Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Advocacy | October 28, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of October 20
Ford v Trump: President Trump announced plans to halt trade negotiations with Canada over Premier Ford’s anti-tariff ad campaign in the U.S. Earlier this month, Ontario launched a $75 million ad campaign in the U.S. using former President Reagan’s own words discussing the negative impacts of tariffs.
Legislative Update | October 14, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of October 6
Premier Ford Car Alarm: U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Canadian officials and business leaders that America is committed to consolidating vehicle assembly within its borders and that Canada would come “second”. Premier Ford warned that Canada faces a massive threat to domestic manufacturing, and threatened cutting off critical mineral exports to the U.S.
Advocacy | October 03, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of September 29
Minimum Wage Bump: Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island all increased the minimum wage on October 1, 2025. Ontario’s minimum wage is the highest among the five provinces, now at $17.60-per-hour. British Colombia, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador each raised their minimum wage earlier this year. Alberta is the only province that has not increased its minimum wage, which sits at $15-per-hour, the lowest rate in Canada.
Legislative Update | September 26, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of September 22
Courts Digital Transformation Launch: Starting October 14, 2025, all electronic court filings for Toronto must be submitted through the Ontario Courts Public Portal (OCPP). This new public portal will be used in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (SCJ) for Family proceedings, Civil proceedings, Small Claims Court proceedings and Divisional Court proceedings and Enforcement, and in the Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ) for Family proceedings.
Legislative Update | September 22, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of September 15
Courts Digital Transformation Launch: Starting October 14, 2025, all electronic court filings for Toronto must be submitted through the Ontario Courts Public Portal (OCPP). This new public portal will be used in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (SCJ) for Family proceedings, Civil proceedings, Small Claims Court proceedings and Divisional Court proceedings and Enforcement, and in the Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ) for Family proceedings.
Provincial | September 12, 2025
Queen's Park Day and Pre-Budget Consultation
The OBA will be holding a Queen's Park Day in Spring 2026 and will likely provide a submission on the annual pre-budget consultations, which typically occurs in early January. Sections are invited to provide section executive approved policy proposals for consideration by no later than December 8, 2025.
Article | June 27, 2025
A Municipality’s Obligation to Comply with the Endangered Species Act: A Summary of The Corporation of the Municipality of Marmora and Lake v. His Majesty the King in Right of Ontario
What happens when legal duties under different legislation appear to conflict? In a recent case, The Corporation of the Municipality of Marmora and Lake v. His Majesty the King in Right of Ontario, 2024 ONSC 2254 ,the Municipality of Marmora and Lake (the “Municipality”) considered this question when its required road maintenance work allegedly disturbed an endangered species and its habitat.
Article | June 24, 2025
Accelerated Project Approvals Under the Building Canada Act
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.
