Downsview Community Legal Services

About Downsview Community Legal Services

Downsview Community Legal Services is a community legal clinic, not a private law firm. It's funded by Legal Aid Ontario and governed by a community Board of Directors, and its stated mission is to promote access to justice for the low income community of Downsview in Toronto. The clinic is staffed by lawyers, paralegals, community legal workers, and administrative staff, and it helps residents who live within its catchment area and meet Legal Aid Ontario's income guidelines. People whose income is too high to qualify are referred to Justice Net for reduced cost legal help.

The clinic represents clients in landlord and tenant disputes and in appeals involving Ontario Works, the Ontario Disability Support Program, the Canada Pension Plan, and Employment Insurance, and it gives advice on family law, immigration, and employment standards. It also provides emergency advice and referrals for people dealing with domestic violence, along with affidavit and notarization services. Beyond individual casework, it runs community legal education workshops and takes part in law reform advocacy. It operates two offices: a main location inside the Bathurst Finch Hub at Bathurst Street and Finch Avenue West, and a satellite office at Unison Health and Community Services' Lawrence Heights site.