Ontario Changes OW and ODSP Eligibility Rules for Temporary Residents and People Without Legal Status
Ontario says the rule change will keep social assistance for people legally allowed to live in Canada, after a tribunal dispute prompted pressure for reform.
- On Thursday, August 13, 2026, Ontario amended regulations for Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program, immediately excluding individuals without legal immigration status or those authorized to remain in Canada only temporarily.
- Premier Doug Ford vowed to implement these changes following media reports about a Social Benefits Tribunal ruling that awarded assistance to an individual whose work permit had expired years prior.
- Children, Community and Social Services Minister Michael Parsa stated the amendment ensures taxpayer-funded assistance remains focused on individuals facing financial hardship who are legally allowed to live in Canada.
- The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board, which delivers Ontario Works throughout the Thunder Bay District, must now assess immigration status when determining eligibility for applicants.
- Ontario Liberals have criticized the administration's broader management of social services, arguing that underfunding leaves assistance rates well below the country's Market Basket Measure poverty threshold.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Ontario tightens social assistance rules for temporary residents and people living in Canada illegally
What to know Ontario says it is changing eligibility rules for Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program. The new rules exclude people living in Canada illegally, as well as people authorized to remain temporarily, including visitors and some people with study or work permits. The province says the changes are taking effect immediately and are intended to protect taxpayer dollars. ODSP recipients with disabilities can earn up to …
Ontario shuts down illegal immigration social benefits loophole
Subhead:Premier Doug Ford has cut social assistance eligibility for people without legal status, putting taxpayer dollars back behind the safety net they were meant to fund.# Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government just slammed the door shut on a quiet little racket that should never have been allowed in the first place. As of today, people living in Canada illegally are no longer eligible for social assistance programs like Ontario Works or th…
Ontario Tightens Rules to Bar Illegal Immigrants From Receiving Social Assistance
The Ontario government is implementing new regulations to block people without legal immigration status from receiving social assistance benefits. Premier Doug Ford took to social media on Aug. 13 to announce amendments have been made to the Ontario Works Act and the Ontario Disability Support Program Act to clarify the criteria for social assistance eligibility. “Taxpayer-funded social assistance was never meant to support people living in Ont…
Ontario moves to cut non-citizens off of social assistance
The Ontario government is ending social assistance for those who are living in Canada illegally.The province says it’s toughening up the rules for the Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure "Ontario's social assistance programs are focused on supporting only families and individuals facing financial hardship who are legally authorized to live in Canada."The change in the rules is immediate…
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