Who We Are

Our Mission

To work with the community and advocate for and seek legal remedies to address systemic issues and improve income security for people in Ontario.

What We Do

ISAC was established in 2001 by Legal Aid Ontario to serve low income Ontarians by conducting test case and Charter litigation relating to provincial and federal income security programs. These programs include Ontario Works (OW), the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), (un)Employment Insurance, and the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

ISAC's legal work takes place in the broader context of law reform, public legal education and community development.

In our litigation, law reform and community development activities, we work closely with community legal clinics across Ontario, grass-roots anti-poverty and social justice organizations, private bar lawyers, academics and researchers, and individual activists.

In the short term, we hope to address the perpetuation of poverty resulting from the rules and administration of income security programs. In the longer term, we hope to shine a light on the government policies which create poverty and move closer to what we strive for: a decent standard of living for all Ontarians.

Our Staff

A list of our Staff

Our Board

ISAC is governed by a 15 person community Board of Directors. Of the Directors, 5 work in community legal clinics in different regions of Ontario and the remaining ten come from the broader community. At least 5 of ISAC's Board of Directors must be low income people. Terms for Directors are staggered, ranging from 1 to 3 years.

Our Board Members