Kristyn Wong-Tam MPP, Toronto Centre

• Learning how to apply for affordable housing (Toronto Community Housing is run by the city).
• Connecting you to eviction and tenant support services such as the Metro Tenants' Federation and Toronto Rent Bank.
• Facilitating access to free legal representation for those facing eviction who qualify for legal aid
• Helping Constituents understand and access the forms and processes of the Landlord and Tenants Board of Ontario. 
• You can download this free template our office made to document your interactions with your landlord

The Workplace Safety & Insurance Act governs the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB).

This Act requires that any person acting as a representative for an injured worker be either: a lawyer, a paralegal, a representative of a trade union, or a member of the Office of the Worker Advisor. Although our office is exempt from this provision, our staff are not properly trained to represent workers. This means that we cannot represent you.

However, we are able to assist you with finding the representation you deserve. Although we are unable to represent you at hearings, we are still able to review your claim file and make recommendations.

If you require assistance with any WSIB matter, please ensure you have a copy of your entire claim file. This will ensure we are able to view all the documents pertaining to your matter.

Visit the WSIB Ontario website for more information. 

Here are the criteria for other offices:

The Queen will send a congratulatory letter on:

• a 60th wedding anniversary and all subsequent anniversaries; or
  
• a 100th birthday and all subsequent birthdays.
  

Requests for The Queen’s greetings must be submitted at least three (3) months in advance and requires proof of date of birth or marriage, whichever is applicable (a copy of the birth certificate or marriage certificate is required).

The Governor-General will send a congratulatory letter on:

• a 50th wedding anniversary and all subsequent anniversaries; or
  
• a 90th birthday and all subsequent birthdays.
  
• Requests for the Governor-General’s greetings must be submitted at least three (3) months in advance.
  

The Prime Minister of Canada will send a congratulatory letter on:

• a 25th or 50th wedding anniversary and all subsequent anniversaries in 5 year intervals; or
  
• a 65th or 70th birthday and all subsequent birthdays in 5 year intervals.
  
• Requests for the Prime Minister’s greetings must be submitted at least two (2) months in advance.
  

The Premier of Ontario will send a congratulatory letter on:

• a 40th wedding anniversary and all subsequent anniversaries; or
  
• an 80th birthday and all subsequent birthdays.
  
• Requests for the Premier’s greetings must be submitted at least two (2) months in advance.  Please note that congratulatory letters will not be issued more than once every five (5) years.
  
  

At the beginning of the application process, you will receive information about the Ontario Disability Support Program/Ontario Works. You will also be told which information and documents may be needed to complete the application process. You will need:

• Social Insurance Number
• Health Card Number
  
• Proof of Identity and Date of Birth
  
• Employment History/Information
  
• Income and Asset Statements
  
• Shelter Costs
  
• Status in Canada and Dependent Information
  

The application process is completed in person at your local ODSP/Ontario Works office. You will be required to complete and sign all necessary forms, including the application for assistance, and a participation agreement outlining the specific employment activities you may participate in. You will also need to provide any required information and documents.

If the process with Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program is not working in a way that meets your needs, you can reach out to my office so we can advocate to find the best possible solution for you.

When completing your income tax return, there are three Ontario forms that are of particular interest:

1. ON428 Ontario Tax 
   
2. ON479 Ontario Credits
   
3. ON-BEN Application for the 2018 Ontario Trillium Benefit and the Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant
   

Visit the Ontario Ministry of Finance website for more information.

A resident of Ontario must have a health card to show that they are entitled to health care services paid for by OHIP. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care pays for a wide range of services, however, it does not pay for services that are not medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery.

Eligibility for OHIP

Ontario residents are eligible for provincially funded health coverage (OHIP). Generally, to be eligible for Ontario health coverage you must be:

• A Canadian citizen, permanent resident or among one of the newcomer to Canada groups who are eligible for OHIP as set out in Ontario’s Health Insurance Act ; and
  
• Physically present in Ontario for 153 days in any 12-month period; and
  
• Physically present in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after establishing residency in the province; and
  
  • Make your primary place of residence in Ontario.
    
• OHIP coverage normally becomes effective three months after the date you establish residency in Ontario. The ministry strongly encourages new and returning residents to purchase private health insurance in case you become ill during the OHIP waiting period.
  

Finding a Family Doctor – Health Care Connect

Health Care Connect helps Ontarians who are without a family health care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) to find one. People without a family health care provider are referred to a family doctor or a nurse practitioner who is accepting new patients in their community.  To find out more information about Health Care Connect, click here.

Finding Long-term Care

Arranging care for yourself or a family member will involve a number of steps. This section of the website describes the process for arranging care, and the role you can play in the process. See the Arranging Care page for more details.

Your local Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) can help. CCACs are provincially-funded agencies that provide Long-Term Care information and referral services in your area. The information is provided free of charge. To locate the CCAC nearest you, use our CCAC Locator.

To find a suitable long-term care home, this search engine will help you.  If you require any assistance with finding a long-term care space, please contact my office.

Your first point of contact for help with applying for OSAP is the Financial Aid Office of the school you are applying to. Out-of-province students can get help by calling 1-877-OSAP411 (1-877-672-7411) during business hours.

The maximum grant/loan amounts for a typical two-term academic year are:

• $12,240 for full-time single students with no dependents
  
• $19,040 for full-time students who are married or in a common-law relationship or a sole-support parent
• Plus, for that two-term academic year, your annual debt is capped at $7,300, even if you get more in loans. Loans are interest-free while you're studying, and for six months after you graduate.

Find out more about how OSAP can help you pay for your education.

30% Off Ontario Tuition Rebate

The 30% Off Ontario Tuition provides:

• $1680 for university and college degree students
  
• $770 for college diploma and certificate students

You could be eligible for 30% off your student tuition if:

• You’re a full-time student at a public college or university in Ontario
  
• It’s been less than four years since you left high school
  
• You’re in a program that you can apply to directly from high school
  
• You’re a resident of Ontario
  
• Your parents’ gross income is $160,000 or less
  
• Please review the OSAP website for more information.

Once a death occurs the physician or coroner attending the death completes the Medical Certificate of Death and gives it to the Funeral Director to go with the body.

To register a death, a family member and the funeral director complete the Statement of Death with information about the deceased.

Once completed, the Medical Certificate of Death and the Statement of Death are submitted to the local municipal clerk’s office by the Funeral Director.

• Request Ontario Death Certificate online
• Request Ontario Death Certificate by mail

The funeral director will issue copies of a proof of death that you can use in certain situations. There are some organizations, however, that may require an official death certificate from the Province of Ontario, Office of the Registrar General.

You may need an official death certificate or certified copy for:

• Settling an estate
• Insurance purposes
• Access to/termination of government services, e.g., health card, pension, voters’ list
• Genealogy searches

Births are recorded by the province through the Office of the Registrar General, a department of the Ministry of Government Services. For applications and further information, please click on the links below.

• Apply for your newborn’s birth certificate online
• Replace your Ontario birth certificate online

If you need assistance or require expedited service, contact my community office for help.

*If the birth happened outside Ontario and within Canada, please contact the Vital Statistics Office in the province or territory where the birth took place.

How much does a birth certificate cost?

• First birth certificate (short form —2.5″ x 3.75″) $25
• Replacement birth certificate (short form) $35
• First certified copy of birth (long form — 8.5″ x 14″) $35
• Replacement certified copy of birth (long form) $45

How can I pay?

You can pay online by VISA, MasterCard,American Express or Interac® Online. If you are mailing in your application, you can pay by cheque, money order or credit card.

How long will it take?

• Provided that the birth is registered, it should take:
• Online service — 15 business days (including delivery)
• Premium online service — (Online Only) 5 business days (including delivery) plus $30 surcharge
• Fax or regular mail service — 6 to 8 weeks plus delivery
• Expedited service — 10 days plus delivery

What if I need a birth certificate in a hurry?

As long as the birth is registered and you have proof of urgency:

2 days plus delivery and $30 surcharge

You MUST apply in person at my Community Office. Only credit card applications will be processed at the Community Office. All other applications (either cash or money order) must be made in person at the Toronto office.

What is the difference between short form and long form birth certificates?

A short form is an extract of information from the original birth registration. It is useful as basic identification.

A long form is a certified copy of the birth registration and is needed when you are:

Moving to another country

An executor for a foreign estate

Are adopting a child abroad

Filling out certain citizenship or immigration documents

Am I entitled to apply for the birth certificate?

You are entitled to apply:

• If the birth took place in the province of Ontario.
• If the application is for your own birth certificate and you are at least 13 years old.
• If the application is for your child’s birth certificate and you are named as a parent on your child’s original birth registration.
• If you are the legal guardian of a child and you can provide court documents proving that you have custody of the child.
• If you are the next-of-kin, executor or estate administrator, and the person named on the certificate is deceased. You must provide proof of death, (e.g., a death certificate or a funeral director’s statement of death, and any other documentation requested by the Office of the Registrar General). You will only be able to obtain a long form (certified copy) of a birth certificate. Short form birth certificates will not be issued for a deceased person.

The Office of the Registrar General maintains birth registrations for 95 years. For records older than this, please contact the Archives of Ontario.

Do I have a valid guarantor?

If you are applying for a birth certificate for an individual nine years of age or older you need a guarantor.

A guarantor is a Canadian citizen and someone who has known you (the applicant) personally for at least 2 years, and is currently serving in or a practicing member in good standing of a profession from this guarantor’s list.

The role of the guarantor is to certify that information provided on a birth certificate application is as complete and accurate as possible. If required, a qualified guarantor must also be available to verify the information with the Office of the Registrar General.