Areas of Law
Ontario Small Claims Court limits increased to $50,000
As of October 1, 2025, the Small Claims Court claim limit increased to $50,000, up from $35,000 set in 2020 ($25,000 previously). The change is intended to provide the public with quicker and more affordable Court based dispute resolution for claims up to the new $50,000 limit. The government has also indicated that claims commenced… Read More »
Categories: Civil LitigationNotice to the Profession for the Toronto Region: Courts Digital Transformation Initiative Implementation: October 14, 2025
[Updated October 10, 2025] Following the Notice to Profession distributed last week regarding the upcoming implementation of the Courts Digital Transformation (“CDT”) in Toronto for all Family and Civil proceedings (including Bankruptcy, Commercial List and Contested Estates), Small Claims Court proceedings and Divisional Court proceedings and Enforcement on October 14, 2025, please be advised that… Read More »
Categories: Civil Litigation, Family LawNotice to the Real Estate Bar re iPro Realty Ltd. transactions
What are lawyers to do when closing a transaction that involves iPro Realty Ltd? The regulator, Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), closed the brokerage, iPro Realty Ltd. (iPro), effective August 19, 2025. iPro had 17 offices and 2,400 agents. There was a regulator approved sale of iPro’s assets to a new brokerage, iCloud Realty… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateA real estate cautionary tale – Tribulations of tax check boxes
The client was buying a multi-million-dollar property, located geographically outside of the lawyer’s usual jurisdiction. Fully doable with province-wide Teraview access and today’s technology. The law office prepared the transfer and land transfer affidavit. The box indicating the transaction was subject to other taxes was checked. However, the lawyer practices in a jurisdiction where there… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateIntellectual Property Law Claims: Key Insights and Practical Risk Management Tips
Working in IP law requires meticulous attention to detail and proactive management of deadlines, documentation, and communication. In Ontario, the average IP claim costs about $45,000, and some claims can arise as late as 14 years after the original work was performed. With around 45 claims reported to LAWPRO annually, it is vital for IP… Read More »
Categories: Intellectual property lawNew Tarion Rule: Purchaser Registration Requirement
To maintain Tarion coverage, purchasers of new freehold homes will need to register their agreement of purchase and sale (APS) within 45 days of entering into the APS, or they could lose some deposit coverage. This requirement comes into effect on July 1, 2025. This new registration requirement for purchasers is meant to assist Tarion… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateNotice: Amendments to Rules of Civil Procedure (O. Reg. 50/25)
The following notice was sent out by the Operational Support Branch, Court Services Division of the Ministry of the Attorney General on May 5, 2025. On May 5, 2025, Ontario Regulation 50/25 was filed to amend the Rules of Civil Procedure, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 194. This regulation makes various changes across two key areas: the… Read More »
Categories: Civil LitigationIgnoring the LRO: A Cautionary Tale for Real Estate Lawyers
In this real-world example, both the vendor’s and purchaser’s lawyers were advised by the Land Registry Office (LRO) that the legal description of the property did not meet registration requirements. The LRO warned that if the issue was not fixed, both the transfer and the mortgage would be withdrawn. Despite the clear warning, neither lawyer… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate