Community Legal Clinic
71 Colborne St E, PO Box 275 L3V 6J6 Orillia, ON, Canada

Road and weather conditions are quickly deteriorating in @cityofbarrie and the surrounding area. The Barrie Police Service is asking the public to refrain from any unnecessary travel until the storm passes in order to allow road crews to clear the accumulating snow. #SeeSnowGoSlow

Residential evictions are temporarily halted ***but eviction hearings are still proceeding during this time***! https://www.orilliamatters.com//covid-19-ontario-temporari

Ontario government child, youth and student funding (February 8, 2021 application deadline). Apply here: https://www.iaccess.gov.on.ca/SupportForLearn//index.xhtml

Ontario government announces off-peak hydro rate cut, one-time payments for older students. https://news.ontario.ca//safer-at-home-programs-provide-re

This afternoon’s fire on Mary St. is now being in investigated by detectives form the Barrie Police Service Criminal Investigation Division. Anyone with video surveillance of 2 people wearing dark jackets & walking on Mary St. between 1:15- 1:45pm, please email [email protected].

Our telephones are not working. We apologize for the inconvenience. We are working on getting them up and running as soon as possible. Please note that all our satellite offices in Simcoe County are closed to walk-ins and all other face-to-face appointments until further notice. However, appointments at our main office in Orillia are available if your matter is of an urgent nature. If you need assistance, please use the contact form on our website. Thank you for your patience during this difficult time. https://www.communitylegalclinic.ca/contact-us/

Unfortunately, our phone lines are down. We are working on getting them back up and running as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

The Support for Learners payments are intended to assist families with children with additional education-related expenses during COVID-19 and are available whether children are enrolled in school or not. Parents can receive $200 for children 0-12, or $250 for children/youth up to 21 with special needs. The deadline to apply is 15 January 2021. https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-support-learners

Community Legal Clinic Simcoe, Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes provides legal advice to the residents of Simcoe County, Haliburton County, and the City of Kawartha Lakes. If you have experienced workplace sexual harassment, would like to obtain more information about the issue, or are interested in a workshop for your group, please call us at 1-800-461-8953 Ext. 0. The content of this video is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice of any kind.... No one should act, or refrain from acting, based solely upon the contents of this video, or any related links, without first seeking appropriate legal advice. We acknowledge the financial support of the Department of Justice Canada. Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Video: https://youtu.be/_CbFEzZ8s04B

Learn about Canada's three new recovery benefits: the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), Canada Recovery Sick Benefit (CRSB), and Canada Recovery Caregiver Benefit (CRCB). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wgks_rBfr0&t

Join Dress for Success on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. EST to learn how to build confidence during your job search and be your best self during interviews.

Purchase a Fearless Females calendar to support the women and families of Couchiching Jubilee House!

HumanRights101: A user-friendly updated half-hour eCourse on human rights to help you at work, where you receive services and in housing. http://bit.ly/2IcCQXw #OHRCHumanRights101

RENT FREEZE 2021 The government has passed legislation to freeze rent at 2020 levels for most residential tenants. This means rent increases are prohibited from January 1 2021 to December 31 2021, with some exceptions. If your landlord tries to raise your rent, call the legal clinic for guidance at 1-800-461-8953 x34. See the government website for details: https://www.ontario.ca/page/residential-rent-increases... See the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario commentary: https://www.acto.ca/ontarios-rent-freeze-bill204/

"Thousands of Ontario’s renters are at risk of imminent eviction as winter looms and COVID-19 cases climb, legal experts warn, as chaotic virtual hearings and new rules hurt the most vulnerable." https://www.nationalobserver.com//ontario-tenants-online-e

THE FACE OF JUSTICE DENIED "For disabled Ontarians, this can now mean waiting up to 18 months for a Tribunal determination of their entitlement to benefits; at the Landlord and Tenant Board, mismanagement of an application backlog is now forcing hundreds of tenants across the province into rushed telephone or video eviction hearings, often with insufficient notice and limited access to duty counsel; for individuals who have experienced discrimination, the final resolution of their claims can now take years. This is not how tribunal justice was delivered in Ontario before the current Government was elected in 2018." https://tribunalwatch.files.wordpress.com//hrto-statement-

Please sign the petition to try and stop unsafe evictions at this time.

I got the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) but did not qualify. What can I do? Learn more at: https://stepstojustice.ca//i-got-canada-emergency-response

Ontario's eviction ban is being lifted on August 4, 2020 and the law has recently changed as well. Call the legal clinic at 1-800-461-8953 for information specific to your situation. Be sure to seek legal advice before agreeing to a repayment plan for rent owing (because not following the terms could lead to you being evicted without having an eviction hearing).

An order of knights cover the top 25 ways that employers can start preventing sexual harassment at work! Can you guess which methods are likely to work in reality and which ones are terrible advice? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QepF5eiaFps&feature=youtu.be

If you got the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) when you should not have, the government says you'll have to pay it back. When the CERB was first introduced, the government accepted most applications without checking to make sure that people were eligible. Now they're planning to do this. https://mailchi.mp/cleo./on-the-radar-paying-back-the-cerb

COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program provides one-time, on-bill credit to eligible customers to help them catch up on their energy bills and resume regular payments.

COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) On June 1, 2020, the Government of Ontario confirmed that it is making $9 million available for the COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), to support residential customers struggling to pay their energy bills as a result of the COVID-19 emergency. CEAP provides a one time, on-bill credit to eligible residential electricity and natural gas customers to help them catch up on their energy bills and resume regular payments. The on-bi...ll CEAP credit covers half of the charges that are past due, up to a pre-set maximum amount. The program is being delivered by electricity distributors, gas distributors and unit sub-meter providers (USMPs). Utilities and USMPs will begin accepting applications for CEAP on July 13, 2020. CEAP Eligibility Criteria Customer is not in arrears prior to March 17, 2020 Customer is unemployed and has received Employment Insurance or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) since March 17, 2020 Customer has not received emergency financial assistance for their electricity bills under the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) in 2020, and has not received funding under the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) in 2020 Eligible electricity customers may qualify for a one-time CEAP credit for half of the electricity charges that are overdue on the date of their application for CEAP, up to a maximum of $115. They may receive $230 if they’re electrically heated or use a kidney dialysis, mechanical ventilator or oxygen concentrator at home. Eligible natural gas customers may qualify for a one-time CEAP credit for half of the natural gas charges that are overdue on the date of their application for CEAP, up to a maximum of $80. Natural gas customers in Northern Ontario may qualify for a maximum of $160. There is no deadline to apply for CEAP but utility companies will stop accepting applications and providing CEAP credits once their allocated share of CEAP funding has run out. Customers must apply for CEAP through their utility or USMP, as each may have a unique approach for application in-take. Applications will be processed within 10 business days of receipt. For more program details, visit the OEB website: https://www.oeb.ca//covid-19-energy-assistance-program-ceap

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government will issue a one-time payment for seniors to help them cover the increased costs caused by the pandemic. Payments will be issued starting the week of July 6, 2020. No application is required. All individuals who are eligible to receive the Old Age Security (OAS) pension or an income-tested benefit in June 2020 will receive the payment.

As of July 13, people will be required to wear face coverings when indoors at businesses, organizations and on transit