In Bowman v Ontario, the Ontario Court of Appeal considered a motion for certification of a class action under the Class Proceedings Act, 1992 (CPA) which was dismissed by a certification judge. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal in part, concluding that the judge erred in holding that the proposed class action did not…
Practice Area: Litigation - Class Actions
Class Action Brought by Off-Reserve Indigenous Children and Their Families Certified
In Stonechild v. Canada, Justice Phelan of the Federal Court recently certified a class proceeding brought on behalf of off-reserve Indigenous children and their families. Under the Federal Court system, this avoids the necessity or prospect of up to thirteen separate provincial and territorial class actions. The claim seeks to hold the government of Canada…
Ontario Court Requires “Robust” Notice to Allow Class Members to Choose Whether to Opt-Out of Employment Class Action
Justice Perell, writing for the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in the ongoing Heller v. Uber class action, required a robust Notice Plan and Notice of Certification to be provided that clearly sets out sufficient information to allow class members to make an informed decision about whether or not to exercise their right to opt-out…
Uber Employment Status Class Action Certified
Justice Perell of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has certified a class action brought by Uber drivers in Uber Technologies Inc. v. Heller, finding that there were certifiable common issues with respect to whether drivers may have been misclassified as independent contractors within the meaning of the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA). The…
Ontario Tables Omnibus Legislation with Proposed Amendments to Employment Standards Act, 2000 and Class Proceedings Act, 1992
On April 15, 2021, the Ontario government tabled Bill 276, Supporting Recovery and Competitiveness Act, 2021, omnibus legislation which would, if passed, amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and the Class Proceedings Act, 1992, as well as a number of other statutes. Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) Bill 276 would amend the payment of wages…
Ontario Moves Forward with Amendments to the Class Proceedings Act, 1992
Recent reforms to Ontario’s class action regime will come into effect on October 1, 2020. Ontario’s Smarter and Stronger Justice Act, 2020 (Act), which received Royal Assent on July 8, 2020, amends various statutes related to the province’s courts and justice system. Schedule 4 of the Act makes significant revisions to the Class Proceedings Act,…
Setting up Shop in Canada? What U.S. Employers Need to Know About Canadian Litigation Law [Video]
In this video, Frank Cesario discusses five of the key differentiating factors about Canadian litigation that U.S. organizations should be aware of including: damages, document production and discovery, costs, mandatory mediation and differences in court structure.
Setting up Shop in Canada? What U.S. Employers Need to Know About Litigating in Canada
While Canada and the United States are alike in many respects, there are a few key differences in litigation law that U.S. organizations should be aware of if you are considering buying, selling or operating a business in Canada.