Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Advocacy | February 20, 2026
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of February 16
OBR ServiceOntario Account Upgrade Coming Soon: The Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement has announced that the ServiceOntario Account for businesses is becoming the Ontario Business Account on February 23, 2026. The Ministry recommends transferring accounts to the OBR Partner Portal, which is designed to help intermediaries manage client accounts efficiently.
Article | February 18, 2026
From Delay to Disclosure: Reimagining the Discovery Process
A fundamental shift away from traditional discovery has been brewing in this province via the Ontario Civil Rules Review. The latest proposal, released on December 15, 2025, suggests a transformation of discovery under the Rules of Civil Procedure.
Article | February 18, 2026
Acceptance Speech of Justin Nasseri, Inaugural OBA Civil Litigation Emerging Leader Award Winner (2025)
Acceptance Speech of Justin Nasseri, inaugural OBA Civil Litigation Emerging Leader Award winner, with introduction by OBA Civil Litigation Executive Chair, Adil Abdulla
Article | February 18, 2026
Canada's Latest Plastics Decision and What It Means for Your ESG Strategy
On January 30, 2026, the Federal Court of Appeal released a significant decision in Attorney General of Canada v. Responsible Plastic Use Coalition, 2026 FCA 17, reshaping the national conversation on plastics regulation and validating the federal government’s authority to list Plastic Manufactured Items as “toxic” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
Article | February 18, 2026
Residential Tenancies Act - Overview of Common Issues Between the Landlord and Tenants
The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) along with O. Reg. 517/06 (Maintenance Standards) and O. Reg. 516/06 (General) under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, came into effect on January 31, 2007, in Ontario. This Act is applicable to all landlords and tenants who rent residential properties in Ontario. It sets out their rights and responsibilities. The purposes of this Act are to provide protection for residential tenants from unlawful rent increases and unlawful evictions, to establish a framework for the regulation of residential rents, to balance the rights and responsibilities of residential landlords and tenants and to provide for the adjudication of disputes and for other processes to informally resolve disputes.
Article | February 18, 2026
Saskatchewan Joins the Regulated Fold: What Franchisors Need to Know
It has been nearly a decade since a province has enacted franchise legislation in Canada, but Saskatchewan is set to change that. Its new The Franchise Disclosure Act, coming into force on June 30, 2026, and its accompanying regulations brings the province into the regulated fold, introducing statutory disclosure requirements for franchisors operating in Saskatchewan. While the regime largely mirrors the models found in other provinces, it introduces several distinctive elements that franchisors need to understand, changes that close a longstanding regulatory gap and create new national compliance considerations that franchisors should begin planning for now.
Article | February 13, 2026
More than Mandatory Mediation: How the CRR's Proposed Reforms to Pre-Trial Procedure May Impact Wrongful Dismissal Litigation in Ontario
The Civil Rules Review (“CRR”) was launched in 2024 as a joint initiative of the Chief Justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Attorney General. The CRR’s mandate was to propose wholesale reforms to the Rules of Civil Procedure (the “Rules”) so that the civil justice system can be more accessible and to reduce costs and delays. A working group of lawyers, judges and academics was created to identify issues and create proposals (the “Working Group”). Following an earlier Consultation Paper, on December 19, 2025, the Working Group released its final policy report (the “Report”) to the public. Pages 176-183 of the Report relate to pre-trial procedure. In this article, I discuss the current procedure, the Working Group’s proposed reforms from the point of view of employment lawyers, and how these reforms, if implemented, may impact wrongful dismissal litigation in Ontario.
