Civil Litigation
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January 29, 2026
A wake‑up call on Case Center and counsel accountability
The increasing reliance on digital platforms has fundamentally altered the practice of family law in Ontario. Case Center, now mandatory in the Superior Court of Justice, was introduced to promote efficiency, accessibility and clarity in court proceedings. While the platform has delivered on many of those goals, recent jurisprudence confirms that improper use can undermine, rather than enhance, the administration of justice.
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January 29, 2026
Ontario Court of Appeal reasserts evidentiary discipline in anti-SLAPP motions
The Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision in Yates v. Iron Horse Corporation, 2026 ONCA 38, released Jan. 23, is a clear course correction in the application of Ontario’s anti-SLAPP regime. The court reaffirmed that the public-interest “weighing” exercise under s. 137.1(4)(b) of the Courts of Justice Act is not a discretionary or case-management inquiry, but a tightly constrained statutory test anchored in evidence of harm and causation.
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January 28, 2026
Appeal court finds confidential disclosure to judge, not appellant, appropriate in Charter case
In a case referencing opposition to the Northern Gateway pipeline project, the Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) relating to confidential information being disclosed to only the judge in its application brought against the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).
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January 28, 2026
Goodmans announces 4 new partners
Goodmans LLP has named Larissa Fulop, Owen Gaffney, Christina Liao and Jaclyn Tilak as partners.
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January 28, 2026
Cineplex loses appeal of $38.9M penalty over unattainable online ticket prices
The Federal Court of Appeal has upheld a $38.9-million penalty imposed on Cineplex for charging a mandatory $1.50 online booking fee in addition to the advertised ticket price, rendering that price unattainable.
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January 28, 2026
Balancing transparency and privacy in municipal governance: Analysis of the Planning Act and MFIPPA
Transparency and privacy are two core principles of municipal governance. In Ontario, laws regulating municipal activities, such as the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, s. 224(d.1) and the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, require administrators to ensure openness and transparency to foster public participation in governance and municipal activities. The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56 (MFIPPA) imposes obligations to protect personal information. These requirements often create the perception of legal conflict.
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January 28, 2026
Ontario court ruling complicates anti-SLAPP defence, lawyer says
A lawyer is saying a recent decision by Ontario’s top court may have made things more difficult for plaintiffs resisting anti-SLAPP motions in the future.
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January 28, 2026
Top 10 business decisions of 2025, part one
Here is my annual list of the top 10 business decisions in Canada for the year just ended. This two-part series begins with the cases ranked sixth through tenth, in ascending order. Part two will cover the top five cases.
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January 27, 2026
‘National crisis of antisemitism’ urgently demands law reform, federal action, advocacy groups warn
As Parliament resumed this week, Jewish advocacy groups renewed their calls for immediate legislative and other measures to address antisemitism and the dramatic resurgence of violent extremism against Jews in the wake of the mass murder by Hamas terrorists in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
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January 27, 2026
N.W.T. increases support for Indigenous bodies to have greater say in land, resource management
The Northwest Territories is boosting an assistance program for Indigenous groups in a bid to strengthen their ability to “participate meaningfully” in land and resource management.