Nipissing Community Legal Clinic

05/27/2026

Call 1-833-677-5146 for free help concerning sexual harassment.
You are not alone. Vous n'etes pas seul.

05/25/2026

Steps to Justice has information about the new Employment Insurance (EI) appeal process.
outreach.cleo.on.ca/en/civicrm/?civiwp=CiviCRM&q=civicrm%2Fmailing%2Fview&reset=1&id=2368

05/25/2026

Breaking - Today, the Supreme Court of Canada decided to create a new tort of intimate partner violence (IPV) in its decision in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia, recognizing IPV as distinct from other general forms of violence, such as battery and assault, and making it easier for survivors to access compensation for the harms they experienced.

In a decision that is markedly feminist and intersectional, the majority specifically cited LEAF’s argument that access to justice matters when deciding whether to create a new tort.

We are thrilled by the outcome of this case and what it means for survivors. At a time when misogyny is becoming more and more mainstream, this decision marks an important advancement in recognizing and opposing gendered harm.

Read our full press release: https://www.leaf.ca/news/supreme-court-delivers-a-landmark-victory-for-survivors-of-intimate-partner-violence/

05/15/2026

Are you thinking about separation?
stepstojustice.ca/legal-topic/family-law/separation-and-divorce/legal-separation/all

05/08/2026

Ontario is helping make life more affordable for people with disabilities.

Effective July 1, ODSP rates will be increasing by 1.9%. This will bring the total increase to ODSP rates to more than 22% since September 2022.

Learn more at: ontario.ca/ODSP

05/05/2026

05/01/2026

“They’re useless druggies.”
Messy. Loud. Arguing. Drinking. Drugs.
“I feel intimidated walking past them.”
I hear it all the time.

But when your whole life is in a park, there’s nowhere to hide it.
Every argument.
Every bad day.
Every struggle.
It’s all out in the open.

Now picture this....
You’re working. Paying rent. Doing your best.
Then something shifts.
An injury.
A breakup.
A death
Rent goes up.
Landlord wants the house back.
Bills stack up.
You fall behind.
You never thought it would be you.
If you’re lucky, someone takes you in...
If not, maybe you’ve got a car.
If you don’t…

You’re in a tent....

Everything you own is crammed into it.
The rest sits outside under a tarp.
It rains… and now everything’s wet.
Clothes. Bedding. The lot.

You’re tired.
Not sleeping properly.
Trying to stay clean, get to work, hold it together.
Then work starts slipping.
And just like that… you’ve lost your job.
Your income’s gonee
Agencies tell you it’s a wait.
Emergency accommodation is full.
Housing lists are years long.

So you move closer to services. Showers. Support.
Now you’re in a public space, surrounded by others doing it tough.
Tensions are high.
People are dealing with their own battles.
Not everyone gets along.

From the outside…
It looks messy.
But here’s the truth.
Very few people choose this, its not a fun lifestyle.

Most would take a roof, a shower, electricity, warmth, and a real bed in a heartbeat.
Instead, it’s stinking hot.
Freezing cold.
Or pouring rain.

It’s uncomfortable.
It’s embarrassing.
It wears you down.

The community starts looking at you differently.
Authorities move you on.
The same place you’ve lived in for years doesn’t want to see you anymore.
You become an eyesore.
Tarred with the same brush.
And simply getting through the day…

Meanwhile, all those same struggles still exist in houses all over our suburbs.

The only difference is…
They’re hidden.

It’s easy to judge what you can see.
Harder to accept how close most people are to it.

04/29/2026

Updated Factsheet! ✨

My Rights at Work: Requesting Disability-Related Accommodations in Ontario

Can your employer say no to an accommodation request?
This updated factsheet explains your rights — and what the law says about “undue hardship.”
Learn about:
• When employers can say no
• What counts as undue hardship
• Legal examples
• Where to go for more help

Available in English, French!

Full Factsheet: https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/resource/fact-sheet-my-rights-at-work-requesting-disability-related-accommodations-in-ontario/

04/29/2026

Intimate Partner Violence follows a dangerous cycle:

1. Tension builds
2. Violence erupts
3. “Honeymoon phase” with apologies & promises.
4. And then it repeats.

The cycle won't break on its own. Learn more to get help: www.ontario.ca/page/intimate-partner-violence

04/28/2026

Veuillez noter que nos bureaux seront fermés les 5, 6 et 7 mai pour des raisons de perfectionnement professionnel. Please note, our office will be closed on May 5, 6, and 7 for professional development.