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Income Security Advocacy Centre

Income Security Advocacy Centre

ISAC works to address issues of income security and poverty in Ontario

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Grey, white and black photo of older gentleman walking away from the viewer, over a bridge in the snow, with his left hand on the railing, using a cane with his right hand. Photo by The Ahnaf Piash via pexels

NEW ISAC Report: “In Their Own Words: The State of Social Assistance in Ontario”

Nearly one million Ontarians rely on social assistance programs like Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) for survival. These are programs of last resort, a lifeline for those with nowhere else to turn. Unfortunately, these programs are not working for the people who use them. Read our recommendations on how to fix these programs, pulled directly from recipient experience, in our new report “In Their Own Words”.

Click here to read the report!

We advance the systemic interests and rights of low-income and equity-seeking communities and meaningfully support Indigenous Peoples and communities, with a focus on improving income security programs and ending low-wage precarious employment.

Updates

Join us for the Community Launch of “In Their Own Words: The State of Social Assistance in Ontario”, June 25, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

ISAC recently released a new policy report called In Their Own Words: The State of Social Assistance in Ontario. You can read more about the report here. Join us for the online community launch of…

June 16, 2026
Disability Justice, Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), Ontario Works (OW), Policy Advocacy, Poverty Reduction, Public Education, Social Assistance Reform
Blue arc which is part of ISAC's logo

Efficiency at What Cost? How Ontario’s New Centralized Intake System Puts Vulnerable People at Risk

In 2020, Ontario began to introduce a host of changes to the administration of social assistance, including rolling out a new Centralized Intake model with the purpose of modernizing access to social assistance. With this…

June 15, 2026
Access to Justice, Disability Justice, Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), Ontario Works (OW), Policy Advocacy, Poverty Reduction, Public Education, Social Assistance Reform

ISAC Submissions on Further Proposed Changes to Human Rights Tribunal Rules (June 2026)

ISAC has been actively monitoring and providing feedback to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO)’s consultations on proposed changes to its Rules of Procedure since a series of consultations began in November 2024. In…

June 11, 2026
Access to Justice, Human Rights

New Employment Insurance Board of Appeal hearing first-level appeals as of April 1, 2026

After years of advocacy from workers’ groups, the federal government created the Employment Insurance Board of Appeal (EI BOA). The EI BOA will take over responsibility from the Social Security Tribunal (SST) – General Division…

May 14, 2026
Access to Justice, Employment Insurance (EI), Public Education, Social Security Tribunal
Blue arc which is part of ISAC's logo

ISAC Federal Budget Submission 2026: Read it here!

The federal government has opened its consultation session for the upcoming budget, with a submission deadline of May 22, 2026 (details about how to submit your own recommendations can be found in our post here.)…

May 11, 2026
Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), Disability Justice, Employment Insurance (EI), Federal Budgets, Indigenous Justice, Policy Advocacy, Truth and Reconciliation
Two simple icons, one of a piece of paper with the top left corner folded sharply and with four lines across the paper. A dark blue circle with a white exclamation mark in the middle of it overlaps the bottom right corner of the piece of paper.

Need support while applying for the Disability Tax Credit and Canada Disability Benefit? These organizations may be able to help.

Looking for help with your Disability Tax Credit (DTC) or Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) application? You may be able to get individualized help from a non-profit organization that has been trained and funded to help.…

April 16, 2026
Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), Disability Justice, Federal Benefits – General, Public Education

More Updates

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Updates

Join us for the Community Launch of “In Their Own Words: The State of Social Assistance in Ontario”, June 25, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

ISAC recently released a new policy report called In Their Own Words: The State of Social Assistance in Ontario. You can read more about the report here. Join us for the online community launch of…

June 16, 2026
Disability Justice, Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), Ontario Works (OW), Policy Advocacy, Poverty Reduction, Public Education, Social Assistance Reform
Blue arc which is part of ISAC's logo

Efficiency at What Cost? How Ontario’s New Centralized Intake System Puts Vulnerable People at Risk

In 2020, Ontario began to introduce a host of changes to the administration of social assistance, including rolling out a new Centralized Intake model with the purpose of modernizing access to social assistance. With this…

June 15, 2026
Access to Justice, Disability Justice, Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), Ontario Works (OW), Policy Advocacy, Poverty Reduction, Public Education, Social Assistance Reform

ISAC Submissions on Further Proposed Changes to Human Rights Tribunal Rules (June 2026)

ISAC has been actively monitoring and providing feedback to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO)’s consultations on proposed changes to its Rules of Procedure since a series of consultations began in November 2024. In…

June 11, 2026
Access to Justice, Human Rights

New Employment Insurance Board of Appeal hearing first-level appeals as of April 1, 2026

After years of advocacy from workers’ groups, the federal government created the Employment Insurance Board of Appeal (EI BOA). The EI BOA will take over responsibility from the Social Security Tribunal (SST) – General Division…

May 14, 2026
Access to Justice, Employment Insurance (EI), Public Education, Social Security Tribunal
Blue arc which is part of ISAC's logo

ISAC Federal Budget Submission 2026: Read it here!

The federal government has opened its consultation session for the upcoming budget, with a submission deadline of May 22, 2026 (details about how to submit your own recommendations can be found in our post here.)…

May 11, 2026
Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), Disability Justice, Employment Insurance (EI), Federal Budgets, Indigenous Justice, Policy Advocacy, Truth and Reconciliation

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Income Security Advocacy Centre

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1500 – 55 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5J 2H7
Tel: (416) 597-5820 • Toll Free: 1-866-245-4072 • Fax: (416) 597-5821

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This site contains general legal information for people in Ontario, Canada. It is not intended to be used as legal advice for a specific legal problem. ISAC is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization. ISAC is funded by Legal Aid Ontario (LAO). The funding for this website is also provided by LAO. The views expressed in any of ISAC’s publications (including written, oral, or visual) are the views of the clinic and do not necessarily reflect those of LAO.