1. Get Legal Advice
Question & Answer
I was discriminated against. What are my options?It’s important to choose the right legal option for your case. The options can be confusing. So it’s usually a good idea to get advice from a lawyer before deciding which option is best for you.
When speaking to a lawyer, ask:
- whether you have a strong claim
- what evidence you need
- what result you could ask for
- how long it may take to get a result
- what it will cost to make a claim
There are many ways to get advice from a lawyer.
Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC)
The HRLSC provides free legal advice and support to people thinking of applying to the of Ontario. They offer support in many ways from giving advice over the phone to sending someone to represent you. The level of support depends on your case and your income.
Visit the HRLSC website to see how they can help, or call 1-866-625-5179.
Legal clinics
Community legal clinics (CLCs) provide free legal services to people with low incomes. A CLC may be able to help you with certain human rights issues related to housing or employment. You can search for a CLC in your area using your postal code.
There are also Specialty clinics that provide free legal services on certain human rights issues to specific people with low incomes. Some of the specialty clinics are:
- ACE, for seniors
- ACTO, for tenants
- ALS, for Indigenous people
- ARCH, for people with disabilities
- BLAC, for Black people
- CSALC, for Chinese, Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian people
- CSSP, for Spanish-speaking people
- HALCO, for people living with HIV
- IWC, for people injured at work
- JFCY, for young people
- SALCO, for South Asian people
- WHSLC, for non-unionized workers
For additional help contacting a CLC or a specialty clinic, you can call Legal Aid Ontario at 1-800-668-8258 or 416-979-1446. TTY users can call 1-866-641-8867 or 416-598-8867.
Lawyer Referral Service
Many lawyers work on discrimination cases. For help finding a lawyer, you can use the Law Society’s online Lawyer Referral Service or call 1-855-947-5255
Pro Bono Ontario
Pro Bono Ontario has a free legal advice hotline. You can get up to 30 minutes of free legal advice and help if you’re representing yourself at the Small Claims Court or Superior Court of Justice. Call 1-855-255-7256
Ontario Legal Information Centre
The Ontario Legal Information Centre offers a free 30-minute meeting with a lawyer to anyone in Ontario. You can talk to a lawyer by telephone or in person at their Ottawa office, on any area of law, and in English or French. You may have to leave a message, and a lawyer will call you back.
JusticeNet
JusticeNet is a not-for-profit organization that helps people access legal services when their income is too high to qualify for legal aid but too low to afford legal fees. If your net family income is less than $59,000, they refer you to a directory of lawyers, paralegals, and mediators who provide help at reduced rates depending on income.
You must register and pay a $25 fee to use the website. This fee may be returned to you if you don’t find a professional to work with.
