Family

  • July 15, 2025

    To marry or not?

    Because family law in Canada is regulated at both the federal and provincial/territorial levels, some inconsistencies exist from one part of the country to another. For example, not all provinces and territories have made changes to their statutes to align them with the 2021 changes made to the federal Divorce Act provisions dealing with child-related issues, meaning families have access to different legal regimes depending on where they live.

  • July 15, 2025

    Home sweet home? Legal, practical guide to LTC vs. retirement homes

    As individuals get older, the idea of transitioning to a long-term care home or retirement home becomes relevant depending on the circumstances of the individual. This article will dive into the differences between long-term care and retirement homes and the legal perspectives of such.

  • July 14, 2025

    Federal Court judge strikes SRL’s submission in employment dispute over AI hallucination citation

    In another sign of AI’s growing impact on the law, the Federal Court has ordered that a self-represented respondent’s motion record be removed from a court file because it relied in part on a non-existent court decision hallucinated by an artificial intelligence (AI) research tool.

  • July 14, 2025

    Federal Court quashes ISC denial of $200,000 Jordan’s Principle mould remediation funding request

    The Federal Court set aside an Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) decision denying a $200,000 Jordan’s Principle funding request for mould remediation, ruling that ISC wrongly rejected the request due to lack of comparable public services without assessing the concerned children’s health needs.

  • July 14, 2025

    Alberta giving $1.25 million to groups in bid to end gender-based violence

    Alberta is launching a new grant program through which more than $1 million will be available to community organizations as part of the province’s ongoing bid to tackle gender-based violence.

  • July 14, 2025

    Self-funded LTD plans cause conflict of interest and leave workers vulnerable

    Insurers serving as both claim adjudicator and benefit payer creates an inherent conflict of interest that must be addressed by the Ontario government.

  • July 14, 2025

    Delay costs father on urgent motion over mother’s no-notice relocation

    A recent Divisional Court decision suggests that parents left behind after an unauthorized relocation must act quickly to object — and stay actively involved in the child’s life — if they hope to prevent the new living arrangements from solidifying before trial.

  • July 14, 2025

    Managing a family law practice on two tracks: Digital practices and court processes

    As a family lawyer practising in Ontario, I find myself navigating two distinct worlds simultaneously. One world moves quickly, dynamically driven by digital tools, client expectations of immediacy, and the efficiency required to manage multiple cases effectively. The other world moves at a very different pace, governed by the established timelines, procedures and rhythms of the courts. Balancing these two realities is both a challenge and an essential skill for any lawyer aiming for professional success.

  • July 11, 2025

    Choosing a mediator/arbitrator: Balancing expertise v. bias

    Choosing a mediator/arbitrator with subject-matter expertise requires extra care to avoid potential conflicts arising from existing professional relationships between the arbitrator, parties’ counsel and experts.

  • July 11, 2025

    Quebec immigration shift: Skilled worker program revamp, family sponsorship freeze

    Quebec’s immigration landscape is undergoing a profound transformation with the long-anticipated launch of the new Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) and a contentious suspension of family reunification sponsorships for certain categories. These changes collectively mark a strategic recalibration of the province’s immigration priorities — one that strongly emphasizes economic integration while drawing criticism for restricting family unity pathways.