Submissions 2023

The Ontario Bar Association (OBA) appreciates the opportunity to provide a submission on the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario’s (FSRA)Innovation Framework

The OBA provided a submission in response to the Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial privacy protection authorities consultation on guidance for police agencies with respect to their use of facial recognition technology.

The OBA provided a submission in response to the government's consultation on Modernizing Privacy in Ontario.

The OBA provided a submission to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) – Program Integrity Unit outlining concerns related to solicitor-client privilege and access to counsel in the context of investigations, as well as providing recommendations to strengthen training.

Tribunals Ontario is in the process of developing an Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) system that will provide an opportunity for parties to engage exclusively online. While we applaud the continued advancement of technology by Tribunals Ontario, we recommend inclusion of five key hallmarks in the adoption of a successful ODR system, to ensure continued access to justice for all parties involved.

The OBA recommended that Decisions Database of the Automobile Insurance Dispute Resolution Services (DRS), as operated by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) before disputes regarding Statutory Accident Benefits were moved to the jurisdiction of the License Appeal Tribunal (LAT) in April 2016 be migrated to CanLII so that they be publicly accessible.

The OBA advocated for a culture shift that ends the practice of late service of expert reports by use of costs; expansion of mandatory mediation and making last minutes expert reports presumptively inadmissible in certain circumstances.

The OBA provided a submission to Legal Aid Ontario regarding the draft rules prepared by LAO pursuant to the Legal Aid Services Act, 2020.

The OBA responded to the Ministry’s consultation to provide mandatory WSIB coverage of PSWs and DSWs. The OBA noted the benefits for PSWs and DSWs that such coverage would provide as well as certain legal issues that would need to be contemplated and addressed in such an expansion

The OBA submitted a letter to the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development regarding proposed regulatory amendments to Ontario Regulation 422/17 (General) and Ontario Regulation 421/17 (Approvals under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program and Other Matters) under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015, pertaining to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program’s Entrepreneur Stream.