Human Rights in Ontario: Sexual Orientation
In Canada, both provincial and federal regulations are in place to ensure that everyone has the right to equal treatment and freedom from discrimination. The importance of freedom from discrimination has been recognized as essential to promoting... Read more

Law Talk: Human rights in Ontario - Physical disability
In Canada, both provincial and federal regulations are in place to ensure that everyone has the right to equal treatment and freedom from discrimination. The importance of freedom from discrimination has been recognized as essential to promoting... Read more

Human Rights in Ontario: Age
In Canada, both provincial and federal regulations are in place to ensure that everyone has the right to equal treatment and freedom from discrimination. The importance of freedom from discrimination has been recognized as essential to promotin... Read more

Human rights in Ontario: Facilities
In Canada, both provincial and federal regulations are in place to ensure that everyone has the right to equal treatment and freedom from discrimination. It is important that every person is able to access facilities without fearing discrimination. T... Read more

Human Rights in Ontario: Gender, gender identity and harassment
In Canada, both provincial and federal regulations are in place to ensure that everyone has the right to equal treatment and freedom from discrimination. The importance of freedom from discrimination has been recognized as essential to promotin... Read more

Law Talk: Human rights in Ontario: Housing
In Canada, both provincial and federal regulations are in place to ensure that everyone has the right to equal treatment and freedom from discrimination. The importance of freedom from discrimination has been recognized as essential to promotin... Read more

Law Talk: How are eviction orders enforced?
While a landlord alone cannot force a tenant to move out, the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) can issue an Eviction Order requiring that the tenant vacate the rental unit. However, it is not the LTB that enforces the order. An enforcement office... Read more

Law Talk: When you face eviction
What should you do if you receive an eviction notice? Do you have to vacate your home immediately? Can your landlord simply change your locks without notice? Before a tenant can be asked to leave, the landlord must have a reason to request... Read more

Law Talk: Opening up about tenants' rights to privacy
As a residential tenant, you should be able to enjoy full use of your home with peace of mind. Your privacy is an important part of this. Tenants' rights to privacy are protected by law, and outlined in the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA). T... Read more

Law Talk: Easy cash and payday lending services
Consumers facing financial difficulty who are unable to obtain credit from a bank or other conventional lender often resort to using the services of a payday lender. Here is some information you should know when dealing with a payday lender. ... Read more

Law Talk: Surviving home renovations under the Consumer Protection Act
Home renovation projects can be long and costly. While consumers are protected by numerous provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2002 (CPA), contractors are largely unregulated, allowing unscrupulous contractors to take advantage of consume... Read more

Law Talk: Stop calling - How collection agencies are regulated in Ontario
Failing to pay a debt can have serious consequences: you may be taken to court, your assets may be seized, funds might be taken directly from your paycheque and your credit rating could be adversely impacted. When you owe a debt, your creditor m... Read more

Law Talk: How to get the most from private career colleges
Private career colleges offer a wide range of training programs and the ability to gain credentials quickly in today's demanding, competitive work market. While most deliver what they promise, some private career colleges use poorly trained inst... Read more

Law Talk: What you need to know about the Youth Criminal Justice Act
At one time they were treated no different from any adult charged with a crime. Later, they were labelled “juvenile delinquents” and treated according to a special set of rules. Today, a person in Canada between ages 12 and 18 who is... Read more

Law Talk: Pardons
Please note the Federal government is in the process of updating the pardon process. Please make sure to check its website, gc.ca, for up-to-date information as these changes are announced. Even if you've been convicted of a crime and served ... Read more

Law Talk: After the worst of verdicts
Whether you've made your own free choice to plead guilty to a crime or you've been found guilty following a trial, guilt can be a very scary thing. Here are four things you should know if you are ever being sentenced for a crime in Canada. 1... Read more

Law Talk: The trial takes longer than dinner
On TV, someone is charged with a crime, hires a lawyer, goes to trial and is acquitted all in the same time it takes to make a President's Choice lasagne. While you do have a right to a speedy trial in Canada, the process is a little more drawn ... Read more

Law Talk: Diversion programs
Even when you've been charged with a crime and committed some or all of the elements of the offence, there may be alternatives to pleading guilty right away. You may be able to have your charges diverted, meaning that you can avoid a finding of ... Read more

Law Talk: Police and judicial release
Once you've been arrested for allegedly committing a crime, and the police have held you in custody temporarily, they have to decide what to do with you. Sometimes you will be released almost immediately, and other times you will be spending muc... Read more

Law Talk: What to know when you're charged with a crime
No matter how minor, being charged with a criminal offence is one of the worst things that can happen to you. But if you or anyone you know is ever charged, here are four things you should know about the process. You won't always be arrested ... Read more

Law Talk: Canada's criminal justice system: An overview
You probably already know something about the criminal justice system. Maybe you're already an expert, or maybe you know little beyond the inaccurate portrayal depicted in movies and on TV. Whatever the case, here are four things you should know... Read more

Law Talk: Consumer concerns in the mail
Even as we communicate more and more online, mail remains an important medium for commercial interactions. Unfortunately, this also means that some consumers continue to be victims of mail order fraud. In Canada, mail transactions are governed b... Read more

Law Talk: Navigating pre-paid memberships
Have you ever signed up for a gym, modeling lessons, or dance classes? Lots of people get great deals by pre-paying up front, but when they want to cancel their memberships, they get hit with a refusal and not a lot of options. Luckily, the C... Read more

Law Talk: Social networking and student codes of conduct
In 2008, Chris Avenir faced expulsion for running an online study group. Avenir, a Ryerson University engineering student, administrated a Facebook page for a chemistry class. On it students shared study tips and posted answers to upcoming as... Read more

Law Talk: Dreaded cell phone contracts
You probably have a cell phone, which means you probably have a cell phone contract. You might have even tried to cancel this contract - in which case, you probably were confronted with a steep cancellation fee. Or you might have tried to change the ... Read more

Law Talk: Ding dong trouble
It starts with the doorbell. Waiting at the front stoop is a man, clipboard in hand, offering “a better deal” on gas or electricity — a fixed price for the next five years. He works for what is commonly called a hydro/gas re-biller... Read more

Law Talk: Top three criminal law myths
1. MYTH: Drunk driving is not a serious offence This is one of the more common misconceptions about the law, and the truth is often devastating to an accused that is caught off guard. This is particularly so when recent changes to the law have made... Read more

Law Talk: Understanding criminal records
What is a criminal record? If you are an adult convicted of a criminal offence in Canada, you will have that conviction recorded in a criminal record. Records are maintained by the RCMP in a centralized database called the Canadian Police In... Read more

Law Talk: Speeding comes with consequences
On September 30, 2007, the Ontario Government enacted legislation that drastically increased the penalty for speeding more than 50km/h over the posted speed limit. Somewhat inappropriately referred to as the “shock and awe campaign,” the ... Read more

Law Talk: What to do if you are arrested
We all think it can't happen to us. We're good people who stay away from trouble. How could we ever get arrested? The truth is, every single day at Community Legal Services we see ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situatio... Read more

Law Talk: Know the law before you throw it down
When we think of back to school days, we think of mixers. Barbecues. Backyard parties. Pub crawls. Thousand-dollar fines? As of July 1, 2009, the City of London's Noise By-law has changed, and it's virtually guaranteed to have a major impac... Read more

Law Talk: Dealing with your landlord
The Landlord and Tenant Board applies the Residential Tenancies Act in residential landlord and tenant cases. One of the Board's responsibilities is to provide information about the Act to landlords and tenants. In many cases, once landlords and... Read more

Law Talk: How to negotiate
Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate. - John F. Kennedy Inaugural Address, 1961. It happens every time you need someone to agree with you or to do anything for you or to tell him to move away, and then you are in ... Read more

Law Talk: Using Alternative Dispute Resolution
Conflict is not inherently destructive, in fact, it can present us with an opportunity to strengthen relationships and achieve personal growth. Our attitude and reaction to conflict is a critical factor. Unresolved conflict is negative, however, addr... Read more

Law Talk: Alternative dispute resolution
What is alternative dispute resolution? Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) includes negotiation, mediation and arbitration. They are almost always used outside of the traditional court system to solve problems between parties. The process is vo... Read more

Law Talk: Legally resolving conflict
People get involved in many types of disputes, however instead of heading straight to court more and more people are turning to alternative ways of resolving their conflicts. These alternative ways of resolving conflict has a name, Alternative Disput... Read more

Law Talk: Discrimination and harassment counsel
Under the Rules of Professional Conduct that govern lawyers, “Everyone in Ontario has the legal right to be free from discrimination and harassment by lawyers, law firms and legal clinics.” If you feel you have been discriminated against ... Read more

Law Talk: Law advice you can use
The unfortunate reality is that some people who are victimized by crime are afraid and intimidated by Ontario's justice system. The fortunate reality is that victims of crime can be assisted in a much more effective, and compassionate way than th... Read more

Law Talk: There's a lot more to know about pro bono
Access to Justice: pro bono law ontario and pro bono students Canada Pro Bono Law Ontario (PBLO) recognizes that “access to justice is fundamental to a free and democratic society.” Though Ontario does have a publicly funded legal aid... Read more

Law Talk: Gaining access to justice
Finding a lawyer to meet your specific needs can be both confusing and time consuming. It can be difficult to know where your legal issue fits into the vast body of law. Some legal issues may in fact cover several different areas of expertise. When s... Read more

Law Talk: Accessing justice through Family Law
The twists and turns of family law are not easily navigated. Trying to find out where to go, what to do and what forms to fill out will probably leave you with the feeling that you are hopelessly lost. Most people, upon finding themselves in such a p... Read more

Law Talk: Giving you access to justice
The Duty Counsel program is one of five programs offered by Legal Aid Ontario (LAO). You can retain duty counsel for criminal law, family law, health law and tenant protection cases. In smaller communities local lawyers generally work on a part-time... Read more

Law Talk: Solving your legal problems
In 1998, the Ontario government strengthened its commitment to providing legal aid for low-income individuals by establishing Legal Aid Ontario (LAO). LAO is a “Publicly funded and publicly accountable non-profit corporation dedicated to promot... Read more

Law Talk: Buyer beware of online shopping
Shopping online provides consumers with great selection, amazing prices and unlimited accessibility. However, the trade off is that many consumers feel vulnerable purchasing online. For starters, you pay before you receive the merchandise, and unlike... Read more

Law Talk: Don't get taken on shoddy car repairs
Car repairs are something that many students fear about owning a car. Shady shops that overcharge or do not provide the proper repairs do exist. However, with the right precautions and a full understanding of your rights as a consumer, it is possible... Read more

Law Talk: Legally talking about your credit
What if your credit report is inaccurate? Everyone is entitled to view their credit report. If you have reviewed your report and found your credit report contains inaccurate or incorrect information you should get it corrected immediately. If you... Read more

Law Talk: Rating your credit
If you have ever tried to finance, rent, or lease anything of substantial value you probably already know the importance of a good credit rating. You could be denied an apartment, a job, a credit card or even insurance if your credit rating is poor.... Read more

Tenant Talk: What you should know about leases
Many people are aware that in Ontario there is a law called the Tenant Protection Act (TPA), which gives landlords and tenants certain rights and obligations. Many tenants assume that the TPA only applies to those who have signed a lease. This ass... Read more

Tenant Talk: Think you don't need insurance?
Think you don't need rental insurance? Think again! What if there is damage to the rental unit? Who pays for the broken window or a scorched wall from a small grease fire? To protect against the potential of paying large repair and replacement ... Read more

Won't be home for Christmas? Think subletting
Subletting can be a good way to save on paying rent if you're going to be away for a couple months, either for the summer, or for a term. With a sublet you let another person move in for a specified amount of time, but will be returning yourself... Read more

Need to get out of your lease?
There are only a few situations in which a tenant can terminate a tenancy before the lease expires. In some cases, an application must be made to the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal (ORHT) to obtain an order entitling the tenant to terminate the rent... Read more

Tenant Talk: How much can my rent go up this year?
It seems every year student rents go up significantly. There are however strict rules landlords must follow to be in compliance with the law. Rents can be increased, but only by a small amount, to reflect the growing costs to the landlord. A landl... Read more

My landlord is supposed to pay me?
To my surprise, I opened my mailbox to find a cheque from my landlord. Was this some sort of administrative error? Was it possible that for once funds could flow in the opposite direction, or should I expect a call from my landlord asking me for his ... Read more