Discretionary Benefits [2021] | Ow

Stay warm, stay housed, and keep advocating for yourself.

But they do exist for a reason. If your fridge dies and you have a child with insulin, that is an emergency. If you need steel-toed boots to start a job that will get you off OW, that is a good investment for the system. ow discretionary benefits

Discretionary benefits are almost always paid (e.g., the dental office, the moving company, the appliance store). You rarely receive cash. This is to ensure the money is used for the intended purpose. Stay warm, stay housed, and keep advocating for yourself

Unlike mandatory health benefits (like an Ontario Drug Benefit card) or your core monthly allowance, discretionary benefits are . They are decided upon, case-by-case, by your local municipal or Indigenous service manager. In simple terms: each city or region has its own pot of money and its own rules for what they will pay for beyond the basics. If you need steel-toed boots to start a