News & Events
Welcome to our News & Events page. Don Valley Community Legal Services actively participates in a variety of community activities, public legal education workshops, and community networking tables. One key component that allows members to be self-empowered is knowledge of what is happening around them. This page will allow us to share what is happening in the communities we serve.
Here we will share legal information articles, local law reform campaigns, news stories, community events and details for our Annual General Meeting.
For community events, workshops, public legal education (PLE) information or membership, please contact our Community Development Worker at 416-441-1764 ext. 22.
Legal Info Articles & News
Stop Roman’s Removal
Roman Slepcsik has lived in Canada for almost 30 years. He came here as a refugee from the Czech Republic in 1997 after a group of neo-Nazi skinheads targeted his family. Canada granted him Convention refugee status in 1998 and permanent residence in 1999. Roman spent over two decades as a permanent resident of Canada before being stripped of this status in 2023 due to cessation.
Read moreNew Resource: Requesting Debt Relief for Pandemic Benefit Overpayments
The following information is from the Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC) and was published on August 19, 2026. Link: https://incomesecurity.org/new-resource-requesting-debt-relief-for-pandemic-benefit-overpayments/ Between 2020 and 2022, many people received COVID-19 income support benefits from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). These income support benefits include the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB),
Read moreNew social assistance rules exclude vulnerable people based on immigration status
The following information is from the Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC) and was published on August 20, 2026. Link: https://incomesecurity.org/new-social-assistance-rules-exclude-vulnerable-people-based-on-immigration-status/ On August 13, 2026, the Ontario government made changes to the rules about social assistance eligibility that may affect people with temporary status or no immigration status in Canada.
Read moreRental Building Violations & Inspections
The City of Toronto has launched a new Rental Building Violations and Inspections Database. The database provides members of the public with access to information about enforcement activity in rental apartment buildings. This tool was developed in response to Council’s direction to develop a cross-divisional database for tracking investigation and enforcement activity (EX29.14).
Read moreCanada Disability Benefit Rates Sheet
The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) is a new monthly federal benefit for people with disabilities who earn under a certain income and who maintain other eligibility requirements (such as being eligible for the Disability Tax Credit.) After many years of advocacy by people with disabilities, their loved ones, and disability advocates across the country,
Read moreSocial Assistance rates are stuck in time. Time to move forward together!
Help us call on the Ontario Government to fix the rules for OW recipients so they are not stuck in poverty while they are face difficult life situations. Over 470,000 Ontarians rely on support from Ontario Works. They live in every riding in the province, and they are single parents, young people who can’t find adequate work,
Read more2026 Update to the Parents and Grandparents Program
July 16, 2026 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is pausing the intake of new applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP Program). Unfortunately, this program that was largely closed off is now completely closed off until further notice. IRCC will continue to process existing applications and they plan to approve up to 15,000 people for permanent residence through the PGP Program in 2026,
Read moreBill 60 Update – July 2026
Written by: Alexa Bain, Summer Law Student, edited by Michelle Choe, Staff Lawyer Several amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, will come into effect throughout 2026, through the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 and the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 – many of which will make eviction quicker and easier.
Read moreAir Conditioner Rules – Updates come into effect July 1, 2026
The Government of Ontario issued a memorandum providing notice that amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 which were made through Bill 97, Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 will come into effect on July 1, 2026. The amendments will prescribe the following for tenants and landlords: Explicitly allow all tenants to install window or portable air conditioning units in cases where the landlord does not supply air conditioning,
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