• Employment
• Financial Assistance
• Ontario Works

How do I apply for Ontario Works (OW)?

To apply for OW, call your local Ontario Works office.

You need to:

• Submit documents and information about you, your family and anyone who lives with you. This includes information about your:
  • Date of birth
  • Health card number
  • Social Insurance Number (SIN)
  • Address
  • Income
  • Housing costs
  • Assets
• Go to an interview with an OW worker.

You can bring someone with you to the interview - for example, if you want an interpreter, you can bring one with you.

Find your local Ontario Works office.

For More Information

• About Ontario Works - Official information about the Ontario Works program and links to related documents. From the Ministry of Community and Social Services.
• How to Apply for Ontario Works - Official information about how to apply for Ontario works and which documents you may need to apply.
• Can someone from Ontario Works come to my home without telling me before they come? - Learn more about home visits by Ontario Works workers. From Steps to Justice.
• Social Assistance Law - Clear language information about your legal rights to social assistance. From CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario / Éducation juridique communautaire Ontario).
• Need Welfare? How to Apply to Ontario Works for Assistance - This resource includes information on how to apply to Ontario Works for financial assistance and what to do if you are refused. From CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario).