{"id":"u97","name":"Legal Aid Ontario client service line (apply for legal aid)","type":"program","typeLabel":"Program","what":"The phone line where you apply for legal aid in Ontario. If you qualify, Legal Aid Ontario gives you a certificate that pays a private lawyer for a set number of hours, or free help from duty counsel lawyers at court, for family, criminal, child protection, immigration and refugee, and domestic violence problems.","forWhom":"People in Ontario with a low income and a legal problem. For a certificate in a family, immigration or refugee case, family income must be lower than $18,795 for 1 person, $32,131 for 2, $39,352 for 3, $45,289 for 4 and $50,803 for 5 or more. In a criminal case it must be lower than $45,440 for 1 to 4 people and $50,803 for 5 or more. If you have income or own property above this, you may still get a certificate with a contribution agreement, where you pay back some or all of the legal fees.","cost":"Free to apply. Legal aid is free if you qualify; with a contribution agreement you pay back some or all of the fees based on your income.","tags":["legal aid","free lawyer","legal aid certificate","duty counsel","family law","criminal charge","immigration","refugee claim","domestic violence","child protection"],"topics":["legal","newcomers","parents"],"place":{"country":"Canada","region":"Ontario","city":null,"label":"Ontario-wide","cc":"CA","scope":"region"},"website":"https://www.legalaid.on.ca/services/how-do-i-apply-for-legal-aid/","sources":["https://www.legalaid.on.ca/services/how-do-i-apply-for-legal-aid/","https://www.legalaid.on.ca/will-legal-aid-pay-for-my-lawyer/","https://www.legalaid.on.ca/legal-aid-services/","https://www.legalaid.on.ca/our-services/","https://www.legalaid.on.ca/contact/"],"checked":"2026-10-04","added":"2026-10-04","verified":"checked","checkEvery":90,"deadline":null,"deadlineNote":"No deadline. The phone line is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.","status":"listed","routes":[{"kind":"Office phone","url":"https://www.legalaid.on.ca/services/how-do-i-apply-for-legal-aid/","value":"1-800-668-8258 or 416-979-1446 in the Greater Toronto Area (Mon to Fri 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET)","seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},{"kind":"Apply online (Client Portal, only if you own no property and get Ontario Works or ODSP, or have no income and meet other rules)","url":"https://client.legalaidonline.on.ca/psp/paprdc/CUSTOMER/CUST/?cmd=login","value":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},{"kind":"Organization email","url":null,"value":"info@lao.on.ca","seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},{"kind":"Office phone","url":null,"value":"1-800-668-8258","seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"}],"primaryRoute":{"kind":"Office phone","url":"https://www.legalaid.on.ca/services/how-do-i-apply-for-legal-aid/","value":"1-800-668-8258 or 416-979-1446 in the Greater Toronto Area (Mon to Fri 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET)","seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},"routeCount":4,"channels":[{"kind":"website","url":"https://www.legalaid.on.ca/services/how-do-i-apply-for-legal-aid/","label":"Website","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},{"kind":"facebook","url":"https://www.facebook.com/LegalAidOntario","label":"Facebook","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},{"kind":"instagram","url":"https://instagram.com/legalaid.on.ca/","label":"Instagram","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},{"kind":"linkedin","url":"https://www.linkedin.com/company/legal-aid-ontario","label":"LinkedIn","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},{"kind":"x","url":"https://x.com/legalaidontario","label":"X","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},{"kind":"youtube","url":"https://www.youtube.com/user/LegalAidOntario","label":"YouTube","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"}],"spaceCount":6,"spacesSeen":"2026-10-04","phone":"1-800-668-8258","contact":{"email":"info@lao.on.ca","url":"https://www.legalaid.on.ca/services/how-do-i-apply-for-legal-aid/","route":"Office phone"},"steps":["Get your court or legal papers ready, plus proof of any income, such as recent pay stubs, social assistance stubs or Employment Insurance statements.","Call 1-800-668-8258, or 416-979-1446 in the Greater Toronto Area, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Help is available in over 300 languages, and TTY users can call through Bell Relay at 711.","If you own no property and get Ontario Works or ODSP, or have no income and have been in Canada less than six months or live in a shelter, you can apply online through the Client Portal instead.","If you are Black or African Canadian and your legal issue has to do with anti-Black racism, call 1-833-374-8904 or 416-649-2540, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m."],"languages":["English","French","Over 300 languages by phone"],"welcomes":[],"reachNum":null,"reachUnit":null,"reachKind":"none","reachSource":null,"reachSeen":null,"intents":{"reach":false,"grow":null,"job":false,"volunteer":false,"specialist":null,"opps":false,"housing":false,"money":false,"info":false,"marriage":false},"stale":false,"staleDays":0,"checkedNote":"Facts read from the source pages on 2026-10-04; spaces read from their site on 2026-10-04; re-checked every 90 days.","spaces":[{"kind":"website","label":"Website","url":"https://www.legalaid.on.ca/services/how-do-i-apply-for-legal-aid/","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","note":null},{"kind":"facebook","label":"Facebook","url":"https://www.facebook.com/LegalAidOntario","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","note":null},{"kind":"instagram","label":"Instagram","url":"https://instagram.com/legalaid.on.ca/","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","note":null},{"kind":"linkedin","label":"LinkedIn","url":"https://www.linkedin.com/company/legal-aid-ontario","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","note":null},{"kind":"x","label":"X","url":"https://x.com/legalaidontario","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","note":null},{"kind":"youtube","label":"YouTube","url":"https://www.youtube.com/user/LegalAidOntario","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","note":null}],"missing":["follower or subscriber counts (platform pages do not expose them to readers; ask the organization or check the platform)","what they welcome from outside parties (their pages do not say)","audience number for the organization as a whole (not public)"]}