In Lang-Newlands v. Newlands, the Court addressed whether the wife’s interest in a family trust should be excluded from her net family property for equalization purposes. Before the marriage, the wife’s father had settled a trust for her benefit, and the shares were later restructured through an estate freeze during the marriage. The Court held that because the trust’s value derived entirely from property the wife beneficially owned before marriage and her father’s $100 contribution to engage the freeze was de minimis, her interest should not be excluded from her net family property. The appeal on that issue was therefore allowed. The Court upheld the trial judge’s spousal support and costs orders.
In Bombardier Inc. v. Alstom Rail Sweden AB, the Court dismissed Bombardier’s appeal from a stay of its Ontario action in favour of ICC arbitration. The Court upheld the motion judge’s finding that it was arguable that Alstom Sweden, although not a named party to the 2020 Blizzard share purchase agreement, could benefit from its arbitration clause as an “Affiliate,” thereby engaging the competence-competence principle under the Peace River framework for determining whether to grant a stay in favour of international arbitration. The Court emphasized that at the stay stage, no final determinations are made regarding the arbitration agreement or the parties to it.
In Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario v. Ontario Association of Architects, the Court set aside a contempt finding against the Ontario Association of Architects arising from its issuance of licences after a 2023 consent order entered into with the Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario restricted certain types of licensing titles to be issued by the OAA to its members. The Court held that the motion judge failed to properly determine whether the consent order was clear and unambiguous, which is a necessary precondition for civil contempt. It also found that the OAA’s conduct did not amount to an intentional breach of the order and that the motion judge failed to meaningfully exercise their discretion before imposing contempt as a remedy.
Table of Contents
Civil Decisions
Lang-Newlands v. Newlands, 2026 ONCA 530
Keywords: Family Law, Estates, Trusts, Gifts, Net Family Property, Equalization, Family Law Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F.3, Family Law Reform Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 152, Courts of Justice Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.43, Family Law Rules, O. Reg. 114/99, Lang-Newlands v. Newlands, 2024 ONSC 6285, Lang-Newlands v. Newlands, 2025 ONSC 2739, Shinder v. Shinder, 2018 ONCA 717, Thibodeau v. Thibodeau, 2011 ONCA 110, LeVan v. LeVan (2006), 82 O.R. (3d) 1 (S.C.), LeVan v. LeVan, 2008 ONCA 388, R.L. v. M.F., 2025 ONCA 595, Hamilton v. Open Window Bakery Ltd., 2004 SCC 9, McNamee v. McNamee, 2011 ONCA 533, Townshend v. Townshend, 2012 ONCA 868, Ward v. Ward, 2012 ONCA 462, Genesis Land Development Corp. v. Smoothwater Capital Corporation, 2013 ABQB 509, El Khatib v. Noun, 2023 ONSC 1667, Koughan v. Dow, 2015 PECA 2, Livermore v. Livermore (1992), 43 R.F.L. (3d) 163 (Ont. Gen. Div.), McLean v. Dahl, 2017 ONSC 1288, Gibson v. Gibson, 2011 ONSC 4406, Crawford v. Crawford (1997), 33 R.F.L. (4th) 381 (Ont. C.A.), Serra v. Serra, 2009 ONCA 105, Hickey v. Hickey, [1999] 2 S.C.R. 518, Halliwell v. Halliwell, 2017 ONCA 349, Climans v. Latner, 2020 ONCA 554, Tadayon v. Mohtashami, 2015 ONCA 777, Beaver v. Hill, 2018 ONCA 840, Brinkos v. Brinkos (1989), 69 O.R. (2d) 225, Black v. Black (1988), 66 O.R. (2d) 643 (H.C.), Reisman v. Reisman, 2014 ONCA 109, Financial Principles of Family Law, Toronto: Thomson Reuters Canada, 2021
Bombardier Inc. v. Alstom Rail Sweden AB, 2026 ONCA 528
Keywords: Jurisdiction, International Commercial Arbitration, International Chamber of Commerce, Share Purchase Agreement, competence-competence principle, UNCITRAL Model Law, Contracts, Corporate Separateness, Contract Interpretation, Stay of Proceedings, International Commercial Arbitration Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c. 2, Sch. 5, s. 9, Peace River Hydro Partners v. Petrowest Corp., 2022 SCC 41, Uber Technologies v. Heller, 2020 SCC 16, Husky Food Importers & Distributors Ltd. v. J.H. Whittaker & Sons Limited, 2023 ONCA 260, Lochan v. Binance Holdings Limited, 2024 ONCA 784, Dalimpex Ltd. v. Janicky (2003), 64 O.R. (3d) 737 (Ont. C.A.), Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. v. Arochem International Ltd. (1992), 66 B.C.L.R. (2d) 113 (B.C. C.A.)
Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario v. Ontario Association of Architects, 2026 ONCA 539
Keywords: Administrative Law, Regulated Professions, Architects, Architectural Technologists, Licensing, Civil Procedure, Orders, Enforcement, Contempt, Architects Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. A.26, ss. 13.1, 25, General, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 27, O. Reg. 521/24, Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario Act, 1996, S.O. 1996, c. Pr. 20, Enhancing Access to Justice Act, 2024, S.O. 2024, Rules of Civil Procedure, r. 60.11, Gordon v.Starr (2007), 42 R.F.L. (6th) 366, Bell ExpressVu Limited Partnership v. Corkery, 2009 ONCA 85, Oliveira v. Oliveira, 2022 ONCA 218, Carey v. Laiken, 2015 SCC 17, Carter v. Carter, 2026 ONCA 29, Centre commercial Les Rivières ltée v. Jean Bleu inc., 2012 QCCA 1663, Fontaine v. Canada (Attorney General), 2020 ONCA 688, Whitehead v. Tucker, 2025 ONCA 674, Housen v. Nikolaisen, 2002 SCC 33, Prescott-Russell Services for Children and Adults v. G. (N.) (2006), 82 O.R. (3d) 686 (C.A.), Jackson v. Jackson, 2016 ONSC 3466, Moncur v. Plante, 2021 ONCA 462, Chong v. Donnelly, 2019 ONCA 799, 1704604 Ontario Ltd. v. Pointes Protection Association, 2020 SCC 22
Short Civil Decisions
Keywords: Family Law, Property, Remedies, Equalization of Net Family Property, Civil Procedure, Costs, Family Law Rules, O. Reg. 114/99, r. 24(8), Brad-Jay Investments Ltd. v. Szijjarto (2006), 218 O.A.C. 315 (C.A.), Brad-Jay Investments Ltd. v. Szijjarto, [2007] S.C.C.A. No. 92, Hamilton v. Open Window Bakery Ltd., 2004 SCC 9
Halton Standard Condominium Corporation No. 550 v. Del Ridge (Appleby) Inc., 2026 ONCA 536
Keywords: Contracts, Construction, Civil Procedure, Admissions, Limitation Periods, Appeals, Jurisdiction, Final or Interlocutory, Limitations Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 24, Sched. B, ss. 4 & 15(2), Courts of Justice Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.43, s. 6, Rules of Civil Procedure, r. 51.06
Home Trust Company v. Pitters, 2026 ONCA 534
Keywords: Contracts, Real Property, Mortgages, Enforcement
Dunn and Drummond Incorporated v. Fisher Environmental Ltd., 2026 ONCA 529
Keywords: Torts, Nuisance, Environmental Contamination, Civil Procedure, Limitation Periods, Amending Pleadings, Appeals, Jurisdiction, Final or Interlocutory, Rules of Civil Procedure, rr. 20 & 21
Keywords: Family Law, Contracts, Real Property, Agreements of Purchase and Sale of Land, Civil Procedure, Appeals, Adjournments, Family Law Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F.3