On-Site Mediation
Tuesday 9:00am – 12:00pm &Wednesdays 9:00am-4:00pm
Mandatory Information Program
Friday twice a month 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Information and Referral Coordination
Tuesday 9:00am – 12:00pm &Wednesdays 9:00am-4:00pm
For more information, please contact us at: 1-888-796-0483 Ext 702
Email: stratford@mediationsouth.com
Community Resources and Services Information
LEGAL RESOURCES
Legal Services
Lawyer Referral Services
If you wish to retain a lawyer, you may contact the Lawyer Referral Service, operated by the Upper Law Society. The service will provide you with a name of a lawyer in your area who practices family law. That lawyer will provide you a half-hour free consultation. The referral service has evolved into an on-line service. To receive an immediate referral, go to: www.findlegalhelp.ca
If you require emergency services due to being in custody or in a shelter you can call 1-855-947-5255 or 416-947-5525, Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm.
Legal Aid Ontario
If you cannot afford a lawyer, you may be eligible for legal assistance from Legal Aid Ontario, which serves low income Ontarians. For most services, a client must be financially eligible. Legal Aid Ontario provide a number of family law services, including duty counsel and advice lawyers, a Family Law Service Centre and if appropriate, a certificate to hire a lawyer. To find out more about what service are available call: 1-800-668-8258 or online at:
The Office of The Children’s Lawyer
The Office of the Children’s Lawyer is a law office in the Ministry of the Attorney General which delivers programs in the administration of justice on behalf of children with respect to their personal and property rights.
Lawyers within the office represent children in various areas of law including child custody and access disputes, child protection proceedings and civil litigation. Clinical investigators prepare reports for the court in custody/access proceedings and may assist lawyers who are representing children in such matters. To learn more about the services offered by the Office of the Children’s Lawyer call: (416) 314-8000 or find online at: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/about/artcl/fjsd_ocl.php
Complaints about a Lawyer
Matters relating to the legal profession are within the responsibility of the Law Society of Upper Canada. If you are concerned about the conduct of a lawyer, you can call: 416-947-3315 or 1-800-668-7380 or go online to: www.lsuc.on.ca/with.aspx?id=644
You may also put your complaint in writing to the following address:
Complaints Services
The Law Society of Upper Canada
Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M5H 2N6
Legal Information
CLEO – Community Legal Education Ontario
CLEO is an online resource project dedicates to providing legal information intended to help in understanding legal rights. For more information go to: www.cleo.on.ca or www.stepstojustice.ca
DAWN – Disabled Women’s Network
DAWN Canada is a community outreach program dedicated to advancing the equality rights of women living with a disability. The DAWN website has various education and informational materials. For more information go to: https://www.dawncanada.net
FLEW – Family Law Education for Women
The Family Law Education for Women’s website is a public legal education project funded by the Government of Ontario to assist women in understanding their family law rights. The website provides a variety of online publications intended to address the particular needs and vulnerabilities of women new to Canada (including immigrant, refugee and non-status women) and can be found at: www.onefamilylaw.ca
Family Law information Centre (FLIC)
The FLIC assists in meeting the individual needs of clients, particularly clients who are not represented by a lawyer and are entering the family court system for the first time. At the FLIC there is an Information and a Referral Coordinator who will assist you to find and connect with services you are looking for within your community. Advice Lawyers, who provide summary legal advice are also available at the FLIC.
The FLIC provides publications and guides to family procedures, including the publication “What You Should Know About Family Law in Ontario” which contains a section specific to domestic violence issues. The publication is available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese-Simplifies and traditional, Somali, Spanish, Tamil and Urdu and is on-line at www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/famlawbro.php
Ministry of the Attorney General Website
You can find information about separation and divorce, support, custody, access, family mediation and court processes and procedures on the Ministry of the Attorney General website. Choose your preferred language, then click on ‘Family Justice’ for general information as well as a link to the federal government’s website and other sources of information can all be found at: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca
Department of Justice Canada
You can find helpful information about family law issues including how to calculate child support and parenting plan guidelines on this website: https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/
My Support Calculator
Free online child and spousal support calculator. Also provides helpful information on support and other family law related issues and a searchable list of family law professionals in your area. www.mysupportcalculator.ca
Ontario Court Forms Website
You can obtain and fill in many of the court forms you need in a family law case on the Ontario Court Forms website. On the site, there is Ontario Court Forms Assistant, which is an online tool that will guide you through the completion of six of the most commonly used family forms. Access to all of the forms and assistance tool can be found at: www.ontariocourtforms.on.ca
Survey
Please take a moment to tell us about our Mandatory Information Program at:
https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/info
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Addiction Services
| Alcoholics Anonymous – Stratford and
Perth County 519-271-7755 or 1-800-706-9833 (24 hr) www.centralwest3district4aa.org |
Addiction Services of Thames
Valley 519-673-3242 www.adstv.on.ca |
Choices for Change
1-877-218-0077 www.choicesforchange.ca |
| Connex Ontario Services
1-866-531-2600 |
Alternative dispute resolution services
| Mediation
The Family Mediation Centre 519-673-1219 1-888-796-0483 www.mediationcentre.com |
Collaborative Law
Collaborative Family Lawyers www.collabfamilylaw.com |
Training/Education/Employment Services
| Employment Resource Centre – Stratford
519-272-1946 |
The Centre for Employment and Learning in Night School
519-271-4896 www.thecentreforemploymentandlearning.ca |
| Leads Employment Services
519-508-5323 |
ABL Employment
519-340-0464 www.ablemployment.com |
Transportation
| Stratford City Stratford
519-217-0250 www.stratfordcanada.ca |
Counselling and Support Services
| Family Services – Perth –Huron
519-271-1020 1-800-268-0903 |
Victim Services Bruce Grey Perth
519-271-9998 1-866-376-9852 |
Canadian Mental Health Association – Huron/ Perth
519-273-1391 www.cmha-hp.on.ca |
Enforcement of Court Orders
| The Family Responsibility Office
www.ontario.ca/FRO 1.416.326.1818 or toll free: 1.800.267.7263 |
Help Lines
| Mental Health Helpline
1-866-531-2600 www.mentalhealthhelpline.ca |
Ontario 211
211ontario.ca |
Assaulted Women’s Hotline
416-863-0511 1-866-863-0511 www.awhl.org |
| Kids Help Phone
www.kidshelpphone.ca 1.800.668.6868 |
Victim Services Helpline
1-866-887-0015 – male survivor support 1-877-232-2610 – female survivor support www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca |
Fem’aide: Francophone Helpine For Women
1-877-336-2433 www.femaide.ca |
Shelters
| Optimism Place Women’s Shelter and
Support Services 24 Hour Crisis Line 519-271-5550 Toll Free Line 1-800-265-8598 Regular office Hours 519-271-5310 |
The Salvation Army – Home Out of the Cold
226-222-2105 |
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
519-524-1087 |
| Huron-Perth Safe Homes for Youth
1-800-361-1640 519-235-0433 |
Stratford / Perth Shelter link
1-888-829-7484 519-272-2294 |
Huron Women’s Shelter
519-524-5333 1-800-265-5506 www.huronwomensshelter.com |
Supervised Access Centre
| The Emily Murphy Centre
519-508-6101 1-888-508-6101 www.emilymurphycentre.com |
Finance
| Wilkinson and Keller Financial
Planning 208 Ontario Street 519-273-7377 |
Monteith Financial Services
804 Ontario Street 519-271-9778 |
MNP Ltd – Licensed Insolvency Trustee
413 Hibernia Street 519-741-1999 |
Mental Health Services
| Canadian Mental Health Association Perth
540 Huron Street Stratford Ontario 519-273-1391 |
Huron-Perth Centre – Family Counselor
63 Lorne Avenue East 519-273-3373 |
Stratford General Hospital –
Inpatient Mental Health Services 519-272-8210 x 2479 |
| Stratford Mental Health Team
www.sfht.on.ca/mental-health |
Huron-Perth Healthcare Alliance | Choices for Change: Alcohol, Drug
and Gambling Counselling Centre Festival Square Building 10 Downie Street, 3rd Floor Stratford Ontario N5A 7K4 |
Legal Resources
| Legal Aid Ontario – Stratford Duty Counsel
150 Huron Street Stratford Ontario N5A 5S8 1-866-641-8867 www.legalaid.on.ca |
Family Law Information Centre – Perth County
100 St. Patrick Street Stratford Ontario N5A 7W1 519-271-1850 |
| Huron-Perth Community Legal Clinic
59 Lorne Avenue East Stratford Ontario N5A 6S4 519-271-4556 |
Law Society of Ontario – Lawyer Referral Services
Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen Street West Toronto Ontario M5H 2N6 |
| Ministry of the Attorney General – Victim Services
of Huron County 5 Huron Street Stratford Ontario N5A 5S4 519-271-5221 |
CMHA – Community Support Program – Court Support
Services 540 Huron Street, Stratford Ontario N5A 5T9 |
Child Protection Services
| Huron-Perth Children’s Aid Society – Stratford Office
519-271-5290 (24hr) 1-800-668-5094 639 Lorne Avenue East Stratford Ontario N5A 6S4 |
| Family Services Perth-Huron
519-273-1020 1-800-268-0903 www.familyservicesperth-huron.ca 142 Waterloo Street S Stratford Ontario N5A 4B4 |
Children and Youth
| Huron-Perth Centre for Children and Youth – Perth
County 519-273-3373 1-877-596-6626 1-888-829-7484 (crisis response) 63 Lorne Avenue East, Unit 2A Stratford Ontario N5A 6S4 |
Thames Valley Children’s Centre
240 Graff Street Stratford Ontario N5A 6Y2 |
| Child and Parent Resource Institute
600 Sanatorium Road London Ontario N6H 3W7 1-877-494-2774 |
SmallTalk
46 General Hospital Drive Stratford Ontario N5A 2Y6 519-272-8216 or 1-866-333-7716 |
LGBTQ2+ Support
| LGBTQ2+ Youth Line
1-800-268-9688 |
PFLAG Canada
Waterloo-Wellington-Perth Chapter 1-888-530-6777 www.pflagcanada.ca |
Food Banks
| The Local Community Food Centre
612 Erie Street Stratford Ontario |
Stratford House of Blessing
423 Erie Street Stratford Ontario |
Salvation Army
230 Lightbourne Avenue Stratford Ontario |
Indigenous Support
| OFIFC – Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres |