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If you rent a home in Ontario, or you rent one out, a significant set of changes to the Residential Tenancies Act takes effect on Monday, September 21, 2026. Most of them shorten deadlines, and one adds a step a tenant must take before the Landlord and Tenant Board will hear their side of a dispute. The practical consequences fall mainly on people who are already behind on rent. Here is a plain-language summary of what changes. Where these changes come from Two pieces of legi

If you are thinking about immigrating to Canada permanently, you have probably come across Express Entry — and possibly come away more confused than when you started. The system has changed meaningfully over the past two years, and a good deal of the advice still circulating online describes a version of it that no longer exists. Here is a plain-language explanation of how Express Entry works as of September 2026, and what the shift toward category-based draws means for an or

If you drive in Ontario, the accident benefits section of your auto insurance policy is not what it was a few months ago. On July 1, 2026, a package of reforms changed which benefits every policy must include and which ones you now have to choose — and pay for — yourself. Most drivers will not notice anything until a renewal notice arrives, or, worse, until after a collision. Here is what changed and what it means for you. First, what accident benefits actually are Accident b

Being arrested is frightening and disorienting, and most people learn their rights from television — which is American, and wrong. Canadian law gives you real protections at the moment of arrest, but some of them only work if you speak up and use them. Here is what actually applies in Ontario. The two things police must tell you immediately Section 10 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms says that everyone has the right, on arrest or detention, to be informed prompt

Most of what people believe about being arrested comes from American television. Canadian law is different, and the differences matter a great deal in the first few hours. This article explains what your rights actually are when you are arrested or questioned by police in Ontario — and, just as importantly, what they do not cover. Your rights begin the moment you are "detained" You do not have to be handcuffed to have rights. Section 10 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and F

Someone owes you money. You have asked politely, then less politely, and nothing has happened. Small Claims Court is the part of Ontario's court system built for exactly this problem — and since October 1, 2025, it handles considerably larger disputes than it used to. Here is how the process actually works, start to finish. What Small Claims Court can handle Small Claims Court is a branch of the Superior Court of Justice. As of October 1, 2025, you can sue there for up to $50

Losing a job is hard enough without a termination letter full of words that sound interchangeable but are not. “Termination pay,” “severance,” “notice” and “package” mean different things in Ontario law, and the difference can be worth months of income. Here is a plain-language guide to what you may be owed. First: termination pay and severance pay are not the same thing Under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), these are two separate entitlements with different r

A letter arrives from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It does not refuse your application — but it says an officer has concerns about your documents, your work history, your relationship, or something you wrote on a form, and it gives you a short window to respond. That is a procedural fairness letter, and how you handle it often decides the outcome of your file. Here is what it is, why you received one, and what a useful response looks like. What a proce

If someone you care about has just been arrested, the next 24 hours can feel like chaos. This article explains how bail works in Ontario — and what changed on July 15, 2026, when Parliament's new bail legislation came into force. First, the 24-hour rule Police do not have to bring every arrested person to court; an officer can often release someone at the station, with or without conditions. But police must hold a person where detention is necessary to protect public safety o

If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and your spouse or partner lives in another country — or is here with you on a temporary visa — you may be able to sponsor them for permanent residence. Spousal sponsorship is one of the most common ways families are reunited in Canada, but the process has strict rules, and misunderstanding them can lead to long delays or a refusal. Here is a plain-language overview of how it works, based on the current rules from Immigratio

Learning that a loved one's will does not say what you expected — or that a will was changed late in life, or under questionable circumstances — can be painful and confusing. In Ontario, a will can be challenged, but only on specific legal grounds and only by certain people. Here is a plain-language overview of when and how a will can be contested. Who can challenge a will? Not just anyone can contest a will. Generally, you need a financial interest in the estate — for exampl

One of the most important — and most overlooked — questions in any legal problem is simply: how long do I have to do something about it? In Ontario, the answer is usually governed by a deadline called a limitation period. Miss it, and a court can dismiss your case no matter how strong it is. Here is a plain-language guide to how these deadlines work. The general rule: two years Most civil claims in Ontario fall under the Limitations Act, 2002. The basic rule (section 4) is th

What Is a GST/HST Filing Offence? Under Canada's Excise Tax Act (ETA), every GST/HST registrant is required to file returns on time and remit any amounts owing. When a registrant fails to do so, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) can pursue administrative penalties, civil collection, and — in more serious cases — criminal prosecution. Most business owners understand that late filing attracts interest and penalties. What many do not realize is that persistent failure to file GST/

What Is Curbsiding Under Ontario Law? "Curbsiding" refers to the practice of selling motor vehicles without being registered as a dealer under the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, 2002 (MVDA). The term evokes the image of someone selling cars from the curb rather than from a licensed dealership — but the legal definition is broader and more nuanced than the stereotype suggests. Section 4(1)(a) of the MVDA prohibits any person from acting as a motor vehicle dealer unless they are re

Rule 12.02 permits striking claims in Small Claims Court, but only within strict limits. Singh v. Air Canada, 2026 ONSC 2983 illustrates what happens when a motion judge exceeds those limits.

Singh v. Air Canada, 2026 ONSC 2983 addresses the validity of assigned claims between family members, the limits of champerty, and the procedural duty to consider amendments before striking pleadings in airline delay litigation.

The Divisional Court's decision in Singh v. Air Canada, 2026 ONSC 2983 illustrates how appellate courts correct legal errors — from statutory misinterpretation to the wrongful refusal to permit amendments.

In Singh v. Air Canada, 2026 ONSC 2983, the Divisional Court allowed an appeal, found multiple legal errors in the lower court's decision to strike a passenger's claim, and ordered $7,000 in costs against the airline.

If you have had a licence, permit, or registration refused, suspended, or revoked by a government ministry or regulatory body in Ontario, you may have the right to appeal. Many licensing decisions can be appealed to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), which is part of Tribunals Ontario. Understanding the appeal process — and acting quickly — can mean the difference between losing your livelihood and keeping it. What the Licence Appeal Tribunal Handles The LAT hears appeals fro

If your employer has asked you to sign a non-compete agreement — or if you are worried about a non-compete clause in your existing employment contract — you are not alone. Non-compete clauses have become increasingly common in Ontario, but a major change in the law in 2021 means that most of them are now unenforceable. The 2021 Ban on Non-Competes Effective October 25, 2021, Ontario's Working for Workers Act amended the Employment Standards Act, 2000 to prohibit non-compete a