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Ontario Disability Benefits Explained

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Ontario Disability Benefits Explained

Don’t delay discussing your matter with us to find out how to build a winning case.

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You don’t pay us unless we win your case. No Out of pocket expenses required.

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disability benefits explained

What is the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)?

Sometimes called simply “disability support,” the ODSP is a government-funded program in Ontario for anyone who is older than 18 and has a disability. The entire program is funded by public money and comes under the auspices of MCSS, the Ministry of Community and Social Services. Your options can be confusing. Here we have Ontario disability benefits exlained.

The legislation that created the program, the “ODSP Act of 1997,” defines all the pertinent terms of the program. The key points to remember are:

  • The disability must be “recurrent” or continuous in nature
  • The disability, according to a medical professional, can be expected to last more than 12 months
  • The disability has been attested to by a valid health professional
  • The disability causes the person to be unable to work, take part in community life, or take care of themselves

Sometimes, people who receive ODSP benefits wish to work. If that’s the case, there is a no-cost referral to employment counseling. The goal of ODSP is to replace lost income. The person’s disability must be the primary reason that they are no longer able to work or support themselves financially.

Who Receives Benefits Under the Act?

Unlike many other social service programs that pay monetary benefits to recipients, the ODSP pays to groups of recipients, not just individuals. The act speaks of “benefit units,” which is a legalese way of saying that monetary benefits go to those who are disabled and to those who rely on the disabled person in some way.

Disability Benefits Explained: Eligibility

Regardless of who receives the benefits, groups or individuals, it is the disabled person who must apply for entry into the ODSP program. Based only on the applicant’s eligibility, the government will approve or reject an application.

There are four criteria you must meet to get into the program.

Every applicant must:

  1. Have a disability as defined by the program
  2. Have financial need
  3. Currently, be a resident of Ontario
  4. Already have celebrated their 18th birthday

Financial Need:

Note that the disability can be either physical or behavioral/mental and must be severe enough that it impedes your ability to work. The program administrators have various tests to determine financial need. If they determine that an applicant’s income or assets are too high to justify inclusion in ODSP, then the application will be rejected.

It’s important to note that all forms of income will be considered to determine eligibility in this part of the application. The financial need criteria can be complicated and often lead prospective applicants to seek legal help with the process of applying for ODSP. Prospective applicants who want disability benefits explained in Ontario often turn to an experienced lawyer.

Disabilities:

Program administrators rely on medical professionals to make assessments about how severe a disability is, or whether one exists at all. Generally speaking, doctors, nurses, psychologists, optometrists and similarly skilled specialists are the ones who determine whether an applicant meets the act’s legal definition of “disabled.” Sometimes a discussion with your physician is a good way to have disability benefits explained.

How to Proceed

It always makes sense to hire a lawyer when you need disability benefits explained to you and you want your application to be successful. There are a lot of details involved. A lawyer can make sure your application is filled out correctly and completely. And if you are rejected, an experienced disability lawyer knows what other avenues to pursue. Consider speaking with a competent lawyer when you are considering making an application for disability benefits in Ontario.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is a general guideline made available for educational purposes only and is not intended to be used as legal advice for the reader’s specific situation nor in general. By reading our blog and website content, the reader acknowledges the above and understands there is no lawyer-client relationship created between you and Himelfarb Proszanski through this content. To get specific legal advice, we encourage you to book a free consultation with one of our lawyers to clarify the legal aspects of your situation.

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Note: Your Privacy is Safe with us. We will never disclose your information to external parties.

Timing is Critical. Help is Free.

Don’t delay discussing your matter with us to find out how to build a winning case.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

You don’t pay us unless we win your case. No Out of pocket expenses required.

Note: Your Privacy is Safe with us. We will never disclose your information to external parties.

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Sherene AlySherene Aly
16:02 23 Mar 24
I was very pleased with my decision to retain David and his team for my case. Melissa Gizzo was simply amazing and was able to secure a fair settlement for me.
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Experienced and excellent law firm. Their lawyers are wonderful, articulate, dilligent, amicable, calm, respectful, responsible, resourceful and have good human and customer relationships Especially DAN HOLLAND 👌 He is an amazing lawyer as regards dealing with any of the Accident case.I was involvedIn an accident in 2019 February. He was God sent as he dutifully and relentlessly worked hard until the case was settled
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22:43 18 Jan 24
I highly recommend Dan Holland as a disability lawyer. His commitment to my case made the process seamless. Dan's clear communication and ability to simplify complex legal matters made it easy for me to understand every step. He demonstrated genuine concern for my best interests, making him not only a skilled attorney but also someone easy to talk to.Dan’s support extended beyond legal expertise; he alleviated my stress during the long-term disability case. His calm approach and unhurried demeanour ensured that there was no rush in our collaboration. This, coupled with his dedication, made the entire experience more manageable, fostering confidence in his ability to handle the case with meticulous care.I wholeheartedly endorse Dan for anyone seeking a lawyer who not only gets results but also prioritizes your peace of mind.
Neeshanth SritharanNeeshanth Sritharan
21:49 01 Jan 24
My mom was involved in an accident impacting her daily life and ability to work. Dan Holland has worked with us during the duration of our case and has been helpful in fighting for her and supporting us, and organizing the things we needed. Our family is incredibly grateful of the outcome Dan was able to obtain for us. I would highly recommend him!
Faiza HamidFaiza Hamid
01:26 22 Dec 23
I'm so happy I chose Mena Brar and her team represet us . We could not ask for a better team she is so kind, loyal, and honest. she spoke to me as an equal and made me feel as if my case was definitely important and that I deserved to be fairly compensated. I appreciate you. Did it for me and how this will help me get back on track with my life. keep helping others. You are doing amazing works, Mena Brar. I wish you all the best.
Brenda FurtadoBrenda Furtado
23:38 12 Dec 23
Many thanks to Silene Malhao for settling my husband's TORT claim and to Mena Brar for settling his accident benefits claim. These ladies made themselves available any time we had a question. They were very understanding and compassionate. We were completely taken care of throughout this process. We would definitely recommend this team to friends and family!
ShaunaShauna
15:52 06 Dec 23
We are so happy that we had David and his team represent us. We couldn't have asked for a better team. Not only is David incredibly skilled and experienced, he is kind and compassionate and it is clear how much he cares for his clients. Megan was also absolutely amazing to work with and was always on top of everything and there to answer any questions we had! Thank you!
Andrew CoutoAndrew Couto
23:10 21 Nov 23
I'm so happy I chose David as my lawyer. I spoke to a few lawyers before finding David and I noticed majority of them spoke to me in a way that felt demeaning or that my case wasn't big enough or important enough to take. One phone call with David and my opinion on lawyers changed. He spoke to me as an equal and made me feel as if my case was definitely important and that I deserved to be fairly compensated. The whole process was wonderful. From dealing with David's law clerk Ingrid whom is an amazing and kind woman to his legal assistant Melissa whom is another amazing kind and talented young woman. I was so stressed about this case but from day 1 they helped ease that stress and always answered all my questions promptly and respectfully. I couldn't believe David got me to mediation within 6 months of being cut off my LTD and got me a settlement way beyond my expectations. I can't say enough good things about this law firm but I guarantee you that if you need a lawyer to fight for you David is your guy! . Believe me when I say this is the law firm for anyone dealing with personal injuries especially LTD denial claims. Thank you so much to David, Ingrid and Melissa you truly don't know how much I appreciate all you did for me and how this will help me get back on track with my life. Keep helping others you guys are doing amazing work! I wish you all the best!
Rose RegazziRose Regazzi
21:15 11 Oct 23
I sustained a relatively painful injury, affecting me long term.I wouldn't otherwise had pursued it, as it involved a relatively large corporation, but felt it necessary to do so. However, many lawyers were daunted, with one, who actually referred me to HIMPRO.I was connected with Dan Holland, who reviewed the case, provided with me realistic expectations, sound advice and had a willingness to move forward and represent me.His calm and professional demeanor, brought me to a place of reassurance. His ease in addressing all facets of this process, clearly demonstrated a wealth of experience. There was never any hesitation, when being challenged, and felt my best interest was always in the forefront.This case has since been resolved, to my complete satisfaction.Without reservation, HIMPRO (and Dan Holland, in particular), would be the only firm I would recommend for these type of cases.
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Toronto Disability Lawyers
480 University Ave
Suite 1401
Toronto ON
M5G 1V2
(416) 599-8080

Brampton Disability Lawyers
2 County Ct Blvd
Suite 400
Brampton ON
L6W 3W8
(905) 595-6760

Hamilton Disability Lawyers
1 Hunter St E
Ground Floor
Hamilton ON
L8N 3W1
(905) 777-8002

Kitchener Disability Lawyers
22 Frederick St
7th Floor
Kitchener ON
N2H 6M6
(519) 772-7659

Oshawa Disability Lawyers
21 Simcoe St S
Oshawa ON
L1H 4G1
(289) 634-5554

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