My office is here to help! Contact us for assistance with any provincial matter, and see the links below for more information on navigating provincial services and programs.
Workplace Safety and WSIB
The Workplace Safety & Insurance Act governs the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB).
This Act requires that any person acting as a representative for an injured worker be either: a lawyer, a paralegal, a representative of a trade union, or a member of the Office of the Worker Advisor. Although my office is exempt from this provision, my staff are not properly trained to represent workers. This means that we cannot represent you.
However, we are able to assist you with finding the representation you deserve. Although we are unable to represent you at hearings, we are still able to review your claim file and make recommendations.
If you require assistance with any WSIB matter, please ensure you have a copy of your entire claim file. This will ensure we are able to view all the documents pertaining to your matter.
ODSP and Ontario Works
At the beginning of the application process, you will receive information about the Ontario Disability Support Program/Ontario Works. You will also be told which information and documents may be needed to complete the application process. You will need:
- Health Card Number
- Proof of Identity and Date of Birth
- Employment History/Information
- Income and Asset Statements
- Shelter Costs
- Status in Canada and Dependent Information
The application process is completed in person at your local ODSP/Ontario Works office. You will be required to complete and sign all necessary forms, including the application for assistance, and a participation agreement outlining the specific employment activities you may participate in. You will also need to provide any required information and documents.
Health Care and OHIP
A resident of Ontario must have a health card to show that he or she is entitled to health care services paid for by OHIP. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care pays for a wide range of services, however, it does not pay for services that are not medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery.
Eligibility for OHIP
Ontario residents are eligible for provincially funded health coverage (OHIP). Generally, to be eligible for Ontario health coverage you must be:
- A Canadian citizen, permanent resident or among one of the newcomer to Canada groups who are eligible for OHIP as set out in Ontario’s Health Insurance Act ; and
- Physically present in Ontario for 153 days in any 12-month period; and
- Physically present in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after establishing residency in the province; and
- Make your primary place of residence in Ontario.
OHIP coverage normally becomes effective three months after the date you establish residency in Ontario. The ministry strongly encourages new and returning residents to purchase private health insurance in case you become ill during the OHIP waiting period.
Finding a Family Doctor – Health Care Connect
Health Care Connect helps Ontarians who are without a family health care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) to find one. People without a family health care provider are referred to a family doctor or a nurse practitioner who is accepting new patients in their community. To find out more information about Health Care Connect, click here.
Finding Long-term Care
Arranging care for yourself or a family member will involve a number of steps. This section of the website describes the process for arranging care, and the role you can play in the process. See the Arranging Care page for more details.
Your local Local Health Integration Network can help. LHIN are provincially-funded agencies that provide Long-Term Care information and referral services in your area. The information is provided free of charge. To locate the LHIN nearest you, use our LHIN locator.
To find a suitable long-term care home, this search engine will help you. If you require any assistance with finding a long-term care space, please contact my office.
Education and OSAP
Your first point of contact for help with applying for OSAP is the Financial Aid Office of the school you are applying to. Out-of-province students can get help by calling 1-877-OSAP411 (1-877-672-7411) during business hours.
Find out more about how OSAP can help you pay for your education.
Special Greetings and Certificates
If you or someone you know will soon be celebrating a special birthday or anniversary, or commemorating a special event, you can request special greetings by sending an e-mail to our office.
NOTE: The recipient or requestor must live in the riding, and scroll requests will only be processed if the recipient is a resident of Ontario.
Here is the criteria:
Your Member of Provincial Parliament will send a congratulatory letter on:
- Any birthday or wedding anniversary; or
- Any celebratory occasion.
Commissioner of Oaths
Our office is happy to act as a Commissioner of Oaths on many provincial government documents (ex. Ontario name change forms). Please note that our staff are not notary publics, and therefore cannot notarize documents. For information about the difference between a notary public and a commissioner of oaths, and for information on how to find a notary public or a commissioner of oaths, please see here.
Please note: our office does not commission legal documents or affidavits, wills, or vaccination exemption forms.
Queen's Park Petition Guide and Procedure
A petition is a request that the Legislative Assembly of Ontario take some specific action (or refrain from taking some action) to redress a public grievance.
The action requested must be within the scope of jurisdiction of the Legislative Assembly, and the request must be clear, temperate, proper and respectful.
The request must appear at the top of every page of signatures submitted with the petition.
Click here for more information on preparing a petition.
Click here to download a petition template.
Signatures
Petitioners must be residents of the Province of Ontario; it is acceptable for petitioners to be under the age of majority.
A petition must contain original signatures only, written directly on the face of the petition.
Each person petitioning the Legislative Assembly must print his or her name and address and sign his or her name under the text of the petition.
Form and Content
A petition must be addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
Petitions addressed to the Government of Ontario, or to a particular minister will not be accepted.
Petitions must be written, typewritten or printed. Email, faxed or photocopied petitions are not admissible and will not be presented.
Birth Certificates
Births are recorded by the province through the Office of the Registrar General, a department of the Ministry of Government Services. For applications and further information, please click on the links below.
If you need assistance, or require expedited service, contact my community office for help.
*If the birth happened outside Ontario and within Canada, please contact the Vital Statistics Office in the province or territory where the birth took place.
How much does a birth certificate cost?
- First birth certificate (short form —2.5″ x 3.75″) $25
- Replacement birth certificate (short form) $35
- First certified copy of birth (long form — 8.5″ x 14″) $35
- Replacement certified copy of birth (long form) $45
Death Certificates
Once a death occurs the physician or coroner attending the death completes the Medical Certificate of Death and gives it to the Funeral Director to go with the body.
To register a death, a family member and the funeral director complete the Statement of Death with information about the deceased.
Once completed, the Medical Certificate of Death and the Statement of Death are submitted to the local municipal clerk’s office by the Funeral Director.
The funeral director will issue copies of a proof of death that you can use in certain situations. There are some organizations, however, that may require an official death certificate from the Province of Ontario, Office of the Registrar General.
You may need an official death certificate or certified copy for:
- Settling an estate
- Insurance purposes
- Access to/termination of government services, e.g., health card, pension, voters’ list
- Genealogy searches
Once the death is registered, the next of kin, executor or estate administrator may apply for a death certificate. Death certificate applications can be made online, by mail, fax, or in person. The different methods of application have different service delivery times and sometimes different fees.