Information you Need to Provide

• Birth certificate
• Social Insurance Number (SIN) card
• Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card
• Immigration/sponsorship information if applicable
• Full address including postal code
• Cost of rent or mortgage
• Cost of utilities (gas, hydro, water)
• Current landlord’s name and address
• Address history for the past 12 months
• Employment history for the past 24 months
• Most recent monthly bank statement
• Any sources of income
• Assets (vehicle, RRSP's, etc.)

• Learn about your rights and responsibilities
• Learn about the Proof of Income

• Access information through expanded hours – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Obtain a breakdown of issued payments and new overpayment information
• Review outstanding verification items
• Obtain additional benefit eligibility request decisions
• Report earnings
• Obtain local office contact details.

Once your assistance is granted, you will receive a 9-digit identification number (member ID) and a 4-digit personal identification number (PIN). Both numbers are required to access your case file at 1-800-808-2268.

Register for MyBenefits today! Fast. Easy. Secure.  

Report income or address changes, see past payment information, and view letters and more – anytime, anywhere, and on any device.

Sign-in to: Ontario.ca/MyBenefits to view or update your Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program case information.

MyBenefits is a new online service available 24/7 to Ontario residents who receive Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).

With MyBenefits, you can:

• Report income, address/shelter costs or phone number changes
• See past payments
• See the overpayment balance
• See your letters and receive email notifications when new letters are available for viewing
• View your profile information (e.g. phone number, email, household members)

If you have an email address on file and have your member ID you can create an account for MyBenefits.

Creating Your Account for MyBenefits is Easy

Creating your account for MyBenefits is a quick and easy, two-step process.

1. Confirm your identity when you visit Ontario.ca/MyBenefits for the first time:

• Enter your 9 digit member ID
• Enter the email address that you have on your file and press ‘Next’
• A message will be sent to your email with an activation link. Click the link within 30 minutes to confirm your identity.

This will take you back to Ontario.ca/MyBenefits, where you will be prompted to enter your date of birth to finish the process.

You do not need to do this step again in the future!

1. Set up your user name and password to access your information. You have two choices to sign-in to your account:

• login with an email address and password of your choice using the ‘My Ontario Login’ or,
• you can login with the same username and password as your online banking using ‘Securekey Concierge’

Follow the prompts to create your account. This is the way you will sign-in to MyBenefits for all future visits.

Create your account now! Ontario.ca/MyBenefits 

Having trouble signing-in? You can call toll free for technical help at 1-888-999-6130.

 Reloadable Payment Card

Getting rid of paper cheques in favour of electronic methods of payment is one part of the government’s move toward more paperless service delivery.

• The Reloadable Payment Card (RPC) is an alternative electronic method of payment for Social Assistance clients who are unable to open and/or maintain a bank account for direct bank deposit (DBD).
• DBD remains the preferred method of payment.  
• The RPC is a more convenient, secure and reliable method of payment than paper cheque for clients who cannot use DBD.

What are the benefits of the reloadable payment card?

The card is convenient, secure and reliable. It is a better payment method than cheque for clients who are unable to open or maintain a bank account because it:

• Saves money by reducing reliance on expensive cheque cashing services
• Improves client service by reducing the need to replace lost, stolen or damaged cheques
• Provides enhanced security by using PIN and chip technology and reduces the need to carry cash
• Increases privacy by providing clients with a card like any other bank card, which does not identify them as being in receipt of social assistance

Implementing the RPC will also help to streamline service delivery processes and improve the overall integrity and accountability of social assistance in Ontario.

How does the reloadable payment card work?

The RPC is like a debit card but does not require a bank account. Social assistance payments are electronically loaded on the card and clients can access their funds from Automated Teller Machines (ATM), using point of sale (POS) or online; anywhere Visa is accepted.

RPCs use chip and PIN, the most advanced card security technology available. Cardholders are required to enter a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access their money.

Under the Ontario Works Act, 1997 and Regulations, as a condition of employment, every employable applicant or participant must participate in employment assistance activities including:

• single people;
• couples with or without children;
• sole support parents;
• dependent adults 18 year of age or older

After receiving your initial benefits, you will be contacted by your Case Manager to complete a Common Assessment (CA) to determine whether you are able to participate in employment activities. Once completed, the CA will result in the creation on an Action Plan. An Action Plan will create goals and actions that will support your Life Stabilization journey to employment.

Your Ontario Works Case Manager will refer you to an Employment Ontario site (i.e. Job Zone or Glengarry Inter-Agency Group). Employment Ontario sites have become responsible for any employment-related expenses you might have when you are working with them. 

The Eligibility Review Program reviews and investigates fraud or misrepresentation related to Ontario Works. If there is sufficient evidence to suspect that fraud or an offence under social assistance legislation has been committed, the case may be referred to the police for investigation.

The public is encouraged to report any fraudulent activity

Here are different ways to report to the provincial “Welfare Fraud Hotline”:

• Online Form
• Email
• Fax at 1-866-681-3154
• Call the local office at 613-933-6282, ext. 3305

You can request an internal review using this form. An internal review is an informal review of a decision that was made about the financial assistance that you receive.

If you disagree with the result of the internal review, you can appeal the decision to the Social Benefits Tribunal using the appeal form.

Interim assistance is financial help you may be eligible to receive while waiting for your appeal to be concluded. The SBT may order that you receive interim assistance if you will experience financial hardship. You may apply for interim assistance using the Appeal Form. You will be notified in writing of the Tribunal’s decision regarding interim assistance. If you lose your appeal, your interim assistance shall be assessed as an overpayment on your file and you will be required to repay all of the assistance that was issued to you.