MC-010001-1

The Complainant was a recipient of social assistance. As a property owner, under the Ontario Works Act, 1997 (OWA), she was required to sign a document "Consent to Application of Lien"(Consent to Lien). The Complainant refused to sign the document on the grounds that she believed her privacy rights would be violated. Assistance was refused. The Complainant claimed she was not given an opportunity to obtain legal advice with respect to signing the Consent to Lien. A copy of the "Form 4 - Document General - Notice of Lien under the Land Registry Reform Act" (Certificate of Lien) which would eventually be publicly registered was not provided to her at that time. Upon receiving legal advice, the Complainant requested from the County a copy of the Consent to Lien and the Certificate of Lien that was intended to be filed. The Complainant alleges that she did not receive the printed form of the Certificate of Lien until a much later date and was advised that the actual Certificate of Lien itself would not be provided until such time as the Consent was signed. In the meantime, the Appellant appealed the decision to deny assistance to the Social Benefits Tribunal, which granted interim assistance.

• MFIPPA
• Section 27

• land registration records
• public record