Up-to-date Sector Information

One July 28, the OCJ issued a Notice to the Profession and the Public related to criminal case management. Given health and safety restrictions, in-person attendances for criminal court case management appearances cannot be accommodated at this time. On Monday August 10, 2020, a virtual criminal case management court pilot will be launched in Ottawa and Kitchener, in which criminal case management appearances will be conducted by videoconference or audioconference.

On July 29, the Ontario government announced it has launched an independent commission into COVID-19 and long-term care. Three commissions will investigate the impact of COVID-19 within long-term care home and will provide the government with guidance on how to better protect residents and staff of long-term care homes from future outbreaks.

The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development has announced that as of July 24, declared emergency leave is no longer available under the ESA. In addition, the “COVID-19 Period” will end as of September 4, 2020. For more information click here.

The Canadian Digital Service, which partners with federal departments to design, test and build services, is beta testing a federal mobile app intended to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by notifying Canadians of exposure. You can learn more or take part in the research here.

As of July 26, 2020, lawyers will now be able to bill Legal Aid Online for COVID JPT and Myers (s.525) reviews as a part of LAO’s emergency response for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effective October 13, 2020, the Ontario government will be discontinuing land registration counter services at all 54 Land Registry Offices (LROs). This means that October 9, 2020 is the last day LROs will be open to the public. Land Registry staff will continue to provide customer service support, document certification and processing work across the province.

The Ministry of the Attorney General has advised that it is now satisfied that all of the necessary health and safety measures are in place in the Guelph courthouses to allow in-person proceedings to resume. As a result, the Ontario Court of Justice will resume hearing in-person criminal trials and preliminary inquiries, and in-person family trials, summary judgment motions and other in-person family matters in the Guelph courthouses on July 7, 2020.

This additional resource has been created with our staff in mind to provide information and guidance in preparation for the resumption of in-person court operations.

The OBA wrote to the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Recovery Secretariat to advocate for safety, transparency, effective communication to the profession and the public about what to expect and how to prepare for court attendance, as well as the need for a system of rapid identification, communication and response if health and safety, procedural or other concerns arise. We continue to offer and provide support for alternatives to in-person proceedings as well.

Further to the Superior Court of Justice’s Notice to the Profession of June 25, 2020, the following regions have now released new or updated Notices in anticipation of the July 6, 2020 Phase 1 reopening: