Commonly Asked Questions

What is the Toronto Health and Social Services Directory?

The Toronto Health and Social Services Directory is a website that helps people more easily find health, social and community services in Toronto, including the former municipalities of East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and York.

If you live and/or get care in these areas, the directory is your guide to finding care close to home.

The directory does not provide emergency services. If you need emergency care, please call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.

Who should use the directory?

The directory is meant to be used by people who live in and/or would like to find services in Toronto, including the former municipalities of East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and York.

This is because the directory lists health, social and community services that are located in and/or serve people who live in these areas.

However, the directory also lists some services in Durham, Peele and York regions. These services may serve people who live outside these regions.

The map below illustrates the area where the directory’s services are located within and/or serve.

Map of geographic boundary for this search directory.

I live outside Toronto, including the former municipalities of East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and York. Can I still use this directory?

It depends. While most of the services listed in this directory are located in and/or serve people in the above areas, some may also serve people who live outside these areas.

If you live outside Toronto, including the former municipalities of East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and York, and you would like to use this directory, we recommend contacting the organization that offers the service you are looking for to confirm if they serve people from outside these areas.

If you live outside Toronto, including the former municipalities of East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and York, you may find these other online resources more helpful or more comprehensive:

How do I use the directory?

Learn how to use the directory on the How to Search page.

What are some examples of services I can find in the directory?

The directory has more than 8,000 health, social and community service listings in Toronto. These include services related to mental health, food, housing, employment, youth, seniors, newcomers and more.

The directory prioritizes government-funded health, social and community services in Toronto. Some, but not all, private health, social and community services may be included.

Where do the service listings in the directory come from?

The listings come from 211 Ontario, ConnexOntario and thehealthline.ca. These are other online service directories in Ontario that help people find health, social and community services.

By combining the Toronto-based and Toronto-serving listings from these three directories in one place, we are making it easier for people to find the services they need.

Our team is also working with the Toronto Child and Family Network to ensure a comprehensive list of local services for children and families are included in the directory. Stay tuned for updates!

Are the services listed in the directory free?

Many of the health, social and community services listed in the directory are covered by OHIP. Some may also serve people who do not have a health card.

We recommend contacting the organization that offers the service you are looking for to confirm if the service is available to people who do not have a health card.

Is the directory available in different languages?

At this time, the directory is only available in English. We are working with our health system partners to find ways we can offer this directory in other languages that are commonly spoken in Toronto. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, these phone lines are available in different languages and can help you find health, social and community services near you.

Health811 – 8-1-1
Find a family doctor in Ontario, talk to a nurse to get free and confidential health advice and more. Open 24/7.
2-1-1
Find social services, financial assistance programs or community supports in Ontario. Open 24/7.
Toronto Seniors Helpline – 416-217-2077
Find health, social and community services for seniors in Toronto. Open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
ConnexOntario – 1-866-531-2600
Get information about addiction and mental health services in Ontario. Open 24/7.

Are the services listed in the directory available in different languages?

Some may be. This information may be included in the service listing. You can also search listings by language – learn more here on the How to Search page.

If you do not see language options in the listing, we recommend contacting the organization that offers the service you are looking for to confirm if the service is available in different languages.

I know of a service that is missing from the directory. What should I do?

Send our team a message on the Contact Us page. If possible, include a name or description of the service and the organization that offers it. We will reach out to the organization to ensure the service listing is added to the directory if it meets the inclusion criteria of our data partners.

There is an error in a service listing. What should I do?

Click the “Suggest Update” button that appears at the bottom of the full service listing. (You can see this after you click the “Service Details” button.) This will bring up a form where you can enter the corrections.

I am having trouble using the directory. What should I do?

Learn how to use the directory on the How to Search page. If you are still having trouble, send our team a message on the Contact Us page. We will try our best to help.

The directory is a partnership between eight Ontario Health Teams in Toronto. What is an Ontario Health Team?

Ontario Health Teams are a model of care that the Ontario Government introduced in 2019. They are a new way to organize and deliver services in local communities to provide patients with better connected care. Under Ontario Health Teams, the healthcare providers who care for you (including hospitals, doctors and home and community care providers) work together as one coordinated team — no matter where they provide care.

Over time, Ontarians will belong to Ontario Health Teams that coordinate and deliver services to meet individual healthcare needs. Services will include primary care (for example, family doctors and nurse practitioners), hospital care, home and community care, residential long-term care, mental health and addictions, and other social and community services.

Ontario Health Teams aim to improve the patient and caregiver experience and strengthen local services. These changes will make it easier for you to navigate the healthcare system and transition between healthcare providers and places where you receive care, making sure that you don’t feel lost or unsupported.

There are more than 50 Ontario Health Teams in Ontario. Each one serves a defined geographic area. Learn more about Ontario Health Teams.

Where can I learn more about my Ontario Health Team?

You can see the full list of Ontario Health Teams here. If you live in Toronto, including the former municipalities of East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and York, your Ontario Health Team may be a partner of this directory:

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