Newcomers / immigrants
You may be eligible for Ontario Works benefits from Employment and Social Services if your immigration status is:

• Permanent resident or landed immigrant
• Refugee claimant
• Convention refugee, or
• Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds applicant.

Visitors to Canada are not eligible for Ontario Works benefits, however in exceptional cases a Temporary Resident Permit holder may qualify.

http://www.toronto.ca/socialservices/whatare.htm