Winter Warmth Program

The Winter Warmth Fund is now up and running!  It is administered by Community Trust on behalf of the United Way.  Eligible utilities are Union Gas and Veridian.  The maximum amount paid is $450 per household and the program covers residents of Hastings and Prince Edward Counties. 

To apply call Community Trust at 613-962-3070. 

Community Trust will forward the information to the United Way.  You must then go to the United Way office at 249 William Street, Belleville, to provide proof of identity, source of income, and your actual utility bill.  Payment will be made directly to the utility after your application is approved.

NEW HOME OWNERSHIP ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OFFERED IN

HASTINGS, PRINCE EDWARD AND LENNOX & ADDINGTON

Hastings County

Under the Home Ownership component of the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program, the County of Hastings has been allocated an additional $225,000 to assist up to 30 low to moderate income rental households to purchase affordable homes. The home being purchased must be in Hastings County, and may be new or resale. The purchase price of the home must be $196,527 or less and you must have a household income of $58,800 or less.

Deadline for applications is December 15, 2008.

For more information, including other eligibility requirements, or to download an application form, visit the Hastings County website or call Michelle Ogden at

613-968-3465 (toll free 1-800-267-2804, ext. 4310). 

Applications are also available at the Housing Programs Branch, 15 Victoria Avenue, 2nd Floor, Belleville.

Prince Edward and Lennox & Addington Counties

Residents of the Counties of Lennox & Addington and Prince Edward who are currently renting accommodation and hoping to purchase a home may qualify for a special Home Ownership Program.

The Consolidated Municipal Service Manager (CMSM) of Prince Edward-Lennox & Addington Social Services (PELASS) is offering exciting home ownership opportunities. Funding is potentially available for up to 10% (maximum $18,000) of the cost of a home (maximum price of home is $180,000).  Applicants must have a combined household income of $63,000 or less.

For more information, call Rob Rowe, Manager, Social Housing at 613-354-5695, x74, or send him an email.

See FLYER for details and eligibility requirements.

New one-stop access to legal info from

Ministry of the Attorney General

Chris Bentley, Attorney General of Ontario, has launched a new website and telephone hotline that promises to give Ontarians a simple entry point for accessing legal resources and basic information on justice-related topics. 

This initiative, called Justice Ontario can be found at:

•    Website: www.ontario.ca/justiceontario

•    Toll-free #: 1-866-252-0104

To generate and update the content for Justice Ontario the Attorney general has invited groups from all areas of the justice system to form an Access Partnership. This partnership includes representation from:

•  Law Society of Upper Canada

•  Ontario Bar Association

•  Advocates' Society

•  County and District Law Presidents Association

•  Ontario Trial Lawyers Association

•  Legal Aid Ontario

•  Community Legal Education Ontario

•  Pro Bono Law

The Access Partnership will work closely with the Ministry of the Attorney General to incorporate feedback from Justice Ontario users and the legal community on how the Justice Ontario website and telephone hotline can evolve to provide the most current and easy-to-understand information about Ontario's justice system.

Information is currently provided on a variety of topics such as: family law, criminal law, lawsuits and disputes, human rights, wills and estates, and tickets and fines.

Executive Director of Community Advocacy & Legal Centre

select as Community Leadership in Justice Fellow for 2008/09

Michele Leering, Executive Director of our clinic, is one of two people selected as Community Leadership in Justice Fellows for the 2008/2009 academic term by the Law Foundation of Ontario.

The Community Leadership in Justice Fellowships bring leaders from public interest organizations which interact with the justice system together with Ontario universities, colleges and law schools. The Fellows spend a term in a law school or other post-secondary institution fulfilling a range of responsibilities including: research, teaching or co-teaching and they may also focus on less traditional academic contributions and more on mentorship, activism and leadership (through discussion groups, public lectures, collaborative projects, etc.).

The Law Foundation of Ontario was established in 1974, under an amendment to The Law Society Act, to establish and maintain a fund to be used for legal education and legal research, legal aid, and the establishment, operation, and maintenance of law libraries.

Read more in the Law Foundation's press release of September 16, 2008.

OUR NAPANEE SATELLITE OFFICE HAS MOVED

Our Napanee satellite office is now located at 116 John Street, 3rd Floor in Napanee, Ontario. We are now in the same building as Legal Aid Ontario and we are just around the corner from our old office.  Call our main Belleville office to make an appointment. 

Visit our Satellite page for a map to our new office.