Ontario Works - Application Process

Step 1 - Who Can Apply

Any resident of the City of Windsor or County of Essex may apply for Ontario Works assistance through the City of Windsor Employment and Social Services Department.

Step 2 - Required Documents

Whether completing the online application or phoning our intake unit, you will need specific information about you and the family members in your household.

To find out if you may be eligible for any programs, you will need the following:

  • The names of all family members in your household;
  • Dates of birth for all family members in your household;
  • Social Insurance Numbers for all family members in your household;
  • Ontario Health Card numbers for all family members in your household;
  • Immigration status of all family members;
  • Income for all family members;
  • Assets for all family members;
  • Your address;
  • Your housing costs; and
  • Cost of expenses (e.g. childcare, disability-related work expenses, etc.).

To complete the full online application, you will need information from other documents, such as:

  • Birth certificates
  • Immigration papers, and
  • Tax returns

Please review the full list of documents you will need.

Document Drop-Off Locations

Required documents or letters can be dropped off at any of the Customer Care Centres located in the various wards of the city. Please visit our Customer Care Centres page for a listing of participating locations and hours of operation.

Confidentiality

All information provided for the application is confidential as per the Municipal Freedom of Information Act. If you have additional questions, please refer to the City of Windsor's Terms of Use. At any time, a choice may be made to discontinue the application process.

Eligibility

At the end of the application, the system will determine potential eligibility in accordance with the Ontario Works Act.

Step 3 - How to Apply

  1. Online - Click link: Social Assistance (Government of Ontario). Online application is available 24 hours a day in English and French from any computer or device with internet access. The online application will take approximately 40 minutes to complete.

    2. If you do not have a telephone or a computer with internet access, you can come to our Windsor location, where you may be given Internet/phone access:

  2. By phone

    3. If you are:

    • Over the age of 18
    • Do not require a trustee
    • An interpreter assisting someone to apply

    Call the Ontario government: Toll free 1-888-999-1142.

    If you are:

    • In an emergency situation with no address or facing homelessness
    • Facing eviction or hydro/gas disconnect scheduled within 7 days
    • Experiencing a medical emergency
    • Receiving assistance from Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) in another municipality/have received funds from OW or ODSP in the past month
    • Under 18 years
    • Requiring a trustee
    • Calling for Temporary Care Assistance
    • Applying for a discretionary benefit

    Call the local office at 519-255-5200, Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. (holidays excepted).

Step 4 - Contact us

In Windsor call 311 for general information. For detailed inquiries call (519) 255-5200.
Fax: (519) 255-1011 or (519) 255-1503
Email: socserv@citywindsor.ca

In Leamington call (519)946-9988
Fax: (519) 322-3529 or toll free at 1-866-763-1222
Email: socserv@citywindsor.ca