Guides and tools
39 guides, finders and tools. They do not give the help themselves: they help you find it, check who you can trust, or understand your rights.
For the help itself, start on the home page.
Money from government
- CRA Child and Family Benefits CalculatorA free online calculator from the Canada Revenue Agency that shows which child and family benefits you may get and how much your payments may be.
- CRA My Account (sign up for your Canada Revenue Agency online account)Your free online Canada Revenue Agency account, the main route for many benefits: you can apply for child benefits, fill out Part A of the disability tax credit application, see ho
The help itself: Money from government
Housing and rent
The help itself: Housing and rent
Food
- Daily Bread Food Bank - Find Food locator (Programs by Location)Address/postal-code map locator for Daily Bread's 100+ member food banks and meal programs across Toronto, with a Use-my-location button, per-program holiday hours/closures and a L
- Drop-in programs for people who are homeless (City of Toronto map)Drop-ins in Toronto offer food, health care, showers, laundry, information and referrals, plus social and recreation programs.
Bills: hydro, heating, internet, phone
The help itself: Bills: hydro, heating, internet, phone
Jobs and paid training
- Canada Summer Jobs (ESDC)Federal wage-subsidy program creating paid summer jobs for youth aged 15-30; youth find CSJ jobs on Job Bank during the hiring period.
- Find free newcomer services near you (Government of Canada)The Government of Canada's search tool for free settlement services near where you live.
- Free job training through Employment OntarioOntario's Skills Development Fund pays organizations to train workers and jobseekers.
- Job Bank (Government of Canada) - Free job search and job alertsThe federal government's free job board (website and app): search thousands of jobs across Canada or near you, set job alerts, save jobs and mark the ones you have applied to.
- Magnet (Toronto Metropolitan University)TMU-housed 'digital community workforce system' whose TalentHQ platform matches job seekers and students with employers and partner programs.
The help itself: Jobs and paid training
Debt help
- Budget Planner (Financial Consumer Agency of Canada)A free online tool from the Government of Canada that helps you make a budget in three steps and gives you tips to improve your finances.
- Consumer proposals explained (Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy)The Government of Canada's plain explanation of a consumer proposal: an offer to pay creditors part of what you owe, or over more time, for up to five years, arranged by a Licensed
- Managing debt (Financial Consumer Agency of Canada)The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada's pages on debt: ways to pay it down, how to find a reputable credit counsellor, debt management plans, and dealing with collection agencies
- When your debts get out of control (Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy)A Government of Canada guide to your options when debts get too big: talking to your creditors, credit counselling, a debt management plan, a consumer proposal or bankruptcy, and h
Health, dental, medicine, eyes
- CPSO Physician Register (College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario)Official public register to look up any active Ontario physician (or one inactive within two years) by name or CPSO number, with links to discipline decisions.
- Drop-in programs for people who are homeless (City of Toronto map)Drop-ins in Toronto offer food, health care, showers, laundry, information and referrals, plus social and recreation programs.
- ER Watch (live emergency room wait times in Ontario)A free website that shows live emergency room wait times for 140+ Ontario hospitals, updated every 15 minutes.
- Government of Canada Benefits Finder (Canada Child Benefit, GST/HST credit and other supports)Anonymous filter tool on canada.ca listing 157 federal and provincial supports by need (job loss, housing, family, disability, health, retirement), audience (newcomers, students, s
- Low-cost dental clinics in Toronto (City of Toronto list)The City of Toronto keeps a list of dental clinics with low or reduced fees.
- RCDSO Find a Dentist (Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario)Official public register of Ontario dentists searchable by name, city, specialty or registration number, showing registration history, discipline results and qualifications.
- Seniors Active Living CentresThere are more than 400 Seniors Active Living Centre programs across Ontario.
The help itself: Health, dental, medicine, eyes
Someone to talk to
- CPBAO Public Register (College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario)Official register to verify psychologists, psychological associates and behaviour analysts, showing authorized practice areas and discipline information; the College itself does no
- College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) - Public RegisterRegulator's free public register for checking a Registered Psychotherapist's status, practice sites, languages of care and any discipline history before booking couples or individu
- OAMHP Therapist Search (Ontario Association of Mental Health Professionals)Searchable directory of OAMHP member mental-health professionals filterable by concern, location, language and in-person/online service.
- OCSWSSW Online Register (Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers)Official register of Ontario social workers and social service workers showing registration status, class of certificate, employer, credentials and any discipline notations.
- Ontario Association for Marriage & Family Therapy (OAMFT) - Find a TherapistProfessional association of 700+ Ontario marriage and family therapists with a free public find-a-therapist directory searchable by specialty (including couples therapy), approach,
- Ontario Psychological Association - Find a PsychologistOnline directory run by the Ontario Psychological Association to find a psychologist or psychological associate by location, concern, language, fees and virtual options.
- Toronto Central HealthlineDirectory of health and community services for Toronto (East York, Etobicoke, North York, Toronto, Scarborough) run by Ontario Health atHome, with a Submit Content route for listin
The help itself: Someone to talk to
Students: scholarships, grants, OSAP
- Indigenous Bursaries Search Tool (Government of Canada, free search tool)A free Government of Canada list of 538 bursaries, scholarships and incentives for Indigenous students across Canada, which you can filter by province or territory, school, field o
- ScholarTree (free scholarship search tool)A free website that matches students in Canada to the scholarships they are eligible for once they create a student profile; it lists over $10 million in scholarships.
- ScholarshipsCanada.com (free scholarship search tool)A free scholarship and bursary search site, running since 1997 (part of the SchoolFinder Group), that matches you to awards when you create an account and sends Scholarship Deadlin
The help itself: Students: scholarships, grants, OSAP
Children and families
- CRA Child and Family Benefits CalculatorA free online calculator from the Canada Revenue Agency that shows which child and family benefits you may get and how much your payments may be.
- CRA My Account (sign up for your Canada Revenue Agency online account)Your free online Canada Revenue Agency account, the main route for many benefits: you can apply for child benefits, fill out Part A of the disability tax credit application, see ho
- Government of Canada Benefits Finder (Canada Child Benefit, GST/HST credit and other supports)Anonymous filter tool on canada.ca listing 157 federal and provincial supports by need (job loss, housing, family, disability, health, retirement), audience (newcomers, students, s
The help itself: Children and families
Seniors
- CRA My Account (sign up for your Canada Revenue Agency online account)Your free online Canada Revenue Agency account, the main route for many benefits: you can apply for child benefits, fill out Part A of the disability tax credit application, see ho
- Government of Canada Benefits Finder (Canada Child Benefit, GST/HST credit and other supports)Anonymous filter tool on canada.ca listing 157 federal and provincial supports by need (job loss, housing, family, disability, health, retirement), audience (newcomers, students, s
- Seniors Active Living CentresThere are more than 400 Seniors Active Living Centre programs across Ontario.
- Toronto Central HealthlineDirectory of health and community services for Toronto (East York, Etobicoke, North York, Toronto, Scarborough) run by Ontario Health atHome, with a Submit Content route for listin
New to Canada
- Find free newcomer services near you (Government of Canada)The Government of Canada's search tool for free settlement services near where you live.
- Job Bank (Government of Canada) - Free job search and job alertsThe federal government's free job board (website and app): search thousands of jobs across Canada or near you, set job alerts, save jobs and mark the ones you have applied to.
- Settlement.Org (OCASI): newcomer information for Ontario and Find Services Near MeA free website with information newcomers can trust about settling in Ontario (immigration and citizenship, housing, health, jobs, education, legal services and daily life), plus a
The help itself: New to Canada
Free legal help
- Consumer proposals explained (Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy)The Government of Canada's plain explanation of a consumer proposal: an offer to pay creditors part of what you owe, or over more time, for up to five years, arranged by a Licensed
- Steps to Justice (CLEO)CLEO's free step-by-step legal information site for Ontario (17+ topics, guided pathways) with a live-chat help option; not legal advice.
The help itself: Free legal help
Youth programs and summer jobs
- Canada Summer Jobs (ESDC)Federal wage-subsidy program creating paid summer jobs for youth aged 15-30; youth find CSJ jobs on Job Bank during the hiring period.
- Job Bank (Government of Canada) - Free job search and job alertsThe federal government's free job board (website and app): search thousands of jobs across Canada or near you, set job alerts, save jobs and mark the ones you have applied to.
- Volunteer Toronto - High School Volunteers pageVolunteer Toronto's page for high-school students: searchable opportunities, info sessions (incl.
The help itself: Youth programs and summer jobs
Volunteer hours for teens
The help itself: Volunteer hours for teens
Start a small business
The help itself: Start a small business
Other guides and tools
- Alberta unclaimed propertyAlberta keeps a central registry of unclaimed property.
- BC Unclaimed (British Columbia unclaimed property)BC Unclaimed is the non-profit society the Province of British Columbia designated to run its unclaimed property program.
- Bank of Canada unclaimed bank balancesMoney left untouched for 10 years in an account at a bank or trust company goes to the Bank of Canada's Unclaimed Properties Office.
- CRA uncashed chequesThe Canada Revenue Agency holds millions of uncashed cheques: tax refunds, credits and benefit payments.
- FundsFinderNB (New Brunswick unclaimed property)The Financial and Consumer Services Commission runs FundsFinderNB, New Brunswick's unclaimed property program.
- Skilled Trades Ontario - Public RegisterProvincial agency's public register to confirm a tradesperson or apprentice is authorized to work in a compulsory trade, searchable by name or ID.