Imagine a single mother raising two young children on her own. One day, she finds an eviction notice in her mailbox. She has no savings, no assets she can sell, no relatives she can stay with, and no friends who can help. In that moment, she is truly alone.
What can she do? What should she do?
Scenes like this may feel distant, yet they unfold every day across different provinces. For many low-income families, newcomers, and refugees, a single eviction notice can trigger the collapse of their entire living situation.
At this critical moment, two organizations step in to hold up a shared umbrella. One provides legal aid, and the other offers essential material support.
Not a Lack of Will but a Lack of Knowing How
Many low-income tenants do not fail to defend their rights because they are unwilling. They struggle because they simply do not know where to start.
They lack legal knowledge, cannot afford a lawyer, and have no access to supportive resources or networks.
Some evictions happen suddenly. It might be one or two months of missed rent or a small dispute with a landlord, followed by a notice to vacate. In theory, tenants can appeal or request a hearing, but without legal guidance, the process moves too fast.
Many miss crucial deadlines, and before they fully understand what the letter says, they are deemed to have given up their rights.
For newcomers and refugee families, language barriers, cultural differences, and limited access to information make it even harder. Some do not know they have rights at all.
CALC: Using the Law to Buy Time and Space
The Community Advocacy and Legal Centre (CALC) serves as a legal gatekeeper for people in these situations. Based in Eastern Ontario, this community legal organization has a long history of supporting low-income tenants facing housing instability.
Tenants do not need complex paperwork. A single phone call gives them free preliminary legal advice. This early intervention helps residents understand eviction notices, learn the proper steps, and avoid missing deadlines.
When cases move into formal legal processes, CALC’s lawyers or licensed legal workers represent tenants in court so they are not left to navigate the system alone.
CALC does more than handle cases. Through workshops and information sessions, it explains tenant rights in clear and simple language, helping people build basic legal awareness before a crisis occurs.
It also collaborates with housing agencies and organizations offering mental health, addiction, and related supports, creating a long-term network of stability.
These efforts may seem small, but they often determine whether a family can stay housed. In CALC’s 2024 annual report, 49.4 percent of all inquiries were related to housing, and 21.7 percent moved into full or limited legal representation.
Even with limited resources, staff work through heavy caseloads to help families avoid forced displacement.
Time Was Won, But What Comes After?
Delaying an eviction gives families precious time, but it does not erase the reality waiting for them after the
