Note: Effective September 1, 2022, Form 11 has been implemented to notify SBT when an appellant has a legal representative or to authorize a person and/or organization to access information about the appeal.
Forms and Filing
Until further notice, the following changes are in place for submitting documents through mail. If you submit by mail or courier, you will experience processing delays.
Courier mail should be addressed to:
Social Benefits Tribunal
15 Grosvenor Street, Ground Floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2G6
Mail sent through Canada Post should be addressed to:
Social Benefits Tribunal
15 Grosvenor Street, Ground Floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2G6
Forms
- To view, print or email these forms, your computer needs Adobe Reader. You can download this free software from Adobe’s website.
- Download forms to your computer by right clicking on the PDF icon and selecting “Save link as” and then open the form on your computer. Important! Do not open the forms directly in your browser (e.g. Chrome, Safari) because some browsers will not allow you to complete and save the form.
- The SBT has two types of forms: forms that allow you to save the information you enter, and forms that don’t.
- Forms you can save: You'll see a message like this at the top of Form 1 (Appeal), Form 3 (Response to Appeal) and Form 5 (New Medical Information).
- Forms you cannot save: You'll see a message like this at the top of forms you can’t save. You'll need to print a copy of your completed form.
- Most browsers will store (or "cache") documents on the hard drive of your computer so you can access them faster in the future. This feature may mean you are not accessing the most up-to-date version of our forms. Clear your cache by holding down the “Ctrl” key and the “F5” key at the same time, or by using Ctrl+Shift+Delete.
If you need a form in an alternate format, such as braille or large print, contact us.
You can file an appeal with the SBT if you have either been refused social assistance or you disagree with a decision that affects:
- your eligibility for assistance
- the amount of assistance you receive
- the benefits you receive
Important: Before you file an appeal with the SBT, you must ask the ODSP or OW office which made the decision to conduct an internal review.
If you think there was a serious mistake or omission that influenced the decision made in your case, you can request a reconsideration. You have a maximum of 30 days to file an application for reconsideration after you receive your decision from the SBT.
If you apply for reconsideration, the SBT will send a copy of your application to your ODSP or OW office.
The SBT will send you a letter within 60 days letting you know if your request has been granted or denied. If your request is granted, a new hearing will be scheduled. If your request is denied, you can accept the decision or appeal to Divisional Court.
Within 30 days of receiving the Notice of Appeal from the SBT, the OW or ODSP office must deliver a completed Response to Appeal to the appellant and file it with the SBT.
If the OW or ODSP office has a new preliminary objection or jurisdictional issue or its position changes, an amended Response to Appeal must be delivered to the appellant and filed with the SBT at least 30 days before the hearing.
A Request for Interim Assistance can be sent in at the same time as your appeal or at any time during the appeal process. To request interim assistance, fill out section 4 of the Appeal.
The information you provide will be assessed by the appeal resolution officer assigned to your file and a decision will be mailed to you. Decisions are usually made quickly.
If you are granted interim assistance, an order will be mailed to you and your ODSP or OW office. This does not mean that the issue you are appealing has been resolved.
The ODSP or OW office can object to an interim assistance order.
There is no form for this request. To make a request, submit a letter.
Interim assistance is for a limited period of time. If your interim assistance is due to expire and you are still experiencing financial hardship, you can request an extension of the interim assistance order.
Fax or mail your written request no later than 14 days before your interim assistance is due to expire. In your request, confirm that you continue to experience financial hardship. If your request is urgent or you can’t mail or fax it, call us.
Your request will be reviewed quickly. If your request is granted, you and your ODSP or OW office will receive an Extension of Interim Assistance order in the mail.
If you are late requesting an extension and your interim assistance order has expired, you will need to reapply for interim assistance.
There is no form for this request. To make a request, submit a letter.
If you think you need to adjourn your hearing to a later date, the Practice Direction on Rescheduling of Hearings and Adjournments provides information on how to ask for an adjournment.
You must first send your request with reasons to the ODSP or OW office to request their consent. Once you have heard back from that office, send their response and your request to the SBT.
If the SBT denies your request for a new hearing date, you must attend the hearing. At that time you can ask the member to adjourn the hearing but you must be ready to proceed if your request is refused.
If you plan to argue that the legislation or a regulation contravenes the Human Rights Code, you must file a Notice of Human Rights Code Claim with your appeal or at least 60 days before the hearing. The SBT will deliver the Notice of Human Rights Code Claim to the other parties.
New medical documents in a disability appeal must be delivered to the Disability Adjudication Unit and filed with the SBT at least 30 days before the hearing together with a New Medical Information (Form 5). New medical documents are ones that were not on file with the Disability Adjudication Unit when they made the decision you are appealing.
A party or witness who requires financial assistance to travel to a hearing must complete a Request for Travel Assistance and file it with the SBT as soon as possible after receiving the Notice of Hearing.
The Request for Travel Assistance does not need to be delivered to the other parties.
Documents for a hearing must be filed with the SBT and delivered to the other parties or their representatives. Use the Statement of Delivery to provide proof that the documents were delivered.
(Use the New Medical Information (Form 5) to confirm delivery of new medical documents in a disability appeal.)
If someone is unwilling to attend or requires an official request to attend the hearing (to justify an absence from work, for example), you can complete a Request for Summons and send it to the SBT. The SBT will review the form and decide if the person has to attend. The Request for Summons does not have to be delivered to the other parties.
If the request is approved you will need to serve (personally deliver) the request to the witness together with the travel allowance and witness fee. For the amounts of these fees, see Tariff A of Regulation 194 of the Rules of Civil Procedure.
If you agree to settle your disability appeal before, during, or at the end of the hearing, use this form to put your agreement in writing.
Appellants may file submissions and documents with the SBT by courier, fax, mail or email. To communicate with the SBT by email, Appellants must provide a completed Consent to Communicate by Email (Form 10).
Use this form to notify SBT when an appellant has a legal representative or to authorize a person and/or organization to access information about the appeal.
Complete this form if you wish to receive French Language Services. Please submit your completed form to SBT at SBT.registrar@ontario.ca or send it via mail to:
Social Benefits Tribunal
15 Grosvenor Street, Ground Floor
Toronto, ON
M7A 2G6
Filing
Submit your appeal
in person at:
Effective March 13, 2020, all front-line counter services are closed to the public until further notice.
Mail your appeal to:
Courier:
Social Benefits Tribunal
15 Grosvenor Street,
Ground Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2G6
Canada Post:
Social Benefits Tribunal
15 Grosvenor Street,
Ground Floor
Toronto, ON
M7A 2G6
Fax your appeal to:
416-326-5135
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