Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Legislative Update | August 27, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of August 18
Pipeline Corridor Faces Pushback Over Lack of Indigenous Consultation: A group representing seven First Nations in northern Ontario says the province's push for a cross-country pipeline is moving ahead without their voices and is in conflict with federally funded conservation work already underway. If approved, the East-West Canadian Energy Corridor would carry oil and gas from Alberta to refineries in southern Ontario. The premier has said the corridor would bring thousands of jobs and attract global investment.
Advocacy | August 11, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of August 5
OBA Honours ABA President: American Bar Association President William Bay accepted the 2025 Ontario Bar Association President’s Award on Thursday at the Bridging Borders event – a joint session of the ABA, OBA, Canadian Bar Association and CBA In-House Lawyers.
Legislative Update | July 21, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of July 14
First Nations Groups File Legal Challenge to Ontario’s Bill 5, Feds’ Bill C-5: A coalition of Ontario First Nations is taking legal action to try and throw out provincial and federal legislation designed to fast-track major projects, saying the two laws threaten their rights and “ways of life.” Nine First Nation groups are bringing urgent litigation to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to try and kill Ontario’s Bill 5 and the federal government’s Bill C-5. The Ford government passed Bill 5 in June, which allows it to create special economic zones where municipal and provincial laws can be suspended. Similarly, the federal Bill C-5 allows cabinet to quickly grant federal approvals for big projects deemed to be in the national interest, such as mines, ports and pipelines, by sidestepping existing laws.
Advocacy | July 07, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of June 30
New Regional Senior Justice Appointed to the OCJ: Justice Anthony Frederick Leitch has been appointed regional senior justice for the Central West Region of the Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ), effective September 1. He had been the acting senior judge in the region since 2023.
Superior Court of Justice | July 07, 2025
Ministry of the Attorney General - Questionnaire on Bail Supervision
The Ministry of the Attorney General is requesting input on a questionnaire to support a sub-committee of the Steering Committee on Justice Efficiencies and Access to Criminal Justice, which will consult broadly on bail supervision in Canada.
Superior Court of Justice | July 07, 2025
Notice to the Profession - CWR - Standard Document Naming Protocol (Family and Civil)
Effective June 30, 2025, in the Central West Region for Family Cases: all properly filed Family Responsibility Office materials at the Superior Court of Justice must be uploaded to Case Center, and Court Services will be uploading documents on behalf of self-represented litigants for documents served and filed on or after that date.
Article | June 24, 2025
Imputing Income Part III: Failure to Provide Income Disclosure
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).
Article | June 24, 2025
Navigating Grandparent Contact
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.
