Effective May 1, 2026, the Child and Family Services Review Board (CFSRB) is updating its Rules of Procedure to better reflect the laws and regulations that guide the tribunal’s work. These updates make it easier for users to understand the Rules and support changes that improve how the CFSRB works and uses its resources. The changes to the Rules include:
- Adjusting the timelines for issuing decisions, to align with the timelines contained in regulations.
- Adding two new sections to the Rules: Summons to Witnesses and Non-Attendance at a Hearing or Pre-Hearing. These new sections provide direction to both parties and adjudicators.
- Adding a reference to An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children youth and families to the Rules. This legislation provides the test for “Best Interests of the Child” where an Indigenous child is concerned and must be considered in parallel with the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017.
- Providing guidance to parties about the process they must follow if they wish to use information that is before the Ontario Court of Justice (Youth Division).
The CFSRB is committed to providing fair, effective, and timely dispute resolution services to the people in Ontario.