Connecting Ottawa Communique

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Connecting Ottawa Communique
November 24, 2021

We are pleased to provide this information for front-line workers to support the information and referral needs of clients. Please feel free to share this email widely among your networks.

Upcoming Information Sessions:
Mark your calendars for these important sessions:

** Mark your calendar** Updates to the Residential Tenancies Act (in conjunction with Reach Canada)
Date: Monday, November 29, 2021
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Speaker: Melissa Bramson Community Legal Services of Ottawa
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84488285251?pwd=V296VWlCM0duK2lIZTdDa1I2RUk0Zz09
Meeting ID: 844 8828 5251
Passcode: 200215As of September 1, 2021, there have been changes to the Residential Tenancies Act as a result of the Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act. This includes (1) Changes impacting landlord applications against former tenants and tenants no longer in possession of the rental unit; (2) Changes impacting tenant applications based on bad faith notices of termination (T5 applications); and (3) Changes impacting landlord/purchaser own use applications (L2 applications based on an N12 notice). In this presentation we will go over these amendments, and how they could affect your clients.

Other information sessions of interest:
Topic: Home Takeovers Training – For Service Providers
Date:   November 25, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Presented by:    Ottawa Crime Prevention
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtcu2rqTIpGtaNeve7RLNCCXX7SkrJbe70

Topic: HIV Non-Disclosure and the Law: An Update on Criminal and Public Health Law
Date:   November 25, 3:30-4:30pm
Presented by:    HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO)
Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Cr7i6HS4QY20nUSzfgEfQQ

Topic: Building a Blueprint to address GBV against non-status, refugee and immigrant women across Canada
Date:   November 25 & 26, 11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Presented by:    Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
Registration link: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/building-a-blueprint-end-gbv-against-non-status-refugee-immigrant-women-tickets-178852993117

Topic: COVID-19 and Income Benefits: What’s ended, what’s new and how benefits interact
Date: November 30, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Presented by: Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO)
Registration link: https://outreach.cleo.on.ca/civicrm/?civiwp=CiviCRM&q=civicrm%2Fevent%2Finfo&reset=1&id=300

Topic: Financial Planning: Tips and Strategies for Canadians living with a disability
Date: December 2, 2021, 11:00 a.m.
Presented by: Reach Canada
In honour of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Reach invites you to join us for a virtual education session on financial planning for people living with disabilities and their caregivers. Learn practical tips and strategies to help you or your loved one make informed decisions. The session will focus on the benefits of setting up and managing a Registered Disability Savings Plan, as well as other considerations to help you make long-term financial decisions. Troy Mulvey, financial advisor with Equity Financial Services, will be the speaker at this educational session
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpcOqqqzMrHN2i-GhyeMy3aktoR8zIP73K

Topic: Human Rights 101: An Introduction to Human Rights in Ontario
Date:    December 2, 2021, 3:30-4:30pm
Presented by:     HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO)
Registration link:https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Wfod2fQtRKOzntG6JQxsYA

Topic: Financial Fraud and Scams: Keeping Seniors Safe
Date: December 2, 2021, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Presented by: Community Advocacy and Legal Centre
Registration Link: Meeting Registration – Zoom
Event Description: This is a two-hour virtual forum on seniors and scams, fraud, and misuse of Powers of Attorney. The forum will have workshops geared toward seniors, service providers, and healthcare providers.

Topic: Living in Long Term Care and Knowing Your Rights
Date: December 2, 2021, 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m.
Presented by: Advocacy Centre for the Elderly
Registration link:https://aclco-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/4216342478551/WN_Fmyv6aalRcWLlB912HRe_A

Topic: New and Emerging Issues in Income Support Programs
Date: December 9, 3:30-4:30pm
Presented by: HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO)
Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SQJq53hQRcuH73nmu6LuGw

Heather Neufeld joins the Connecting Ottawa team
We are thrilled to announce that immigration lawyer, Heather Neufeld, is joining the Connecting Ottawa team as of December 1, 2021. Heather was called to the bar in 2009 and has represented clients in all areas of immigration and refugee law first as a staff lawyer with Community Legal Services of Ottawa (formerly South Ottawa Community Legal Clinic) and more recently in her own practice. She has been a contributor and contractor with Connecting Ottawa over the last couple of years, supporting our COVID-19 PLE sessions and providing consultation to front-line workers as we conducted our recent employment search. Heather speaks English, French and Spanish and teaches part-time in the University of Ottawa legal program. Heather is looking forward to connecting with CO partners and to providing education sessions to partners in the new year.

16 Days of Activism against GBV starts November 25
Every year, from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10 (World Human Rights Day), Canada joins the international campaign to observe the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. It is an opportunity to call out, speak up and renew our commitment to end gender-based violence. For more information, visit: https://women-gender-equality.canada.ca/en/commemorations-celebrations/16-days.html. Information on the international campaign is available at the UN Women site: 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence | What we do: Ending violence against women and girls: Take action | UN Women.

National Addictions Awareness Week: November 21-27
National Addictions Awareness week is November 21-27. A tool « Breaking Free from Substance Use » is a free evidence-based digital behaviour change program that allows people to recognize and actively address the psychological and lifestyle issues that are driving their use of alcohol and/or drugs. More information is available at: https://www.breakingfreeonline.ca/.

Locating a will, legal file or document
If you are assisting a client who is looking for a will, legal file or document that was prepared by a lawyer or paralegal in Ontario, there are a number of places you might search. Read here to learn more about how to find a will, power of attorney, legal file, court document or real estate document in Ontario and how Trustee Services at the Law Society may be able to help: https://lso.ca/public-resources/trustee-services-and-the-unclaimed-trust-fund.

Les services de la clinique juridique francophone d’Ottawa
Services de la clinique juridique francophone d’Ottawa seront limités de façon temporaire aux domaines de droit suivants: Droit de l’immigration, droit du logement, droit de la famille et droit de l’aide sociale. En plus, les retours d’appels prennent plus de temps que la norme habituelle de 48 heures. Les services sont offerts en français seulement. Contactez: 613.744.2892 ou cscv@cscvanier.com

University of Ottawa Community Legal Clinic (UOCLC) closed November 30 – January 4
Reminder that the UOCLC clinic will be closed from November 30 – January 4. The clinic schedule for 2021-22 is as follow:

September 20 – October 18, 2021
November 1 – November 30, 2021
January 4 – January 14, 2022
January 31 – March 1, 2022
March 14 – April 4, 2022

Clients can contact UOCLC at 613-562-5600 to schedule an intake appointment.

Ontario Legal Information Centre Services
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ontario Legal Information Centre continues to offer its legal information meeting services by telephone or videoconference. In addition to the legal information services, the Centre now offers virtual public legal education sessions. The Centre can create a customized presentation in the area of law that interests you and is tailored to your audience and members. In the past, we have offered presentations on various topics such as the language rights of Francophones in Ontario, elder abuse, wills, housing law and violence against women. We encourage you to book your legal information workshop as soon as possible as we are already reserving dates for Spring/Summer 2022! Contact them at: info@legalinfocentre.ca

Malgré la COVID-19 pandémie le Centre d’information juridique de l’Ontario continue d’offrir ses services de rencontre d’information juridique, ce par téléphone ou par visioconférence. En plus des rencontres d’information juridique, le Centre offre maintenant des séances virtuelles d’éducation juridique sur une panoplie de sujets. Le Centre peut créer un atelier sur mesure dans le domaine de droit qui vous intéresse et qui soit adapté à votre public, vos employés et vos membres. Par le passé, nous avons par exemple offert des ateliers portant sur les droits linguistiques des francophones en Ontario, l’exploitation des aînés, les testaments, le droit du logement ou encore, la violence faite aux femmes. Nous vous encourageons à réserver votre atelier d’information juridique dès que possible puisque nous réservons déjà les dates pour la période printemps/été 2022! Contactez: info@legalinfocentre.ca

Reporting Ottawa Renovictions
The Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa wants to stop the loss of existing affordable housing. Partners in Ottawa and across the province have shared that renovictions are increasing, specifically illegal ones, where tenants are pushed out without being informed of their rights. But there is little data on this. The Alliance is launching a provincial-wide survey on illegal renovictions to gather data on this important issue. The survey will help advocate for better housing policy to protect tenants from illegal renovictions. If you know of a client who has lost their housing due to a renoviction, please ask them (or help them) to complete the survey at: https://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/ReportYourRenoviction

Settlement agreement deadline today: Military workplace sexual harrassment, sexual assault or discrimination
In 2016 and 2017 seven former members of the Canadian Armed Forces initiated class action lawsuits against the Government of Canada alleging sexual harassment, sexual assault or discrimination based on sex, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation in connection with their military services and/or employment with the Department of National Defence and/or staff of the Non-Public Funds, Canadian Forces. On November 25, 2019, the Federal Court certified the lawsuits as class action proceedings and approved a settlement agreement that provides compensation*. If you experienced misconduct while working in the military workplace and did not opt out before the February 24, 2020 Opt Out Deadline, or are not deemed to have opted out, you may file a claim for money and/or seek to participate in the restorative engagement program. The deadline to submit an Individual Application/Claim Form together with supporting documentation ends today, November 24, 2021: https://www.caf-dndsexualmisconductclassaction.ca/en/claim. (*The settlement is not to be construed as an admission of liability on the part of the Government of Canada).

Guide: Technology-Facilitated Gender Based Violence
The Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund has created a guide « Unacceptable: Responding to Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence » that defines and describes different forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence. The guide also outlines steps that people experiencing this form of violence can take to address it, including potential legal remedies. You can read and download the guide here: Unacceptable: Responding to Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence – LEAF. A plain text version is also available.

Virtual Legal Clinic on Family Law Issues
The Luke’s Place Virtual Legal Clinic provides women with free legal advice on family law issues. They use web-based video conferencing or the telephone to connect women with lawyers. You can use the Virtual Legal Clinic if you are a woman in Ontario who:

has experienced violence or abuse in your relationship
has a family law legal issue for which you wish to receive summary legal advice (e.g. parenting arrangements, child or spousal support, property division or financial issues, safety concerns)
does not have a lawyer for the legal issue you wish to discuss

To book an appointment, call toll-free: 1-866-516-3116 ext. 235, or email Intake@LukesPlace.ca.

Low-cost Internet
Rogers « Connecting for Success » program offers high-speed, low-cost internet across Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland to subsidized tenants, those in receipt of the maximum Child Care benefit and recipients of the Guaranteed Income Supplement, Ontario Works and ODSP: Connected For Success – Ontario – About Rogers.

City of Ottawa recognizes International Day of Persons with Disabilities – December 2, 2021
December 2 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The United Nations theme for 2021 is “Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world.” Deputy Mayor Laura Dudas, City Councillors, senior leaders, and staff will observe the day with a virtual event from 10:30 to noon that includes various presenters speaking about how we can strive for a future not defined by disability, but ability, and commit to a world characterized by human rights. RSVP by December 1 at 12:00 noon to: https://s-ca.chkmkt.com/?e=246510&d=e&h=41CF289AECF9730 ASL and LSQ will be provided

Ontario Human Rights Commission Policy on COVID-19 Recovery Planning
The Ontario Human Rights Commission has released its Policy statement on human rights in COVID-19 recovery planning. The statement contains useful recommendations for how organizations (including government) that are subject to the Human Rights Code should integrate human rights considerations into COVID recovery planning. To read the statement, visit: http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/news_centre/ohrc-policy-statement-human-rights-covid-19-recovery-planning#_ftn26

Connect with us … Connecting Ottawa is available to support front-line workers in Ottawa to provide appropriate legal information and referrals to clients with communication barriers as a result of language or sensory disability. If you have a question or require a consultation, please send it to info@connectingottawa.com along with an Intake Form: https://connecting-ottawa.fpbeta.com/request-for-information-consultation/ . This will ensure the most efficient response to your request. As a reminder, we do not provide direct legal services to individuals