How to Find - Legal Help and Information
Site: Halton Region
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Record #:
BTN1198
Last Full Update:
17 Aug 2022
Memos and Bulletins
| Public Comments | For full directory of "How to" listings on different topics, see here |
Agency Information
| Legal Status | (50) Non Profit |
Description and Service Details
| Description (Service) | This listing gives an overview of legislation, community legal clinics, legal information services, how to find a lawyer or paralegal, Powers of Attorney, and is also an index to related listings in this directory LEGISLATION: City of Burlington By-laws, see here Town of Halton Hills By-laws, see here Town of Milton By-laws, see here Town of Oakville By-laws, see here Ontario law: see Government of Ontario e-Laws here * laws viewed on, downloaded or printed from e-Laws are official copies of the law Federal law: see Government of Canada Justice Laws website here * consolidated Acts and regulations on the Justice Laws Website are official, and can be used for evidentiary purposes COMMUNITY LEGAL CLINICS: Legal Aid Ontario (see full listing here) * funds 79 legal clinics that provide free services for people with low income (see below for those serving Halton) * clinics provide legal help for problems relating to basic needs: income, housing, and human rights * services include representation in courts and tribunals, legal advice, law reform activities, and referrals to other sources of assistance Community-based Clinics: Halton Community Legal Services (see full listing here) provides help with: * social assistance (Ontario Works (OW), Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), Canada pension matters, etc.) * housing matters (disputes between tenants and landlords, evictions, etc.) * various employment matters (wrongful dismissal, workers compensation, etc.) Specialty and Ethnolinguistic Clinics: Provide services in a specific area of law or to a particular community, such as: * Indigenous communities * Black and other racialized communities * the elderly, children and youth * injured workers and those living with disabilities In addition to providing legal services to individuals, several specialty clinics also advocate on behalf of the particular community they serve Aboriginal Legal Services (see full listing here) * offers legal help, legal education, and community development to Aboriginal people Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (see full listing here) * provides direct legal services to low-income seniors, public legal education, and law reform Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (see full listing here) * works to improve human rights and justice in housing for low-income Ontarians through legal advice and representation, law reform, community organizing, training, and education ARCH Disability Law Centre (see full listing here) * offers information, summary advice and referrals, and representation in systemic cases for people with disabilities Black Legal Action Centre (see full listing here) * delivers legal aid to low or no income Black Ontarians Canadian Environmental Law Association (see full listing here) * provides legal services to individuals and groups with environmental legal problems, and seeks to improve environmental protection through legislation Centre for Spanish-Speaking Peoples (see full listing here) * provides summary advice and assistance, with particular emphasis on immigration matters, tenants’ and workers’ rights, to the Spanish-speaking community Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic (see full listing here) * offers legal advice and representation to low-income, non-English speaking members of the Chinese, Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian communities HALCO - HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (see full listing here) * provides free legal services to people living with HIV/AIDS Industrial Accident Victims Group of Ontario (see full listing here) * provides legal advice and representation to injured workers Injured Workers Community Legal Clinic (see full listing here) * provides information and advice, and represents injured workers Justice for Children and Youth (see full listing here) * offers information, summary advice, referrals, and representation to children and young people under 18 years of age, and to homeless and unstably housed young people under 25 Landlord's Self Help Centre (see full listing here) * provides information and summary advice to small-scale landlords South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (see full listing here) * provides advice and representation to low-income South Asians Workers' Health & Safety Legal Clinic (see full listing here) * takes on health and safety cases, workers’ compensation cases, human rights cases, and employment standards reprisal cases, if they relate to core mandate, for workers who do not have union representation LEGAL INFORMATION SERVICES: When looking at legal information online, it's of primary importance to ensure it applies to the law in Ontario Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) (see full listing here) * provides clear, accurate, and practical legal rights education and information to help people understand and exercise their legal rights Your Legal Rights shares legal information resources produced by nonprofit organizations across Ontario and also contains recent legal information webinars produced by CLEO Steps to Justice gives reliable and practical information on common legal problems including: * step-by-step information to help you work through legal problems * practical tools, such as checklists, fillable forms, and self-help guides * referral information for legal and social services across Ontario * live chat and email support Family Law Information Centre * services are available in family courts across Ontario, including the Milton Courthouse (see full listing here) * information about separation and divorce and related family law issues, family justice services, alternative forms of dispute resolution, local community resources and court processes Legal Line (see full listing here): * online information on 48 areas of law * also provide referrals for legal advice and services Pro Bono Ontario (see full listing here) * offers a free legal advice line and connects volunteer lawyers with Ontarians who cannot afford a lawyer * helps with civil court (no family or criminal law), employment, housing, consumer issues, and creating Powers of Attorney Teen Legal Helpline (see full listing here): * confidential online advice for youth and young adults 13 years and older REDUCED-COST LEGAL SERVICES: JusticeNet (see full listing here) * not-for-profit service helping people in need of legal expertise, whose income is too high to access legal aid and too low to afford standard legal fees TO FIND A LAWYER OR PARALEGAL: Law Society of Upper Canada, Referral Service (see full listing here) * online service that gives the name of a lawyer or licensed paralegal who will provide a free consultation of up to 30 minutes to help determine rights and options * search the Lawyer and Paralegal Directory by name, city, postal code, area of law, and language * search the Directory of Certified Specialists by specialty area for lawyers who provide specialist assistance in complex matters and to facilitate referrals TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A LAWYER OR PARALEGAL: Law Society of Upper Canada Lawyer Complaints Services (see here) CRIMINAL RECORD EXPUNGEMENT ASSISTANCE: Pardons Canada (see full listing here) * non-profit organization assisting individuals in obtaining pardons, record suspensions and US entry waivers POWERS OF ATTORNEY: A legal document that gives someone you trust the right to make financial or health care decisions for you * there are two types: Personal Care (decisions about health care, housing and other aspects of personal life) and Property (decisions about financial affairs) * for more information see the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General website * make a Powers of Attorney by downloading the Publications Ontario kit or using the CLEO web tool |
| Hours | Contact organization for information |
| Areas Served | Halton Region |
| Eligibility | Varies by program |
| Application | Varies by program |
| Languages | English |
| Fees | Service - for some, varies by service |
Site Information
| Located In Community | Halton Region |
| Physical Access | Not Applicable |
Categories and Classification
| HCSD Main Heading | Government / Legal ; Topic Guides |
| HCSD Sub Heading | All "How To" Guides ; Community Legal Services ; Legal Help ; Special Topics |
| Service Categories | General Legal Aid ; Legal Counselling ; Private Law Practices |