.2 — Learning, Earning and Parenting (LEAP)
• 8.3 — Literacy Screening, Assessment and Training
• 8.4 — Addiction Services Initiative (ASI)
• 8.5 — Employment Placements
• 8.6 — Community Placements
• 8.7 — Child Care Supports

Section 9

• 9.1 — Reviewing Eligibility
• 9.2 — Absence from Ontario
• 9.3 — Recovery of Overpayments
• 9.4 — Overpayments Due to Excess Assets
• 9.5 — Sharing of Overpayments Between Spouses
• 9.6 — Overpayment Transfer
• 9.7 — Controlling Fraud

Section 10

• 10.1 — Notice and Internal Review Process
• 10.2 — Appeal Process
• 10.3 — Recovery of Interim Assistance

Section 11

• 11.1 — Delivery Standards
• 11.2 — Delegations of Authority
• 11.3 — Cost Sharing
• 11.4 — Statutory Declarations and Affidavits
• 11.5 — Information Sharing

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Preamble

• Preamble

Introduction

• 1.1 — Introduction to ODSP Employment Supports

Application/Eligibility

• 2.1 — Program Eligibility

Service Delivery

• 3.1 — Client Pathway

Eligible Goods and Services

• 4.1 — Job Development and Placement
• 4.2 — Job Retention and Advancement
• 4.3 — Exceptional Work-Related Disability Supports
• 4.4 — Self Employment Supports
• 4.5 — Non-Eligible Goods and Services

Funding

• 5.1 — Employment Supports Funding

Program Management

• 6.1 — Client Progress and Cancellation/Suspension of Supports
• 6.2 — Internal Review and Regional Dispute Resolution
• 6.4 — Performance Measures and Information Reporting
• 6.5 — Workplace Accident Insurance Coverage
• 6.6 — Subrogation

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Preamble

1. Applying for Income Support

• 1.1 — Applications
• 1.2 — Disability Adjudication Process
• 1.3 — Rapid Reinstatement
• 1.4 — Date of Grant
• 1.5 — Exceptional Circumstances for Issuing Paper Cheques

2. Eligibility Requirements: Who Is Eligible

• 2.1 — Who is Eligible: Dependent Adults
• 2.2 — Who is Eligible: Dependent Children
• 2.3 — Spouse
• 2.4 — Absent from Ontario
• 2.5 — Tourists, Immigrants, Refugees and Deportees
• 2.6 — Incarceration
• 2.7 — People Involved in Labour Disputes
• 2.8 — Participation Requirements for Non-Disabled Adult Dependents
• 2.9 — Medical Reviews

3. Documentation Requirements

• 3.1 — Reviewing Eligibility
• 3.2 — Statutory Declarations

4. Assets

• 4.1 — Definition and Treatment of Assets
• 4.2 — Real Property
• 4.3 — Liens (pdf)
• 4.4 — Transfer of Assets for Inadequate Consideration
• 4.5 — Motor Vehicles
• 4.6 — Compensation Awards
• 4.7 — Funds Held in Trust
• 4.8 — Life Insurance Policies
• 4.9 — Pre-paid Funerals
• 4.10 — Registered Disability Savings Plans

5. Income

• 5.1 — Definition and Treatment of Income
• 5.2 — Assignment of Retroactive Income
• 5.3 — Deductions from Employment and Training Income
• 5.4 — Self Employment Income
• 5.5 — Child Care Deductions
• 5.6 — Private Home Day Care Provider
• 5.7 — Farm Income
• 5.8 — Gifts and Voluntary Payments
• 5.9 — Disability-Related Items and Services
• 5.10 — Loans
• 5.11 — Post-Secondary Education
• 5.12 — Mortgage Receivable
• 5.13 — Adoption Subsidy
• 5.14 — Treatment of Federal and Provincial Benefits for Families with Children
• 5.15 — Spousal and Child Support
• 5.16 — Income Support Protected from Seizure or Garnishment
• 5.17 — Subrogation
• 5.18 — Exemption of earnings of post-secondary students

6. Calculation of Income Support

• 6.1 — Basic Needs Calculation
• 6.2 — Shelter Calculation
• 6.3 — Board and Lodge
• 6.4 — Special Diet Allowance
• About the Special Diet Allowance
• 6.5 — Pregnancy/Breast-feeding Nutritional Allowance

7. Extension of Income Support

• 7.1 — Extension of Income Support
• 7.2 — Death of a Recipient

8. Recipients in Institutional Settings

• 8.1 — Budgetary Requirements for Recipients Living in Residences Providing Specialized Care
• 8.2 — Treatment of Budgetary Requirements - Temporary Stays in a Hospital or Substance Abuse Recovery Home
• 8.3 — Special Items for Residents in Chronic Care
• 8.4 — Travel and Transportation Allowances for Recipients in Charitable Institutions
• 8.5 — Budgetary Requirements for Applicants/Recipients Residing in Interval or Transition Homes

9. Benefits

• 9.1 — Employment and Training Start Up Benefit and up Front Child Care Costs
• 9.2 — Community Start Up and Maintenance Benefit Removed effective January 1, 2013
• 9.3 — Heating Costs
• 9.4 — Home Repairs Removed effective January 1, 2013
• 9.5 — Utilities
• 9.6 — Assistive Devices
• 9.7 — Dental Benefits
• 9.8 — Drug Benefits
• 9.9 — Guide Dog Benefit
• 9.10 — Extended Health Benefit
• 9.11 — Hearing Aids
• 9.12 — Mandatory Special Necessities
• 9.13 — Mobility Devices Batteries and Repairs
• 9.14 — Vision Care Benefits
• 9.15 — Back-to-School and Winter Clothing Allowance Removed effective July 2008
• 9.16 — Discretionary Benefit For Low-Cost Energy-Conservation Measures
• 9.17 — Employment Transition Benefit
• 9.18 — Work-Related Benefit
• 9.19 — Transitional Health Benefit
• 9.20 — Transition Child Benefit

10. Trustees and Pay Direct

• 10.1 — Pay Direct
• 10.2 — Trustees

11. Recovery of Funds

• 11.1 — Recovery of Overpayments
• 11.2 — Overpayments Due to Excess Assets
• 11.3 — Spouse's Overpayment
• 11.4 — Portability of Overpayment

12. Fraud And Information Sharing

• 12.1 — Controlling Fraud
• 12.2 — Information Sharing Authority

13. Internal Reviews And Appeals

• 13.1 — Notice of Decision and Internal Review Process
• 13.2 — Appeals
• 13.3 — Recovery of Interim Assistance

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