Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Article | February 18, 2026
Residential Tenancies Act - Overview of Common Issues Between the Landlord and Tenants
The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) along with O. Reg. 517/06 (Maintenance Standards) and O. Reg. 516/06 (General) under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, came into effect on January 31, 2007, in Ontario. This Act is applicable to all landlords and tenants who rent residential properties in Ontario. It sets out their rights and responsibilities. The purposes of this Act are to provide protection for residential tenants from unlawful rent increases and unlawful evictions, to establish a framework for the regulation of residential rents, to balance the rights and responsibilities of residential landlords and tenants and to provide for the adjudication of disputes and for other processes to informally resolve disputes.
Article | February 18, 2026
Saskatchewan Joins the Regulated Fold: What Franchisors Need to Know
It has been nearly a decade since a province has enacted franchise legislation in Canada, but Saskatchewan is set to change that. Its new The Franchise Disclosure Act, coming into force on June 30, 2026, and its accompanying regulations brings the province into the regulated fold, introducing statutory disclosure requirements for franchisors operating in Saskatchewan. While the regime largely mirrors the models found in other provinces, it introduces several distinctive elements that franchisors need to understand, changes that close a longstanding regulatory gap and create new national compliance considerations that franchisors should begin planning for now.
Article | February 13, 2026
More than Mandatory Mediation: How the CRR's Proposed Reforms to Pre-Trial Procedure May Impact Wrongful Dismissal Litigation in Ontario
The Civil Rules Review (“CRR”) was launched in 2024 as a joint initiative of the Chief Justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Attorney General. The CRR’s mandate was to propose wholesale reforms to the Rules of Civil Procedure (the “Rules”) so that the civil justice system can be more accessible and to reduce costs and delays. A working group of lawyers, judges and academics was created to identify issues and create proposals (the “Working Group”). Following an earlier Consultation Paper, on December 19, 2025, the Working Group released its final policy report (the “Report”) to the public. Pages 176-183 of the Report relate to pre-trial procedure. In this article, I discuss the current procedure, the Working Group’s proposed reforms from the point of view of employment lawyers, and how these reforms, if implemented, may impact wrongful dismissal litigation in Ontario.
Article | February 13, 2026
Parkland Dedication Regime: Not a Generalized Revenue Tool
In two recent decisions, the Ontario Land Tribunal confirmed that the individual and fact-specific context of an application factors heavily on the reasonableness of a condition requiring parkland dedication, or cash in lieu (“CIL”). These rulings make clear that parkland dedication is not a generalized revenue tool for municipalities and is not intended to be imposed on every proposal that could be classified as development or redevelopment.
| February 13, 2026
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of February 9
Olympic Winter Games: The 2026 Winter Olympic games are underway with a relatively slow start for Canada. Canada is currently #15 in terms of total medals, with zero golds, 3 silvers, and 4 bronze medals. The top three countries by medal count are currently Norway and Italy tied at 18 medals, with the U.S. in third with 14 medals.
Article | February 13, 2026
Meet Your Business Law Section Executive: Interview with Avram Musafija
In this Q&A, Business Law Section Chair Avram Musafija talks about the challenges and most fulfiling aspects of his work, offers his best advice and lessons learned, and shares what excites him most about a busy year for the Section Executive.
Article | February 13, 2026
New Virtual Trial Scheduling Counter at OCJ Toronto
As of January 26, 2026, trial dates at the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto can no longer be scheduled by email. There are now three methods to set dates at OCJ-T: 1) at a Virtual Counter via Zoom (no appointment needed). 2) at the physical counter located at 10 Armoury Street (no appointment needed), and 3) via appointment through a Trial Scheduling Meeting.
