Living with Low-Income

211 is a helpline that easily connects people to the social services, programs and community supports they need.

This free and confidential service can be accessed 24 hours a day, in more than 150 languages, by phone, chat, text, and web.

211 is available by phone, chat, website, and text in different regions – dial 2-1-1 to connect to community services.

Food and Local Supports

Find information about food support programs, including community meals, food banks, food programs for seniors, people with disabilities, and those with special dietary needs, plus much more.

Find information about local community supports:

Supports for Families

Learn about the Family Support Worker Program and get help with child support.

Get help with child care fees (subsidy).

Learn about the Canada Learning Bond (RESP) and how to get up to $2,000 for your child's education after high school from the Government of Canada.

Access low-cost and subsidized recreation for you and your family.

Attend a Mobile ID and Benefits Access Hub: help getting or replacing identification, learn about benefits that can boost your income, get free tax filing, open a free RESP and access the Canada Learning Bond for your child, and more!

Housing and Homelessness

Find resources to help with eviction prevention, housing outreach and rent and utility arrears.

Learn about tenant insurance and why you should have it.

Are you homeless or at risk of homelessness? Find links to housing supports, shelters, food banks and other resources.

Learn about Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH).

Making the most of your money

Trove is a series of free, online videos, resources, and activities to help you learn how to make the most of the money you have. Learn through modules or find more specific information about:

Low cost programs and services

Durham Transit - Transit Assistance Program (TAP): Learn about the Transit Assistance Program (TAP) for Durham Region Transit customers who receive Ontario Works or ODSP - get unlimited DRT access for $52.22 per month.

Learn about low fee banking: Learn about low-fee or no-cost bank accounts.

Learn about low-cost internet: Learn about low-cost internet at home.

Learn about low-cost recreation: Access low-cost and subsidized recreation for you and your family in Durham Region.

Learn about free and low-cost services offered by libraries, such as offer free internet access, low cost printing and copying, computer access, and much more.

Find resources to help you manage credit and debt.

Do you need legal help? Learn how the Durham Community Legal Clinic can help with different areas of the law.

Financial relief and income benefits

Learn about, and apply for Ontario Works (Social Assistance). Find information about the different kinds of supports and programs and about additional benefits that are available.

Learn about benefits you may be eligible for, such as the Canada Learning Bond, Disability Tax Credit and Registered Disability Savings Plan at the Canadian Government Overview of Child and Family Benefits page.

Answer questions to get a custom list of benefits you could be eligible for at the Canadian Government Benefits Calculator page.

Benefits Wayfinder is an online tool that simplifies the search for government benefits for people to boost their incomes and/or reduce expenses.

Tax filing, and disability tax credits and benefits

Find resources to help you file your taxes for free.

Learn about the Disability Tax Credit, the Canada Disability Credit, the Child Disability Benefit and Registered Disability Saving Plan (RDSP) accounts.

Find online webinars about different tax filing topics.

Find tax information for:

Community and health

Learn about how Community Health Centres (CHCs) deliver primary healthcare in combination with health promotion and illness prevention services. There are two Community Health Centres located in Durham Region.

Find Health Department programs and and supports to help you and your family live your healthiest life.

Poverty Response Program

Durham Region Social Services and the Health Department, in collaboration with Davis Pier Consulting, are developing a Poverty Response Program. The program aims to better understand poverty in Durham Region and create actionable solutions.

The Poverty Response Program will be informed by and developed with the community, service providers, community partners and individuals with lived or living experience. Engagement opportunities to help inform the program will be shared publicly when available.

On May 21, 2025, the Durham Region Community Poverty Response Program Workshop was held. Read a summary report of the workshop and the work done so far here: Durham Region Poverty Response Program - What We Heard Report.

Canada Learning Bond (RESP)

Learn about the Canada Learning Bond and how to get up to $2,000 for your child's education after high school from the Government of Canada.

Did you know that if you turned 18 in 2022 (or later), you can apply for the Canada Learning Bond for yourself? Learn more.

Dental and oral health

Find information about the Ontario Seniors Dental Care and Healthy Smiles Programs, plus other resources to help with dental care and oral health.

Find information about the Canada Dental Benefit and a Low-Cost Dental Clinic at Durham College.