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Connecting Ottawa Communique
6 novembre 2025

We are pleased to provide this information for frontline workers to support the information and referral needs of clients. Connecting Ottawa education sessions that may be of interest to workers are listed following Connecting Ottawa News.  After reviewing Connecting Ottawa’s education sessions, you will find information and updates from our lawyers and partners related to services and programs relevant to clients who have a communication barrier due to language or sensory disability. Please feel free to share this email widely among your networks.

Connecting Ottawa News
That’s a Wrap!: Connecting Ottawa’s 2025 Conference
Thank you to everyone who was able to attend Connecting Ottawa’s 2025 conference, « The Critical First Step in Legal Support: Client-Centred Interviewing for Frontline Workers. »  We hope the Conference provided you with practical information to sharpen your client interviewing skills and enhance your ability to support your clients with legal issues, as well as demonstrated trauma-informed de-escalation strategies that you can use during difficult situations. We also hope it sparked meaningful connections with familiar faces and fostered new relationships and information-sharing with colleagues, friends, presenters, and the Connecting Ottawa team!   If you attended the Conference but didn’t have a chance to complete the post-event survey, we encourage you to take a moment to fill it in now!   Here is the survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0eC1hyIMdp7D4w2-710IlyPYoVVVrZQ3SUwy4P0v9KRO4zA/viewform. Your feedback is valuable!

Les fiches d’information de Connecting Ottawa sur la collaboration avec les représentants juridiques sont maintenant disponibles en français!
Connecting Ottawa a créé une série de fiches d’information pour aider les travailleurs de première ligne à soutenir leurs clients dans leur collaboration avec des avocats et des parajuristes. Ces fiches offrent des conseils pratiques et des explications claires sur plusieurs aspects du travail avec un représentant juridique : quoi considérer avant d’en embaucher un, comment fonctionnent généralement les honoraires juridiques en Ontario, et comment communiquer efficacement avec un avocat ou un parajuriste. Conçues comme un outil pour les travailleurs de première ligne, ces ressources visent à renforcer leur compréhension du système juridique afin qu’ils puissent mieux accompagner leurs clients lorsqu’ils ont des questions ou des inquiétudes. Nous sommes heureux de vous informer que ces fiches d’information sont maintenant disponibles en français! Les fiches suivantes peuvent être consultées ici :

Vous pouvez également accéder à ces fiches (en français et en anglais) ainsi qu’à d’autres ressources sur le site web de Connecting Ottawa : https://connectingottawa.com/about-us/connecting-ottawa-resources/.  (Text in English to follow)

Connecting Ottawa’s Helping Your Clients Work with Legal Representatives Series of Information Sheets Now Available in French
Connecting Ottawa developed a series of Information Sheets to support frontline workers in helping their clients work effectively with lawyers and paralegals. These Information Sheets offer practical guidance and clear explanations on many aspects of working with legal representatives – from what to consider when hiring a lawyer or paralegal, to understanding how legal fees typically work in Ontario, to tips for effective communication. Designed as a tool for frontline workers, these resources aim to build familiarity with the legal system so that workers can better support their clients when they come to them with questions or concerns. We are pleased to let you know that these information sheets are now also available in French!  They can be accessed here: 

You can also access these information sheets (in English and French) and more on Connecting Ottawa’s website:  https://connectingottawa.com/about-us/connecting-ottawa-resources/.

Connecting Ottawa Communiqué Sign up
In Connecting Ottawa’s bi-weekly Communiqué, we share information about our upcoming education sessions, valuable resources, and timely information and updates on local, provincial, and federal legal and social service programs of interest to frontline workers serving clients in our target populations.  If you are a frontline worker who wants to receive Connecting Ottawa’s Communiqué directly to your inbox, we encourage you to sign up here: https://connectingottawa.com/connecting-ottawa-communique/sign-up-for-communque/.

Upcoming Connecting Ottawa Education Sessions
Aujourd’hui! Comprendre le formulaire N12 : un guide pour les locataires et les travailleurs de première ligne
Présentateur: David Leonardo Lombana Rodriguez de la Clinique juridique francophone (CFJO)
Date: jeudi, le 6 novembre, 2025
Heure: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m
Lien Zoom:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87338967628?pwd=e6t2gIBhan7NSnebwJXPDT6xLCzNxD.1
ID de réunion: 873 3896 7628
Numéro de pass: 281161
Le 6 novembre, Connecting Ottawa et le Ottawa Housing Education Group organiseront une séance d’information sur le formulaire N12. Il s’agit d’un avis officiel donné par un propriétaire à un locataire pour mettre fin à la location, parce que le propriétaire, un membre de sa famille ou un aidant a besoin du logement pour son propre usage pendant au moins un an.La séance sera animée par David Leonardo Lombana Rodriguez de la  Clinique juridique francophone (CFJO). Il expliquera ce qu’est le formulaire N12 et ce que les locataires – ainsi que les travailleurs de première ligne qui les soutiennent – peuvent faire dans une telle situation. Si vous êtes un travailleur de première ligne qui aide des locataires, cette séance est pour vous !

Referring clients to Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) and community legal clinic services
Speakers:  Representatives from all Community Legal Clinics and LAO in Ottawa
Date:  Thursday, November 13, 2025
Time:  11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87036162234?pwd=DXPtLYVAkGBFGUZvTXmqcXA1rUmVlv.1
Meeting ID: 870 3616 2234
Passcode: 264497
Session Description: Do you want to learn to make better referrals to support your clients with their legal issues? Or maybe you need a refresher?  Representatives from all Ottawa community legal clinics and LAO, including Community Legal Services of Ottawa, the Clinique juridique francophone d’Ottawa, the University of Ottawa Legal Clinic, and Integrated Legal Services of Ottawa, will provide an overview of the areas of law and services that they offer and how to refer clients to their clinic and services.

Elementary and Secondary School Registration in Ontario: What You Need to Know
Speakers: Sarah Pole, Executive Director, Childhood Arrivals Support and Advocacy Centre of Canada (CASA) and Allison Williams, Community Development Lawyer, Justice for Children and Youth legal clinic (JFCY)
Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81143140682?pwd=9eQYytuqPmbwtRYeuEBca4xRQiwOIl.1
Meeting ID: 811 4314 0682
Passcode: 119421
Session description: Join us for an information session on school registration rights for children in Ontario’s elementary and secondary schools. Co-presented by speakers from the Childhood Arrivals Support and Advocacy Centre of Canada (CASA) and Justice for Children and Youth legal clinic (JFCY), this session will walk through school registration, and address common questions and concerns. It will be especially valuable for frontline workers who support newcomer families with school-aged children.

Séance d’information sur le harcèlement sexuel au travail
Présentatrice: Nermine Youssef, Chargée de projet a la Clinique juridique francophone (CFJO)
Date: mardi, le 2 decembre, 2025
Heure: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m
Lien Zoom:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87498439142?pwd=J1WfNnWDgIwZVLQezQsJVsrjaYfDay.1
ID de réunion: 874 9843 9142
Numéro de pass: 155410
Le 2 décembre 2025, Connexion Ottawa et la Clinique juridique francophone (CFJO) offriront une séance d’information en français sur le harcèlement sexuel au travail. Cet atelier de sensibilisation et d’éducation juridique abordera les différentes formes de harcèlement sexuel en milieu de travail, les responsabilités des employeurs, ainsi que les façons de signaler un incident ou d’intervenir en tant que témoin. L’information présentée peut être particulièrement utile pour soutenir les jeunes, les personnes vulnérables, les femmes et les nouveaux arrivants qui commencent à découvrir le marché du travail ou qui vivent des situations difficiles en milieu professionnel. La séance présentera aussi les recours possibles et les ressources disponibles pour obtenir du soutien, de l’information ou des conseils juridiques.

Legal Information and Updates
Updated on Countries and territories where IME is required for temporary resident applications
On November 3, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated the list of countries and territories requiring an immigration medical examination (IME) for temporary resident applicants. IMEs are now required for those who have lived in or visited Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, and Venezuela, but no longer needed for Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Latvia, Lithuania, and Taiwan. These changes do not apply to applications submitted before November 3, 2025. For the full list of countries, please check: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/medical-police/medical-exams/requirements-temporary-residents/country-requirements.html

New instructions on individual cancellation of temporary resident visas, electronic travel authorizations, work permits and study permits
On January 31, 2025, new regulations concerning the individual cancellation of temporary resident documents took effect. On November 4, 2025, IRCC issued updated instructions on the matter. These regulatory changes grant designated officers the explicit authority to cancel electronic travel authorisations (eTAs), temporary resident visas (TRVs), work permits (WPs) and study permits (SPs) on a case-by-case basis. These instructions apply to immigration documents only, not to applications. For more information regarding these new instructions please review: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/visitors/cancellation-visa.html#s1.

New Way to Send Documents to the RPD and RAD , Effective October 31, 2025
As of October 31, 2025, the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) and the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) require that documents be submitted primarily through the MyCase portal, with some exceptions. More details on how to use the MyCase portal, as well as when alternative methods of submitting documents to the RPD and RAD are permitted, can be found on Community Legal Education Ontario’s (CLEO) Steps to Justice website: https://stepstojustice.ca/questions/refugee-law/how-can-i-send-documents-to-the-rpd-or-rad/.

Health Canada error in the way eligibility for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) was initially calculated for some applicants
According to Health Canada, about 70,000 individuals either should not have qualified for the CDCP or were assessed at the wrong copayment level. Notices were sent to affected individuals, however, they are not required to repay any difference in copayment or amounts incorrectly covered by the CDCP. The error has since been corrected and the eligibility assessment process has returned to normal operation.

Osgoode Hall Law School’s Public Interest Initiative offers free support to workers who are representing themselves at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal
Through this initiative, law students give self-represented parties information on strategy, explain the process, and offer practical support. However, law students are not permitted to give legal advice. Self-represented parties can access this support by emailing winklerInstitute@osgoode.yorku.ca.

University of Ottawa Community Legal Clinic (UOCLC) Update: 2025 Intakes Close November 25, 2025, Resume in January 2026
For 2025, UOCLC intakes will close on November 25, 2025.  For Winter/Spring 2026, the schedule continues as follows: 

  • January 5 to January 15, 2026
  • February 2 to February 24, 2026
  • March 9 to April 7, 2026

Eligible clients seeking assistance may complete the UOCLC Services Application Form, available here, https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-law/sites/g/files/bhrskd406/files/2025-06/UOCLC-Services-APPLICATION-FORM-en.pdf, and email it to uoclc@uottawa.ca. If assistance is required in filling out the form, call the UOCLC at 613-562-5600.  To learn more about the UOCLC, eligibility criteria, and areas of law, please visit: https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-law/common-law/student-centre/courses/clinics/community-legal-clinic/clients/information-clients.  

Research Study – A2J Barriers Faced by Francophones with Disabilities
ABLE2 is currently recruiting participants for a research study they are conducting regarding access to justice barriers faced by francophones with disabilities. ABLE2 is a charitable organization that empowers individuals with disabilities to lead fulfilling lives by supporting them with programs, services, and resources. ABLE2 acknowledges that people with disabilities face many barriers to their full participation in society, including stigma, discrimination, poverty, exclusion from employment, and inequities in the education, health care, and legal systems.  If you have clients, colleagues, or anyone in your broader network, who might be well-placed to participate in ABLE2’s research study, we encourage you to share information about the study.  Those who wish to participate can do so by contacting the lead researcher at dhelmke@able2.org. Participation can be done in the form of an online survey, or a phone interview.

Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) Speaker Series: Navigating Childhood Grief – November 13, 2025
The OCDSB is facilitating a webinar about childhood grief on November 13, 2025 at 6:00 pm. This session will provide an overview of childhood grief, practical strategies to support children experiencing loss, and an understanding of the community resources available.  For more information and to access the registration link, visit: https://www.ocdsb.ca/news-events/news/post/ocdsb-speaker-series-navigating-childhood-grief-november-13th.

Customer Satisfaction Survey – OC Transpo
OC Transpo is taking part in an international customer satisfaction survey by the International Bus Benchmarking Group. The survey is conducted every year by transit agencies around the world, and the results provide information that helps transit agencies improve their services. The survey takes approximately five minutes and all responses remain anonymous. The deadline to complete the survey is November 24, 2025: https://imperial.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0HhAgCgHqFzS9Fk.

Disability Poverty in Canada: Learning From Today To Make Tomorrow Better
December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The organization Disability Without Poverty (DWP) is hosting a live online symposium featuring advocates, academics, and community leaders who will provide their knowledge on disability poverty in Canada. DWP will also release their 3rd Annual Disability Poverty Report Card that highlights the successes and failures of the federal government in ending disability poverty. For more information and to register for the event visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfIA3c6U67YPN35pttUYG8QmTPYuq5kOMX0CYTj0176wOU3DQ/viewform.

Reminder: Individuals applying for permanent residence or citizenship can now check their personalised processing times.
Applicants for Canadian permanent residence (PR) and citizenship now have access to more detailed information about their application processing times. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has enhanced its online processing tool, allowing applicants to see when their application will be processed, adjusted based on the submission date, and their place in the queue. Previously, only average processing times were available, which depended on the application type and program, without considering the submission date. For more information please review: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html.

Reminder: Two temporary Employment Insurance (EI) measures extended from October 2025 until April 11, 2026
Two temporary EI measures have been extended until April 11, 2026, to ensure stability for workers:

  • The one-week EI waiting period will continue to be waived for claims established between March 30, 2025 and April 11, 2026
  • Monies paid on separation of employment will not be deducted from EI benefits if your claim or the allocation starts between March 30, 2025 and April 11, 2026. Normally, earnings paid because of temporary or permanent separation from employment are allocated from the week of the separation. Separation of earnings can include vacation pay, pay in lieu of notice, severance pay, closure bonuses, or sick leave credits.

Reminder: Temporary adjustment to Employment Insurance (EI) regional unemployment rate in Ottawa remains at 630 insured hours
In anticipation of job losses due to the impact of U.S. tariffs, the Government of Canada temporarily adjusted unemployment rates to make it easier to qualify for EI benefits. It’s not clear yet if this temporary measure will be extended. For now, it appears that the regional unemployment rate in Ottawa remains at 630 insured hours. The number of hours required to qualify for EI regular benefits in Ottawa and other regions can be found at this link:  https://srv129.services.gc.ca/ei_regions/eng/postalcode_search.aspx.

Reminder: New temporary Employment Insurance (EI) measure for long-tenured workers
The Government of Canada is investing $1.6 billion over five years to temporarily give 20 extra weeks of income support, up to a maximum of 65 weeks, to long-tenured workers who many need more time to find a job that is similar to the one they lost. This temporary measure applies to claims starting between June 15, 2025 and April 11, 2026. A long-tenured worker is someone who has:

  • received fewer than 36 weeks of EI regular benefits in the last 3 years
  • paid at least 30% of the maximum EI annual premium in the 7 of the last 10 years

For more information on the EI program and these temporary measures visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/temporary-measures-for-major-economic-conditions.html.

Reminder: Employment Insurance (EI) premium rate for 2026
The EI rate for 2026 will be $1.63 per $100 of insurable earnings. An employer must deduct EI premiums from an employee’s insurable earnings. Insurable earnings are an employee’s earnings from insurable employment, which includes most employment in Canada under a contract of service. To be considered insurable earnings, the amount has to be paid in cash by the employer and received and enjoyed by the employee in respect of that employment. An employer must contribute 1.4 times the amount of the EI premiums they deduct from an employee’s remuneration and remit both amounts to the Canada Revenue Agency.  

Reminder: Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) has a series of new and updated print and online resources
CLEO has released a series of new and updated print and online resources. These include materials on debt and consumer rights, such as information sheets on buying or leasing a used car from a dealer, door-to-door sales, and what “unfair practices” mean under Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act. Several French-language resources have also been updated, including Procuration relative aux soins de la personne (Power of Attorney for Personal Care), Comment présenter une demande au Programme ontarien de soutien aux personnes handicapées (How to Apply for the Ontario Disability Support Program – ODSP), and resources on health and disability rights such as Déclaration des droits des résidents : Vos droits dans un foyer de soins de longue durée (Declaration of Residents’ Rights: Your Rights in a Long-Term Care Home) and Prestations d’invalidité du Régime de pensions du Canada (Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits). The resources and more information can be found here: https://outreach.cleo.on.ca/civicrm?civiwp=CiviCRM&q=civicrm%2Fmailing%2Fview&reset=1&id=2097.

Reminder: Partners for Planning (P4P) Webinar on Children’s Mental Health
On November 6, 2025 at 7:00 pm, P4P is hosting a free webinar, « Talking About Children’s Mental Health. »  The webinar is an open conversation about the intersection of disability and mental health that can break through the stigma, making it easier for caregivers and their families to seek help when it’s needed. Topics covered include: 1. How to recognize the signs of mental health challenges; 2. What caregivers can expect when talking about their child’s mental health; 3. Where to go for help and support; and 4. Strategies for collaborating with schools.  To learn more and register, visit: https://www.planningnetwork.ca/events/talking-about-childrens-mental-health.

Reminder: A Newcomer’s Guide to Walk-In Clinics
Wakil Ahmad Kakar, a medical graduate and clinical assistant based in Markham, Ontario, produced a guide on walk-in clinics for newcomers to increase health literacy and access for immigrant communities in Canada: https://www.healthcoalition.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Walk-in-clinic-guide-for-newcomers.pdf.

Reminder: Province of Ontario seeking feedback on Ontario’s next 5-year Poverty Reduction Strategy
The province launched a consultation process as part of the development of their next 5-year Poverty Reduction Strategy. Feedback is being requested via online survey or written submission from individuals, non-profit, government, Indigenous, public sector, and employers/industry:  https://www.ontario.ca/page/consultation-poverty-reduction-strategy. The deadline to provide feedback is November 30, 2025.

Reminder:  Connecting Ottawa’s Infographics, « Connecting Ottawa – Who We Are » and « When Should I Contact Connecting Ottawa »
Connecting Ottawa has infographics that provide a clear, visual overview of who we are, the services we offer, and when and how frontline workers can contact us for support. They’re designed to offer quick, accessible information that can help frontline workers better support their clients with legal issues.

The infographics in French and English can be accessed here:

In case you missed it … (we think the following information bears repeating):
Updated Connecting Ottawa information sheets
The following resources have been produced by Connecting Ottawa lawyers to provide front line workers and community members with information and referral resources for common legal issues. Please feel free to share with your clients and networks.

Canada closes pathway to permanent residence for caregivers outside Canada
According to the official website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the ‘applicants not working in Canada’ stream of the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot (HCWP) is now closed. When the HCWP was first introduced, it was announced that both the Home Support and Child Care options would feature an intake for applicants not currently in Canada, with more information to follow. However, the stream was listed as ‘closed’ on the IRCC website on 29 September 2025 without ever opening to applications. Please refer to: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/caregivers/home-care-worker-immigration-pilots/employers.html.

Ontario region launches Francophone pathway to permanent residence
The Superior East region of Ontario has recently unveiled its Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP). Located in Northern Ontario, the Superior East region lies along the shore of Lake Superior. The pilot includes the communities of Chapleau, Dubreuilville, Wawa, White River, Hornepayne and Manitouwadge, as well as surrounding First Nations. The FCIP is an employer-focused pathway for French-speaking foreign nationals.

Candidates must have a job offer in a priority sector and occupation endorsed by the local economic development organisation, as well as meeting other criteria, to qualify. The Superior East region’s priority sectors for the FCIP are: health, education, law, social services, community services, government services, sales and services, trades, transport, machinery and related fields, natural resources, agriculture and related production. For a list of occupations, please refer to: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/franco-immigration/job-offer.html.

Please note that only employers operating in at least one of the priority sectors and hiring for a priority occupation can become designated employers for the FCIP. Foreign nationals need a job offer from a designated employer to be recommended for the FCIP by the regional economic development organization. In addition to having a job offer from a designated employer in a priority occupation, candidates must meet the following criteria:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of French by achieving a minimum score of NCLC 5 in all four areas;
  • Have at least one year (1,560 hours) of relevant work experience in the last three years. This condition can be waived for international graduates who meet specific conditions.
  • Have at least a secondary school-level credential (Canadian or foreign equivalent).
  • Have the minimum settlement funds to support themselves and their families.

If a candidate meets the criteria, their employer can submit their application to the regional economic development organization for consideration and recommendation. Candidates who receive a recommendation can apply to the federal government for permanent residence. They are also eligible for a work permit, enabling them to start working while their application is being processed: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/franco-immigration/work-permit.html.

For more information please check: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/franco-immigration/eligibility.html.  Also see: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/franco-immigration.html.

New Ontario Minimum Wage Rates, Effective October 1, 2025
As of October 1, 2025, Ontario’s minimum wage rates have increased. The new amounts are: $17.60 per hour for most jobs, $19.35 per hour for homeworkers, and $16.60 per hour for students 17 and under. In response to these changes, Steps to Justice has updated its information on minimum wage, including detailed explanations for different types of workers. This information is especially useful for frontline workers helping clients understand their rights around minimum wage. More information can be found here: https://outreach.cleo.on.ca/civicrm?civiwp=CiviCRM&q=civicrm%2Fmailing%2Fview&reset=1&id=2072.

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 complete our request for legal information/consultation form: https://connectingottawa.com/request-for-information-consultation/.  Along with your completed request for legal information/consultation, please send any documents related to your client’s legal issue by email to info@connectingottawa.com. This will ensure the most efficient response to your request.  As a reminder, we do not provide direct legal services to individuals.