Start the application — perfect paperwork can follow
Do this first
Apply for Ontario Works or Emergency Assistance
Apply online through Ontario.ca, or by phone. In Toronto, documents can be submitted through MyBenefits or at a Toronto Employment & Social Services (TESS) office.
Call 1-888-999-1142In urgent financial crisis?
Emergency Assistance is its own application. Ontario says a worker will contact you within four business days and may ask for documents such as bills.
Set up MyBenefits
The online account lets you save and resume applications, upload documents, track status, and report changes.
Approval is never guaranteed
Eligibility is assessed case by case. This page helps you apply and follow up — it cannot promise amounts or timing.Which program fits
Ontario Works (OW)
Financial and employment assistance for people in financial need. Applications ask for identity, residency, income/asset, and shelter-cost information.Emergency Assistance
For people in a crisis or emergency who don't qualify for (or can't wait for) OW. Reviewed by the local OW office; a worker contacts you within four business days.ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program)
Income and employment support for eligible people with disabilities. Includes financial eligibility plus a Disability Determination Package completed by you and health professionals — it has a return deadline.MyBenefits
Online portal for OW/ODSP applicants and recipients: continue an application, upload documents, report changes, and message about your case.
What to gather
You can start without all of these — but each one you find speeds the application:
- ID and SIN, if available.
- OHIP card, if available.
- Birth certificate and/or immigration papers.
- Bank statements and banking information (needed for direct deposit).
- Proof of Ontario residency and shelter costs (rent receipts, lease, shelter letter).
- Income and asset information; tax returns if you have them.
- Bills, for Emergency Assistance requests.
Missing ID? Start with the ID guide — ID clinics can rebuild documents even with no fixed address.
What to say
“I need to apply for Ontario Works / Emergency Assistance / ODSP. I don’t have all my documents yet. Can I start the application and submit missing documents after?”
Verify missing-document rules
Exact rules for missing documents should be confirmed with OW/ODSP or TESS for your case — ask the worker what they can accept and when.Keeping it moving
From applying to a first payment, the journey usually runs like this. Hover or tap a stage for detail.
- Apply
Start the application
Online at Ontario.ca or by phone (1-888-999-1142). Emergency Assistance is its own application.
- Account
Set up MyBenefits
Save and resume, upload documents, track status, and report changes online.
- Contact
A worker reaches out
For Emergency Assistance, expect contact within about four business days; they may ask for bills or documents.
- Submit
Send what they ask
Answer document requests in MyBenefits quickly — missed requests stall the file. Keep dated copies.
- Payment
Decision & deposit
If approved with banking info, direct deposit may arrive within about two business days; cheque timing differs.
- Emergency Assistance: expect worker contact within four business days. If approved with banking info provided, payment may arrive by direct deposit within two business days; cheque timing differs.
- Check MyBenefits for document requests and messages — missed requests stall applications.
- Keep copies (or photos) of everything you submit, with dates.
- If your housing situation is unstable, ask your caseworker about the Housing Stabilization Fund — see the housing guide.
- ODSP: track the Disability Determination Package deadline with your health provider.
Key contacts
Ontario Works / ODSP application line
Apply or get application help for OW and ODSP. In Toronto, delivery is through Toronto Employment & Social Services (TESS) offices.
Emergency Assistance
Ontario's application for people in urgent financial need. Apply online; the local OW office reviews and contacts you.
Apply at ontario.ca/page/apply-emergency-assistance — worker contact within four business days.
MyBenefits
Online account for OW/ODSP: resume applications, upload documents, track status, report changes.
Some people need worker or agency help with the digital steps — that's normal.
211 Ontario
Help finding a TESS office or a community agency that supports applications.
Peer worker tips
- Help gather ID, proof of rent/shelter situation, bank statements, and phone/email access before the first call.
- MyBenefits login support is one of the highest-value things you can offer — digital barriers stall many cases.
- Log application dates, worker names, and document requests; four-business-day windows are easy to lose track of.
- Don't promise amounts or timelines — frame everything as 'the worker will assess'.
Sources
All sources accessed July 2, 2026. Service details change often — call first to confirm hours, intake, and availability before travelling.
- Ontario Works — Government of Ontario
- Apply for Emergency Assistance — Government of Ontario
- Ontario Disability Support Program — Government of Ontario
- MyBenefits — City of Toronto