Section Articles

Please find below our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for the week of June 23-27, 2025.

In Decision No. 1254/24, the WSIAT granted entitlement for chronic mental stress after finding that a police officer was subjected to workplace harassment. The Panel rejected the employer’s workplace investigation and found the conduct especially egregious in light of contextual factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It accepted a DSM diagnosis of anxiety and insomnia from a family doctor as sufficient under WSIB policy.

This article examines the growing use of artificial intelligence in migration systems, focusing on tools like IRCC’s Chinook platform and the UNHCR’s Project Jetson. It raises concerns about how these technologies may reinforce systemic bias, limit procedural fairness, and reduce transparency in decision-making. Drawing on recent Federal Court decisions and critical legal theory, the piece calls for stronger safeguards and a more accountable, rights-based approach to technology in immigration governance.

A recent CPD session explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping Canadian immigration processing. Experts from the Federal Court, IRCC, DOJ, academia, and private practice discussed IRCC’s use of automation to triage and approve files, the legal framework behind these systems, and the privacy and oversight issues they raise. As AI becomes more central to decision making, counsel must build the skills to understand, challenge, and navigate these tools to ensure fairness and protect their clients.

On July 22, 2025, Chief Justice Wagner served as keynote speaker for the Young Lawyers Division’s Annual Gala. Chief Justice Wagner has served on the Supreme Court since 2012, and is the 18th Chief Justice of Canada. He leads the Canadian Judicial Council, the National Judicial Institute, and the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada.

As the 2024-2025 term comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what’s been a dynamic and rewarding year for the OBA Health Law Section.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of June 16, 2025.

In Lemieux c. Sanimax Lom inc., 2025 QCCS 371, the Superior Court of Quebec’s Chief Justice rejected an unconventional request: to allow four dachshunds to serve as parties and representative plaintiffs in a proposed environmental class action.

You know it is true love when the CRA finally lets you claim each other. Tracing the evolving relationship between queer Canadians and the Income Tax Act, through key cases and legislative reforms, Alain Azar explores how LGBTQ+ lives have been acknowledged, and at times constrained, by a tax system built around traditional views. While it remains our civic duty to file with pride, we should also reflect on the underlying normative assumptions embedded in the process.

Whether the obligation comes from the legislation or a Court Order, a support payor is obligated to produce financial disclosure. This was succinctly reiterated in Neves v Pinto: Not only was Ms. Pinto statutorily obligated to produce complete financial disclosure, there were court orders that specifically required her to do so. Parties are not free to disregard court orders. Court orders are to be obeyed. Non-compliance with court orders must have consequences (Neves v Pinto 2020 ONSC 3098).

In Ontario, although grandparents do not have an automatic legal right to have contact with their grandchildren, they do have the right to make an application for contact. As Danielle Sawh outlines, the factors that a Court will consider in determining whether, and to what extent, to grant an order for contact between grandparents and grandchildren arise from both the legislation and the case law.

Where legal practice intersects with immigration, international families, and global financial matters, foreign law is not a complication; it is the context. Canadian courts have always operated with the understanding that foreign law, when relevant, must be treated as a question of fact. But as our legal and social realities evolve, so too does the need for clarity, structure, and cultural literacy when presenting those facts. This is where Certified Foreign Legal Consultants (FLCs) become indispensable.

On June 6, 2024, the federal government tabled Bill C-5: An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility Act and the Building Canada Act (the One Canadian Economy Act) to, among other things, accelerate approvals for energy and infrastructure projects that are designated as being in the national interest by enacting the Building Canada Act. This legislation aims to address pressing geopolitical, energy security, and economic concerns, while enhancing Canada's national prosperity and protecting the environment, and respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples. The One Canadian Economy Act faces a short sitting period in a minority Parliament, but Prime Minister Mark Carney has suggested that the sitting could be extended to ensure the Act is passed.

This article provides a brief overview of the decision of the Federal Court of Canada in Kebaowek First Nation v. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, 2025 FC 319 (“Kebaowek”). For the first time, the Federal Court interpreted the role of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (“UNDRIP”) within the duty to consult and accommodation framework. Among other things, the Court found that, because of UNDRIP’s adoption into Canadian law, the duty to consult and accommodate must be informed by it and decision makers must now consider how UNDRIP may impact the interpretation of Canadian law, including the fulfillment of section 35 obligations. The Court also clarified that the free, prior and informed consent under UNDRIP does not mean a veto or a right to a particular outcome, but rather, a right to a robust process.

As part of its broader legislative initiative under Bill 5, the Protecting Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025 (Bill 5), the Ontario government has introduced a suite of proposed legislative reforms aimed at accelerating approvals for mining and critical infrastructure projects. One of the most consequential proposals includes significant amendments to the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA).

On June 5, 2025, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025 ("Act") came into force. The Act aims to protect Ontario from global economic uncertainty by enacting measures that the government believes will stimulate Ontario's economy. It attempts to do so through amendments to the Electricity Act, 1998, the Endangered Species Act, 2007, the Environmental Assessment Act, the Environmental Protection Act, the Mining Act, the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, the Ontario Heritage Act and the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act, 2023 and by introducing the Special Economic Zones Act, 2025 and the Species Conservation Act, 2025. The amendments and new acts are summarized below.

The Toronto Local Appeal Body (the “TLAB”) stands as Ontario’s sole local appeals body for planning matters, ruling over appeals of variance and consent decisions from Toronto’s Committee of Adjustment (the “CoA”). Nearly ten years after the TLAB’s inception, the Body has had some successes but remains particularly limited by its role as an administrative tribunal.

Municipal service corporations (MSCs) allow municipalities to efficiently deliver key public services by leveraging distinct corporate structures authorized under the Municipal Act, 2001. This article provides a broad overview of MSCs, their governance, benefits, and the legal requirements municipalities must follow when establishing one.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of June 9 to 13, 2025.

This article summarizes recent Ontario Court of Appeal decisions about the enforceability of contractual termination clauses, including Bertsch and De Castro.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of June 2, 2025.

After liability has been established in common, how far does the court's authority go to attenuate the ordinary litigation process in determining the damages to be awarded to individual class members? In Hayes v. The City of Saint John, 2025 NBKB 58, the New Brunswick Court of King's Bench held that the vulnerable nature of the class in a historical sexual abuse class action demanded that the individual issues phase of the litigation be dealt with on an expeditious basis.

The Ontario Court of Appeal in Knisley v. Canada (Attorney General), 2025 ONCA 185, has confirmed that a class proceeding cannot be certified on a conditional basis. On a motion for certification, a motion judge must either certify an action as a class proceeding where the certification test has been met or must deny certification where the criteria for certification have not been met.

Cline v Gymnastics Canada, 2025 BCSC 146 is a pre-certification jurisdictional application brought by the Fédération de Gymnastique du Québec in a proposed historical abuse class action commenced in B.C. The Court reasoned that common issues standing alone do not create territorial competence for the purpose of a national class action. Territorial competence findings in prior product liability cases will not be instructive if the factual underpinnings of those decisions involve “something more”.

Emma Gardiner discusses a recent case which provides guidance on the application of solicitor-client privilege and deliberative secrecy in SPPA tribunal proceedings.

Alex Smith discusses a recent case on the impact of unauthorized recordings of tribunal proceedings and a tribunal's authority to set limits on the time given to parties to present their cases.

Alex Smith discusses a recent case on the impact of factual errors in an Agreed Statement of Facts.

On May 6th, the Ontario Bar Association’s Child and Youth Law and Young Lawyers Division hosted a professional development webinar featuring updates on pressing issues in child protection law. As part of a panel on “Privacy Records in Child Welfare”, Sam Wisnicki of the Office of the Children’s Lawyer presented an overview of the rules governing access to youth criminal justice records and information and their application to child protection proceedings.

Lachapelle v. St. Laurent Automotive Group Inc., 2025 ONSC 1956 appears to have been a fierce battle about a range of legal issues arising from an interesting set of facts. In addition, Justice Roger’s subsequent costs award, Lachapelle v. St. Laurent Automotive Group Inc., 2025 ONSC 2879 (released May 14), provides useful guidance on managing settlement negotiation and pre-trial conduct, particularly in the context of Simplified Procedure and Rule 49 cost consequences.

On June 6, 2024, the Homeowner Protection Act, 2004 came into force, which amended the Personal Property Security Act, ending the era of Notices of Security Interest (NOSIs) for consumer goods in Ontario. The amendment has banned the registration of NOSIs for consumer goods—defined as goods used or acquired for use primarily for personal, family or household purposes. Now, any consumer good NOSI registered against a property’s title before June 6, 2024 can be deleted. With this ban, Ontario seeks to better protect homeowners from unexpected liens and make property transactions more transparent.

In Parkin, one of only a handful of decisions interpreting the new statutory carriage test under the amended Class Proceedings Act, 1992, Justice Leiper granted carriage of a proposed securities class action against TD Bank for alleged misrepresentations with respect to its systemically deficient anti-money laundering controls to the Parkin action. The court found the Parkin action was superior to two competing actions as it avoided both potential concerns relating to contingency-fee splitting with a US firm and limitation period issues.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of May 26 to 30, 2025.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of May 19 to 23, 2025.

Amidst economic uncertainty and a trade war, one thing remains constant: the Province of Ontario (the “Province”)’s attempts to boost housing supply. On May 12, 2025, the Province introduced Bill 17, the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025. Currently in its second reading, the Bill, if passed, would make changes to development charges, planning instruments, and provincial infrastructure development. This article explores these changes.

Taxation law is a complicated, nuanced beast. When a criminal investigation is launched by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) into a taxpayer for alleged violations of tax law, the law’s complications become more pronounced. In these moments, it can be stressful for taxpayers and their advisors to be aware of certain collateral consequences that can arise from criminal investigations.

In Ayre v. The King, 2025 TCC 41, the Tax Court of Canada dismissed six lead cases, along with ninety-nine bound appeals, challenging the Minister of National Revenue’s denial of charitable donation tax credits. The Court found that the appellants participated in tax shelter gifting arrangements involving cash and pharmaceutical donations without the requisite donative intent. As such, they were deemed not to be entitled to tax credits under section 118.1 of the Income Tax Act. The case is currently under appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal.

In this article, Shannon Sweeney highlights important amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which will take effect in 2025 and 2026. Anyone who acts for employers, or who is an employer, will want to take note of these incoming changes.

On April 8, 2025, the Ontario Bar Association’s Entertainment, Media, and Communications Law Section hosted Entertainment Law Fundamentals at the OBA Conference Centre in Toronto. The event demystified the glitz and glamour of this dynamic area of practice through a candid and compelling conversation with three experienced entertainment lawyers: Laura Wilson-Lewis (Warner Music Canada), Tara Parker (Goodmans LLP), and Adrian Barnardo (Taylor Oballa Murray Leyland LLP).

January 15 is celebrated as National Hat Day, a throwback to a time when no outfit was complete without a hat. By the 1980s hats had become novelties, but on January 15, 2025, they roared back into relevance: Ontario Premier Doug Ford donned a bright blue cap reading “CANADA IS NOT FOR SALE.” The hat, a gift from Ottawa branding agency Jackpine, exploded across social media, and by dawn on January 16, Jackpine’s Shopify store had logged more than 8,000 orders.That same morning, an Ontario resident registered canadaisnotforsalehat.ca, quickly launching an independent online storefront selling hats bearing the same slogan.

In this installment of the "Get to Know Your Exec" series, meet Alessia Monastero, secretary, OBA Entertainment, Media, and Communications Law Section.

Recent updates in Ontario and Federal pension  regulatory policy and caselaw, including FSRA Pension Update, Survivor Benefits, and more.

Lori Isaj provides an overview of the new rules, implemented by the Law Society of Ontario on January 1, 2025, relating to client contingency planning to account for what happens if a lawyer or paralegal in private practice, referred to as a licensee, is unable to practice, either temporarily or permanently, due to illness, incapacity, sudden absence, or death.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the future for all industries, businesses, and professions, including law. We can’t escape it, nor should you want to; if you learn how to use it properly, it will become an essential and productive tool in your practice. This article provides an introduction to AI in the legal profession and introduces resources to help you on your learning journey.

The OBA invites you to try the OBA’s AI Academy.

On December 1, 2024, amendments to the Rules of Civil Procedure in Ontario came into force to implement changes regarding the certification of authorities cited in legal documents and expert reports, as well as eliminating duplicate filing requirements for notices of application.

On a sunny Tuesday in March, members of the Ontario Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates Section met to discuss practice tips and share suggestions with respect to various file issues.

OBA Members met in February 2025 for the monthly Brown Bag Lunch meeting. As always, participants came equipped with interesting discussion and practice questions.

Members of the OBA’s Trusts and Estates section met for the first Brown Bag Lunch meeting of 2025 on January 21.

The final Brown Bag Lunch meeting of the year was held on December 17, 2024. Trusts and Estates section members were happy to gather one last time before the holidays to share practice tips and discuss some interesting trusts and estates issues.

In November, estates and trusts practitioners met for the OBA’s monthly Brown Bag Lunch, ready to discuss a variety of interesting questions and practical scenarios.

Members of the Ontario Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates section met, as usual, for the monthly Brown Bag Lunch, on October 17, 2024. Attendees raised some fascinating discussion topics and generously shared their experience and views on others’ questions.

The notwithstanding clause, s. 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, is a constitutional provision that plays a significant role in some of Canada’s most recent controversial legal issues. In December, the Ontario Bar Association gathered legal, policy, and political experts to discuss its use. The event featured a full day of engaging conversations and critical analysis. The day began with a historical overview of the Charter and the origins of the notwithstanding clause, delivered by Dr. Thomas Axworthy. The later panel discussions explored key trends in its use to date, as well as perspectives on the pros and cons of invoking the notwithstanding clause in the future.

In October 2024, the Government of Ontario enacted the Reducing Gridlock, Saving Your Time Act, 2024. On November 21, 2024, the Ontario government introduced an amendment that would require the Minister of Transportation to remove three bike lanes on Bloor Street, Yonge Street, and University Avenue in the City of Toronto (the “Target Bike Lane Removal Provision”). The impugned provision was part of a series of amendments to the Highway Traffic Act in which Ontario has, among other things, required that the City of Toronto seek provincial government approval prior to installing bike lanes that would reduce the number of lanes available for motor vehicle travel. A non-profit cycling advocacy organization and two Toronto residents (the “Applicants”) brought a motion for an interlocutory injunction prohibiting the Ontario government from implementing the Target Bike Lane Removal Provision.

Sign up for the 2025 OBA Elder Law Day on June 19 - an essential event for all legal professionals committed to advancing justice for seniors. Featuring expert panels, meaningful networking, a powerful keynote by Melissa Miller, and an OBA Award celebration honouring Jane E. Meadus, this is a unique opportunity to connect, learn, and lead with your fellow seniors’ advocates!

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of May 12, 2025. This was another light week.

On April 30, 2025, the Women Lawyers Forum of the Ontario Bar Association marked the 10th anniversary of its award-winning Pathways to Power program with a powerful celebration. Women lawyers from various backgrounds came together, both in-person and online, to reflect on how far we’ve come, share strategies, and forge new bonds in the face of persistent gender-based discrimination and harassment in the legal profession.

Mediation is often the last, best chance to resolve a dispute before significant time and money are lost, and unnecessary risk is incurred. But despite good intentions, we’ve noticed certain lawyer habits that tend to get in the way of productive negotiations. Effective mediation advocacy requires a thoughtful negotiation strategy and careful preparation.

At the request of the section executive, the recipient of the Randall Echlin Award for Excellence in Labour and Employment Law shares his acceptance speech from the reception and dinner recently held in his honour at the OBA Conference Centre in Toronto.

This article explores practical ways to improve access to the criminal justice system for marginalized communities in Canada. It highlights key support systems such as Legal Aid, pro bono clinics, court workers, and legal education tools, emphasizing the shared role of law students, lawyers, and institutions in closing the justice gap.

Between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2026, business owners can access significant tax benefits when selling a qualifying business to an employee ownership trust ("EOT") pursuant to a transaction that constitutes a qualifying business transfer. Among other benefits, eligible vendors are entitled to receive a shared pool of up to $10 million in capital gains deductions (the "EOT Deduction").

Canada’s ratification of the Apostille Convention replaces the traditional – time-consuming and complex – legalization process with a standardized one-page Apostille certificate that, once issued, is recognized as valid by all member countries without further authentication. This benefits individuals by easing international mobility for work, education, or personal business and helps businesses by smoothing cross-border transactions. Canada's adoption of the Convention is not without challenges, including the delay in implementing electronic Apostilles, which limits efficiency. Still, Canada’s accession to the Convention is a major step toward global integration and strengthens its legal and commercial ties with member countries.

The OBA Construction & Infrastructure Section has recently had the benefit of RSJ Firestone and the Associate Judges generously granting their time to speak to members of the Executive regarding vacating motions and ex parte court. Their Honours have asked the Section Executive to make members aware of certain procedures regarding vacating motions, and to solicit input regarding the potential resumption of in-person court appearances (note the survey link at the bottom!).

The AI Policy landscape is shifting in view of economic headwinds and changing policy priorities from the EU and the US. Safety, trust, and innovation hang in the balance.

Over the course of my career in construction law, I have come to understand this truth: it takes ten years to get good at something, and ten years to earn a good reputation. Importantly, they are not the same ten years. The OBA has generously asked me to reflect on a career in construction law. Whether you are three, thirteen, or thirty years into practice, I hope these reflections offer something useful, on both the practice of law and the life that comes with it.  

In the fast-paced world of construction, delays and disruption can pose significant challenges to project success. In this Breaking Down the Walls series, Gary Brummer, a partner at Margie Strub Construction Law LLP, and Jacob Lokash, an associate at the firm, draw upon their extensive legal expertise to explore the complexities of construction delays. They have collaborated with Thomas Certo, a managing director in the Construction Disputes and Advisory Group at Ankura Consulting Group LLC, whose insights into the technical aspects of delay analysis provide a comprehensive perspective on this critical issue.

When is “judicial review” not judicial review? When it’s judicial review  of an adjudicator’s determination under the Construction Act. Why is it not judicial review? Because the drafters of the Construction Act used the wrong term when they were otherwise borrowing wholesale from the test to set aside an arbitrator’s award under the Arbitration Act.

In this ongoing series, we will profile each of the members of the OBA IT/ IP Law Section Executives to learn about them in five minutes or less. It’s five minutes or less because we know that a lot of you docket in six minute increments! This issue, meet Ayush Arora, newsletter editor for the Information Technology and Intellectual Property Law Section.

AI generated or made by human? What systems are in place to let consumers know whether social media content is made by a creator or Chat GPT? So far Meta has its only system in place, and Canada has a few suggestive sources.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of May 5, 2025. This was a light week.

The article is about Canada’s upcoming Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy from 2025 to 2027, which outlines how the federal government plans to adopt artificial intelligence to improve public service efficiency through ethical frameworks, governance, workforce development, and public engagement.

Among the many risks of trading "meme coins" in the crypto market, one risk is often forgotten until it is too late: copyright law. This article explores the copyright law implications that both meme coin developers and traders face when profiting off another person’s original work, using real-world examples from the past year.

In Mcdonald v. Guyana Goldfields Inc., 2025 ONSC 2431, Justice Morgan granted a third-party production order in the context of a proposed secondary market misrepresentation class action. Guyana Goldfields demonstrates that, despite courts’ gatekeeping role on secondary market misrepresentation leave motions, they may grant preliminary production orders where the requests are narrow, documents can be identified with specificity, the documents are known to exist, and the documents are not in the possession of the defendants.

Ontario lawyers engaging in estate planning for First Nations Peoples living on reserve must be cognizant of the legislation applicable to property and persons on reserve, and draft accordingly. In the table below, I have summarized the main differences between the legislation applicable to First Nations persons living on reserve, and the legislation applicable to First Nations persons living off reserve.

Galibier Materials Inc. v. Springwater (Township) establishes a potentially destabilizing precedent for Ontario’s planning regime respecting the duty to consult under section 35 of the Constitution Act. Galibier effectively opens the door to any indigenous or other advocacy group to come forward in any hearing, no matter how large or small, to claim that they represent interests that are potentially impacted by a proposal. The decision raises questions about the sufficiency of existing regulations to meet the duty to consult, and the role of advocacy organizations in representing First Nations interests.

The Court of Appeal case, Huether v Sharpe, 2025 ONCA 140, reversed a lower court ruling that had imposed an indefinite and ongoing "duty to monitor" upon municipalities until and unless a permit file had been “closed” (a term that does not even exist in the relevant legislative scheme). The Court of Appeal’s decision alleviates the requirement that a municipality must unduly search historic building files to confirm that permits were in fact formally closed, that were treated as closed.

This case comment discusses the Ontario Superior Court's recent guidance on the obligations of the independent supervising solicitor when documents are seized under an Anton Piller order, as well as who bears the cost of producing the seized documents to the parties.

The Township of Emo and its incumbent mayor appealed a decision from the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, which held that the Township and its mayor discriminated against Borderland Pride when it refused to grant its request for a proclamation declaring June as Pride Month in the Township of Emo. This article provides an overview of the Borderland case and will briefly discuss the merits, if any, of escalating opinions that the decision contradicts freedom of expression rights.

On February 12, 2025, I had the honour and privilege of participating in a fly-court at Ogoki Post, a remote First Nations community in northern Ontario. As an articling student with the Thunder Bay Crown Attorney's Office, I knew this experience would be different from my usual workdays, but I didn't realize just how much it would change my perspective on justice, community, and resilience.

You know that feeling when you stumble into exactly where you're meant to be? That's what happened to me twenty or so years ago when I joined the Ontario Bar Association's Public Sector Lawyers Section. I had no idea then that clicking "submit" on that membership form would lead to some of the most rewarding relationships of my legal career. 

When I first signed up for the CBA Charity Law Conference, I expected to learn a few technical updates and maybe connect with others working in the sector. What I did not expect was to walk away thinking differently about forests, international partnerships, and the power of law to shape how we care for people and the planet.

In this edition of the OBA Health Law’s Section Insider, we spoke with the 2025 recipient of the Susan Davidson Memorial Award for Excellence in Health Law, Valerie Wise. Here’s what she had to say.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of April 21, 2025.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of April 21, 2025.

When assessing the emotional harm to children caused by parents sharing the details of their conflict with children, particularly when parents claim their religious beliefs mandate full transparency, Children’s Aid Societies (CAS) must balance child protection considerations against parents’ Charter rights.

A very brief history of children’s rights law in Quebec since the May 2021 final report of the province’s Special Commission on the Rights of the Child and Youth Protection ("Laurent Commission").

The OBA has professional development programming throughout the month of May for discerning child and youth law practitioners

Nominations are open for a very limited time for the OBA Child and Youth Law Section Executive and for the inaugural OBA Award in Child and Youth Law.

In Newstrom Investments Inc. v Richmond Hill (City), 2024 CarswellOnt 16624, the Ontario Land Tribunal confirmed the long-standing principle that minor variance conditions must be “reasonably related” to the variance(s) applied for. Read on for a discussion of what this means and what the case was about.

Participation of third-party advisors, such as accountants, in client communications may impact the confidentiality of such communications. In two recent decisions, the Tax Court of Canada generally commented that communications between counsel and third-party advisors are protected by solicitor-client privilege when (i) the advisor is acting as agent of the client within the scope of their engagement, and (ii) the communications entail the seeking or giving of legal advice.

Updates to the Family Law Rules concerning costs came into effect on January 22, 2025. The changes emphasize the summary nature of costs and the Court’s discretion in awarding them, and standardize the formatting of cost submissions. However, and maybe most importantly, all the numbers have changed in Rule 24 so counsel will need to reacquaint themselves when drafting submissions. 

Telecommunication carriers in Canada need municipal consent to install and maintain infrastructure under municipal rights-of-way (ROW) as mandated by the Telecommunications Act of Canada. Municipal consent is often granted to carriers via Municipal Access Agreements, however, the enforceability of certain provisions within these agreements can be challenged. A recent application before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) could clarify areas of dispute and shape future municipal authority over ROW access.

This guide seeks to provide an overview of the legal considerations involved in dividing a family business during a spousal separation. It attempts to demonstrate the importance and overlap of both business and family law aspects. This guide is written exclusively however, from a business lawyer perspective.

Non-profit and charitable organizations experiencing a decline in revenues due to the direct or indirect result of U.S. tariffs may be eligible for support through the Government of Canada’s Work-Sharing Program.

A June 2024 OBA program brought together WSIAT adjudicators and worker/employer representatives to discuss how civility and collaboration can improve efficiency, fairness, and outcomes in workers’ compensation appeals. The session featured updates on Navigation Services, best practices for mediation and ADR, and practical guidance on disclosure, issue narrowing, and building a shared understanding of complex evidence in multi-party or occupational disease cases.

In Decision No. 1543/23, the WSIAT granted initial entitlement for chronic mental stress arising from workplace harassment. The Panel gave no weight to the employer’s internal investigation and instead reassessed the underlying facts. The decision highlights the Tribunal’s role in evaluating harassment claims and the importance of clear, well-documented workplace investigations in the workers’ compensation context.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of March 31 to April 4, 2025.

A family doctor in Edmonton, who was convicted and sentenced in criminal law was recently disciplined by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta’s (CPSA) Hearing Tribunal after admitting to unprofessional conduct. The CPSA Hearing Tribunal determined that revoking the physician’s practice permit was unnecessary, allowing her to return to practice under specific terms and conditions.

With stories of “roadside” exotic zoos and pet lions cropping up in Ontario, you may be wondering – is that legal? Let’s get to the bottom of this.