Up-to-date Sector Information

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is offering a financial relief package to help businesses deal with the effects of COVID-19.

The Law Society of Ontario is allowing licensees on monthly payment plans to defer their fees for two months. The payment scheduled for April 7 will now be withdrawn during the first week of June.

LAWPRO has announced that it will not be sending notices or following up on the collection of any delinquent accounts or missed filings (quarterly real estate and litigation transaction filings, unpaid premiums, or deductibles, etc.). Those wishing to stop automatic monthly or quarterly billing have the option to do so up until June 1. Please email service@lawpro.ca to do this.

The Government of Ontario has issued an order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act that changes how documents are served on the Crown and related entities.

The Government has now released the list of essential businesses. Pursuant to Numbers 61 and 65 on the list of essential businesses, professional and social services that support the legal and justice system and professional services including lawyers are deemed to be essential businesses.

The Ministry of the Attorney General has expanded the Civil Claims Online system to allow more documents to be filed online. While filings will be accepted through the online system, until normal operations resume, only those matters that are scheduled by the judiciary for an urgent hearing will proceed. Court services will be available for urgent hearings and service will be limited for non-urgent matters.

The LSO Corporate statement regarding COVID 19, including Practice Management FAQs (for Licensees); Licensing & Accreditation Information (for Candidates) and LSO Business Operations FAQs can be found here.

This evening the OBA received the following update from Chief Justice Maisonneuve.

We wanted to let you know that the Lieutenant Governor in Council made an order under s. 7.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act suspending limitation periods and procedural time periods. The suspension is retroactive to March 16, 2020.

The following changes have been advised by Tarion