Help and resources for hoarding in Ontario
Dealing with a hoarding situation in Ontario often means juggling more than just a cleanup crew. You may also need to check a contractor's standing, understand tenant rights, find a support program, or get legal advice. Below is a curated list of real government bodies, associations, and nonprofits that people in Ontario turn to for these issues, organised by the kind of help each one offers.
Government & regulatory
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Consumer Protection Ontario
Ontario government branch that handles consumer complaints against businesses, including cleanup, moving, and renovation companies, and enforces the province's Consumer Protection Act.
Visit website → Phone: 1-800-889-9768 (toll-free), 416-326-8800 (Toronto area); TTY 1-877-666-6545 / 416-229-6086 -
Landlord and Tenant Board (Tribunals Ontario)
Ontario government adjudicative tribunal that resolves disputes between landlords and tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act, including hearings involving hoarding-related property damage or eviction applications.
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Ontario Human Rights Commission
Ontario government body that promotes and enforces human rights under the Human Rights Code, including guidance on when hoarding disorder must be treated as a disability requiring accommodation by landlords.
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Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management
Ontario government office responsible for fire safety oversight; publishes guidance for fire services responding to hoarding conditions.
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Competition Bureau Canada
Federal law-enforcement agency that investigates deceptive marketing practices and fraud, including scams by disreputable cleanup or renovation contractors, and accepts complaints from consumers.
Industry & professional associations
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Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)
International non-profit standards and certification body for the cleaning and restoration industry, certifying technicians, including those operating in Canada, in trauma, biohazard, and hoarding-cleanup work.
Consumer protection
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Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Non-profit organization that accredits and rates businesses, including cleanup and restoration companies operating in Ontario and across Canada, and handles consumer complaints and reviews.
Legal help
This is general information, not legal advice. Speak to a qualified professional about your specific situation.
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Legal Aid Ontario
Provincial statutory body providing free or subsidized legal representation and advice to low-income Ontarians, including tenants facing eviction proceedings related to hoarding.
Visit website → Phone: 1-800-668-8258 (toll-free) -
Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO)
Specialty community legal clinic with a province-wide mandate to protect low-income tenants' rights; operates the Tenant Duty Counsel Program, funded by Legal Aid Ontario, which assists unrepresented tenants at Landlord and Tenant Board hearings, including hoarding-related eviction cases.
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Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC)
Independent, Ontario government-funded agency providing free legal advice and representation to people who have experienced discrimination, including disability-based discrimination claims connected to hoarding disorder.
Visit website → Phone: 416-597-4900, toll-free 1-866-625-5179, TTY 711 180 Dundas Street West, 8th Floor, Toronto, ON M7A 0A1 -
Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) / Steps to Justice
Non-profit funded by Legal Aid Ontario and the Law Foundation of Ontario that publishes free, plain-language legal information, including self-help guidance on housing law and eviction defence relevant to hoarding cases, via its Steps to Justice website.
Financial assistance
This is general information, not financial advice. Confirm eligibility and terms directly with each program.
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Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
Ontario government program providing income and health-related financial support to eligible people with disabilities, which can include people whose hoarding disorder is recognized as a disability.
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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) - Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP)
Federal Crown corporation program offering financial assistance to low-income homeowners, seniors, and persons with disabilities for essential home repairs, which can include repairs needed after hoarding remediation.
Support organisations
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Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
Canada's largest and oldest national mental health charity, with local branches offering counselling, case management, and referrals for people affected by hoarding disorder.
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211 Ontario
Free, confidential helpline and online directory connecting residents to community, social, and health services, including local hoarding-support programs.
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Toronto Hoarding Support Services Network
City of Toronto-funded coalition of 16 community agencies that provides information and coordinated referrals for Toronto residents affected by problematic hoarding.
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CHATS - Community & Home Assistance to Seniors (Hoarding & De-Cluttering Support Program)
Not-for-profit agency serving York Region and South Simcoe seniors, whose Hoarding & De-Cluttering Support Program provides case management with a specialized geriatric mental health case manager for older adults at risk of losing their housing due to hoarding.
Visit website → Phone: 905-713-3373 ext. 6082 -
Hoarding Disorder Foundation of Alberta (HDFA)
Canadian non-profit providing trauma-informed training, support groups, and case-management services for people with hoarding disorder; its resources and training are used nationally, although the organization is based in Alberta.
Need a provider rather than a resource? Start your cleanup.