The Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC) is a community legal clinic established in 2001 and funded by Legal Aid Ontario. We have a provincial mandate to advance the systemic interests and rights of low-income Ontarians around income security programs and low-wage precarious employment.
We do our work through test-case litigation, policy advocacy, community organizing, and public education. Since ISAC opened its doors, we have advocated for improvements to the income security of all low-income people in Ontario through reform of programs and benefits systems, rate increases in income security programs, and improvements to minimum wages and employment standards.
We work closely with the sixty local community clinics that make up Ontario’s community legal clinic system. We also work closely with other anti-poverty and social justice groups and organizations, private bar lawyers, academics and researchers.
ISAC is governed by a volunteer 15-person community-based Board of Directors, composed of clinic representatives from each of the four regions of Ontario, people with past or present lived experience of poverty and/or disability and the broader community. Board members represent a diverse range of groups, with representation from Indigenous and Francophone communities, racialized communities/communities of colour, persons with disabilities, and recipients of income security programs.
Our vision for income security includes the following principles:
- All Ontario residents in need are entitled to income that is adequate to live with dignity and participate in society
- Principles of equity and equality must be reflected in both the design and the delivery of income support
- The administration of income support programs must be transparent, fair and accessible.
Note that we do not provide legal services to individuals. If you require legal advice or assistance, please contact your local community legal clinic. You can find out which legal clinic serves your community at the Legal Aid Ontario website.