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On April 19, 2022, the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (“Commission”) issued an order appointing Mr. Malcolm Mercer as Administrator pursuant to its authority under ss. 23(1) and 24(1) of the Police Services Act (PSA). The Administrator was to restore proper governance, to ensure that the Thunder Bay Police Services Board (“Board”) is providing sufficient oversight of police services in Thunder Bay, and to re-establish public confidence in the Board and Thunder Bay Police Services’ (“police service”) ability to deliver adequate and effective policing services in the community.

As the Commission’s mandate has been completed, the Administrator’s term has now come to an end. The Commission would like to thank Mr. Malcolm Mercer for his thoughtfulness and integrity in working with the police service and its civilian oversight.

Since Mr. Mercer’s appointment, Chief of Police Fleury has been appointed by the Board and sworn in. A new Board is now in place. The Board, Chief Fleury and the police service have begun to address the important challenges facing people in Thunder Bay.

There are now structures in place, such as the Governance Committee of the Board and newly adopted Board policies to ensure transparency and accountability. In furtherance of these objectives, the Commission has requested that the Board report twice a year on its progress on the implementation of the recommendations as set out in the Broken Trust report of the Office of the Independent Police Review Director, in the final report of the Honourable Murray Sinclair to the Commission, and in Mr. Mercer’s final report. A summary of Mr. Mercer’s final report is now posted on the Commission’s website.

We wish the Board, the police service, and the people of Thunder Bay success in the challenging work that is necessary to ensure public safety and to ensure that the police service is trusted by everyone in the community to deal fairly and effectively with its important responsibilities.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
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Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario, and Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement in response to the Ombudsman’s Office Investigative Report into delays and case backlogs at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) released on May 4, 2023:

“Today, the Ombudsman’s Office released its investigative report about service delays and challenges at the LTB.

We appreciate the work of the Ombudsman’s Office in conducting a comprehensive review of the LTB and recommending areas for improvement. We are currently reviewing the recommendations carefully as they can help inform our ongoing efforts to improve service standards at the LTB.

The pandemic created an urgent need for the LTB to modernize and transform how we deliver services to our users. Over the past three years, we have taken action and implemented a number of strategies to address delays and provide better and more timely service. These strategies include:

• Working with the Government of Ontario to increase staff and adjudicator resources
• Implementing Tribunals Ontario Portal, an online system to allow parties to submit applications online and using Zoom to participate in their hearings from the comfort of their home or office
• Establishing access to justice initiatives such as public and mobile terminals and Navigate Tribunals Ontario to support users with their dispute
• Streamlining LTB processes and ensuring adjudicators have the necessary support for efficient file and hearing management

There remains more work to do. With the new resources we’ve been allocated by the Government of Ontario and plans we have underway, many of the report’s recommendations are being addressed. We are confident that significant inroads into the backlog will be made this fiscal year.

We will continue to work with the Ombudsman’s Office and the Ministry of the Attorney General to address the report’s recommendations. We are committed to delivering a strong, timely, accessible, and modern administrative justice system.”

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
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The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) has determined that it is necessary to extend the appointment of the current Administrator of the Thunder Bay Police Services Board (TBPSB) in order to continue to provide oversight of the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) and the delivery of police services to the community.

Effective March 9, 2023, the OCPC has issued an Order to extend the appointment of Mr. Malcolm Mercer as Administrator of the TBPSB until March 31, 2024. The term may be cancelled or extended if necessary.

The decision was based upon a review of the Original Order, the October 14, 2022 Order, the report of Mr. Mercer dated August 18, 2022, and the report of the Independent Expert Panel that led the OCPC to believe that an emergency continues to exist in the TBPSB oversight of the TBPS.

Mr. Mercer will remain in his position as Administrator to oversee the orderly transition to new leadership on the TBPSB and TBPS and to ensure good governance at both the TBPSB and TBPS level. Mr. Mercer should soon be in a position to transition to an observer role to ensure progress is being made on implementing the recommendations that were made as a result of the investigation into the TBPSB led by Senator Murray Sinclair (Commission’s 2018 Report). Mr. Mercer will then be able to relinquish his position as Administrator once the new TBPSB and TBPS leadership are operating effectively and making progress on these important matters.

The OCPC is an independent, quasi-judicial agency. The OCPC hears appeals, adjudicates applications, conducts investigations and resolves disputes regarding the oversight and provision of policing services. The OCPC’s powers and duties come from the Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15. and in particular sections 22 & 25 of the PSA.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
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Tribunals Ontario is making it easier for Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) applicants to submit applications and resolve residential tenancy disputes. With the addition of four new LTB applications on the Tribunals Ontario Portal, a total of 12 LTB application forms are now available online.

Effective February 10, 2023, applicants can submit the following additional forms on the Tribunals Ontario Portal:

• T1: Tenant Application for a Rebate
• T5: Tenant Application – Landlord Gave a Notice of Termination in Bad Faith
• L9: Landlord Application to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes
• C2: Co-op Application to End the Occupancy of the Member Unit

In addition to submitting LTB applications, the portal includes online dispute resolution functionality that allows parties to connect directly to come to a resolution, and a self-scheduling feature that allows eligible applicants to select their preferred hearing date and timeslot available for their application type.

With these new online forms, the implementation of the main features of the Tribunals Ontario Portal at the LTB is now complete. Ongoing updates and enhancements to the portal features, functionality and processes based on feedback received from users and stakeholders will continue to be made.

“The Tribunals Ontario Portal is a major achievement and a significant milestone in our ongoing modernization journey. Now that it’s fully implemented, this new system will make it easier and faster for parties to engage with the LTB and with other parties. The successful implementation of the Portal will enable us to work more efficiently and tackle the backlog in a meaningful way,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.

“This has been a huge change initiative for our organization and for our users,” said Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario. “Users have told us that the portal is a much more convenient way for them to file their applications and go through the dispute resolution process. This is indeed a significant milestone for Tribunals Ontario and another step forward in enhancing access to justice for all those who come before our tribunals.”

Digital-first doesn’t mean digital only. For landlords and tenants who are not comfortable using technology or don’t have computer and Internet access, the LTB continues to accept paper applications and mediation requests by mail and courier. Many ServiceOntario locations across the province accept LTB applications and documents in-person.

Tribunals Ontario Portal and Navigate Tribunals Ontario are two user-focused digital tools that are helping to provide timely, efficient, and accessible information and dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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Following an investigation under s. 25 of the Police Services Act into certain alleged conduct of Dean Bertrim, Deputy Chief of the Durham Regional Police Service, the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC), has determined that a hearing into the allegations is warranted.

Accordingly, a Notice of Hearing and Notice of Particulars have been served on Deputy Chief Bertrim setting out one count of deceit, contrary to the Code of Conduct in the Police Services Act.

The OCPC is an independent, quasi-judicial agency. The OCPC hears appeals, adjudicates applications, conducts investigations and resolves disputes regarding the oversight and provision of policing services. The OCPC’s powers and duties come from the Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
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The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) has completed its Section 25 Investigation into the conduct of former Orangeville Mayor, Sandy Brown (Mr. Brown), when he was a Member of the Orangeville Police Services Board.

The Investigation concluded that Mr. Brown violated Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 13 of O. Reg. 421/97 made under the Police Services Act-Members of Police Services Boards-Code of Conduct.

The Investigation also concluded that Mr. Brown is unsuited to be a member of a police services board in the Province of Ontario.

As Mr. Brown is not currently a member of any police services board, the OCPC has no jurisdiction to proceed with a misconduct hearing.

The Section 25 Investigation recommended that, if Mr. Brown becomes a member of a police services board, at any time in the future, he may face a hearing on misconduct charges.

The OCPC has adopted the Investigation’s recommendation and all of its findings.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
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Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement on the Associate Chair appointment to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB):

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ian Speers as the Associate Chair of the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB), effective December 12, 2022. Ian is an experienced lawyer who specializes in real property and estate planning and administration matters. He has in-depth experience with acquisitions, sales, and mortgage transactions for residential, recreational, and commercial properties.

Ian is an adjunct professor who teaches real property law courses at York University, Osgoode Hall Law School, and previously at Queen’s University Faculty of Law, Lincoln Alexander School of Law, and Humber College Business School. Ian has also actively participated in the Canadian and Ontario Bar Associations as a member and Chair of the Real Property Section Executives and as a Member-at-Large of the OBA Council. As a lawyer, consultant and teacher, Ian has over 13 years’ experience and expertise in the area of real estate property. In his previous role as a Vice Chair of the LTB, Ian was consulted by his colleagues for his legal expertise and also led the development of a jurisprudential adjudicative resource for the LTB.

I congratulate Ian on his appointment. I am confident that with his experience and knowledge, he will make a significant contribution as part of the senior leadership team at the LTB and Tribunals Ontario.”

For a list of Tribunals Ontario appointments, please visit the Public Appointments Secretariat at https://www.ontario.ca/page/public-appointments.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
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Tribunals Ontario is adding four more Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) forms to the Tribunals Ontario Portal and introducing a new self-scheduling feature that will allow applicants to select their preferred hearing date and timeslot available for their application type.

“With these new enhancements to the Tribunals Ontario Portal, we are providing an end-to-end digital experience for our users, from filing an application to attending the hearing, all online. The portal is a central part of our digital-first strategy and is a significant milestone in our ongoing modernization journey,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.

Effective December 8, 2022, applicants can submit the following additional forms on the Tribunals Ontario Portal:

• L3: Application to End a Tenancy – Tenant Gave Notice or Agreed to Terminate the Tenancy
• L4: Application to End a Tenancy and Evict a Tenant – Tenant Failed to Meet Conditions of a Settlement or Order
• L10: Application to Collect Money a Former Tenant Owes
• C1: Application to End the Occupancy and Evict the Member based on Non-Payment of Regular Monthly Housing Charges and to Collect the Housing Charges that the Co-op Member Owes

These additional online forms build on the four applications that are already available on the portal. More forms, including two tenant-related applications (T1 and T5) and a co-op form (C2), will be added to the Tribunals Ontario Portal in early 2023.

Upon filing their application, parties will be asked to consider online dispute resolution. If they are not able to resolve the matter, applicants will get a notification from the system providing them with a few date and timeslot options to choose from.

The self-scheduling feature will be introduced gradually, for the L1 and L2 application types over the next few months and existing LTB applicants will receive a notification from the portal once this feature is available for their application.

These enhancements have allowed the LTB to begin the process of decommissioning its legacy case management system and moving all applications entirely to the Tribunals Ontario Portal. Using only one system will be a critical step in improving the efficiency of LTB operations and providing more timely service delivery to users.

“Prior to the pandemic, Tribunals Ontario, like most in the justice sector, was generally paper-based and in-person. The pandemic prompted a shift and revealed an urgent need to provide digital options to our users. Now, applicants and parties can access our services at any time and from anywhere in Ontario, and they like this change. It is easier and more convenient for them to submit applications online and participate in a hearing or mediation remotely,” said Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario.

Digital-first doesn’t mean digital only. For landlords and tenants who are not comfortable using technology or don’t have computer and Internet access, the LTB continues to accept paper applications and mediation requests by mail and courier. Many ServiceOntario locations across the province accept LTB applications and documents in-person.

Tribunals Ontario Portal and Navigate Tribunals Ontario are two user-focused digital tools that are helping to provide timely, efficient, and accessible information and dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) has concluded its investigation into senior members of the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) and submitted its report to Sean Weir, Executive Chair, Tribunals Ontario and Chair of the Ontario Civilian Police Commission.

On February 10, 2022, to ensure the maintenance of public confidence in the delivery of police services in Thunder Bay, the Ontario Civilian Police Commission authorized an investigation pursuant to ss. 25(1)(a) and (b) of the Police Services Act (PSA) into certain allegations against senior members of the TBPS. The terms of the investigation were set out in the Terms of Reference (ToR).

It has been determined that the investigations set out in the ToR are either complete or ought to be deferred to a later date. The aspect of the investigation related to the criminal investigation into Board member Georjann Morriseau for alleged breach of trust has led the Commission to bring charges of discreditable conduct and deceit against Thunder Bay Police Service Chief Sylvie Hauth. The allegation of collusion is unsubstantiated. With respect to the requested inquiry into the administration of the Thunder Bay Police Service in light of the Chief’s and Deputy Chief’s conduct and relationship to the Thunder Bay Police Services Board, it was determined that this should be deferred.

The OCPC is an independent, quasi-judicial agency. The OCPC hears appeals, adjudicates applications, conducts investigations, and resolves disputes regarding the oversight and provision of policing services. The OCPC’s powers and duties come from the Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15. and in particular sections 22 & 25 of the PSA.

Thunder Bay Police Service investigation Terms of Reference.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
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The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) continues to have concerns about the Thunder Bay Police Services Board’s (TBPSB) oversight of the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) and the delivery of police services to the community.

Effective October 14, 2022, the OCPC has issued an Order to extend the appointment of Mr. Malcolm Mercer as Administrator of the TBPSB until March 30, 2023. The term may be cancelled or extended if necessary.

The decision was based upon a review of the Original Order, the report provided by Mr. Mercer dated August 18, 2022, and the advice of the Independent Expert Panel, that led the OCPC to believe that an emergency continues to exist in the TBPSB oversight of the TBPS.

The Administrator’s role is to restore proper governance, to ensure that the TBPSB is providing sufficient oversight of police services in Thunder Bay, and to re-establish public confidence in the TBPSB and Thunder Bay Police Services’ ability to deliver adequate and effective policing services in the community.

The OCPC is an independent, quasi-judicial agency. The OCPC hears appeals, adjudicates applications, conducts investigations and resolves disputes regarding the oversight and provision of policing services. The OCPC’s powers and duties come from the Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15. and in particular sections 22 & 25 of the PSA.

Learn More:

• Ontario Civilian Police Commission appoints an administrator to the Thunder Bay Police Service Board.
• Amended Order: Administrator to the Thunder Bay Police Services Board (April 26, 2022)
• On February 10, 2022, the OCPC relying on powers granted by s. 25 of the PSA, began an investigation in the delivery of police services in Thunder Bay.
• Thunder Bay Police Service investigation Terms of Reference.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario, and Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement in response to the Ombudsman’s Office Annual Report released on August 10, 2022:

“We have reviewed the Ombudsman’s Office 2021-2022 Annual Report and we are steadfast in our commitment to providing fair, effective and timely access to justice.

Over the past two years, Tribunals Ontario has experienced significant challenges that have resulted in certain tribunals not meeting service standards. We recognize the impact that service delays have on those who access our services and are taking steps to address backlogs, including modernizing our organization and adapting many of our core services.

Tribunals Ontario has launched a number of service improvements and alternative service delivery options to better serve users, including:

• Launching Tribunals Ontario Portal, an online system to file applications, submit and exchange documents with other parties and try to resolve disputes at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). Once fully implemented, the portal will include more features, including self-scheduling and additional online application forms, to improve services and create efficiencies for users.
• Launching Navigate Tribunals Ontario, an online self-help tool designed to provide information about the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act and processes at the LTB.
• Transitioning to the Zoom platform for all video hearings, providing a better experience for our users and ongoing improvements to ensure that hearings are accessible, user friendly, and state of the art. At the LTB, moderators are available to help with virtual proceedings, including signing in parties.
• Revamping accommodations webpage to provide clear, plain language information around accommodations to stakeholders, including sample common scenarios to make it easier for user groups to identify potential solutions.
• Implementing access terminals to allow parties who do not have access to a telephone, computer and/or the internet to participate in their virtual hearings at one of four hearing centres across the province. Tribunals Ontario is developing a plan to expand access terminals to more locations.
• Introducing a phone pilot program at the LTB to lend an inexpensive cellphone to parties without phone access, and provide top-up minutes to parties with pre-paid or pay-as-you-go plans to ensure sufficient airtime minutes to participate in their proceeding. Tribunals Ontario is working to expand this pilot program to additional tribunals and evaluate integrating it as a permanent program.
• Resuming in-person proceedings for approved accommodation-based requests for all tribunals.

While we encourage those who access our services to use online tools to find information and file applications, we remain committed to offering alternate methods of support. Our digital-first approach does not mean digital only.

In addition to our service improvements, we are working to build up our adjudicator and staff complement. On March 30, 2022, the Ontario government announced an investment of $4.5 million over three years that will increase the number of staff and adjudicators, allowing the LTB to more quickly resolve existing backlogs. This commitment was reinforced in the 2022-2023 Ontario Budget that was introduced on August 9, 2022. We currently have more adjudicators at Tribunals Ontario than at any other time, and we are initiating recruitment competitions to increase adjudicative resources as needed.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to review the Ombudsman’s Office’s recommendations for the LTB and will work in partnership with the Office to improve access to justice for all Ontarians.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
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Following an investigation under s. 25 of the Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15. (PSA) into certain alleged conduct of Ms. Sylvie Hauth, Chief of the Thunder Bay Police Service, the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC), has determined that a hearing into the allegations is warranted. Accordingly, a Notice of Hearing has been served on Chief Hauth setting out three counts of alleged misconduct, contrary to the Code of Conduct included In Ontario Regulation 268/10 enacted under the PSA.

OCPC’s original media release announcing the s. 25 investigation along with its Terms of Reference can be found at: Ontario Civilian Police Commission announces an investigation into Thunder Bay Police Services.

The OCPC is an independent, quasi-judicial agency. The OCPC hears appeals, adjudicates applications, conducts investigations and resolves disputes regarding the oversight and provision of policing services. The OCPC’s powers and duties come from the Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15.

Learn More:

Thunder Bay Police Service investigation Terms of Reference.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) has concerns about the Thunder Bay Police Service Board’s oversight of the Thunder Bay Police Service and the delivery of police services to the community.

Effective April 19, 2022, the OCPC has issued an interim Order to appoint Mr. Malcolm Mercer as Administrator to the Thunder Bay Police Service Board (TBPSB) for a period of six months. The term may be extended if necessary.

The Administrator’s role is to restore proper governance, to ensure that the TBPSB is providing sufficient oversight of police services in Thunder Bay, and to re-establish public confidence in the TBPSB and Thunder Bay Police Services’ ability to deliver adequate and effective policing services in the community.

Malcolm Mercer was called to the bar in 1984 and has held several prominent leadership positions in Ontario’s legal community. He is currently the Chair of the Law Society Tribunal. Mr. Mercer was the former Treasurer of the Law Society of Ontario, a past Chair of the Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee of the Canadian Bar Association, and general counsel and litigation partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP. His distinguished career in the justice system with a focus in legal ethics, public law, and governance, will be an asset as the Administrator.

The OCPC is an independent, quasi-judicial agency. The OCPC hears appeals, adjudicates applications, conducts investigations and resolves disputes regarding the oversight and provision of policing services. The OCPC’s powers and duties come from the Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15. and in particular sections 22 & 25 of the PSA.

Learn More:

• The OCPC’s authority to appoint an administrator is granted by subsections 23(1) and 24(1) of the Police Services Act.
• On February 10, 2022, the OCPC relying on powers granted by s. 25 of the PSA, began an investigation in the delivery of police services in Thunder Bay.
• Thunder Bay Police Service investigation Terms of Reference.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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The Licence Appeal Tribunal – Automobile Accident Benefits Service (LAT–AABS) is expanding a canvassing-based scheduling model to all oral adjudicative events.

Starting March 21, 2022, LAT-AABS parties will receive an email that provides available dates for an upcoming oral adjudicative event. Parties can then select three preferred dates for consideration. This process will be fully managed by the LAT-AABS scheduling unit.

“We are committed to ensuring that every person who engages with our tribunal has an opportunity to be heard, and to participate in a process that is fair, transparent, convenient, and timely. The expanded model will give all LAT-AABS parties the opportunity to select case conference and oral hearing dates that work best for them. We are expanding this model based on positive stakeholder feedback following our 2020 pilot and continued engagement with stakeholders in 2021,” said Sara Mintz, Associate Chair of the Licence Appeal Tribunal.

LAT-AABS is committed to ongoing improvement and creating efficiencies in its operations and ensuring that its model is responsive to the needs of stakeholders.

More information

• In 2020, LAT-AABS conducted a pilot project to canvass parties for preferred dates for case conference events on catastrophic files.
• LAT-AABS is responsible for adjudicating applications and resolving disputes concerning an insured person’s entitlement to, or amount of, statutory motor vehicle accident benefit(s).

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) has concerns about the Thunder Bay Police Service’s (TBPS) management of discipline in the police service, the conduct of criminal investigations by its officers, and the ability of senior leadership to administer the day-to-day operations of the police service in good faith and in compliance with the Police Services Act (PSA).

The OCPC’s concerns are based on the results of a preliminary review conducted into the TBPS at the request of Solicitor General Sylvia Jones and from the Thunder Bay Police Services Board.

Effective February 10, 2022, to ensure the maintenance of public confidence in the delivery of police services in Thunder Bay, the OCPC, relying on powers granted by s. 25 of the PSA, will initiate an investigation, the terms of which may be found in the attached Terms of Reference.

The OCPC is an independent, quasi-judicial agency. The OCPC hears appeals, adjudicates applications, conducts investigations and resolves disputes regarding the oversight and provision of policing services. The OCPC’s powers and duties come from the Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15. and in particular sections 22 & 25 of the PSA.

Learn More:

Thunder Bay Police Service investigation Terms of Reference

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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The Licence Appeal Tribunal – General Service (LAT-GS) is offering Appellants and Applicants a new and convenient way to pay filing fees.

Beginning January 31, 2022, LAT-GS Appellants and Applicants can use a credit card or debit card backed by Visa or Mastercard to pay their filing fee online. People who pay online must email LAT-GS their payment receipt together with their Notice of Appeal or Application. For more information, you can visit our Filings and Fees webpage.

“People filing an appeal at the Licence Appeal Tribunal – General Service can now file their appeal or application and pay their filing fee without ever having to leave home,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair at Tribunals Ontario. “Paying online is quick, convenient and secure. It’s one more way we are making Tribunals Ontario more accessible and responsive to the needs of those who access our services.”

Appellants and Applicants without access to the internet or technology can pay their filing fee by certified cheque or money order when they send their Notice of Appeal or Application to LAT-GS by mail or courier.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

Quick Facts

• LAT-GS Appellants and Applicants can pay their filing fee through the Tribunals Ontario online payment portal
• LAT-GS hears appeals of government decisions most often related to driving, liquor, cannabis and new home construction licensing, new home warranties and orders made by the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario. From April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021, LAT-GS received 483 appeals.

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Tribunals Ontario Communications
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Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement on the Associate Chair appointment to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario:

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Jeanie Theoharis as Associate Chair of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO), effective January 6, 2022.

Jeanie has been the Acting Associate Chair of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario for the last six months. She has more than 15 years experience as an adjudicator and leader and has successfully led and implemented many projects at Tribunal Ontario. A valued member of the senior leadership team, Jeanie has a strong commitment to promoting and enhancing administrative justice, building relationships, expertise in administrative law, conflict resolution, mediation and arbitration.

I congratulate Jeanie on her appointment. I am confident that her practical knowledge, strategic management skills and ability to effect transformational change will be of tremendous benefit to the HRTO.”

For a full list of Tribunals Ontario appointments, please visit the Public Appointments Secretariat.

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
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Today, Tribunals Ontario launched the Tribunals Ontario Portal – a new case management system that will transform how users engage with tribunals. First announced in March as part of the Ontario government’s Justice Accelerated strategy, the new system will streamline the dispute resolution process by allowing applications to be filed, processed, and scheduled online. The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) is the first tribunal to implement the new system.

“The Tribunals Ontario Portal will make it easier and faster for people to file applications, access mediation, view their case file and upload and exchange documents with other parties. This new system will modernize our operations and support our efforts to improve access to justice for all those who come before our tribunals,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.

Among the features that will be available, landlords and tenants can:

• Submit most commonly used L1, L2, T2 and T6 LTB applications with simple and easy to use online forms
• Pay application fees on the portal
• Upload evidence directly to the portal
• View and exchange documents with other parties
• View their file and status of their L1, L2, T2 and T6 application(s) online
• Receive decisions electronically
• Use the dispute resolution tool to communicate with other parties or ask for assistance from a LTB Dispute Resolution Officer to help reach an agreement

“The Tribunals Ontario Portal will help reduce delays and enhance user experience by giving users the ability to seamlessly file and manage their cases online. It will also encourage resolution of disputes before the hearing, with new features that give parties the ability to connect directly and come to a resolution,” said Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario.

For landlords and tenants who are not comfortable using technology or don’t have computer and Internet access, the LTB will continue to accept paper applications and mediation requests by mail and courier.

“The Landlord and Tenant Board is committed to embracing technology to make it more convenient for those who use our services. That said, access to justice is a priority for the LTB, and we will continue to provide other options to those who lack access to a computer. We are also committed to engaging with our stakeholders to get their ongoing feedback on the new system to keep making it better,” said Karen Restoule, Associate Chair, Landlord and Tenant Board.

“Our government’s $28.5 million investment through the Justice Accelerated Strategy is transforming how people access dispute resolution services at Ontario’s tribunals,” said Attorney General Doug Downey. “By delivering online and on-demand access to legal matters, we are breaking down barriers and better meeting expectations for how justice can be done in 2021 and beyond.”

In Spring 2022, Tribunals Ontario Portal will be enhanced to include more online application forms and additional features such as self-scheduling for the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Over the next three years, the Tribunals Ontario Portal will be expanded to more tribunals, boards and commissions, helping to standardize many aspects of case management and reporting and ensure a consistent user experience for all those who access Tribunals Ontario’s services.

Tribunals Ontario Portal and the recently launched Navigate Tribunals Ontario are two user-focused digital tools that will help provide timely, efficient, and accessible information and dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

More information

• Backgrounder: Landlord and Tenant Board Implementing Tribunals Ontario Portal
• L1, L2, T2 and T6 applications can be filed on the portal.
• On July 2, 2021, Tribunals Ontario launched Navigate Tribunals Ontario. Navigate Tribunals Ontario provides landlords and tenants tailored information about their rights and responsibilities and the rules and processes at the Landlord and Tenant Board. Like the portal, Navigate Tribunals Ontario will be expanded to more tribunals over the next three years.
• In March 2021, the Ministry of the Attorney General announced its investment in Navigate Tribunals Ontario and the Tribunals Ontario Portal as part of its Justice Accelerated Strategy.
• In March 2020, Tribunals Ontario accelerated its digital first strategy in response to the pandemic. Parties are benefitting from the convenience of hearings by video and phone, communication by email, online fee payment, electronic filing of applications and online forms.
• Landlords and tenants can continue to call the LTB toll-free at 1-888-332-3234 or by using TTY for the hearing impaired at 1-800-855-0511.

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As part of our commitment to access to justice, Tribunals Ontario is expanding access terminals to all of our constituent tribunals.

Starting November 25, any party appearing before our tribunals who does not have access to a telephone, computer and/or the internet may be accommodated in the Toronto, Hamilton, London and Ottawa hearing centres to participate in their virtual hearings.

Parties who have received a Notice of Hearing can contact the tribunal to make a request for access to the terminals at any of these hearing centres. Each request will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and the tribunal will respond to the parties with its decision to grant or deny the request. If the request is granted, the parties using the terminal will participate in their hearing electronically.

“Tribunals Ontario recognizes that some individuals experience barriers accessing technology. That’s why we are moving forward on our promise by providing terminals to all our tribunal parties. This commitment ensures everyone can fully access their hearings and our services,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.

Tribunals Ontario is dedicated to safeguarding the health and well-being of staff, and Ontarians, and has implemented safety protocols and enhanced cleaning at all four locations. Everyone entering a hearing centre will be required to complete an on-site COVID-19 screening assessment before entry and must adhere to all safety measures inside the hearing centre including wearing a face covering. Individuals who are deemed inadmissible through the screening assessment will not be permitted entry.

Access terminals have been available for parties appearing before the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) since earlier this year. The first terminals were launched in Toronto on February 1, 2021 and were expanded to LTB hearing centers in Hamilton, London and Ottawa on June 21, 2021.

Quick Facts:

• Access terminal hearing centres:
  • Hamilton: 119 King Street West
  • London: 150 Dufferin Avenue, Suite 400
  • Ottawa: 255 Albert Street, 4th Floor
  • Toronto: 15 Grosvenor St.
• A party can bring two additional individuals into the hearing centre for the proceeding. If the party requires further support, they should ask the tribunal before the hearing; such requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• Tribunals Ontario staff provide supports at the hearing centres to assist with basic technology issues or questions.
• Everyone entering the hearing centre must complete a COVID-19 screening assessment and wear a face covering inside.
• The Tribunals Ontario Practice Direction on Hearing Formats outlines Tribunals Ontario’s approach to determining the format of the hearing that will be held and how a party can request a different format.
• All selected hearing centres have undergone site assessments and all recommended safety measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of staff and tribunal participants.

Learn More:

Tribunals Ontario Accessibility and Accommodation Policy

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Janet Deline
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Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario issued the following leadership announcement:

“Karen Restoule has advised me of her intent to resign as Alternate Executive Chair, and Associate Chair of the Landlord and Tenant Board, Child And Family Services Review Board, Custody Review Board, and Ontario Special Education Tribunals. Her last day will be January 12, 2022.

Over several years, Karen has made a significant contribution to Ontario’s adjudicative tribunals. She has led an ambitious agenda of transforming tribunals to be inclusive, accessible, and modern. She had a pivotal role in supporting our response to the pandemic and ensuring access to justice during a challenging time.

Karen’s departure will leave several significant positions to be filled in the leadership of Tribunals Ontario, particularly as Karen was just re-appointed in October as the Associate Chair of the Landlord and Tenant Board for a five-year term.

On behalf of Tribunals Ontario, I want to congratulate and thank Karen for her outstanding contributions to public service and wishing her the very best in the future.

Karen will continue her duties until her departure. The position for Associate Chair will be posted immediately on Public Appointments Secretariat.”

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In April 2019 it was announced that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) would begin the process of winding down its operations. The final step of the dissolution will be complete on December 31, 2021 with the closure of the CICB.

The CICB has worked diligently to ensure that all applications that were received by September 30, 2019 will be resolved before its dissolution. For applicants who have received an award of a monthly (periodic) payment or funds for treatment to be paid directly to their service provider, the CICB is continuing to issue monthly (periodic) payments and pay treatment invoices.

Once dissolution is complete on December 31, monthly (periodic) payments and treatment invoice payments to service providers will continue to be paid seamlessly by the Victims and Vulnerable Persons Division (VVPD) of the Ministry of the Attorney General starting January 1, 2022. As of January 1, 2022, applicants with questions about their continuing payments should contact VVPD at 1-833-704-2610.

To make a request for a determination on an early release of funds held in trust for minors by the Accountant of the Superior Court of Justice, please contact the Minors’ Funds program by telephone at (416) 314-8003 or by email to MinorsFunds@ontario.ca. For further information about the Minors’ Funds program please visit the Minors’ Funds Program website.

Quick Facts

• In April 2019, the wind down of the CICB’s operations was announced.
• The CICB continued to accept applications until September 30, 2019.
• As of October 1, 2019, individuals seeking supports and services that result from being a victim of crime can contact the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Victim Quick Response Program+ (VQRP+) or call the Victim Support Line at 416-314-2447 or 1-888-579-2888, to receive contact information for the VQRP+ service provider nearest you. These organizations will help you understand the eligibility requirements, complete forms and identify local support services.

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Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement on the Associate Chair appointment to the Licence Appeal Tribunal:

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Sara Mintz as Associate Chair of the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), effective August 26, 2021. Sara currently serves as the Associate Chair of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) and will continue to provide strong and effective leadership to the CICB. She is also a cross-appointed adjudicator of the Child and Family Services Review Board and the Custody Review Board. The experience gained and leadership skills demonstrated in her role as Associate Chair at CICB will be invaluable in ensuring success as Sara moves into the senior leadership position at LAT.

As a litigator with over 15 years of experience, Sara has expertise in conflict resolution, mediation and arbitration. She also has a strong commitment to promoting and enhancing administrative justice in Ontario, which will be a valued asset to her new leadership role.

I congratulate Sara on her appointment. I am confident that the experience and knowledge she brings will benefit the LAT and she will continue to provide vital leadership within the Tribunals Ontario organization.”

For a list of Tribunals Ontario appointments, please visit the Public Appointments Secretariat.

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Beginning September 1, the Social Benefits Tribunal (SBT) is scheduling all future remote hearings by videoconference.

SBT is taking a digital-first approach to dispute resolution to meet the diverse needs of Ontarians and enhance the quality of dispute resolution services but remains flexible in how it delivers services:

• If appellants do not have access to a computer and/or internet or prefer a telephone hearing, they can request a telephone hearing on the appeal form.
• Appellants who believe a video hearing will result in an unfair hearing can request a change to their hearing format, by establishing, at a minimum, that the hearing format will likely cause them significant prejudice.
• Appellants who require an accommodation for an Ontario Human Rights Code-related need, can request an in-person hearing by completing an accommodation request and their request will be reviewed by an adjudicator.
• Appellants who already have a scheduled telephone hearing can ask for their hearing to be switched to video by writing the SBT.

The SBT has revised its Appeal: Form 1 to ask appellants for their email address. SBT will use the address to email the appellant their videoconference link in advance of their hearing. Appellants will continue to receive their notice of hearing by mail.

Video hearings at the SBT will be offered on the Zoom videoconferencing platform. Information on how to participate in a video hearing is available in the Tribunals Ontario Guide to Videoconference Proceedings.

The SBT is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

Learn More

• Read the Tribunals Ontario Practice Direction on Hearing Formats
• Make sure you have the latest version of Form 1: Clear your browser cache by holding down the “Ctrl” key and the “F5” key at the same time, or by using Ctrl+Shift+Delete.

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As a result of the amendments:

• Tenants can claim compensation equal to 12 months’ rent if their landlord issued an eviction notice in bad faith or the landlord does not allow them to move back in after renovations or repairs.
• Landlords will be able to apply to the LTB to claim compensation for unpaid rent, unpaid utilities or damages to the rental unit for up to one year after the tenant has moved out.
• Landlords will be able to apply to the LTB to claim out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of the tenant or former tenant’s “substantial interference with the reasonable enjoyment of the residential complex or with another lawful right, privilege or interest of the landlord.”
• Landlords who are filing an eviction application because the landlord, a purchaser or a family member requires the rental unit, or because they want to demolish the rental unit, repair it or convert it to another use, must disclose all previous notices (N12 or N13) given to any tenant for these purposes in the last two years for any rental unit.

These and other changes made by Bill 184 to the RTA that take effect on September 1, 2021 are described in the backgrounder: Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act – September 2021.

The LTB has updated its Rules, guidelines, forms and brochures, and the following new and revised materials have been posted to its website at tribunalsontario.ca/LTB. The new forms will be included in the Tribunals Ontario Portal when it launches later this fall.

New materials:

• Form L10: Application to Collect Money a Former Tenant Owes and Instructions
• Certificate of Service: Serving a Former Tenant or a Tenant no Longer in Possession of the Rental Unit
• Request to Use Alternative Service Form
• Brochure: Collecting Money a Former Tenant Owes
• Brochure: How to Serve a Landlord or Tenant with Documents

Revised materials:

• Rules 3, 4 and 5
• Guideline 11: Rent Arrears
• Guideline 12: Eviction for Personal Use, Demolition, Repairs and Conversion
• Form L2: Application to End a Tenancy and Evict a Tenant or Collect Money and Form Instructions
• Form T5: Landlord Gave a Notice of Termination in Bad Faith and Form Instructions

The LTB consulted on changes and additions to its forms and form instructions, interpretation guidelines and Rules of Procedure stemming from these amendments, in January of this year.

The feedback helped the LTB make changes that better meet the needs of tenants, landlords and their representatives. The changes are captured in the document “What We Heard”.

Navigate Tribunals Ontario, an online information tool which helps tenants and landlords determine what steps they can take to manage their dispute, has been updated to include information and scenarios related to the RTA amendments. New pathways for care home and mobile home tenancies and non-profit co-op evictions have also been added, empowering more people to work towards resolving their dispute.

Learn More:

• Backgrounder: Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act – September 2021
• What We Heard (July 26, 2021)

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Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario and Karen Restoule, Associate Chair of the Landlord and Tenant Board, issued the following statement in response to the Ombudsman’s Office Annual Report released on June 29, 2021:

“Tribunals Ontario is taking concrete action to ensure Ontarians have access to timely, efficient and accessible services at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). We agree with the Ombudsman’s 2020-2021 Annual Report that it is important Ontarians are provided with services that meet their needs.

Since the Ombudsman’s Office began its investigation into the LTB in January 2020, and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the LTB has taken steps to develop and implement new strategies to adapt and innovate while protecting the health and well-being of all parties. Ways in which we have improved our services while providing access to justice and encouraging greater participation include:

• Transitioning to a digital-first but not digital-only approach by conducting hearings by videoconference, telephone or in writing.
• Supporting access to justice for those who do not have a computer and/or internet by providing computer and telephone access terminals onsite at our hearing centres in Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa and London to support participation in proceedings.
• Launching an online payment portal to allow applications to be filed by email.
• Introducing an enhanced scheduling plan that prioritizes mediation services, reduces delays and enhances the quality of dispute resolution services.
• Recruiting and building up our adjudicator complement so that we have the highest number of LTB adjudicators ever to support timely dispute resolution.
• Implementing an Advance Resolution Request form to allow applicants to quickly resolve matters that are not complex and may not require a hearing.
• Launching Navigate Tribunals Ontario, an online tool that will empower users with tailored information about their rights and responsibilities and the rules and processes at the LTB.
• Working on a plan to improve reporting of decisions on CanLII.

While the LTB has made significant progress and we are seeing the results of our hard work, we know there is still more work that needs to be done.

We recognize that delays have a serious impact on individuals and businesses and we remain steadfast in our commitment to improving our operations and services for the people of Ontario.

We continue to participate with the Ombudsman’s Office to complete a full and thorough investigation. We look forward to their recommendations.”

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Tribunals Ontario is launching Navigate Tribunals Ontario, an online tool that will empower users with tailored information about their rights and responsibilities and the rules and processes at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).

“Navigate Tribunals Ontario is an example of how we are putting users first as we expand our digital services to improve access to justice,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.

The innovative new digital solution is a part of the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Justice Accelerated Strategy, which is speeding up access to justice and moving more services online. The online tool makes it easy and convenient to access information about the Residential Tenancies Act and LTB rules and processes.

Features include:

• A series of questions guides users along pathways tailored to their situation.
• Info-sheets and summary reports, which include next steps and links to relevant resources, can be printed, emailed or downloaded at any time.
• A unique access code gives users the option to exit the navigation and come back later to pick up where they left off.
• No requirement to log in or provide personal details.

“Most tenants and small landlords are not legal experts,” said Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario. “Navigate Tribunals Ontario offers users clear, plain language information and options to help manage their dispute.”

“The new and innovative Navigate Tribunals Ontario is a great example of the breakthroughs we are achieving for the people of Ontario through the Justice Accelerated strategy which is focusing on building a more accessible, responsive and resilient justice system” said Attorney General Doug Downey. “This groundbreaking digital solution will better meet the expectations of people looking to resolve disputes at the Landlord and Tenant Board and other tribunals across the province.”

Enhancements to Navigate Tribunals Ontario planned for later this summer include new pathways with information about co-operative housing evictions, and care home and mobile home tenancies.

Later this year, Tribunals Ontario will launch a new case management system – the Tribunals Ontario Portal. Once launched, LTB parties will be able to file applications and upload documents on the Tribunals Ontario Portal and log in to view their case file. They will also have the opportunity to work with other parties to resolve their dispute, or request help from an LTB mediator, all online.

Over the next three years, Navigate Tribunals Ontario and the Tribunals Ontario Portal will be expanded to more tribunals, boards and commissions.

Navigate Tribunals Ontario and the Tribunals Ontario Portal are two user-focused digital tools that will help provide timely, efficient and accessible dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

More Information:

• In March 2021, the Ministry of the Attorney General announced its investment in Navigate Tribunals Ontario and the Tribunals Ontario Portal as part of its Justice Accelerated Strategy.
• Landlords and tenants can continue to call the LTB toll-free at 1-888-332-3234 or by using TTY for the hearing impaired at 1-800-855-0511.
• In March 2020, Tribunals Ontario accelerated its digital first strategy in response to the pandemic. Parties are benefitting from the convenience of hearings by video and phone, communication by email, online fee payment, electronic filing of applications and online forms.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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As part of Tribunals Ontario’s commitment to access to justice, the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) is expanding access terminals to three more hearing centres in Ontario.

Starting June 21, LTB parties who do not have access to a telephone, computer and/or the internet may be accommodated in the Hamilton, London and Ottawa hearing centres to participate in their virtual hearings. Access terminals opened at the Toronto hearing centre on February 1, 2021.

Parties who have received a Notice of Hearing can contact the LTB to make a request for access to the terminals at any of these hearing centres. The LTB will evaluate each request on a case-by-case basis and respond to the parties with its decision to grant or deny the request. If the request is granted, the parties using the terminal will participate in their hearing electronically.

“Access to justice includes access to technology. We remain committed to supporting LTB parties who do not have the necessary technology to participate in their proceedings by expanding access terminals across the province”, said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.

Tribunals Ontario is also actively working towards introducing these terminals to additional tribunals in the Fall of 2021.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of staff, and Ontarians, and has implemented safety protocols and enhanced cleaning at the Hamilton, London and Ottawa hearing centres. Everyone entering a hearing centre will be required to complete an on-site COVID-19 screening assessment before entry and must adhere to all safety measures inside the hearing centre. Individuals who are deemed inadmissible through the screening assessment will not be permitted entry. Front-line counter services remain closed until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments and will update our practices and procedures based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health, and public health officials.

Quick Facts:

• Access terminal hearing centres:
  • Hamilton: 119 King Street West, 6th Floor
  • London: 150 Dufferin Avenue, Suite 400
  • Ottawa: 255 Albert Street, 4th Floor
  • Toronto: 15 Grosvenor St
• A party can bring two additional individuals into the hearing centre for the proceeding. If the party requires further support, they should ask the LTB before the hearing; such requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• Everyone entering the hearing centre must complete a COVID-19 screening assessment and wear a face covering inside.
• The Tribunals Ontario Updated Practice Direction on Hearing Formats outlines Tribunals Ontario’s approach to determining the format of the hearing that will be held and how a party can request a different format.
• All selected hearing centres have undergone site assessments and all recommended safety measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of staff and tribunal participants.

  Learn More:

  • Tribunals Ontario Accessibility and Accommodation Policy
  • Tribunals Ontario Updated Practice Direction on Hearing Formats

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Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
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Effective May 31, 2021, the plan will allow for more matters to be heard and ensure that landlords and tenants with scheduled hearings to end a tenancy and evict a tenant are provided same day access to mediation services with a Dispute Resolution Officer (DRO) before moving forward to a hearing with an adjudicator.

The plan also includes:

• Implementing Zoom videoconference platform to conduct proceedings.
• Conducting multiple tenant case management hearings in one hearing block with several DROs.
• Holding full day hearings for most L2 applications to allow landlords and tenants more time for mediation to resolve their disputes.
• Creating Zoom breakout rooms for parties to meet privately with legal counsel.
• Exploring the use of a ’virtual concierge’ to help take attendance and direct parties to breakout rooms.
• Resuming a two DRO team approach to Above Guideline Increase CMHs.

“Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the LTB has adapted and evolved to meet the needs of Ontarians. The new strategy is a critical step in our plans to lay the foundation for a more user-focused system that prioritizes mediation services,” said Karen Restoule, Associate Chair at the Landlord and Tenant Board. “As we continue to navigate through the pandemic, we encourage landlords and tenants to work together to resolve disputes.”

The LTB is committed to providing timely, efficient and accessible dispute resolution services.

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Tribunals Ontario is implementing the Zoom videoconference platform to conduct tribunal and board video proceedings.

“Over the past year, we have held video proceedings to provide access to justice while ensuring the safety of parties, staff and adjudicators. This change to Zoom is another step forward to modernize our organization,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair at Tribunals Ontario. “The transition to Zoom will be done in a phased manner to ensure it is smooth and does not create disruption to services.”

Tribunals Ontario launched Zoom as a pilot at the Landlord and Tenant Board in March 2021 in response to feedback from parties and stakeholders for a more user-friendly platform. The tools and functionality in Zoom will create a better experience for those who access our services.

In April 2021, the Ontario Civilian Police Commission and the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario used Zoom to conduct some proceedings. All Tribunals Ontario tribunals and boards will transition to Zoom by fall 2021.

Tribunals Ontario is undertaking this initiative to ensure that its virtual hearings are accessible, user friendly and leverage best-in-class technology that meets user needs and expectations.

Quick Facts

• In March 2021, the Landlord and Tenant Board demonstrated the functionalities of Zoom with Legal Aid Ontario’s tenant duty counsel program for feedback and input to ensure that tenant duty counsel could continue to provide services in the new platform.
• Tribunals Ontario has created guidelines for users on how to use Zoom during a hearing.
• Tribunals and boards will continue using Microsoft Teams along with Zoom for some of its proceedings until fall 2021.

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The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) is seeking input on some of its forms, guides, rules and processes to improve its services and to facilitate timelier and more efficient dispute resolution.

To better understand people’s experiences with a selection of the HRTO’s current documents and processes, the HRTO will be engaging virtually in oral consultations with the public and stakeholders, including human rights organizations, advocates, and self-represented parties on April 29, 2021. The HRTO is inviting feedback on the following products:

• Draft Revised Form 1: Individual Application
• Draft changes to the HRTO’s Rules to support a Digital-First Strategy
• Draft Public Hearing Docket to be posted on the HRTO website
• Draft process on how members of the public can arrange to observe a hearing

Drafts of the documents for consultation are available on our Consultations webpage.

The HRTO is encouraging Ontarians to provide written feedback by email to john.gross@ontario.ca until May 7, 2021. This feedback will assist in determining options to improve certain documents and processes to support fair, just, and timely case resolution.

“From the oral and written feedback received during the consultation held in November 2020, it is evident that improving access to the HRTO’s services requires us to consider the changing realities of Ontarians who access our services” said Tamara Kronis, Associate Chair at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. “The HRTO is committed to continued stakeholder engagement to provide opportunities for feedback from our stakeholders and the public who provide valuable insight and input on the services we provide.”

In addition to obtaining feedback on the draft documents, the HRTO will be reporting on the feedback received at the previous consultation session held on November 26, 2020. Please refer to the HRTO’s What we heard document for more information.

The HRTO provides accommodation for people who have needs related to any of the grounds listed in the Human Rights Code. If you require an accommodation to participate in the consultation, please advise the HRTO by email to john.gross@ontario.ca.

The HRTO is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

Learn more:

What we heard

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Effective April 1, 2021, the Child and Family Services Review Board (CFSRB) has a new Practice Direction on Communicating with the board.

The CFSRB’s new practice direction aligns with Tribunals Ontario’s digital-first approach and provides guidance on the CFSRB’s expectations regarding communications. Some highlights of this new practice direction include:

• Where an applicant wishes to communicate by email with the CFSRB, consent must be provided in the appropriate field on CFSRB application forms.
• The CFSRB will send documents to the parties by email or fax. Where a party has chosen to correspond by mail, the CFSRB will communicate with the party by mail.
• A party who is represented must communicate with the CFSRB through their representative, and it is the representative’s responsibility to keep his or her client informed.

The CFSRB is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

Learn More:

Practice Direction on Communicating with CFSRB.

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Sean Weir, Executive Chair and Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement about the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Justice Accelerated Strategy:

“Tribunals Ontario welcomes the investment from the government for this important project as part of its Justice Accelerated strategy. The case management solution will make our operations more efficient and offer a vastly improved experience for our users. It will form the backbone of our digital-first strategy for years to come.

Last year, when the pandemic started, Tribunals Ontario immediately pivoted to deliver services remotely to ensure access to justice with minimal service delays. Hearings by video, phone, and in writing; communication with parties by email, online fee payment, electronic filing of applications and online forms became more important than ever before.

The new system will enhance our digital-first approach by offering many of these features on a single platform. Parties will be able to file their documents and view case file information online. In addition, the system will help with early resolution of disputes through a self-serve, Q&A-style information portal, and a dispute resolution platform where parties can work together to resolve disputes on their own or with the help of a mediator.

The Landlord and Tenant Board will be the first of our boards and tribunals to transition to this new platform. Our team is hard at work and we look forward to launching this new solution this coming summer.

As we work to implement the digital case management solution we want to reiterate our commitment to ensuring access to justice while modernizing and innovating Tribunals Ontario services. We are guided, as always, by our mission to deliver fair, effective, timely and accessible dispute resolution.

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Beginning February 1, 2021, applicants can use a Visa, MasterCard or debit card to pay for most application types online. Applicants who pay online can also file their application by email.

“Ontarians expect to be able to pay for services online, and the Landlord and Tenant Board can now meet that demand,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair at Tribunals Ontario. “Online payment is a quick, convenient and secure way to pay LTB fees. This new option is one more way the LTB is taking a digital-first approach to services.”

Applicants can still choose to pay their fees by certified cheque or money order, or by including their credit card number on their application form when they send it by fax, mail or courier.

Those who can’t afford the application fee can request a fee waiver if they meet the financial eligibility requirements in the Practice Direction on Fee Waiver.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

Quick Facts:

• In 2015, the LTB launched e-File, an online service which allows landlords and tenants across Ontario to file and pay for the four most common LTB applications online, anytime from anywhere.
• Applicants who want to pay online for an L1, L2, T2 or T6 application, must use LTB e-File, unless you are filing a combined L1, L2 application or a combined T2, T6 application. E-Filed applications are discounted by $15 for landlord applications and $5 for tenant applications.

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Effective February 1, 2021, the Child and Family Services Review Board (CFSRB) has a new Practice Direction on Scheduling Pre-Hearing/Mediations and Hearings, Rescheduling Requests, and Adjournment Requests.

The practice direction outlines the CFSRB’s scheduling, rescheduling, and adjournment processes, and provides guidance about what the CFSRB expects of parties and in turn what parties can expect of the CFSRB.

A Pre-hearing/Mediation will take place on the date and time contained in the Notice of Pre-Hearing, unless the CFSRB agrees to change the date or time.

Hearing dates are usually set in consultation with the parties and adjournment requests will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

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Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement on the Associate Chair appointment to the Assessment Review Board:

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ken Bednarek as Associate Chair to the Assessment Review Board (ARB), effective January 21, 2021.

Ken has over 30 years of experience in both private as well as federal and provincial public sectors. He has dedicated the last twenty years to public service in a range of positions including but not limited to counsel, litigation advisor, policy director and chief of staff across various agencies. In these capacities Ken gained significant experience with complex tax cases. Over the course of his career, Ken has demonstrated extensive knowledge in all areas of law, including administrative and public law, to navigate high-pressure, high-profile and challenging portfolios. In addition, his in-depth involvement with and practical knowledge of government decision-making procedures, operations and policies provide Ken with a unique perspective and ability to apply strategic leadership skills which will drive performance and offer steady guidance to the ARB.

I congratulate Ken on his appointment and have no doubt that he will bring his wealth of knowledge and experience to this role while also making significant contributions to the senior leadership team.”

For a list of Tribunals Ontario appointments, please visit the Public Appointments Secretariat.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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Tribunals Ontario is expanding options to address requests for alternative hearing formats for Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) parties in Toronto who do not have access to a telephone, computer and/or the internet.

Starting February 1, LTB parties who need access to a computer and telephone terminal may be accommodated at the 15 Grosvenor Hearing Centre in Toronto. Parties who have received a Notice of Hearing and have contacted the LTB to make a request will be considered for access to the terminal. The LTB will evaluate each request on a case-by-case basis and respond to the parties with its decision to grant or deny the request. If the request is granted, the parties using the terminal will participate in their hearing electronically.

“We are committed to providing fair, equitable access to justice for all who need our services. Digital-first does not mean digital only,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario. “By providing computers and a telephone at our hearing centre in Toronto, we are making it easier for parties who need this service to participate in LTB proceedings.”

Tribunals Ontario is committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of staff, and Ontarians, and has implemented safety protocols and enhanced cleaning at the 15 Grosvenor Hearing Centre. Everyone entering the hearing centre will be required to complete an on-site COVID-19 screening assessment before entry and must adhere to all safety measures inside the hearing centre. Individuals who are deemed inadmissible through the screening assessment will not be permitted entry. Front-line counter services remain closed until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will evaluate this new pilot initiative and determine if and how it may be improved upon and expanded to other tribunals and hearing centres across the province.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments and will update our practices and procedures based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health, and public health officials.

Quick Facts:

• A party can bring two additional individuals into the hearing centre for the proceeding. If the party needs to bring additional individuals, they should ask the LTB before the hearing; such requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• Everyone entering the hearing centre must complete a COVID-19 screening assessment and wear a face covering inside.
• The Tribunals Ontario Practice Direction on Hearing Format outlines Tribunal Ontario’s approach to determining the format of the hearing that will be held and how a party can request a different format.
• The 15 Grosvenor Street Hearing Centre in Toronto has undergone site assessments conducted by the Public Services Health and Safety Association and all recommended safety measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of staff and tribunal participants.

Learn more:

• Tribunals Ontario Accessibility and Accommodation Policy
• Tribunals Ontario Updated Practice Direction on Hearing Formats

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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The Landlord and Tenant Board is inviting Ontarians to provide feedback on new and revised forms, instructions and guidelines related to upcoming changes to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) made by the Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act, 2020.

The feedback will help the LTB ensure that its forms, instructions and guidelines are easy-to-use and easy-to-understand.

“The LTB is engaging with the public to ensure that we are meeting the needs of Ontarians who access our services,” said Karen Restoule, Associate Chair at the Landlord and Tenant Board. “Public input helps us identify opportunities to improve everyone’s experience with the board.”

The proposed changes are available on the Consultations webpage for public input until February 5, 2021.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

Learn more

Upcoming amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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Tribunals Ontario is pleased to announce Harry Gousopoulos as the new Executive Director and the appointment of Sean Weir to a two-year term as Executive Chair.

Harry Gousopoulos was previously the Director of Corporate Affairs and Governance with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, where he was responsible for government/ministry relations, Board governance and leading the agency’s Corporate Social Responsibility program, among other things.

“We are very excited to have Harry on board,” said Executive Chair, Sean Weir. “We are looking forward to working with him as Tribunals Ontario continues to modernize and improve service delivery for the people who access our services.”

Harry also has in-depth experience in the tribunal sector and brings over twenty years of legal, strategy and policy experience to the role, and a proven ability to lead large, multi-disciplinary teams, cultivate stakeholder relationships and drive change.

Since Sean’s appointment for a six-month term in June 2020, he has led the organization’s digital transformation and worked to enhance the quality of dispute resolution services for people who access services at Tribunals Ontario.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The updated Practice Direction is part of Tribunals Ontario’s digital transformation to enhance the quality of dispute resolution services while meeting the diverse needs of Ontarians. The digital-first approach will continue even when the pandemic is over.

“Our approach to digital first is to create more convenient, accessible and timely access to justice but it’s not digital only. We are ensuring people who need a different hearing format are supported when they need it.” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair at Tribunals Ontario.

Matters will be scheduled for video, telephone or written proceedings unless a different format is required as an accommodation for an Ontario Human Rights Code-related need, or unless a party can establish that the specified hearing format will result in an unfair hearing.

All Tribunals Ontario’s hearing centres are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, a party can contact the tribunal to make a request for an in-person proceeding. The tribunal will determine whether the matter will proceed in a different hearing format or whether it will proceed as an in-person proceeding. Tribunals Ontario will schedule limited in-person events when we are able to do so safely.

When in-person proceedings are available, Tribunals Ontario’s hearing centres will adhere to strict health and safety measures to protect staff, adjudicators and Ontarians. More details about safety protocols at hearing centres will be provided later this winter.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

Learn More:

• Tribunals Ontario Practice Directions
• Accessibility and Accommodation Policy

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) is seeking input on how it can improve electronic and teleconference hearings to help better meet the needs of the people who access its services.

As part of Tribunals Ontario’s digital transformation, the HRTO is now conducting videoconference and telephone hearings as part of its “digital first” strategy. This new approach is necessary to provide fair, efficient and timely access to justice.

To better understand people’s experiences with electronic hearings, the HRTO is engaging virtually with the public and stakeholders, including human rights organizations, advocates, and self-represented parties, on November 26, 2020.

People can also provide feedback by email to hrto.registrar@ontario.ca until November 27, 2020. This feedback will help inform ways to improve electronic hearing formats and support more efficient, accessible and transparent services.

“Equitable access to our services is a top priority for the HRTO. I’m inviting Ontarians across the province – particularly those who have accessed our services – to share their feedback on how we can improve our electronic hearings,” said Tamara Kronis, Associate Chair at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. “Ensuring we have a strong, accessible, and modern tribunal is vital to maintaining confidence in the administration of justice.”

The HRTO provides accommodation for people who have needs related to any of the grounds listed in the Human Rights Code.

Learn more: Tribunals Ontario Implementing Digital-First Services for Ontarians

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Tribunals Ontario
15 Grosvenor Street, Ground Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2G6

This new mailing address is the next step in consolidating Tribunals Ontario’s services, while continuing to provide effective dispute resolution services and access to justice for the people of Ontario.

The Landlord and Tenant Board will continue to use their regional offices for mail and courier deliveries in addition to the primary address.

Quick Facts:

• The new mailing address can be used for Canada Post mail and courier deliveries.
• The new address is posted on the Tribunals Ontario contact page.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca
416-326-5418

The LTB is transforming its services to meet the needs of landlords and tenants by:

• Conducting hearings by telephone, video and in writing, where feasible.
• Shifting resources to prioritize scheduling hearings.
• Conducting case management hearings for contested L2 applications to end a tenancy and evict a tenant.
• Expanding the capacity of the LTB to handle incoming documents by adding three new fax lines to receive application submissions.
• Developing a new digital certification stamp for Orders to send to parties by email.
• Encouraging applicants to use the electronic filing service to allow the LTB to process applications more quickly and include their email address on the application to save time.
• Implementing the Advance Resolution Request form to allow applicants to quickly resolve matters that are not complex and may not require a hearing.
• Appointing 39 full-time adjudicators and 35 part-time adjudicators to hear LTB matters.

In August 2020, the LTB consulted with stakeholders and the public on proposed changes to its Rules, Guidelines and forms. Over the consultation period, the LTB received 44 comments and held 15 virtual meetings with stakeholders. The LTB has reviewed the feedback and finalized its Rules, Guidelines to support more efficient, accessible and easy to use services. These changes will take effect on December 1, 2020. Forms will be updated and available shortly.

“I’d like to thank everyone who provided us with important feedback on how we can deliver and improve our services. We look forward to continuing this conversation with landlords and tenants to explore different options for ensuring that those who come before the LTB get the support they need,” said Karen Restoule, Associate Chair at Landlord and Tenant Board. “As the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, we continue to encourage landlords and tenants to work together to resolve their disputes during this challenging time.”

Tribunals Ontario is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

Learn more:

What we heard from consultation

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement on the Associate Chair appointment to the Ontario Parole Board:

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Chapelle as Associate Chair of the Ontario Parole Board, effective September 24, 2020.

Mr. Chapelle has a long history of community engagement and involvement in diverse areas of public service. The adjudicative experience he has gained while serving previously on the Parole Board of Canada and currently on the Ontario Parole Board offers Mr. Chapelle an unparalleled perspective on parole at both the federal and provincial levels. Mr. Chapelle’s practical expertise and broad leadership skills will ensure a smooth transition for the continued delivery of excellent service at the Ontario Parole Board.

I look forward to Mr. Chapelle’s involvement as an integral part of the senior leadership team while Tribunals Ontario continues to evolve.”

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

To protect the health and safety of Ontarians and increase access to justice, Tribunals Ontario is:

• Conducting video, telephone, and written hearings where feasible;
• Enhancing the website to serve as one-window into all boards and tribunals;
• Encouraging Ontarians to use email if possible, to communicate with the tribunals;
• Developing an online payment portal to enable clients to make payments more easily; and
• Providing access to online services such as electronic filing of applications and documents to deliver efficient and effective services.

“It’s important that the services we provide are accessible, efficient and effectively meet the needs of the thousands of people who access our tribunals,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair at Tribunals Ontario. “That’s why we are prioritizing our digital transformation and continuing to innovate and modernize our services.”

Tribunals Ontario is also working to safely accommodate limited in-person proceedings later this fall. Accommodation requests and very complex matters may be scheduled for in-person proceedings on a case-by-case basis. These proceedings will adhere to strict health and safety measures to protect staff, adjudicators and Ontarians.

Three hearing centres have undergone site assessments conducted by the Public Services Health and Safety Association to identify existing safety measures that are already in place as well as those that should be implemented to ensure the safety of staff, adjudicators and tribunal participants. These include the installation of plexiglass barriers, posting of signage to indicate physical distancing requirements and maximum capacity limits, floor markings, etc. More details about safety protocols at each location will be provided later this fall. Front counter services will remain closed at all locations until further notice.

“While we continue to implement a digital-first approach, we will ensure people have access to justice when they need accommodation, and our top priority will be to protect the health and safety of staff, adjudicators and Ontarians.” said Sean Weir.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments and will update our practices and procedures based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health, and public health officials.

Quick Facts
The following locations will prepare for limited in-person proceedings this fall:

• 15 Grosvenor Street, Toronto, Ontario
• 150 Dufferin Avenue, Suite 400, London, Ontario
• 255 Albert Street, 4th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

In 2018, the OCPC received five complaints from officers of the WPS, which raised issues about how the WPS treated them and larger systemic issues. The complaints contained allegations against the WPS senior leadership and the Board.

The OCPC investigated the following issues raised in the complaints:

1. Whether the promotional processes, particularly to administration rank positions, are fair and transparent and whether the Board exercises appropriate oversight of those promotional processes;
2. Whether the hiring processes relating to the potential hiring of relatives are fair and transparent;
3. Whether the Board is appropriately informed about administration issues relating to its mandate, including the promotional processes involving candidates for senior administration;
4. Whether there has been improper interference in specific legal proceedings and whether any such interference has been initiated, encouraged, and/or sustained by the current administration of the WPS and/or the Board;
5. Whether a poisoned work environment has been created, encouraged, and/or sustained by the current administration of the WPS in relation to workplace policies and/or accommodation requests;
6. Whether the WPS has fair and transparent processes to address workplace harassment and human rights complaints; and
7. Whether the Board is fulfilling its statutory oversight role in relation to items five and six.

The OCPC made 37 recommendations on a wide range of topics, including:

• The need for policies or procedures that provide direction on whether and when an investigation should be done externally or internally.
• The need for enhancements to existing policies and directives respecting how investigations concerning the Chief or Deputy Chiefs should be done and by whom, together with development of a communications strategy around such investigations.
• The need for a comprehensive examination of competencies for promotion, as police services move from more traditional, paramilitary models to community-based policing.
• The need for the Board and WPS to create a new strategic plan, with outside expert assistance, for redressing the underrepresentation of female sworn officers within the WPS. This should be a high priority.
• This strategic plan must form part of a larger conversation about the role of women in the WPS.
• The need for additional proactive measures to address equity within the WPS, as well as its racial diversity.
• The need for additional measures identified in the report to make the WPS Tactical Team fully inclusive.
• The need to modify the selection process for the Chief and Deputy Chiefs to ensure that the Board is fully aware of potential issues, and that there is greater transparency around the process.
• The need to develop a new Accommodation Directive and a new Workplace Harassment Directive to address existing flaws, together with regular reporting to the WPS senior leadership and the Board on accommodation and workplace harassment. The report introduces additional measures to address any lack of confidence in the WPS processes for handling workplace harassment.
• The need for heightened oversight by the Board on areas identified in the report.
• The need for measures set out in the report to accurately assess the views of the WPS employees and promote morale. These include development of a robust communications strategy involving senior leadership and WPS officers, true training for supervisors on how to be supervisors and an up-to-date professionally designed anonymous survey of WPS officers.

The OCPC investigation is meant to serve the public interest by ensuring that the WPS and the Board are meeting their obligations. The investigation focused primarily on systemic issues, while identifying initiatives already undertaken by the WPS or the Board.

Quick Facts

• The OCPC is an independent, quasi-judicial agency.
• The OCPC has a broad mandate, including ensuring that police service boards are providing sufficient oversight of police services in a manner that ensures adequate and effective police services in the community and that maintains public confidence in the delivery of policing.
• The Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) is an independent, arms-length agency that works to identify and offer solutions to systemic or ongoing issues within police services and is responsible for performing audits to ensure the complaints system is being administered effectively. It is also responsible for administering public complaints about police in Ontario.

Additional Resources

• Windsor Police Service and Windsor Police Services Board – Final Report
• Ontario Civilian Police Commission
• Office of the Independent Police Review Director

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

“I am pleased to announce the following two Associate Chair appointments to Tribunals Ontario.

The appointment of Stacey Ferguson as Associate Chair of the Social Benefits Tribunal (SBT), effective June 18, 2020.

A long-time public servant and leader in social services, Ms. Ferguson’s extensive municipal career has spanned across three diverse municipalities: City of Toronto, Region of Durham and City of Cornwall. Ms. Ferguson’s active contributions to her community have involved interacting with and providing support to vulnerable individuals. Through community contributions and her current and previous roles, Ms. Ferguson is acutely aware of current key social services issues, trends and challenges. Her wealth of knowledge and leadership experience in social welfare will serve to strengthen leadership to the SBT.

The appointment of Tamara Kronis as Associate Chair of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO), effective July 30, 2020.

Ms. Kronis is an experienced lawyer who has worked in both the private and public sectors and has also volunteered significant amounts of time to making meaningful contributions to important human rights initiatives. Her diverse professional background has provided her with unique insight into the area of human rights and respect for diversity. In particular, she played an instrumental role in the Canada-wide campaign to ensure passage of the federal equal marriage legislation. Her dedication to public service, deep appreciation for justice and fairness, and knowledge of justice administration will serve to enhance the high standards already established at the HRTO.

Both Associate Chairs bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to Tribunals Ontario. I look forward to working closely together with Stacey and Tamara to make Tribunals Ontario one of the leading Tribunal systems in North America.”

For a full list of Tribunals Ontario appointments, please visit the Public Appointments Secretariat at www.pas.gov.on.ca.

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Effective August 1, 2020, the LTB will:

• Begin to issue eviction orders that are pending;
• Start to issue consent eviction orders which are based on landlord and tenants settling their dispute through an agreement;
• Continue to hear urgent eviction matters related to health and safety that are scheduled;
• Start to schedule hearings for non-urgent evictions; and
• Conduct non-urgent eviction hearings starting in mid-August and into the fall.

As services gradually resume, the LTB is strengthening its ability to deliver fair, effective and timely services during the COVID-19 outbreak by:

• Holding hearings by videoconference, phone or in writing.
• Encouraging landlords and tenants to discuss a settlement prior to an eviction application hearing with an adjudicator.
• Expanding the use of Case Management Hearings to include most eviction applications filed by landlords that do not include rent arrears.
• Recruiting and training adjudicators to resume full service.

“Today, we are announcing the expansion of services at the Landlord and Tenant Board to address the effects of COVID-19 and the needs of tenants and landlords,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair at Tribunals Ontario. “The impact of COVID-19 is resulting in a variety of challenges for Ontario’s families. While we do our part to provide efficient and effective dispute resolution services, we are asking landlords and tenants to work together to try to reach an agreement to settle their disputes.”

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) is initiating a review of its current Rules, guidelines and forms to ensure they are consistent with legislative amendments and implementation timelines. As part of this review, the LTB will seek input from stakeholders and the public on proposed changes later in the summer.

The LTB is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

As a result of changes to the Assessment Review Board’s operations due to COVID-19, the following are answers to frequently asked questions.

Will the Board accept section 40 appeals for the 2020 taxation year after May 29, 2020 since the Provincial Emergency Management Order was extended?

No, the Board will not accept section 40 appeals after May 29, 2020. The Board has accepted appeals filed between April 1, 2020 and May 29, 2020.

Where 2020 deemed appeals remain open due to issues that are specific to 2020, that could not have been addressed during the schedule of events for the prior taxation years, will a new commencement date be set with a corresponding new scheduled of events?

The Board suspended schedules of events from March 16 to May 29, 2020.  As posted on the Board’s website, the suspension of the schedule of events was lifted effective June 1, 2020.

The Board’s practice has been that any deemed appeals will be added to the existing schedule of events. It is the expectation of the Board that the complete property and all the appeals including deemed appeals are managed through this process.

Will the Board send or post an updated Schedule of Events?

The Board has posted the updated master appeals lists lists for all active appeals, which provide notice of the updated schedule of events.

Will appeals with commencement dates between March 16, 2020 and May 31, 2020 receive new commencement dates?

Yes, any appeals that had a commencement date that began as of April or May 2020, will be re-adjusted as of June 1, 2020.

Will the Board grant Schedule of Events extensions if parties cannot complete a step due to COVID-19 related issues such as, business shutdowns, staffing shortages, inability to inspect a closed property, or similar?

A party must file an Expedited Board Directions Form if seeking an extension. Requests to extend a timeline(s) in the Schedule of Events will be considered on a case by case basis.

Will the Board hear motions, settlement conferences, or other hearing events via video conference? If so, how can a video conference hearing be requested?

All hearing events will be conducted either in writing, by telephone, by videoconference or a combination thereof. If you would prefer a video conference for your hearing, settlement conference, and/or motion, you can request it through our Mandatory Meeting form , or by submitting a request to the Registrar at ARB.Registrar@ontario.ca.

Will the Board accept affidavits that are not signed or commissioned if the affiant and commissioner are unable to meet due to COVID-19 related issues such as physical distancing, closure of physical offices, quarantining, or similar challenges?

No. The Law Society of Ontario has provided guidance for the virtual commissioning of documents during COVID-19. All affidavits must be commissioned to be accepted as an affidavit. Please see the Law Society of Ontario’s document, Best Practices for Virtual Commissioning during COVID-19.

Will the Board continue to hear Section 53 production motions considering that many third-party property owners, who are entitled to notice, may not be receiving mail or other forms of service due to COVID-19?  If not, what would trigger a resumption in the Board’s established Section 53 production procedure?

The Board will consider any production motions on a case by case basis and if a matter is not heard, the Board will provide directions, again on a case by case basis.

Are hearing events set for June 2020 proceeding as scheduled, or have they been adjourned with new dates to be provided?

Telephone hearings and written hearings will continue as scheduled. All in-person hearings were converted to telephone hearings or were rescheduled. The Board’s ongoing expectation is that hearings will continue.

What measures is the Board implementing to ensure that all parties are protected from COVID-19 while preparing for, and conducting, hearings?

The Board has converted all hearings to be conducted in writing, by telephone, by video conference or a combination thereof. At this time there are no in-person hearings.

Please continue to visit the Board website for updates or contact the Registrar at ARB.Registrar@Ontario.ca.

“Having reviewed the Ombudsman’s Annual Report in detail, I welcome the update on the ongoing investigation into Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) delays. Tribunals Ontario and the LTB are fully cooperating in the Ombudsman’s investigation. I recognize the impact that service delays have on personal lives and businesses and our organization takes this issue seriously.

Shortly after my appointment as the Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario on June 2, 2020, I made it a priority to meet with Mr. Dubé and reiterate my commitment to cooperate with the Ombudsman’s Office.

Karen Restoule who was the interim Executive Chair since March 2020, initiated steps to remedy the concerns at the LTB, which include an open dialogue with the Ombudsman.

Ms. Restoule is now the acting Associate Chair of the LTB and under her guidance the LTB has been able to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and continue proceedings for non-eviction matters through teleconference and written formats.

I have confidence in her leadership and our staff’s dedication to continue to transform the LTB to be responsive to the needs of landlords and tenants and to provide fair and efficient dispute resolution services.

Ensuring our tribunals are at full complement is a key priority. We are working closely with the government to ensure the LTB is positioned for success, and I am pleased to report we are making significant progress in recruiting LTB adjudicators.

Tribunals Ontario appreciates the Ombudsman’s efforts to identify improvements to our tribunal processes and will carefully review the proposed recommendations.”

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The ARB, LTB and LAT fees are increasing by six per cent. These fees are still structured so that services are reasonable and accessible. Under LPAT’s new fee model, different filing fees will be charged based on tribunal time and resources required to resolve different types of appeals.

The new fees are listed below.

Assessment Review Board

The new residential fee is $132.50 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.

The new non-residential fee is $318.00 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.

Landlord and Tenant Board

Most LTB application fees are increasing by six per cent.

Fees for items such as copies of documents, hearing recordings, orders, and Rules and Guidelines are not increasing. Tenant application fee for additional units is not increasing.

The LTB will continue to provide fee waivers to low-income clients to enable access to justice.

LTB fees effective July 1, 2020.

Licence Appeal Tribunal

The new LAT application fee is $106.00.

Local Planning Appeal Tribunal

The filling fees will depend on the type of appeal being made. LPAT may reduce fees for eligible private citizens and community groups. Fees for appeals that are $1,100 can be reduced to $400 when requested by those who are eligible at the time of the filing.

The new fees are listed below.

The ARB, LTB, LAT and LPAT are committed to delivering dispute resolution services in a fair, and efficient manner.

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The new organization will include the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, Environmental Review Tribunal, Board of Negotiation, Conservation Review Board and the Mining and Lands Tribunal.

The Ontario Land Tribunals will adjudicate and mediate matters related to land use planning, environmental and heritage protection, expropriated land valuation, mining and other matters. Ontario Land Tribunals will focus on land-related dispute resolution to help increase the housing supply in the province, while balancing the needs of environmental protection and conservation. Tribunals Ontario will focus on dispute resolution for 14 tribunals in the social, property assessment, safety and licensing sectors.

Attorney General Doug Downey has appointed Marie Hubbard as the Executive Chair of the Ontario Land Tribunals commencing on July 1, 2020. As the former Associate Chair of the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, Ms. Hubbard successfully reduced the backlog of Ontario Municipal Board legacy cases waiting to be heard by 38 per cent.

Tribunals Ontario will work with the province to support the implementation and transition to the new Ontario Land Tribunals. Applications and appeals currently with the OLT will continue to be processed.

Tribunals Ontario and the Ontario Land Tribunals are committed to delivering dispute resolution services in a fair, and efficient manner.

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Sean has an extensive legal background, as well as experience with strategic, operational and governance management, planning and delivery. He was the Chief Executive Officer and National Managing Partner of Borden Ladner Gervais.

In his legal practice, Sean advised financial institutions, corporations and major pension funds. Active in his community, Sean has served as an elected Councillor of the Town of Oakville, a director of the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital and a director and Chair of Oakville Hydro. Sean was named a “Diversity Champion” by Women of Influence Magazine, received the Lexpert Zenith Managing Partner Award for Corporate Social Responsibility, and was listed in the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada.

“I am honoured to serve as the new Executive Chair at Tribunals Ontario and look forward to working with our adjudicators and staff to develop more modern and user-focused dispute resolution services for the thousands of people who access our tribunals.”

– Sean Weir, Executive Chair, Tribunals Ontario

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Appeal Deadline:
The deadline to file assessment appeals was March 31, 2020. If you were unable to meet the March 31 deadline, you are permitted to file your appeal by May 29, 2020.

Schedule of Events – Suspension Lifted:
Effective June 1, 2020, the suspension of timelines associated with the Schedule of Events (SOE) will be lifted and parties are expected to resume compliance with all timelines set out in their SOE. If parties have worked throughout the suspension and are prepared to proceed on an expedited timeline they are encouraged to submit a Expedited Board Directions Form.

In response to COVID-19, our in-person service counters are closed until further notice. Contact the office by email at ARB.Registrar@ontario.ca or call (416) 212-6349 or toll free 1 (866) 448-2248 only. For TTY relay service, dial 1 (800) 855-1155.

MEDIA CONTACT
Sarah Copeland
Communications Branch
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

During the COVID-19 outbreak, the Social Benefits Tribunal (SBT) is holding all hearings by teleconference until further notice to provide access to justice in a fair and efficient manner, while protecting the health and safety of the people of Ontario.

Telephone Hearings

Hearings will continue to take place at the time noted on the Notice of Hearing. If you don’t have access to a telephone or telephone service, or if you need to ask for an adjournment, contact the SBT by email, fax or mail within 15 days of the Notice of Hearing. The SBT will determine adjournments on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration any hardships or compelling reasons not to proceed.

If your request for adjournment is denied, or if you are not able to make a request before the hearing date, you can ask the adjudicator at the hearing for an adjournment. Adjudicators will take a flexible approach in considering requests for adjournment, but you should be ready to proceed on the date of your hearing if your request was previously denied.

Interim Assistance

The SBT will prioritize interim assistance matters during the COVID-19 outbreak. Interim assistance may be available to individuals who are waiting for a hearing before the SBT and are experiencing financial hardship. Interim assistance includes basic financial assistance or income support and drug and dental benefits and may include other items in exceptional circumstances. A Request for Interim Assistance can be submitted by email, fax or mail.

All front-line counter services remain closed until further notice. Contact the office by email at SBT.Registrar@ontario.ca or call (416) 326-0978 or toll-free 1(800) 753-3895. For TTY relay service, dial 1(800) 855-0511.

The SBT continues to monitor COVID-19 developments and will inform Ontarians and stakeholders of any further operational changes.

MEDIA CONTACT
Sarah Copeland
Communications Branch
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

(PDF)

The six per cent application fee increases for the ARB, LTB and LAT, which were scheduled to increase on April 1, 2020, will be deferred to July 1, 2020.

Tribunals Ontario is continuing to monitor COVID-19 developments and will inform Ontarians and stakeholders of any further operational changes.

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

(PDF)

• All hearings related to eviction applications, unless the matter relates to an urgent issue such as an illegal act or serious impairment of safety; and
• The issuance of eviction orders, unless the matter relates to an urgent issue such as an illegal act or serious impairment of safety.

Hearings related to eviction applications will not be scheduled at this time.

All incoming applications will continue to be processed. Hearings for matters not relating to evictions will proceed by the most appropriate means (telephone or written hearing) and orders for these matters will be issued.

Tribunals Ontario is actively monitoring COVID-19 developments and will update our policies based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials to protect Ontarians.

LTB contact information is listed on our website:

Landlord and Tenant Board

MEDIA CONTACT
Sarah Copeland
Communications Branch
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca
416-326-5418

Effective today, Tribunals Ontario is implementing a new policy to postpone in-person hearings and reschedule to a later date. Where feasible, alternative hearing options such as written and telephone hearings will be considered to minimize disruption to hearings across the organization. In addition, all front-line counter services will be closed as of Monday March 16 until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to provide accommodation for people who have needs related to any of the grounds listed in the Human Rights Code.

Impacted individuals with upcoming hearing dates will be notified by staff via email to make the necessary arrangements. Parties should contact their tribunal or board for more information on the new policy.

In addition, we are requesting Ontarians to not attend to any tribunal or board location in-person if they have been advised by Public Health, their doctor or the Ministry of Health website to self-isolate due to possible exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Tribunals Ontario is monitoring COVID-19 developments and will update our policy based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials to protect Ontarians.

Tribunal and board contact information is listed on our website:

• Animal Care Review Board
• Assessment Review Board
• Board of Negotiation
• Child and Family Services Review Board
• Conservation Review Board
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
• Custody Review Board
• Environmental Review Tribunal
• Fire Safety Commission
• Human Rights Tribunals of Ontario
• Landlord and Tenant Board
• Licence Appeal Tribunal
• Local Planning Appeal Tribunal
• Mining and Lands Tribunal
• Ontario Civilian Police Commission
• Ontario Parole Board
• Ontario Special Education Tribunals
• Social Benefits Tribunal

For general inquiries, please email TO-TDO@ontario.ca

MEDIA CONTACT
Sarah Copeland
Communications Branch
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The increase in fees is necessary to fulfil Tribunals Ontario’s commitment to offset the cost of providing fair, impartial, and high-quality adjudication to Ontarians who have disputes. The fees are still structured so that services are reasonable and accessible.

Please see the new fees listed below.

Assessment Review Board
The residential fee is increasing from $125.00 to $132.50 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.
The non-residential fee is increasing from $300.00 to $318.00 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.

Licence Appeal Tribunal
The application fee is increasing from $100.00 to $106.00.

Landlord and Tenant Board
Most application fees are increasing by six per cent. Please see the list below of new fees.
Fees for copies of documents, hearing recordings, tenant applications for additional units and Rules and Guidelines are not increasing.

The LTB will continue to provide fee waivers to low-income clients to ensure access to justice.

Application Fees for Landlords

Application Fees for Tenants

Application Fees for Co-ops

Media Contact

Sarah Copeland
Communications Advisor
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The increase in fees is necessary to fulfil Tribunals Ontario’s commitment to offset the cost of providing fair, impartial, and high-quality adjudication to Ontarians who have disputes. The fees are still structured so that services are reasonable and accessible.

Please see the new fees listed below.

Assessment Review Board
The residential fee is increasing from $125.00 to $132.50 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.
The non-residential fee is increasing from $300.00 to $318.00 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.

Licence Appeal Tribunal
The application fee is increasing from $100.00 to $106.00.

Landlord and Tenant Board
Most application fees are increasing by six per cent. Please see the list below of new fees.
Fees for copies of documents, hearing recordings, tenant applications for additional units and Rules and Guidelines are not increasing.

The LTB will continue to provide fee waivers to low-income clients to ensure access to justice.

Application Fees for Landlords

Application Fees for Tenants

Application Fees for Co-ops

Media Contact

Sarah Copeland
Communications Advisor
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The increase in fees is necessary to fulfil Tribunals Ontario’s commitment to offset the cost of providing fair, impartial, and high-quality adjudication to Ontarians who have disputes. The fees are still structured so that services are reasonable and accessible.

Please see the new fees listed below.

Assessment Review Board
The residential fee is increasing from $125.00 to $132.50 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.
The non-residential fee is increasing from $300.00 to $318.00 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.

Licence Appeal Tribunal
The application fee is increasing from $100.00 to $106.00.

Landlord and Tenant Board
Most application fees are increasing by six per cent. Please see the list below of new fees.
Fees for copies of documents, hearing recordings, tenant applications for additional units and Rules and Guidelines are not increasing.

The LTB will continue to provide fee waivers to low-income clients to ensure access to justice.

 
Application Fees for Co-ops

 
Media Contact

Sarah Copeland
Communications Advisor
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Supports and services for victims of crime may now be accessed through the Victim Quick Response Program + (VQRP+), which helps to cover emergency and essential expenses, funerals and counselling costs.

A. Recent Changes

1. Applications with the CICB: The CICB will continue to process all matters received by the Board by September 30, 2019 including i) applications for compensation, ii) requests for review hearings, and iii) applications to vary an order for compensation.
2. Divisional Court Appeals: All appeals filed with the Divisional Court by September 30, 2019 will continue in its regular course. As of October 1, 2019, any appeals arising from applications can no longer be filed with the Divisional Court.
3. CICB dissolution: The CICB is in the process of winding down its operations and cannot accept new applications. It will adjudicate all outstanding applications prior to its dissolution.

B. Dissolution: Process and Procedure

1. Hearings scheduled by the CICB will continue.
2. Once a hearing date is scheduled, a written Notice of Hearing will be provided.
3. Adjournments of a scheduled hearing will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.
4. Decisions for each application will be made following a hearing and with the information contained in the CICB file.

a) Requirements: To ensure the CICB can process an application, applicants must:

1. Meet the timelines set by the Board throughout the processing of their claim.
2. Submit all treatment and expense reports and any other supporting documentation required by the Board by the required date.
3. Review your Notice of Hearing to see if your participation is required at an electronic (telephone) or in-person hearing.

b) Dismissal of Application: The Board may dismiss an application as abandoned without a hearing if:

1. the timelines are not met,
2. the information requested in the time required is not provided,
3. there is failure to participate in an electronic (telephone) or in-person hearing.

Applicants/legal representatives should provide a copy of this notice to their treatment and other service providers to highlight the importance of their cooperation in having applications processed expeditiously.

c) Rules of Procedure: To ensure the Board’s Rules are consistent with the legislative amendments to the Compensation for Victims of Crime Act that does not permit further reviews or appeals, Rule 19.3 is eliminated.

Effective immediately, this Rule and its associated Practice Direction are eliminated. Please note that Rule 19.4 permitting reconsiderations on the Board’s initiative, remains.

C. Questions

If you have any questions about your CICB claim, please call our Contact Centre at 416-326-2900 or 1-800-372-7463.

For information on the VQRP+ program, call the Victim Support Line at 416-314-2447 or 1-888-579-2888 to receive contact information for the Victim Quick Response Program service provider nearest you.

On Tuesday, October 1, the Social Benefits Tribunal (SBT) will begin holding its Toronto hearings at the new Tribunals Ontario Mediation and Hearing Centre at 15 Grosvenor St, Toronto. SBT hearings will no longer be held at 655 Bay St.

The new centre offers an improved experience for the public with an information desk, natural light in many hearing rooms and equipment for teleconference and videoconference hearings. Other features include public Wi-Fi, a hearing room ventilated for smudging, barrier-free washrooms and hallways, and slip-resistant stairs.

The Tribunals Ontario Mediation and Hearing Centre opened its doors to the public for the first time on Monday, July 29, 2019. The Landlord and Tenant Board Toronto South office, the Licence Appeal Tribunal, Fire Safety Commission, Animal Care Review Board, Ontario Civilian Police Commission and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board are already holding mediations and hearings at 15 Grosvenor St.

In April, the Government of Ontario announced plans to transition the responsibilities covered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) into a new one-window access system for victims seeking financial assistance.

As part of this transition, the CICB will continue to accept applications until 11:59pm on September 30, 2019. As of October 1, 2019, individuals seeking compensation for costs that result from being a victim of crime should contact the Victim Quick Response Program + (VQRP+).

As of October 1, 2019, applications for compensation, requests for review hearings or applications to vary an order for compensation can no longer be filed with the CICB. The CICB will continue to process all applications for compensation, requests for review hearings, and applications to vary an order for compensation received on or before September 30, 2019 according to its regular processes.

As of October 1, 2019, any appeals arising from applications can no longer be commenced with the Divisional Court. All appeals filed with the Divisional Court by September 30, 2019 will continue in its regular course.

The Compensation for Victims of Crime Act (CVCA) will be amended effective October 1, 2019, to include the following section:

4.1 (1) Despite anything to the contrary in this Act, on and after the day section 1 of Schedule 11 to the Protecting What Matters Most Act (Budget Measures), 2019 comes into force, no person may,

(a) make an application for compensation under section 5;
(b) request a hearing and review under section 10;
(c) commence an appeal under section 23; or
(d) make an application for variation under section 25.

For more information, you can read about the changes or visit the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Victims Services website.

Background
Tribunals Ontario is committed to an active offer of French language services, and to ensure that French language services are clearly visible, readily available, easily accessible, publicized, and of equivalent quality to services offered in English. As part of the implementation of the policy, all Tribunals Ontario staff and adjudicators had the opportunity to attend training sessions and were required to read the policy to understand their role in delivering French language services.

Over the last number of months, we have met with stakeholders to develop a policy that would:

• Ensure compliance with the provisions of the French Language Services Act in guaranteeing the right to receive services in French;
• Inform the public how Tribunals Ontario provides French language services;
• Reflect Tribunals Ontario’s commitment to the provision of French Language Services and to establish the organization as a leader in the administrative justice sector.

We would like to thank our stakeholders for the valuable input we received and your partnership in the development of this important policy. We look forward to continuing to serve Franco-Ontarians.

Read the Tribunals Ontario French Language Services Policy.

The new facility offers an improved experience for the public with an information desk, natural light in many hearing rooms and equipment for teleconference hearings. Other features include a hearing room ventilated for smudging, barrier-free washrooms and hallways, and slip-resistant stairs. Public Wi-Fi will be available later in August.

If you visit us in the next week or two, you may see we are putting the finishing touches on the ground floor. We ask for your understanding and patience as we complete the work on the new facility.

In the weeks ahead, more boards and tribunals will begin hearings at the Tribunals Ontario Mediation and Hearing Centre. On Tuesday, August 6, the Licence Appeal Tribunal, Fire Safety Commission, Animal Care Review Board, Ontario Civilian Police Commission and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board will begin holding hearings and mediations at the new location. The Social Benefits Tribunal will move its hearings and mediations to 15 Grosvenor on Tuesday, October 1.

The public is welcome to review the proposed changes  and email comments and suggestions to the ARB Registrar, with the subject line Comments on Proposed Rules Changes.

Feedback received between July 8, 2019 and August 2, 2019 will be considered by Tribunals Ontario before any Rule changes are implemented. Only feedback on the Rules with proposed changes will be considered by the ARB.

More information regarding the proposed changes please refer to the ‘Upcoming Changes Memo’ dated July 3, 2019 as well as the FAQ document.

Explanatory Note

Further to the Board’s memo dated July 3, 2019, please see below for clarification to changes at the Assessment Review Board.

Proposed Changes:

Any appeal from a previous cycle that does not have a current cycle appeal (2017-2020) will be set to a new expedited Schedule of Events timeline, even if the appeal has been assigned a Commencement Date.

Properties affected by this proposed change are in the General Stream. Any property appeal currently active will be removed from any existing Schedule of Events regardless where the appeal is in the Schedule and will have a new Commencement Date set with new timelines.  The Board is proposing an 18 week schedule up to the filing of evidence.  Following the Mandatory Meeting, a Case Conference (formerly called a Settlement Conference) will be scheduled and, if required, a hearing event held to resolve the appeals.

All appeals will be scheduled together regardless of whether the appeals were in the last cycle or earlier.  There are currently 646 properties, 1,829 appeals in the General stream that are affected by this proposal.

There will be an expedited process for dismissal of appeals for non-compliance with the Schedule of Events.

Currently on the Board’s website, there is a Request to Dismiss a General Proceedings form for non-compliance with Statement of Issues.  The Board is proposing that a request to dismiss an appeal can be filed with the Board at any time within the lifespan of an appeal.  This will include any non-compliance of the Schedule of Events including any non-compliance of the Rules of Practice.

The Board continues to expect the parties to work cooperatively if there are any adjustments to the timelines up to the Mandatory Meeting date.

Every appeal will be assigned a “hearing event month.” If a hearing becomes necessary, it will be scheduled to take place during this month.

All appeals that are currently active with the Board, and that have been assigned a Commencement Date, will have a “hearing month” assigned.  A “hearing month” will inform the parties what month the Board expects that a hearing, if required, would be scheduled. There will be no specific date provided, only the month that the hearing is anticipated to be held.  This month will be assigned 16to 24 weeks after the evidence due date in the Schedule of Events, unless there is a reason to schedule it earlier.

The Board expects that this proposal will assist the parties in organizing their appeal work by anticipating what window of time a hearing will be scheduled, if so required.

All hearing events before the Board will be scheduled as an electronic hearing unless there is prejudice as per section 5.2(2) of the Statutory Powers Procedure Act and the Board’s Rules.

In both the Summary and General Stream, Case Conferences and Hearings will be set to an electronic hearing format as a default effective as of the implementation date.  If there is a reason why the hearing should be held in-person, the Board will review any requests via the Expedited Board Direction form.  Motions will continue to be dealt with in writing.

Schedule of Events – General Stream Appeals will be reduced from 66-104 weeks to 40 weeks. This change will affect Commencement Dates on or after October 15, 2019.

As per the memo dated July 3, 2019, the Board is taking this opportunity to consider changes to our delivery model and enhance our effectiveness and efficiency.

Reducing the Schedule of Events timelines would still allow sufficient time to work on resolving the appeal and have settlement meetings if required.  The Board must ensure that all active appeals continue to be resolved, in a timely manner that is reasonable. The Board will continue to consider requests to extend time via Expedited Board Direction form.  Motions will continue to be dealt with in writing.

The Board continues to expect parties to work together to move towards resolution.

The terms “Mediation” and “Settlement Conference” will be replaced with the term “Case Conference” in the Board’s Rules.

All references in the Board’s Rules of Practice and Procedure and guidance documents will replace the term “Settlement Conference” with the term “Case Conference”.  This term is being used to make it more consistent with terms used in other tribunals and boards within Tribunals Ontario. There is no substantive or procedural change intended from this proposal.  As with Settlement Conferences, if the appeals are not resolved, a hearing event will be scheduled.

Schedule of Events – Summary Stream Appeals will be updated to allow for a staggered approach to disclosing issues, and the term “disclosure” will be changed to reflect “description of issues.”

The Board has maintained the original timing of 14 weeks for the Schedule of Events for the Summary Stream. However, upon the assignment of the Commencement Date, the person filing the appeal must provide a “description of the issues” to all parties immediately, and during weeks one to four, any party responding or disputing the description of issues will serve the response on all parties, before the filing of the mandatory meeting form.  The Board continues to expect parties to work together to move towards resolution.

Rule 18(d) will be amended to more specifically require that “grounds” for appealing to the Board are articulated.  This amendment not come into effect until the 2021-2024 cycle of appeals.

The Board will be amending its Rules to require the appellant to identify the grounds to file an appeal.  In short, the simple statement that an assessment is “too high” will be insufficient.  Instead, the appellant will be required to identify the reasons for the appeal such that other parties can have a fulsome understanding of the issues and why they are filing the appeal with the Board

A Practice Direction will be developed in advance of the 2021-2024 assessment cycle.

Proposed Changes:

Any appeal from a previous cycle that does not have a current cycle appeal (2017-2020) will be set to a new expedited Schedule of Events timeline, even if the appeal has been assigned a Commencement Date.

Properties affected by this proposed change are in the General Stream. Any property appeal currently active will be removed from any existing Schedule of Events regardless where the appeal is in the Schedule and will have a new Commencement Date set with new timelines.  The Board is proposing an 18 week schedule up to the filing of evidence.  Following the Mandatory Meeting, a Case Conference (formerly called a Settlement Conference) will be scheduled and, if required, a hearing event held to resolve the appeals.

All appeals will be scheduled together regardless of whether the appeals were in the last cycle or earlier.  There are currently 646 properties, 1,829 appeals in the General stream that are affected by this proposal.

There will be an expedited process for dismissal of appeals for non-compliance with the Schedule of Events.

Currently on the Board’s website, there is a Request to Dismiss a General Proceedings form for non-compliance with Statement of Issues.  The Board is proposing that a request to dismiss an appeal can be filed with the Board at any time within the lifespan of an appeal.  This will include any non-compliance of the Schedule of Events including any non-compliance of the Rules of Practice.

The Board continues to expect the parties to work cooperatively if there are any adjustments to the timelines up to the Mandatory Meeting date.

Every appeal will be assigned a “hearing event month.” If a hearing becomes necessary, it will be scheduled to take place during this month.

All appeals that are currently active with the Board, and that have been assigned a Commencement Date, will have a “hearing month” assigned.  A “hearing month” will inform the parties what month the Board expects that a hearing, if required, would be scheduled. There will be no specific date provided, only the month that the hearing is anticipated to be held.  This month will be assigned 16to 24 weeks after the evidence due date in the Schedule of Events, unless there is a reason to schedule it earlier.

The Board expects that this proposal will assist the parties in organizing their appeal work by anticipating what window of time a hearing will be scheduled, if so required.

All hearing events before the Board will be scheduled as an electronic hearing unless there is prejudice as per section 5.2(2) of the Statutory Powers Procedure Act and the Board’s Rules.

In both the Summary and General Stream, Case Conferences and Hearings will be set to an electronic hearing format as a default effective as of the implementation date.  If there is a reason why the hearing should be held in-person, the Board will review any requests via the Expedited Board Direction form.  Motions will continue to be dealt with in writing.

Schedule of Events – General Stream Appeals will be reduced from 66-104 weeks to 40 weeks. This change will affect Commencement Dates on or after October 15, 2019.

As per the memo dated July 3, 2019, the Board is taking this opportunity to consider changes to our delivery model and enhance our effectiveness and efficiency.

Reducing the Schedule of Events timelines would still allow sufficient time to work on resolving the appeal and have settlement meetings if required.  The Board must ensure that all active appeals continue to be resolved, in a timely manner that is reasonable. The Board will continue to consider requests to extend time via Expedited Board Direction form.  Motions will continue to be dealt with in writing.

The Board continues to expect parties to work together to move towards resolution.

The terms “Mediation” and “Settlement Conference” will be replaced with the term “Case Conference” in the Board’s Rules.

All references in the Board’s Rules of Practice and Procedure and guidance documents will replace the term “Settlement Conference” with the term “Case Conference”.  This term is being used to make it more consistent with terms used in other tribunals and boards within Tribunals Ontario. There is no substantive or procedural change intended from this proposal.  As with Settlement Conferences, if the appeals are not resolved, a hearing event will be scheduled.

Schedule of Events – Summary Stream Appeals will be updated to allow for a staggered approach to disclosing issues, and the term “disclosure” will be changed to reflect “description of issues.”

The Board has maintained the original timing of 14 weeks for the Schedule of Events for the Summary Stream. However, upon the assignment of the Commencement Date, the person filing the appeal must provide a “description of the issues” to all parties immediately, and during weeks one to four, any party responding or disputing the description of issues will serve the response on all parties, before the filing of the mandatory meeting form.  The Board continues to expect parties to work together to move towards resolution.

Rule 18(d) will be amended to more specifically require that “grounds” for appealing to the Board are articulated.  This amendment not come into effect until the 2021-2024 cycle of appeals.

The Board will be amending its Rules to require the appellant to identify the grounds to file an appeal.  In short, the simple statement that an assessment is “too high” will be insufficient.  Instead, the appellant will be required to identify the reasons for the appeal such that other parties can have a fulsome understanding of the issues and why they are filing the appeal with the Board

A Practice Direction will be developed in advance of the 2021-2024 assessment cycle.

The Government of Ontario announced that it will transition the responsibilities covered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) into a new one-window access system for victim service programs that would provide financial assistance to victims. This will bring Ontario’s approach to financial assistance for victims of violent crime in line with the rest of Canada as an administrative model rather than an adjudicative model.

What this means for you

Effective May 29, 2019, the following changes have been made to the Compensation for Victims and Crime Act:

• The maximum lump sum payment amount has increased from $25,000 to $30,000.
• The maximum award for pain and suffering will not exceed $5,000.

Any CICB decisions rendered on or after May 29, 2019 will be subject to these changes. A cut-off date for new applications to the CICB will be determined by the Lieutenant Governor in Council in the near future.

Next Steps

During this period of transition, the CICB is committed to providing high quality service to the public. The CICB continues to work with the Government of Ontario to determine next steps and to ensure continuity for victims of crime accessing victim services across the province.

We will continue to provide updates as they become available.

For information regarding the changes to victim services, please contact the Ministry of the Attorney General:

Ministry of the Attorney General
McMurtry-Scott Building
720 Bay Street, 11th Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2S9
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-518-7901
Telephone (Toronto): 416-326-2220
attorneygeneral@ontario.ca

Quick Links

• 2019 Ontario Budget
• Ministry of the Attorney General

The Landlord and Tenant Board Form L4: Application to End a Tenancy and Evict a Tenant – Tenant Failed to Meet Conditions of a Settlement or Order has been updated. There is now only one version of the form. Landlords who are applying to end a tenancy based on a breach of a mediated agreement or order should use the Form L4 that is now on the website.

Similarly, there is now just one version of the form for non-profit co-ops, C4: Application to End the Occupancy of the Member and Evict the Member because the Member failed to Meet Conditions of a Settlement/Order.

Please begin using these revised forms immediately. To ensure you are using the latest version of the form, remember to clear your browser cache.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to delivering administrative justice in a fair, independent and timely manner. As part of this commitment, Tribunals Ontario ensures openness and transparency in its proceedings, including public access to hearings, decisions and records. Our new policy confirms this commitment.

In a proceeding before our boards and tribunals, sensitive personal information, including names, contact information, medical, financial, employment, and educational information can become public. Documents that parties submit, including any tribunal forms, evidence or legal arguments submitted for a hearing can also become public. These things can become public in an open hearing, in decisions or orders or in response to a request, unless an order to restrict access is made.

Tribunals Ontario’s approach of openness aligns with the courts’ approach that hearings are presumed to be open to the public.

It is also important to note that while openness is the rule at most of Tribunals Ontario’s boards and tribunals, access to hearings and records may be restricted by a statutory provision or for other legal reasons.

Background Information

• In response to a challenge by the Toronto Star, the Superior Court recently clarified that the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act improperly restricted access to adjudicative records.
• The Court confirmed that the open courts principle applies to boards and tribunals providing broad rights of public access in most cases.
• Access the Superior Court decision.
• To make a request for records, fill out the Request for Records form

As an accomplished lawyer and adjudicator, Jennifer brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to our organization. Some of her career highlights include operating a social justice law practice, serving as independent legal counsel to the Ontario Special Education (English) Tribunal and litigating human rights issues before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Quotes:
“Tribunals Ontario is committed to ensuring access to justice for children and youth and I know with Jennifer Scott’s leadership and expertise we will continue to do that.”
– Linda Lamoureux, Executive Chair, Tribunals Ontario

“Throughout my career, I have been interested in social justice law and the opportunity to continue in my role as Associate Chair will allow me to support children and youth – some of society’s most vulnerable people – as they navigate the justice system.”
– Jennifer Scott, Associate Chair of the Child and Family Services Review Board, the Custody Review Board and the Ontario Special Education Tribunals

Quick Facts:

• The Child and Family Services Review Board conducts reviews and hearings on a number of matters that affect children, youth and families in Ontario.
• The Custody Review Board hears applications and makes recommendations on the placement of young people in custody or detention.
• The Ontario Special Education Tribunals – English and French – hear appeals by parents and guardians who are not satisfied with the school board’s identification or placement of a child with exceptional learning needs.
• Tribunals Ontario is responsible for 19 tribunals that fall under the Ministry of the Attorney General. Tribunals conduct hearings, make decisions and resolve disputes on a wide variety of issues and operate independently of government.

As an accomplished lawyer and adjudicator, Jennifer brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to our organization. Some of her career highlights include operating a social justice law practice, serving as independent legal counsel to the Ontario Special Education (English) Tribunal and litigating human rights issues before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Quotes:
“Tribunals Ontario is committed to ensuring access to justice for children and youth and I know with Jennifer Scott’s leadership and expertise we will continue to do that.”
– Linda Lamoureux, Executive Chair, Tribunals Ontario

“Throughout my career, I have been interested in social justice law and the opportunity to continue in my role as Associate Chair will allow me to support children and youth – some of society’s most vulnerable people – as they navigate the justice system.”
– Jennifer Scott, Associate Chair of the Child and Family Services Review Board, the Custody Review Board and the Ontario Special Education Tribunals

Quick Facts:

• The Child and Family Services Review Board conducts reviews and hearings on a number of matters that affect children, youth and families in Ontario.
• The Custody Review Board hears applications and makes recommendations on the placement of young people in custody or detention.
• The Ontario Special Education Tribunals – English and French – hear appeals by parents and guardians who are not satisfied with the school board’s identification or placement of a child with exceptional learning needs.
• Tribunals Ontario is responsible for 19 tribunals that fall under the Ministry of the Attorney General. Tribunals conduct hearings, make decisions and resolve disputes on a wide variety of issues and operate independently of government.

As an accomplished lawyer and adjudicator, Jennifer brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to our organization. Some of her career highlights include operating a social justice law practice, serving as independent legal counsel to the Ontario Special Education (English) Tribunal and litigating human rights issues before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Quotes:
“Tribunals Ontario is committed to ensuring access to justice for children and youth and I know with Jennifer Scott’s leadership and expertise we will continue to do that.”
– Linda Lamoureux, Executive Chair, Tribunals Ontario

“Throughout my career, I have been interested in social justice law and the opportunity to continue in my role as Associate Chair will allow me to support children and youth – some of society’s most vulnerable people – as they navigate the justice system.”
– Jennifer Scott, Associate Chair of the Child and Family Services Review Board, the Custody Review Board and the Ontario Special Education Tribunals

Quick Facts:

• The Child and Family Services Review Board conducts reviews and hearings on a number of matters that affect children, youth and families in Ontario.
• The Custody Review Board hears applications and makes recommendations on the placement of young people in custody or detention.
• The Ontario Special Education Tribunals – English and French – hear appeals by parents and guardians who are not satisfied with the school board’s identification or placement of a child with exceptional learning needs.
• Tribunals Ontario is responsible for 19 tribunals that fall under the Ministry of the Attorney General. Tribunals conduct hearings, make decisions and resolve disputes on a wide variety of issues and operate independently of government.

On January 22, 2019, the CICB started publishing its decisions issued 2017 onwards on the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) website. The decisions do not include any personal information and will be published after they have been issued to the parties. Decisions subject to a publication ban will not be published.

CanLII is a non-profit organization that makes Canadian law accessible for free on the Internet.

Rental units first occupied for residential purposes after November 15, 2018 are now exempt from the rules that limit rent increases to the guideline amount (See section 6.1 of the Residential Tenancies Act). The exemption applies to rental units in new buildings, new mobile home parks and land lease communities, as well as additions to existing buildings, mobile home parks and land lease communities. It also applies in certain circumstances to new self-contained rental units added to existing detached houses, semi-detached houses or row houses (e.g. basement apartments).

Landlords of these units must still serve a notice of rent increase 90 days in advance with a Landlord and Tenant Board approved form and they can only increase the rent once every 12 months, but there is no limit on the amount of the rent increase.

Read the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing backgrounder.

The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) Practice Advisory Committee has two vacancies among the six members who regularly represent parties before the LTB.

The vacancies are for one committee member who primarily represents landlords and one committee member who primarily represents tenants.

The Committee is looking for people who are familiar with LTB procedures and can contribute to the Committee’s mandate to provide consultation and feedback about LTB’s policies, practices, rules, practice directions, initiatives and services. Committee members are expected to attend at least three meetings a year and participate with candour and discretion.

Details about the Committee and its mandate can be found in the Terms of Reference.

To express your interest in serving as a member of the LTB Practice Advisory Committee, please send a resume and brief statement of interest to ltb@ontario.ca by Friday, February 1, 2019.

The new members will be selected by the current co-chairs, Mr. John Dickie and Mr. Jack Fleming.

Rules

The Rules of Procedure have been extensively reformatted and now use plain language. The commentary that appeared under some of the rules has been removed. The format and language of the new rules is consistent with the Social Justice Tribunals Ontario (SJTO) Common Rules of Procedure.

Some substantive changes to the Rules have also been made, including:

• Allowing the use of a declaration instead of an affidavit (Rule 1.5).
• Setting out the authority of LTB Hearing Officers (Rule 1.7).
• Allowing parties to give each other certain documents by email where they both agree (Rule 3).
• Changes to the test LTB applies when considering a request to close a hearing to the public has been revised to reflect recent jurisprudence (Rule 7.6).
• Removing the requirement that Co-operatives serve applications (Rule 12).
• Allowing a party to request that an application resolved by mediation be re-opened if the party lacked capacity to enter into a mediated agreement (Rule 13.11(b)).
• A new rule about electronic evidence (Rule 19.3).
• Changes to the rules about the payment out of money paid into the LTB’s trust account by tenants (Rules 20.3, 20.4, 20.6 and 20.8). If the tenant has not paid enough money into the LTB’s trust account to void the eviction order the money will be returned to the tenant.

Guidelines

Guideline 6: Tenant Rights has been expanded. It now includes discussion of all the grounds in the T2: Application about Tenant Rights. References to applicable case law have been updated and there are extensive references and links to relevant LTB orders.

Guideline 12: Eviction for Personal Use, Demolition, Repairs and Conversion has been changed to reflect amendments made to the Residential Tenancies Act on January 1, 2018. The guideline allows tenants to file a T5: Tenant Application – Landlord Gave a Notice of Termination in Bad Faith if a landlord does not allow a tenant to move back into the rental unit after extensive repairs have been completed. The discussion about who should be named as a respondent in a T5 application has also been revised.

Forms

Two new forms have been created as a result of these changes:

• Consent to Service by Email
• Declaration

These forms have been updated to indicate that a declaration can be used instead of an affidavit:

• L2: Application to End a Tenancy and Evict a Tenant
• L3: Application to End a Tenancy – Tenant Gave Notice or Agreed to Terminate the Tenancy
• L4-A: Application to End a Tenancy – Tenant Failed to Meet Conditions of a Settlement or Order
• L4-B: Application to End a Tenancy – Tenant Failed to Meet Conditions of a Settlement or Order
• Tenant’s Motion to Void an Eviction Order for Arrears of Rent
• Request to Re-open an Application
• C4-A: Application to End the Occupancy of the Member Unit and Evict the Member because the Member failed to Meet Conditions of a Settlement/Order
• C4-B: Application to End the Occupancy of the Member Unit and Evict the Member because the Member failed to Meet Conditions of a Settlement/Order
• Co-op Member’s Motion to Void an Eviction Order for Non-Payment of Housing Charges

Begin using these revised forms immediately. Make sure you are getting the latest version of the form by clearing your browser cache.

Tribunals Ontario will combine the 19 tribunals that currently fall under the Ministry of the Attorney General’s three tribunal clusters: Environment and Land Tribunals Ontario, Social Justice Tribunals Ontario and Safety, Licensing Appeals and Standards Tribunals Ontario.

For more details, please view the government’s announcement.

At this time, all applications and appeals will continue in the normal course. More information will follow.

SJTO has posted for:

• Full-time bilingual and unilingual members at the Social Benefits Tribunal for Toronto, London, Hamilton and Ottawa
• Part-time bilingual and unilingual members for various locations

These positions are posted on the “Advertised Positions” section of the Public Appointments Secretariat website.

The competitions close on Friday, December 21, 2018.

SJTO has posted for part-time members in various locations.

This position is posted on the “Advertised Positions” section of the Public Appointments Secretariat website.

The competition closes on Friday, December 21, 2018.

SJTO has posted for:

• Full-time members in Toronto
• Part-time members part-time in various locations

This position is posted on the “Advertised Positions” section of the Public Appointments Secretariat website.

The competition closes on Friday, December 21, 2018.

Two new videos have been posted to the Social Benefits Tribunal (SBT) website.

The step-by-step animated videos, Early Resolution Opportunities: A Video Guide and Interim Assistance: A Video Guide, can be accessed through the Videos & FAQ page. They are also featured under the “Early Resolution Opportunities” and “Interim Assistance” headings on the Appeal and Hearing Process page.

Videos make the tribunal more accessible for everyone and may be particularly helpful for people who are visual learners or have disabilities affecting language processing.

SBT users can now access three videos to help them understand the processes at the tribunal. The first SBT video: In-Person Hearings at the Social Benefits Tribunal, was posted in January 2017.

The videos are captioned and transcripts are posted in HTML format.

SJTO has posted for:

• Members (part-time) at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario for various locations
• Vice Chairs (full-time) at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario in Toronto and London

These positions are posted on the “Advertised Positions” section of the Public Appointments Secretariat website.

The competitions close on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

SJTO has posted for:

• Members (part-time) at the Landlord and Tenant Board for various locations
• Members (full-time) at the Landlord and Tenant Board for various locations
• Vice Chair (full-time) at the Landlord and Tenant Board

These positions are posted on the “Advertised Positions” section of the Public Appointments Secretariat website.

The competitions close on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

The HRTO has released a Practice Direction on New Case Processing System and Case Management Conference Calls.

In the last year and a half, the HRTO has experienced an unprecedented 25% increase in its caseload, and receives about 4,500 new human rights applications each year.

To address this increased caseload, the HRTO has implemented a number of initiatives to resolve cases more quickly, including the following important changes described in the practice direction:

1. A new approach to case processing, introduced on March 1, 2018, in which a vice-chair (adjudicator) is assigned to a case from the time an application is received to the time the file is closed. Through this new approach, the HRTO closely tracks the progress of the file and identifies what steps need to be taken to move the case forward. (Mediations will continue to be conducted by the HRTO’s part-time members.)
2. A case management conference call (CMCC) is held approximately 30 days before the hearing. During the call, the adjudicator will address preliminary or procedural issues relating to the upcoming hearing, describe how the hearing will proceed, and discuss the potential for mediation. Common preliminary or procedural issues that could be addressed include: objections to hearing documents or witnesses; requests for a witness to testify by video or phone or at a specific time; and requests for proper or more specific witness statements.
3. Most merit hearings are now scheduled for only one initial hearing day. Because many cases settle before the hearing or during a mediation session held with an adjudicator on the first hearing day, additional days are often not necessary and can be used to hear other cases. If a hearing is held and requires more than one day, the HRTO will schedule these days during the hearing, or soon after, in consultation with the parties.

As a result of these initiatives, implemented on March 1, 2018, the HRTO became more efficient, and was maintaining its caseload by closing as many cases each month as were being opened.

However, the HRTO is currently experiencing a shortage of adjudicators which is affecting our ability to meet our service standards and so you may experience a longer than usual wait before a mediation or hearing is scheduled. Also, some scheduled mediations and hearings are being re-scheduled to a later date.

The HRTO remains committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution.

A new instructional video posted to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) website explains how to e-File applications.

e-File with the Landlord and Tenant Board: A Video Guide can be accessed through the Videos page or the LTB e-File page. The step-by-step animated video helps to make electronic filing more accessible, especially for first-time users.

LTB e-File allows landlords and tenants across Ontario to file the most common LTB applications (L1, L2, T2 and T6), online at anytime from anywhere. Since the LTB introduced online filing in July 2015, it has become the most popular method to file. Last year, (2017-18), the LTB received 31,002 applications through e-File, accounting for nearly half of all those applications received at the board, a 15% jump over the previous year.

The LTB has five other videos: About the Board; Filing an Application; How Mediation Can Help You; Getting Ready for Your Hearing; and Your Hearing Day. All the videos are captioned and available in English and French.

Videos make the Landlord and Tenant Board more accessible for everyone and may be particularly helpful for people who are visual learners or have disabilities which affect language processing.

Starting this Monday, October 1, 2018, the Child and Family Services Review Board will have a new phone number:

• GTA: 416-327-0111
• Toll Free: 1-888-777-3616

The fax number is still 416-327-0558 and the email is cfsrb@ontario.ca.

What This Change Means for You

CFSRB forms are being updated with the new phone number. On October 1, visit the forms page on our website and download the latest version.

If the CFSRB phone number appears on any brochures, posters or on your organization’s website, please update those materials with the new phone number.

The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) has posted three documents for review and comment by members of the community and its stakeholders:

1. Proposed changes to the Rules of Procedure
2. Proposed changes to the Guideline 6: Tenant Rights
3. Proposed changes to the Guideline 12: Eviction for Personal Use, Demolition, Repairs and Conversion

The Rules of Procedure have been extensively reformatted and now use plain language. The commentary that appears under each rule has been removed. The format and language of the proposed rules is also now consistent with the Social Justice Tribunals Ontario (SJTO) Common Rules of Procedure. Some substantive changes have also been made, including:

• Allowing the use of a sworn statement instead of an affidavit (Rule 1.5)
• Allowing parties to give each other certain documents by email where they both agree (Rule 3)
• Removing the requirement that Co-operatives serve applications (Rule 12)
• Changing the rules about the payment out of money paid into the LTB’s trust account (Rules 20.3, 20.4, 20.6 and 20.8)

Guideline 6 has been expanded. It now includes discussion of all the grounds in the Application About Tenant Rights (T2). References to applicable case law have been updated and there are extensive references and links to relevant LTB orders.

Guideline 12 has been changed to reflect amendments made to the Residential Tenancies Act on January 1, 2018.

We encourage you to have a look at the proposed changes and provide your comments and ideas by September 28, 2018.

Please send your submission:

By email: ltb@ontario.ca

or

By mail:
LTB Consultation
Landlord and Tenant Board
655 Bay Street, 14th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2A3

Your submission may be shared with other stakeholders and may also be available to the public.

The CICB has adopted a new practice direction to vary an order for compensation. Additionally, the CICB has developed a new Application to Vary an Order for Compensation. This practice direction supports the CICB’s Rules of Procedure and provides helpful information to parties. The new application form will help parties submit requests to vary orders to the CICB in a clear and transparent way.

Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario, and Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement in response to the Ombudsman’s Office Investigative Report into delays and case backlogs at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) released on May 4, 2023:

“Today, the Ombudsman’s Office released its investigative report about service delays and challenges at the LTB.

We appreciate the work of the Ombudsman’s Office in conducting a comprehensive review of the LTB and recommending areas for improvement. We are currently reviewing the recommendations carefully as they can help inform our ongoing efforts to improve service standards at the LTB.

The pandemic created an urgent need for the LTB to modernize and transform how we deliver services to our users. Over the past three years, we have taken action and implemented a number of strategies to address delays and provide better and more timely service. These strategies include:

• Working with the Government of Ontario to increase staff and adjudicator resources
• Implementing Tribunals Ontario Portal, an online system to allow parties to submit applications online and using Zoom to participate in their hearings from the comfort of their home or office
• Establishing access to justice initiatives such as public and mobile terminals and Navigate Tribunals Ontario to support users with their dispute
• Streamlining LTB processes and ensuring adjudicators have the necessary support for efficient file and hearing management

There remains more work to do. With the new resources we’ve been allocated by the Government of Ontario and plans we have underway, many of the report’s recommendations are being addressed. We are confident that significant inroads into the backlog will be made this fiscal year.

We will continue to work with the Ombudsman’s Office and the Ministry of the Attorney General to address the report’s recommendations. We are committed to delivering a strong, timely, accessible, and modern administrative justice system.”

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Subscribe to Tribunals Ontario’s Latest News.

Tribunals Ontario is making it easier for Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) applicants to submit applications and resolve residential tenancy disputes. With the addition of four new LTB applications on the Tribunals Ontario Portal, a total of 12 LTB application forms are now available online.

Effective February 10, 2023, applicants can submit the following additional forms on the Tribunals Ontario Portal:

• T1: Tenant Application for a Rebate
• T5: Tenant Application – Landlord Gave a Notice of Termination in Bad Faith
• L9: Landlord Application to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes
• C2: Co-op Application to End the Occupancy of the Member Unit

In addition to submitting LTB applications, the portal includes online dispute resolution functionality that allows parties to connect directly to come to a resolution, and a self-scheduling feature that allows eligible applicants to select their preferred hearing date and timeslot available for their application type.

With these new online forms, the implementation of the main features of the Tribunals Ontario Portal at the LTB is now complete. Ongoing updates and enhancements to the portal features, functionality and processes based on feedback received from users and stakeholders will continue to be made.

“The Tribunals Ontario Portal is a major achievement and a significant milestone in our ongoing modernization journey. Now that it’s fully implemented, this new system will make it easier and faster for parties to engage with the LTB and with other parties. The successful implementation of the Portal will enable us to work more efficiently and tackle the backlog in a meaningful way,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.

“This has been a huge change initiative for our organization and for our users,” said Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario. “Users have told us that the portal is a much more convenient way for them to file their applications and go through the dispute resolution process. This is indeed a significant milestone for Tribunals Ontario and another step forward in enhancing access to justice for all those who come before our tribunals.”

Digital-first doesn’t mean digital only. For landlords and tenants who are not comfortable using technology or don’t have computer and Internet access, the LTB continues to accept paper applications and mediation requests by mail and courier. Many ServiceOntario locations across the province accept LTB applications and documents in-person.

Tribunals Ontario Portal and Navigate Tribunals Ontario are two user-focused digital tools that are helping to provide timely, efficient, and accessible information and dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Subscribe to Tribunals Ontario’s Latest News.

Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario, and Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement in response to the Ombudsman’s Office Annual Report released on August 10, 2022:

“We have reviewed the Ombudsman’s Office 2021-2022 Annual Report and we are steadfast in our commitment to providing fair, effective and timely access to justice.

Over the past two years, Tribunals Ontario has experienced significant challenges that have resulted in certain tribunals not meeting service standards. We recognize the impact that service delays have on those who access our services and are taking steps to address backlogs, including modernizing our organization and adapting many of our core services.

Tribunals Ontario has launched a number of service improvements and alternative service delivery options to better serve users, including:

• Launching Tribunals Ontario Portal, an online system to file applications, submit and exchange documents with other parties and try to resolve disputes at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). Once fully implemented, the portal will include more features, including self-scheduling and additional online application forms, to improve services and create efficiencies for users.
• Launching Navigate Tribunals Ontario, an online self-help tool designed to provide information about the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act and processes at the LTB.
• Transitioning to the Zoom platform for all video hearings, providing a better experience for our users and ongoing improvements to ensure that hearings are accessible, user friendly, and state of the art. At the LTB, moderators are available to help with virtual proceedings, including signing in parties.
• Revamping accommodations webpage to provide clear, plain language information around accommodations to stakeholders, including sample common scenarios to make it easier for user groups to identify potential solutions.
• Implementing access terminals to allow parties who do not have access to a telephone, computer and/or the internet to participate in their virtual hearings at one of four hearing centres across the province. Tribunals Ontario is developing a plan to expand access terminals to more locations.
• Introducing a phone pilot program at the LTB to lend an inexpensive cellphone to parties without phone access, and provide top-up minutes to parties with pre-paid or pay-as-you-go plans to ensure sufficient airtime minutes to participate in their proceeding. Tribunals Ontario is working to expand this pilot program to additional tribunals and evaluate integrating it as a permanent program.
• Resuming in-person proceedings for approved accommodation-based requests for all tribunals.

While we encourage those who access our services to use online tools to find information and file applications, we remain committed to offering alternate methods of support. Our digital-first approach does not mean digital only.

In addition to our service improvements, we are working to build up our adjudicator and staff complement. On March 30, 2022, the Ontario government announced an investment of $4.5 million over three years that will increase the number of staff and adjudicators, allowing the LTB to more quickly resolve existing backlogs. This commitment was reinforced in the 2022-2023 Ontario Budget that was introduced on August 9, 2022. We currently have more adjudicators at Tribunals Ontario than at any other time, and we are initiating recruitment competitions to increase adjudicative resources as needed.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to review the Ombudsman’s Office’s recommendations for the LTB and will work in partnership with the Office to improve access to justice for all Ontarians.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Subscribe to Tribunals Ontario’s Latest News.

Today, Tribunals Ontario launched the Tribunals Ontario Portal – a new case management system that will transform how users engage with tribunals. First announced in March as part of the Ontario government’s Justice Accelerated strategy, the new system will streamline the dispute resolution process by allowing applications to be filed, processed, and scheduled online. The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) is the first tribunal to implement the new system.

“The Tribunals Ontario Portal will make it easier and faster for people to file applications, access mediation, view their case file and upload and exchange documents with other parties. This new system will modernize our operations and support our efforts to improve access to justice for all those who come before our tribunals,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.

Among the features that will be available, landlords and tenants can:

• Submit most commonly used L1, L2, T2 and T6 LTB applications with simple and easy to use online forms
• Pay application fees on the portal
• Upload evidence directly to the portal
• View and exchange documents with other parties
• View their file and status of their L1, L2, T2 and T6 application(s) online
• Receive decisions electronically
• Use the dispute resolution tool to communicate with other parties or ask for assistance from a LTB Dispute Resolution Officer to help reach an agreement

“The Tribunals Ontario Portal will help reduce delays and enhance user experience by giving users the ability to seamlessly file and manage their cases online. It will also encourage resolution of disputes before the hearing, with new features that give parties the ability to connect directly and come to a resolution,” said Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario.

For landlords and tenants who are not comfortable using technology or don’t have computer and Internet access, the LTB will continue to accept paper applications and mediation requests by mail and courier.

“The Landlord and Tenant Board is committed to embracing technology to make it more convenient for those who use our services. That said, access to justice is a priority for the LTB, and we will continue to provide other options to those who lack access to a computer. We are also committed to engaging with our stakeholders to get their ongoing feedback on the new system to keep making it better,” said Karen Restoule, Associate Chair, Landlord and Tenant Board.

“Our government’s $28.5 million investment through the Justice Accelerated Strategy is transforming how people access dispute resolution services at Ontario’s tribunals,” said Attorney General Doug Downey. “By delivering online and on-demand access to legal matters, we are breaking down barriers and better meeting expectations for how justice can be done in 2021 and beyond.”

In Spring 2022, Tribunals Ontario Portal will be enhanced to include more online application forms and additional features such as self-scheduling for the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Over the next three years, the Tribunals Ontario Portal will be expanded to more tribunals, boards and commissions, helping to standardize many aspects of case management and reporting and ensure a consistent user experience for all those who access Tribunals Ontario’s services.

Tribunals Ontario Portal and the recently launched Navigate Tribunals Ontario are two user-focused digital tools that will help provide timely, efficient, and accessible information and dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

More information

• Backgrounder: Landlord and Tenant Board Implementing Tribunals Ontario Portal
• L1, L2, T2 and T6 applications can be filed on the portal.
• On July 2, 2021, Tribunals Ontario launched Navigate Tribunals Ontario. Navigate Tribunals Ontario provides landlords and tenants tailored information about their rights and responsibilities and the rules and processes at the Landlord and Tenant Board. Like the portal, Navigate Tribunals Ontario will be expanded to more tribunals over the next three years.
• In March 2021, the Ministry of the Attorney General announced its investment in Navigate Tribunals Ontario and the Tribunals Ontario Portal as part of its Justice Accelerated Strategy.
• In March 2020, Tribunals Ontario accelerated its digital first strategy in response to the pandemic. Parties are benefitting from the convenience of hearings by video and phone, communication by email, online fee payment, electronic filing of applications and online forms.
• Landlords and tenants can continue to call the LTB toll-free at 1-888-332-3234 or by using TTY for the hearing impaired at 1-800-855-0511.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Subscribe to Tribunals Ontario’s Latest News.

As part of our commitment to access to justice, Tribunals Ontario is expanding access terminals to all of our constituent tribunals.

Starting November 25, any party appearing before our tribunals who does not have access to a telephone, computer and/or the internet may be accommodated in the Toronto, Hamilton, London and Ottawa hearing centres to participate in their virtual hearings.

Parties who have received a Notice of Hearing can contact the tribunal to make a request for access to the terminals at any of these hearing centres. Each request will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and the tribunal will respond to the parties with its decision to grant or deny the request. If the request is granted, the parties using the terminal will participate in their hearing electronically.

“Tribunals Ontario recognizes that some individuals experience barriers accessing technology. That’s why we are moving forward on our promise by providing terminals to all our tribunal parties. This commitment ensures everyone can fully access their hearings and our services,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.

Tribunals Ontario is dedicated to safeguarding the health and well-being of staff, and Ontarians, and has implemented safety protocols and enhanced cleaning at all four locations. Everyone entering a hearing centre will be required to complete an on-site COVID-19 screening assessment before entry and must adhere to all safety measures inside the hearing centre including wearing a face covering. Individuals who are deemed inadmissible through the screening assessment will not be permitted entry.

Access terminals have been available for parties appearing before the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) since earlier this year. The first terminals were launched in Toronto on February 1, 2021 and were expanded to LTB hearing centers in Hamilton, London and Ottawa on June 21, 2021.

Quick Facts:

• Access terminal hearing centres:
  • Hamilton: 119 King Street West
  • London: 150 Dufferin Avenue, Suite 400
  • Ottawa: 255 Albert Street, 4th Floor
  • Toronto: 15 Grosvenor St.
• A party can bring two additional individuals into the hearing centre for the proceeding. If the party requires further support, they should ask the tribunal before the hearing; such requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• Tribunals Ontario staff provide supports at the hearing centres to assist with basic technology issues or questions.
• Everyone entering the hearing centre must complete a COVID-19 screening assessment and wear a face covering inside.
• The Tribunals Ontario Practice Direction on Hearing Formats outlines Tribunals Ontario’s approach to determining the format of the hearing that will be held and how a party can request a different format.
• All selected hearing centres have undergone site assessments and all recommended safety measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of staff and tribunal participants.

Learn More:

Tribunals Ontario Accessibility and Accommodation Policy

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Subscribe to Tribunals Ontario’s Latest News.

Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario issued the following leadership announcement:

“Karen Restoule has advised me of her intent to resign as Alternate Executive Chair, and Associate Chair of the Landlord and Tenant Board, Child And Family Services Review Board, Custody Review Board, and Ontario Special Education Tribunals. Her last day will be January 12, 2022.

Over several years, Karen has made a significant contribution to Ontario’s adjudicative tribunals. She has led an ambitious agenda of transforming tribunals to be inclusive, accessible, and modern. She had a pivotal role in supporting our response to the pandemic and ensuring access to justice during a challenging time.

Karen’s departure will leave several significant positions to be filled in the leadership of Tribunals Ontario, particularly as Karen was just re-appointed in October as the Associate Chair of the Landlord and Tenant Board for a five-year term.

On behalf of Tribunals Ontario, I want to congratulate and thank Karen for her outstanding contributions to public service and wishing her the very best in the future.

Karen will continue her duties until her departure. The position for Associate Chair will be posted immediately on Public Appointments Secretariat.”

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Subscribe to Tribunals Ontario’s Latest News.

Tribunals Ontario is launching Navigate Tribunals Ontario, an online tool that will empower users with tailored information about their rights and responsibilities and the rules and processes at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).

“Navigate Tribunals Ontario is an example of how we are putting users first as we expand our digital services to improve access to justice,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.

The innovative new digital solution is a part of the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Justice Accelerated Strategy, which is speeding up access to justice and moving more services online. The online tool makes it easy and convenient to access information about the Residential Tenancies Act and LTB rules and processes.

Features include:

• A series of questions guides users along pathways tailored to their situation.
• Info-sheets and summary reports, which include next steps and links to relevant resources, can be printed, emailed or downloaded at any time.
• A unique access code gives users the option to exit the navigation and come back later to pick up where they left off.
• No requirement to log in or provide personal details.

“Most tenants and small landlords are not legal experts,” said Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario. “Navigate Tribunals Ontario offers users clear, plain language information and options to help manage their dispute.”

“The new and innovative Navigate Tribunals Ontario is a great example of the breakthroughs we are achieving for the people of Ontario through the Justice Accelerated strategy which is focusing on building a more accessible, responsive and resilient justice system” said Attorney General Doug Downey. “This groundbreaking digital solution will better meet the expectations of people looking to resolve disputes at the Landlord and Tenant Board and other tribunals across the province.”

Enhancements to Navigate Tribunals Ontario planned for later this summer include new pathways with information about co-operative housing evictions, and care home and mobile home tenancies.

Later this year, Tribunals Ontario will launch a new case management system – the Tribunals Ontario Portal. Once launched, LTB parties will be able to file applications and upload documents on the Tribunals Ontario Portal and log in to view their case file. They will also have the opportunity to work with other parties to resolve their dispute, or request help from an LTB mediator, all online.

Over the next three years, Navigate Tribunals Ontario and the Tribunals Ontario Portal will be expanded to more tribunals, boards and commissions.

Navigate Tribunals Ontario and the Tribunals Ontario Portal are two user-focused digital tools that will help provide timely, efficient and accessible dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

More Information:

• In March 2021, the Ministry of the Attorney General announced its investment in Navigate Tribunals Ontario and the Tribunals Ontario Portal as part of its Justice Accelerated Strategy.
• Landlords and tenants can continue to call the LTB toll-free at 1-888-332-3234 or by using TTY for the hearing impaired at 1-800-855-0511.
• In March 2020, Tribunals Ontario accelerated its digital first strategy in response to the pandemic. Parties are benefitting from the convenience of hearings by video and phone, communication by email, online fee payment, electronic filing of applications and online forms.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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As part of Tribunals Ontario’s commitment to access to justice, the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) is expanding access terminals to three more hearing centres in Ontario.

Starting June 21, LTB parties who do not have access to a telephone, computer and/or the internet may be accommodated in the Hamilton, London and Ottawa hearing centres to participate in their virtual hearings. Access terminals opened at the Toronto hearing centre on February 1, 2021.

Parties who have received a Notice of Hearing can contact the LTB to make a request for access to the terminals at any of these hearing centres. The LTB will evaluate each request on a case-by-case basis and respond to the parties with its decision to grant or deny the request. If the request is granted, the parties using the terminal will participate in their hearing electronically.

“Access to justice includes access to technology. We remain committed to supporting LTB parties who do not have the necessary technology to participate in their proceedings by expanding access terminals across the province”, said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.

Tribunals Ontario is also actively working towards introducing these terminals to additional tribunals in the Fall of 2021.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of staff, and Ontarians, and has implemented safety protocols and enhanced cleaning at the Hamilton, London and Ottawa hearing centres. Everyone entering a hearing centre will be required to complete an on-site COVID-19 screening assessment before entry and must adhere to all safety measures inside the hearing centre. Individuals who are deemed inadmissible through the screening assessment will not be permitted entry. Front-line counter services remain closed until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments and will update our practices and procedures based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health, and public health officials.

Quick Facts:

• Access terminal hearing centres:
  • Hamilton: 119 King Street West, 6th Floor
  • London: 150 Dufferin Avenue, Suite 400
  • Ottawa: 255 Albert Street, 4th Floor
  • Toronto: 15 Grosvenor St
• A party can bring two additional individuals into the hearing centre for the proceeding. If the party requires further support, they should ask the LTB before the hearing; such requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• Everyone entering the hearing centre must complete a COVID-19 screening assessment and wear a face covering inside.
• The Tribunals Ontario Updated Practice Direction on Hearing Formats outlines Tribunals Ontario’s approach to determining the format of the hearing that will be held and how a party can request a different format.
• All selected hearing centres have undergone site assessments and all recommended safety measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of staff and tribunal participants.

  Learn More:

  • Tribunals Ontario Accessibility and Accommodation Policy
  • Tribunals Ontario Updated Practice Direction on Hearing Formats

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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Tribunals Ontario is implementing the Zoom videoconference platform to conduct tribunal and board video proceedings.

“Over the past year, we have held video proceedings to provide access to justice while ensuring the safety of parties, staff and adjudicators. This change to Zoom is another step forward to modernize our organization,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair at Tribunals Ontario. “The transition to Zoom will be done in a phased manner to ensure it is smooth and does not create disruption to services.”

Tribunals Ontario launched Zoom as a pilot at the Landlord and Tenant Board in March 2021 in response to feedback from parties and stakeholders for a more user-friendly platform. The tools and functionality in Zoom will create a better experience for those who access our services.

In April 2021, the Ontario Civilian Police Commission and the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario used Zoom to conduct some proceedings. All Tribunals Ontario tribunals and boards will transition to Zoom by fall 2021.

Tribunals Ontario is undertaking this initiative to ensure that its virtual hearings are accessible, user friendly and leverage best-in-class technology that meets user needs and expectations.

Quick Facts

• In March 2021, the Landlord and Tenant Board demonstrated the functionalities of Zoom with Legal Aid Ontario’s tenant duty counsel program for feedback and input to ensure that tenant duty counsel could continue to provide services in the new platform.
• Tribunals Ontario has created guidelines for users on how to use Zoom during a hearing.
• Tribunals and boards will continue using Microsoft Teams along with Zoom for some of its proceedings until fall 2021.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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Sean Weir, Executive Chair and Harry Gousopoulos, Executive Director of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement about the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Justice Accelerated Strategy:

“Tribunals Ontario welcomes the investment from the government for this important project as part of its Justice Accelerated strategy. The case management solution will make our operations more efficient and offer a vastly improved experience for our users. It will form the backbone of our digital-first strategy for years to come.

Last year, when the pandemic started, Tribunals Ontario immediately pivoted to deliver services remotely to ensure access to justice with minimal service delays. Hearings by video, phone, and in writing; communication with parties by email, online fee payment, electronic filing of applications and online forms became more important than ever before.

The new system will enhance our digital-first approach by offering many of these features on a single platform. Parties will be able to file their documents and view case file information online. In addition, the system will help with early resolution of disputes through a self-serve, Q&A-style information portal, and a dispute resolution platform where parties can work together to resolve disputes on their own or with the help of a mediator.

The Landlord and Tenant Board will be the first of our boards and tribunals to transition to this new platform. Our team is hard at work and we look forward to launching this new solution this coming summer.

As we work to implement the digital case management solution we want to reiterate our commitment to ensuring access to justice while modernizing and innovating Tribunals Ontario services. We are guided, as always, by our mission to deliver fair, effective, timely and accessible dispute resolution.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario, issued the following statement on the Associate Chair appointment to the Assessment Review Board:

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ken Bednarek as Associate Chair to the Assessment Review Board (ARB), effective January 21, 2021.

Ken has over 30 years of experience in both private as well as federal and provincial public sectors. He has dedicated the last twenty years to public service in a range of positions including but not limited to counsel, litigation advisor, policy director and chief of staff across various agencies. In these capacities Ken gained significant experience with complex tax cases. Over the course of his career, Ken has demonstrated extensive knowledge in all areas of law, including administrative and public law, to navigate high-pressure, high-profile and challenging portfolios. In addition, his in-depth involvement with and practical knowledge of government decision-making procedures, operations and policies provide Ken with a unique perspective and ability to apply strategic leadership skills which will drive performance and offer steady guidance to the ARB.

I congratulate Ken on his appointment and have no doubt that he will bring his wealth of knowledge and experience to this role while also making significant contributions to the senior leadership team.”

For a list of Tribunals Ontario appointments, please visit the Public Appointments Secretariat.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

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Tribunals Ontario is pleased to announce Harry Gousopoulos as the new Executive Director and the appointment of Sean Weir to a two-year term as Executive Chair.

Harry Gousopoulos was previously the Director of Corporate Affairs and Governance with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, where he was responsible for government/ministry relations, Board governance and leading the agency’s Corporate Social Responsibility program, among other things.

“We are very excited to have Harry on board,” said Executive Chair, Sean Weir. “We are looking forward to working with him as Tribunals Ontario continues to modernize and improve service delivery for the people who access our services.”

Harry also has in-depth experience in the tribunal sector and brings over twenty years of legal, strategy and policy experience to the role, and a proven ability to lead large, multi-disciplinary teams, cultivate stakeholder relationships and drive change.

Since Sean’s appointment for a six-month term in June 2020, he has led the organization’s digital transformation and worked to enhance the quality of dispute resolution services for people who access services at Tribunals Ontario.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The updated Practice Direction is part of Tribunals Ontario’s digital transformation to enhance the quality of dispute resolution services while meeting the diverse needs of Ontarians. The digital-first approach will continue even when the pandemic is over.

“Our approach to digital first is to create more convenient, accessible and timely access to justice but it’s not digital only. We are ensuring people who need a different hearing format are supported when they need it.” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair at Tribunals Ontario.

Matters will be scheduled for video, telephone or written proceedings unless a different format is required as an accommodation for an Ontario Human Rights Code-related need, or unless a party can establish that the specified hearing format will result in an unfair hearing.

All Tribunals Ontario’s hearing centres are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, a party can contact the tribunal to make a request for an in-person proceeding. The tribunal will determine whether the matter will proceed in a different hearing format or whether it will proceed as an in-person proceeding. Tribunals Ontario will schedule limited in-person events when we are able to do so safely.

When in-person proceedings are available, Tribunals Ontario’s hearing centres will adhere to strict health and safety measures to protect staff, adjudicators and Ontarians. More details about safety protocols at hearing centres will be provided later this winter.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

Learn More:

• Tribunals Ontario Practice Directions
• Accessibility and Accommodation Policy

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Tribunals Ontario
15 Grosvenor Street, Ground Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2G6

This new mailing address is the next step in consolidating Tribunals Ontario’s services, while continuing to provide effective dispute resolution services and access to justice for the people of Ontario.

The Landlord and Tenant Board will continue to use their regional offices for mail and courier deliveries in addition to the primary address.

Quick Facts:

• The new mailing address can be used for Canada Post mail and courier deliveries.
• The new address is posted on the Tribunals Ontario contact page.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca
416-326-5418

To protect the health and safety of Ontarians and increase access to justice, Tribunals Ontario is:

• Conducting video, telephone, and written hearings where feasible;
• Enhancing the website to serve as one-window into all boards and tribunals;
• Encouraging Ontarians to use email if possible, to communicate with the tribunals;
• Developing an online payment portal to enable clients to make payments more easily; and
• Providing access to online services such as electronic filing of applications and documents to deliver efficient and effective services.

“It’s important that the services we provide are accessible, efficient and effectively meet the needs of the thousands of people who access our tribunals,” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair at Tribunals Ontario. “That’s why we are prioritizing our digital transformation and continuing to innovate and modernize our services.”

Tribunals Ontario is also working to safely accommodate limited in-person proceedings later this fall. Accommodation requests and very complex matters may be scheduled for in-person proceedings on a case-by-case basis. These proceedings will adhere to strict health and safety measures to protect staff, adjudicators and Ontarians.

Three hearing centres have undergone site assessments conducted by the Public Services Health and Safety Association to identify existing safety measures that are already in place as well as those that should be implemented to ensure the safety of staff, adjudicators and tribunal participants. These include the installation of plexiglass barriers, posting of signage to indicate physical distancing requirements and maximum capacity limits, floor markings, etc. More details about safety protocols at each location will be provided later this fall. Front counter services will remain closed at all locations until further notice.

“While we continue to implement a digital-first approach, we will ensure people have access to justice when they need accommodation, and our top priority will be to protect the health and safety of staff, adjudicators and Ontarians.” said Sean Weir.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments and will update our practices and procedures based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health, and public health officials.

Quick Facts
The following locations will prepare for limited in-person proceedings this fall:

• 15 Grosvenor Street, Toronto, Ontario
• 150 Dufferin Avenue, Suite 400, London, Ontario
• 255 Albert Street, 4th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

“I am pleased to announce the following two Associate Chair appointments to Tribunals Ontario.

The appointment of Stacey Ferguson as Associate Chair of the Social Benefits Tribunal (SBT), effective June 18, 2020.

A long-time public servant and leader in social services, Ms. Ferguson’s extensive municipal career has spanned across three diverse municipalities: City of Toronto, Region of Durham and City of Cornwall. Ms. Ferguson’s active contributions to her community have involved interacting with and providing support to vulnerable individuals. Through community contributions and her current and previous roles, Ms. Ferguson is acutely aware of current key social services issues, trends and challenges. Her wealth of knowledge and leadership experience in social welfare will serve to strengthen leadership to the SBT.

The appointment of Tamara Kronis as Associate Chair of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO), effective July 30, 2020.

Ms. Kronis is an experienced lawyer who has worked in both the private and public sectors and has also volunteered significant amounts of time to making meaningful contributions to important human rights initiatives. Her diverse professional background has provided her with unique insight into the area of human rights and respect for diversity. In particular, she played an instrumental role in the Canada-wide campaign to ensure passage of the federal equal marriage legislation. Her dedication to public service, deep appreciation for justice and fairness, and knowledge of justice administration will serve to enhance the high standards already established at the HRTO.

Both Associate Chairs bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to Tribunals Ontario. I look forward to working closely together with Stacey and Tamara to make Tribunals Ontario one of the leading Tribunal systems in North America.”

For a full list of Tribunals Ontario appointments, please visit the Public Appointments Secretariat at www.pas.gov.on.ca.

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The ARB, LTB and LAT fees are increasing by six per cent. These fees are still structured so that services are reasonable and accessible. Under LPAT’s new fee model, different filing fees will be charged based on tribunal time and resources required to resolve different types of appeals.

The new fees are listed below.

Assessment Review Board

The new residential fee is $132.50 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.

The new non-residential fee is $318.00 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.

Landlord and Tenant Board

Most LTB application fees are increasing by six per cent.

Fees for items such as copies of documents, hearing recordings, orders, and Rules and Guidelines are not increasing. Tenant application fee for additional units is not increasing.

The LTB will continue to provide fee waivers to low-income clients to enable access to justice.

LTB fees effective July 1, 2020.

Licence Appeal Tribunal

The new LAT application fee is $106.00.

Local Planning Appeal Tribunal

The filling fees will depend on the type of appeal being made. LPAT may reduce fees for eligible private citizens and community groups. Fees for appeals that are $1,100 can be reduced to $400 when requested by those who are eligible at the time of the filing.

The new fees are listed below.

The ARB, LTB, LAT and LPAT are committed to delivering dispute resolution services in a fair, and efficient manner.

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The new organization will include the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, Environmental Review Tribunal, Board of Negotiation, Conservation Review Board and the Mining and Lands Tribunal.

The Ontario Land Tribunals will adjudicate and mediate matters related to land use planning, environmental and heritage protection, expropriated land valuation, mining and other matters. Ontario Land Tribunals will focus on land-related dispute resolution to help increase the housing supply in the province, while balancing the needs of environmental protection and conservation. Tribunals Ontario will focus on dispute resolution for 14 tribunals in the social, property assessment, safety and licensing sectors.

Attorney General Doug Downey has appointed Marie Hubbard as the Executive Chair of the Ontario Land Tribunals commencing on July 1, 2020. As the former Associate Chair of the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, Ms. Hubbard successfully reduced the backlog of Ontario Municipal Board legacy cases waiting to be heard by 38 per cent.

Tribunals Ontario will work with the province to support the implementation and transition to the new Ontario Land Tribunals. Applications and appeals currently with the OLT will continue to be processed.

Tribunals Ontario and the Ontario Land Tribunals are committed to delivering dispute resolution services in a fair, and efficient manner.

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Sean has an extensive legal background, as well as experience with strategic, operational and governance management, planning and delivery. He was the Chief Executive Officer and National Managing Partner of Borden Ladner Gervais.

In his legal practice, Sean advised financial institutions, corporations and major pension funds. Active in his community, Sean has served as an elected Councillor of the Town of Oakville, a director of the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital and a director and Chair of Oakville Hydro. Sean was named a “Diversity Champion” by Women of Influence Magazine, received the Lexpert Zenith Managing Partner Award for Corporate Social Responsibility, and was listed in the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada.

“I am honoured to serve as the new Executive Chair at Tribunals Ontario and look forward to working with our adjudicators and staff to develop more modern and user-focused dispute resolution services for the thousands of people who access our tribunals.”

– Sean Weir, Executive Chair, Tribunals Ontario

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The six per cent application fee increases for the ARB, LTB and LAT, which were scheduled to increase on April 1, 2020, will be deferred to July 1, 2020.

Tribunals Ontario is continuing to monitor COVID-19 developments and will inform Ontarians and stakeholders of any further operational changes.

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Effective today, Tribunals Ontario is implementing a new policy to postpone in-person hearings and reschedule to a later date. Where feasible, alternative hearing options such as written and telephone hearings will be considered to minimize disruption to hearings across the organization. In addition, all front-line counter services will be closed as of Monday March 16 until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to provide accommodation for people who have needs related to any of the grounds listed in the Human Rights Code.

Impacted individuals with upcoming hearing dates will be notified by staff via email to make the necessary arrangements. Parties should contact their tribunal or board for more information on the new policy.

In addition, we are requesting Ontarians to not attend to any tribunal or board location in-person if they have been advised by Public Health, their doctor or the Ministry of Health website to self-isolate due to possible exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Tribunals Ontario is monitoring COVID-19 developments and will update our policy based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials to protect Ontarians.

Tribunal and board contact information is listed on our website:

• Animal Care Review Board
• Assessment Review Board
• Board of Negotiation
• Child and Family Services Review Board
• Conservation Review Board
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
• Custody Review Board
• Environmental Review Tribunal
• Fire Safety Commission
• Human Rights Tribunals of Ontario
• Landlord and Tenant Board
• Licence Appeal Tribunal
• Local Planning Appeal Tribunal
• Mining and Lands Tribunal
• Ontario Civilian Police Commission
• Ontario Parole Board
• Ontario Special Education Tribunals
• Social Benefits Tribunal

For general inquiries, please email TO-TDO@ontario.ca

MEDIA CONTACT
Sarah Copeland
Communications Branch
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Background
Tribunals Ontario is committed to an active offer of French language services, and to ensure that French language services are clearly visible, readily available, easily accessible, publicized, and of equivalent quality to services offered in English. As part of the implementation of the policy, all Tribunals Ontario staff and adjudicators had the opportunity to attend training sessions and were required to read the policy to understand their role in delivering French language services.

Over the last number of months, we have met with stakeholders to develop a policy that would:

• Ensure compliance with the provisions of the French Language Services Act in guaranteeing the right to receive services in French;
• Inform the public how Tribunals Ontario provides French language services;
• Reflect Tribunals Ontario’s commitment to the provision of French Language Services and to establish the organization as a leader in the administrative justice sector.

We would like to thank our stakeholders for the valuable input we received and your partnership in the development of this important policy. We look forward to continuing to serve Franco-Ontarians.

Read the Tribunals Ontario French Language Services Policy.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to delivering administrative justice in a fair, independent and timely manner. As part of this commitment, Tribunals Ontario ensures openness and transparency in its proceedings, including public access to hearings, decisions and records. Our new policy confirms this commitment.

In a proceeding before our boards and tribunals, sensitive personal information, including names, contact information, medical, financial, employment, and educational information can become public. Documents that parties submit, including any tribunal forms, evidence or legal arguments submitted for a hearing can also become public. These things can become public in an open hearing, in decisions or orders or in response to a request, unless an order to restrict access is made.

Tribunals Ontario’s approach of openness aligns with the courts’ approach that hearings are presumed to be open to the public.

It is also important to note that while openness is the rule at most of Tribunals Ontario’s boards and tribunals, access to hearings and records may be restricted by a statutory provision or for other legal reasons.

Background Information

• In response to a challenge by the Toronto Star, the Superior Court recently clarified that the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act improperly restricted access to adjudicative records.
• The Court confirmed that the open courts principle applies to boards and tribunals providing broad rights of public access in most cases.
• Access the Superior Court decision.
• To make a request for records, fill out the Request for Records form

Tribunals Ontario will combine the 19 tribunals that currently fall under the Ministry of the Attorney General’s three tribunal clusters: Environment and Land Tribunals Ontario, Social Justice Tribunals Ontario and Safety, Licensing Appeals and Standards Tribunals Ontario.

For more details, please view the government’s announcement.

At this time, all applications and appeals will continue in the normal course. More information will follow.

The inventory lists all SJTO datasets and identifies whether each dataset is open, under review or restricted under Ontario’s Open Data Directive.

Ontario’s Open Data Directive requires every provincial agency to publish a list of datasets they create, collect or manage. The goal of the directive is to improve transparency and accountability.

See SJTO’s data inventory.

On September 9, 2015, Beverly Moore was appointed as an Alternate Executive Chair for SJTO. The role of the alternate executive chair is to act in the place of the executive chair if they are unable to act or if the position is vacant. Beverly has over 20 years of experience in the administrative justice sector, many of those in a leadership position.

On September 1, 2015, Kim Bugby became Acting Associate Chair for the LTB. Kim was designated as LTB’s Coordinating Vice Chair in October 2013 and since that time has skillfully led the LTB through a period of significant transition. We will be posting and running a competition to fill the associate chair position on a permanent basis this fall.

The new site has a common look and structure for five of the SJTO tribunals: the Custody Review Board, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Ontario Special Education Tribunals (English and French), and the Social Benefits Tribunal.

The Child and Family Services Review Board content will launch on May 1 and the Landlord and Tenant Board will be integrated on June 30. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) joined SJTO on April 1. We hope to have their content on the SJTO website by fall.

We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but we know there is always room for improvement. We hope you’ll take some time to browse the new site and send us an email at sjtoinfo@ontario.ca to let us know what you think.

MAG posted the bulletin “Ontario Expands Social Justice Tribunals Ontario” to announce the change.

As an SJTO tribunal, CICB will benefit from the resources and expertise of a large and well-respected tribunal organization, while maintaining its adjudicative independence. The CICB is a good fit for SJTO. SJTO tribunals have experience dealing with people who are unrepresented, live in poverty or come from marginalized communities.

The mandate of the CICB will not change under the SJTO umbrella. As it always has, the CICB will continue to make expert, independent decisions about applications for victims’ compensation.

The mission of all SJTO tribunals is to provide fair and accessible dispute resolution. In recent years, the CICB has significantly improved client service and reduced claims processing times. These are accomplishments that the CICB will continue to build on within SJTO.

If you have any questions or concerns about this change, please get in touch with us. You can reach us by email at sjtoinfo@ontario.ca

Michael Gottheil, Executive Chair, Social Justice Tribunals Ontario
Maria Tassou, Acting Chair, Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

Effective today, Tribunals Ontario is implementing a new policy to postpone in-person hearings and reschedule to a later date. Where feasible, alternative hearing options such as written and telephone hearings will be considered to minimize disruption to hearings across the organization. In addition, all front-line counter services will be closed as of Monday March 16 until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to provide accommodation for people who have needs related to any of the grounds listed in the Human Rights Code.

Impacted individuals with upcoming hearing dates will be notified by staff via email to make the necessary arrangements. Parties should contact their tribunal or board for more information on the new policy.

In addition, we are requesting Ontarians to not attend to any tribunal or board location in-person if they have been advised by Public Health, their doctor or the Ministry of Health website to self-isolate due to possible exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Tribunals Ontario is monitoring COVID-19 developments and will update our policy based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials to protect Ontarians.

Tribunal and board contact information is listed on our website:

• Animal Care Review Board
• Assessment Review Board
• Board of Negotiation
• Child and Family Services Review Board
• Conservation Review Board
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
• Custody Review Board
• Environmental Review Tribunal
• Fire Safety Commission
• Human Rights Tribunals of Ontario
• Landlord and Tenant Board
• Licence Appeal Tribunal
• Local Planning Appeal Tribunal
• Mining and Lands Tribunal
• Ontario Civilian Police Commission
• Ontario Parole Board
• Ontario Special Education Tribunals
• Social Benefits Tribunal

For general inquiries, please email TO-TDO@ontario.ca

MEDIA CONTACT
Sarah Copeland
Communications Branch
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

As a result of changes to the Assessment Review Board’s operations due to COVID-19, the following are answers to frequently asked questions.

Will the Board accept section 40 appeals for the 2020 taxation year after May 29, 2020 since the Provincial Emergency Management Order was extended?

No, the Board will not accept section 40 appeals after May 29, 2020. The Board has accepted appeals filed between April 1, 2020 and May 29, 2020.

Where 2020 deemed appeals remain open due to issues that are specific to 2020, that could not have been addressed during the schedule of events for the prior taxation years, will a new commencement date be set with a corresponding new scheduled of events?

The Board suspended schedules of events from March 16 to May 29, 2020.  As posted on the Board’s website, the suspension of the schedule of events was lifted effective June 1, 2020.

The Board’s practice has been that any deemed appeals will be added to the existing schedule of events. It is the expectation of the Board that the complete property and all the appeals including deemed appeals are managed through this process.

Will the Board send or post an updated Schedule of Events?

The Board has posted the updated master appeals lists lists for all active appeals, which provide notice of the updated schedule of events.

Will appeals with commencement dates between March 16, 2020 and May 31, 2020 receive new commencement dates?

Yes, any appeals that had a commencement date that began as of April or May 2020, will be re-adjusted as of June 1, 2020.

Will the Board grant Schedule of Events extensions if parties cannot complete a step due to COVID-19 related issues such as, business shutdowns, staffing shortages, inability to inspect a closed property, or similar?

A party must file an Expedited Board Directions Form if seeking an extension. Requests to extend a timeline(s) in the Schedule of Events will be considered on a case by case basis.

Will the Board hear motions, settlement conferences, or other hearing events via video conference? If so, how can a video conference hearing be requested?

All hearing events will be conducted either in writing, by telephone, by videoconference or a combination thereof. If you would prefer a video conference for your hearing, settlement conference, and/or motion, you can request it through our Mandatory Meeting form , or by submitting a request to the Registrar at ARB.Registrar@ontario.ca.

Will the Board accept affidavits that are not signed or commissioned if the affiant and commissioner are unable to meet due to COVID-19 related issues such as physical distancing, closure of physical offices, quarantining, or similar challenges?

No. The Law Society of Ontario has provided guidance for the virtual commissioning of documents during COVID-19. All affidavits must be commissioned to be accepted as an affidavit. Please see the Law Society of Ontario’s document, Best Practices for Virtual Commissioning during COVID-19.

Will the Board continue to hear Section 53 production motions considering that many third-party property owners, who are entitled to notice, may not be receiving mail or other forms of service due to COVID-19?  If not, what would trigger a resumption in the Board’s established Section 53 production procedure?

The Board will consider any production motions on a case by case basis and if a matter is not heard, the Board will provide directions, again on a case by case basis.

Are hearing events set for June 2020 proceeding as scheduled, or have they been adjourned with new dates to be provided?

Telephone hearings and written hearings will continue as scheduled. All in-person hearings were converted to telephone hearings or were rescheduled. The Board’s ongoing expectation is that hearings will continue.

What measures is the Board implementing to ensure that all parties are protected from COVID-19 while preparing for, and conducting, hearings?

The Board has converted all hearings to be conducted in writing, by telephone, by video conference or a combination thereof. At this time there are no in-person hearings.

Please continue to visit the Board website for updates or contact the Registrar at ARB.Registrar@Ontario.ca.

The ARB, LTB and LAT fees are increasing by six per cent. These fees are still structured so that services are reasonable and accessible. Under LPAT’s new fee model, different filing fees will be charged based on tribunal time and resources required to resolve different types of appeals.

The new fees are listed below.

Assessment Review Board

The new residential fee is $132.50 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.

The new non-residential fee is $318.00 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.

Landlord and Tenant Board

Most LTB application fees are increasing by six per cent.

Fees for items such as copies of documents, hearing recordings, orders, and Rules and Guidelines are not increasing. Tenant application fee for additional units is not increasing.

The LTB will continue to provide fee waivers to low-income clients to enable access to justice.

LTB fees effective July 1, 2020.

Licence Appeal Tribunal

The new LAT application fee is $106.00.

Local Planning Appeal Tribunal

The filling fees will depend on the type of appeal being made. LPAT may reduce fees for eligible private citizens and community groups. Fees for appeals that are $1,100 can be reduced to $400 when requested by those who are eligible at the time of the filing.

The new fees are listed below.

The ARB, LTB, LAT and LPAT are committed to delivering dispute resolution services in a fair, and efficient manner.

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Appeal Deadline:
The deadline to file assessment appeals was March 31, 2020. If you were unable to meet the March 31 deadline, you are permitted to file your appeal by May 29, 2020.

Schedule of Events – Suspension Lifted:
Effective June 1, 2020, the suspension of timelines associated with the Schedule of Events (SOE) will be lifted and parties are expected to resume compliance with all timelines set out in their SOE. If parties have worked throughout the suspension and are prepared to proceed on an expedited timeline they are encouraged to submit a Expedited Board Directions Form.

In response to COVID-19, our in-person service counters are closed until further notice. Contact the office by email at ARB.Registrar@ontario.ca or call (416) 212-6349 or toll free 1 (866) 448-2248 only. For TTY relay service, dial 1 (800) 855-1155.

MEDIA CONTACT
Sarah Copeland
Communications Branch
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

(PDF)

The six per cent application fee increases for the ARB, LTB and LAT, which were scheduled to increase on April 1, 2020, will be deferred to July 1, 2020.

Tribunals Ontario is continuing to monitor COVID-19 developments and will inform Ontarians and stakeholders of any further operational changes.

MEDIA CONTACT
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

(PDF)

Effective today, Tribunals Ontario is implementing a new policy to postpone in-person hearings and reschedule to a later date. Where feasible, alternative hearing options such as written and telephone hearings will be considered to minimize disruption to hearings across the organization. In addition, all front-line counter services will be closed as of Monday March 16 until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to provide accommodation for people who have needs related to any of the grounds listed in the Human Rights Code.

Impacted individuals with upcoming hearing dates will be notified by staff via email to make the necessary arrangements. Parties should contact their tribunal or board for more information on the new policy.

In addition, we are requesting Ontarians to not attend to any tribunal or board location in-person if they have been advised by Public Health, their doctor or the Ministry of Health website to self-isolate due to possible exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Tribunals Ontario is monitoring COVID-19 developments and will update our policy based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials to protect Ontarians.

Tribunal and board contact information is listed on our website:

• Animal Care Review Board
• Assessment Review Board
• Board of Negotiation
• Child and Family Services Review Board
• Conservation Review Board
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
• Custody Review Board
• Environmental Review Tribunal
• Fire Safety Commission
• Human Rights Tribunals of Ontario
• Landlord and Tenant Board
• Licence Appeal Tribunal
• Local Planning Appeal Tribunal
• Mining and Lands Tribunal
• Ontario Civilian Police Commission
• Ontario Parole Board
• Ontario Special Education Tribunals
• Social Benefits Tribunal

For general inquiries, please email TO-TDO@ontario.ca

MEDIA CONTACT
Sarah Copeland
Communications Branch
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The increase in fees is necessary to fulfil Tribunals Ontario’s commitment to offset the cost of providing fair, impartial, and high-quality adjudication to Ontarians who have disputes. The fees are still structured so that services are reasonable and accessible.

Please see the new fees listed below.

Assessment Review Board
The residential fee is increasing from $125.00 to $132.50 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.
The non-residential fee is increasing from $300.00 to $318.00 per appeal, regardless of taxation year.

Licence Appeal Tribunal
The application fee is increasing from $100.00 to $106.00.

Landlord and Tenant Board
Most application fees are increasing by six per cent. Please see the list below of new fees.
Fees for copies of documents, hearing recordings, tenant applications for additional units and Rules and Guidelines are not increasing.

The LTB will continue to provide fee waivers to low-income clients to ensure access to justice.

Application Fees for Landlords

Application Fees for Tenants

Application Fees for Co-ops

Media Contact

Sarah Copeland
Communications Advisor
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

The public is welcome to review the proposed changes  and email comments and suggestions to the ARB Registrar, with the subject line Comments on Proposed Rules Changes.

Feedback received between July 8, 2019 and August 2, 2019 will be considered by Tribunals Ontario before any Rule changes are implemented. Only feedback on the Rules with proposed changes will be considered by the ARB.

More information regarding the proposed changes please refer to the ‘Upcoming Changes Memo’ dated July 3, 2019 as well as the FAQ document.

Explanatory Note

Further to the Board’s memo dated July 3, 2019, please see below for clarification to changes at the Assessment Review Board.

Proposed Changes:

Any appeal from a previous cycle that does not have a current cycle appeal (2017-2020) will be set to a new expedited Schedule of Events timeline, even if the appeal has been assigned a Commencement Date.

Properties affected by this proposed change are in the General Stream. Any property appeal currently active will be removed from any existing Schedule of Events regardless where the appeal is in the Schedule and will have a new Commencement Date set with new timelines.  The Board is proposing an 18 week schedule up to the filing of evidence.  Following the Mandatory Meeting, a Case Conference (formerly called a Settlement Conference) will be scheduled and, if required, a hearing event held to resolve the appeals.

All appeals will be scheduled together regardless of whether the appeals were in the last cycle or earlier.  There are currently 646 properties, 1,829 appeals in the General stream that are affected by this proposal.

There will be an expedited process for dismissal of appeals for non-compliance with the Schedule of Events.

Currently on the Board’s website, there is a Request to Dismiss a General Proceedings form for non-compliance with Statement of Issues.  The Board is proposing that a request to dismiss an appeal can be filed with the Board at any time within the lifespan of an appeal.  This will include any non-compliance of the Schedule of Events including any non-compliance of the Rules of Practice.

The Board continues to expect the parties to work cooperatively if there are any adjustments to the timelines up to the Mandatory Meeting date.

Every appeal will be assigned a “hearing event month.” If a hearing becomes necessary, it will be scheduled to take place during this month.

All appeals that are currently active with the Board, and that have been assigned a Commencement Date, will have a “hearing month” assigned.  A “hearing month” will inform the parties what month the Board expects that a hearing, if required, would be scheduled. There will be no specific date provided, only the month that the hearing is anticipated to be held.  This month will be assigned 16to 24 weeks after the evidence due date in the Schedule of Events, unless there is a reason to schedule it earlier.

The Board expects that this proposal will assist the parties in organizing their appeal work by anticipating what window of time a hearing will be scheduled, if so required.

All hearing events before the Board will be scheduled as an electronic hearing unless there is prejudice as per section 5.2(2) of the Statutory Powers Procedure Act and the Board’s Rules.

In both the Summary and General Stream, Case Conferences and Hearings will be set to an electronic hearing format as a default effective as of the implementation date.  If there is a reason why the hearing should be held in-person, the Board will review any requests via the Expedited Board Direction form.  Motions will continue to be dealt with in writing.

Schedule of Events – General Stream Appeals will be reduced from 66-104 weeks to 40 weeks. This change will affect Commencement Dates on or after October 15, 2019.

As per the memo dated July 3, 2019, the Board is taking this opportunity to consider changes to our delivery model and enhance our effectiveness and efficiency.

Reducing the Schedule of Events timelines would still allow sufficient time to work on resolving the appeal and have settlement meetings if required.  The Board must ensure that all active appeals continue to be resolved, in a timely manner that is reasonable. The Board will continue to consider requests to extend time via Expedited Board Direction form.  Motions will continue to be dealt with in writing.

The Board continues to expect parties to work together to move towards resolution.

The terms “Mediation” and “Settlement Conference” will be replaced with the term “Case Conference” in the Board’s Rules.

All references in the Board’s Rules of Practice and Procedure and guidance documents will replace the term “Settlement Conference” with the term “Case Conference”.  This term is being used to make it more consistent with terms used in other tribunals and boards within Tribunals Ontario. There is no substantive or procedural change intended from this proposal.  As with Settlement Conferences, if the appeals are not resolved, a hearing event will be scheduled.

Schedule of Events – Summary Stream Appeals will be updated to allow for a staggered approach to disclosing issues, and the term “disclosure” will be changed to reflect “description of issues.”

The Board has maintained the original timing of 14 weeks for the Schedule of Events for the Summary Stream. However, upon the assignment of the Commencement Date, the person filing the appeal must provide a “description of the issues” to all parties immediately, and during weeks one to four, any party responding or disputing the description of issues will serve the response on all parties, before the filing of the mandatory meeting form.  The Board continues to expect parties to work together to move towards resolution.

Rule 18(d) will be amended to more specifically require that “grounds” for appealing to the Board are articulated.  This amendment not come into effect until the 2021-2024 cycle of appeals.

The Board will be amending its Rules to require the appellant to identify the grounds to file an appeal.  In short, the simple statement that an assessment is “too high” will be insufficient.  Instead, the appellant will be required to identify the reasons for the appeal such that other parties can have a fulsome understanding of the issues and why they are filing the appeal with the Board

A Practice Direction will be developed in advance of the 2021-2024 assessment cycle.

Proposed Changes:

Any appeal from a previous cycle that does not have a current cycle appeal (2017-2020) will be set to a new expedited Schedule of Events timeline, even if the appeal has been assigned a Commencement Date.

Properties affected by this proposed change are in the General Stream. Any property appeal currently active will be removed from any existing Schedule of Events regardless where the appeal is in the Schedule and will have a new Commencement Date set with new timelines.  The Board is proposing an 18 week schedule up to the filing of evidence.  Following the Mandatory Meeting, a Case Conference (formerly called a Settlement Conference) will be scheduled and, if required, a hearing event held to resolve the appeals.

All appeals will be scheduled together regardless of whether the appeals were in the last cycle or earlier.  There are currently 646 properties, 1,829 appeals in the General stream that are affected by this proposal.

There will be an expedited process for dismissal of appeals for non-compliance with the Schedule of Events.

Currently on the Board’s website, there is a Request to Dismiss a General Proceedings form for non-compliance with Statement of Issues.  The Board is proposing that a request to dismiss an appeal can be filed with the Board at any time within the lifespan of an appeal.  This will include any non-compliance of the Schedule of Events including any non-compliance of the Rules of Practice.

The Board continues to expect the parties to work cooperatively if there are any adjustments to the timelines up to the Mandatory Meeting date.

Every appeal will be assigned a “hearing event month.” If a hearing becomes necessary, it will be scheduled to take place during this month.

All appeals that are currently active with the Board, and that have been assigned a Commencement Date, will have a “hearing month” assigned.  A “hearing month” will inform the parties what month the Board expects that a hearing, if required, would be scheduled. There will be no specific date provided, only the month that the hearing is anticipated to be held.  This month will be assigned 16to 24 weeks after the evidence due date in the Schedule of Events, unless there is a reason to schedule it earlier.

The Board expects that this proposal will assist the parties in organizing their appeal work by anticipating what window of time a hearing will be scheduled, if so required.

All hearing events before the Board will be scheduled as an electronic hearing unless there is prejudice as per section 5.2(2) of the Statutory Powers Procedure Act and the Board’s Rules.

In both the Summary and General Stream, Case Conferences and Hearings will be set to an electronic hearing format as a default effective as of the implementation date.  If there is a reason why the hearing should be held in-person, the Board will review any requests via the Expedited Board Direction form.  Motions will continue to be dealt with in writing.

Schedule of Events – General Stream Appeals will be reduced from 66-104 weeks to 40 weeks. This change will affect Commencement Dates on or after October 15, 2019.

As per the memo dated July 3, 2019, the Board is taking this opportunity to consider changes to our delivery model and enhance our effectiveness and efficiency.

Reducing the Schedule of Events timelines would still allow sufficient time to work on resolving the appeal and have settlement meetings if required.  The Board must ensure that all active appeals continue to be resolved, in a timely manner that is reasonable. The Board will continue to consider requests to extend time via Expedited Board Direction form.  Motions will continue to be dealt with in writing.

The Board continues to expect parties to work together to move towards resolution.

The terms “Mediation” and “Settlement Conference” will be replaced with the term “Case Conference” in the Board’s Rules.

All references in the Board’s Rules of Practice and Procedure and guidance documents will replace the term “Settlement Conference” with the term “Case Conference”.  This term is being used to make it more consistent with terms used in other tribunals and boards within Tribunals Ontario. There is no substantive or procedural change intended from this proposal.  As with Settlement Conferences, if the appeals are not resolved, a hearing event will be scheduled.

Schedule of Events – Summary Stream Appeals will be updated to allow for a staggered approach to disclosing issues, and the term “disclosure” will be changed to reflect “description of issues.”

The Board has maintained the original timing of 14 weeks for the Schedule of Events for the Summary Stream. However, upon the assignment of the Commencement Date, the person filing the appeal must provide a “description of the issues” to all parties immediately, and during weeks one to four, any party responding or disputing the description of issues will serve the response on all parties, before the filing of the mandatory meeting form.  The Board continues to expect parties to work together to move towards resolution.

Rule 18(d) will be amended to more specifically require that “grounds” for appealing to the Board are articulated.  This amendment not come into effect until the 2021-2024 cycle of appeals.

The Board will be amending its Rules to require the appellant to identify the grounds to file an appeal.  In short, the simple statement that an assessment is “too high” will be insufficient.  Instead, the appellant will be required to identify the reasons for the appeal such that other parties can have a fulsome understanding of the issues and why they are filing the appeal with the Board

A Practice Direction will be developed in advance of the 2021-2024 assessment cycle.

Effective April 1, 2021, the Child and Family Services Review Board (CFSRB) has a new Practice Direction on Communicating with the board.

The CFSRB’s new practice direction aligns with Tribunals Ontario’s digital-first approach and provides guidance on the CFSRB’s expectations regarding communications. Some highlights of this new practice direction include:

• Where an applicant wishes to communicate by email with the CFSRB, consent must be provided in the appropriate field on CFSRB application forms.
• The CFSRB will send documents to the parties by email or fax. Where a party has chosen to correspond by mail, the CFSRB will communicate with the party by mail.
• A party who is represented must communicate with the CFSRB through their representative, and it is the representative’s responsibility to keep his or her client informed.

The CFSRB is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

Learn More:

Practice Direction on Communicating with CFSRB.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Subscribe to Tribunals Ontario’s Latest News.

Effective February 1, 2021, the Child and Family Services Review Board (CFSRB) has a new Practice Direction on Scheduling Pre-Hearing/Mediations and Hearings, Rescheduling Requests, and Adjournment Requests.

The practice direction outlines the CFSRB’s scheduling, rescheduling, and adjournment processes, and provides guidance about what the CFSRB expects of parties and in turn what parties can expect of the CFSRB.

A Pre-hearing/Mediation will take place on the date and time contained in the Notice of Pre-Hearing, unless the CFSRB agrees to change the date or time.

Hearing dates are usually set in consultation with the parties and adjournment requests will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to providing fair, effective and timely dispute resolution services to the people of Ontario.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Subscribe to Tribunals Ontario’s Latest News.

Effective today, Tribunals Ontario is implementing a new policy to postpone in-person hearings and reschedule to a later date. Where feasible, alternative hearing options such as written and telephone hearings will be considered to minimize disruption to hearings across the organization. In addition, all front-line counter services will be closed as of Monday March 16 until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to provide accommodation for people who have needs related to any of the grounds listed in the Human Rights Code.

Impacted individuals with upcoming hearing dates will be notified by staff via email to make the necessary arrangements. Parties should contact their tribunal or board for more information on the new policy.

In addition, we are requesting Ontarians to not attend to any tribunal or board location in-person if they have been advised by Public Health, their doctor or the Ministry of Health website to self-isolate due to possible exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Tribunals Ontario is monitoring COVID-19 developments and will update our policy based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials to protect Ontarians.

Tribunal and board contact information is listed on our website:

• Animal Care Review Board
• Assessment Review Board
• Board of Negotiation
• Child and Family Services Review Board
• Conservation Review Board
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
• Custody Review Board
• Environmental Review Tribunal
• Fire Safety Commission
• Human Rights Tribunals of Ontario
• Landlord and Tenant Board
• Licence Appeal Tribunal
• Local Planning Appeal Tribunal
• Mining and Lands Tribunal
• Ontario Civilian Police Commission
• Ontario Parole Board
• Ontario Special Education Tribunals
• Social Benefits Tribunal

For general inquiries, please email TO-TDO@ontario.ca

MEDIA CONTACT
Sarah Copeland
Communications Branch
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

As an accomplished lawyer and adjudicator, Jennifer brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to our organization. Some of her career highlights include operating a social justice law practice, serving as independent legal counsel to the Ontario Special Education (English) Tribunal and litigating human rights issues before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Quotes:
“Tribunals Ontario is committed to ensuring access to justice for children and youth and I know with Jennifer Scott’s leadership and expertise we will continue to do that.”
– Linda Lamoureux, Executive Chair, Tribunals Ontario

“Throughout my career, I have been interested in social justice law and the opportunity to continue in my role as Associate Chair will allow me to support children and youth – some of society’s most vulnerable people – as they navigate the justice system.”
– Jennifer Scott, Associate Chair of the Child and Family Services Review Board, the Custody Review Board and the Ontario Special Education Tribunals

Quick Facts:

• The Child and Family Services Review Board conducts reviews and hearings on a number of matters that affect children, youth and families in Ontario.
• The Custody Review Board hears applications and makes recommendations on the placement of young people in custody or detention.
• The Ontario Special Education Tribunals – English and French – hear appeals by parents and guardians who are not satisfied with the school board’s identification or placement of a child with exceptional learning needs.
• Tribunals Ontario is responsible for 19 tribunals that fall under the Ministry of the Attorney General. Tribunals conduct hearings, make decisions and resolve disputes on a wide variety of issues and operate independently of government.

SJTO has posted for:

• Full-time members in Toronto
• Part-time members part-time in various locations

This position is posted on the “Advertised Positions” section of the Public Appointments Secretariat website.

The competition closes on Friday, December 21, 2018.

Starting this Monday, October 1, 2018, the Child and Family Services Review Board will have a new phone number:

• GTA: 416-327-0111
• Toll Free: 1-888-777-3616

The fax number is still 416-327-0558 and the email is cfsrb@ontario.ca.

What This Change Means for You

CFSRB forms are being updated with the new phone number. On October 1, visit the forms page on our website and download the latest version.

If the CFSRB phone number appears on any brochures, posters or on your organization’s website, please update those materials with the new phone number.

The Child and Family Services Review Board (CFSRB) has amended its forms and Rules of Procedure to reflect the changes in legislation and our ongoing commitment to improve access to the CFSRB’s processes. Applicants filing applications or appeals with the CFSRB will now be required to use the new forms, which can be accessed here.

Parties before the CFSRB will notice few changes to the CFSRB’s processes as a result of the change in legislation, the most notable change being new application section numbers. Please contact us for more information.

These amendments were prepared in anticipation of the coming into force of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 and our ongoing commitment to improve transparency and access to the CFSRB’s processes.

We encourage you to have a look at the new Rules of Procedure and provide your comments and ideas by April 24, 2018.

Please send your submission:

By email: CFSRB@ontario.ca

or

By mail:
CFSRB Consultation
Attention: Child and Family Services Review Board
655 Bay Street, 14th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2A3

Your submission may be shared with other stakeholders and may also be available to the public.

Jennifer has been a vice chair with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) since 2012. Before joining the HRTO, she served as both counsel and vice chair at the CFSRB and CRB.

Her passion and experience working in the area child and youth law will be an excellent platform for the continued development of Social Justice Tribunals Ontario’s Child and Youth Division.

In addition to being a member of the board, an associate chair provides day-to-day oversight of the board, assigns cases, provides jurisprudential leadership and is a member of Social Justice Tribunals Ontario’s executive committee.

Jennifer replaces outgoing chair Suzanne Gilbert, whose appointment expired on February 19, 2017.

Starting October 21, 2016, all mail for the Child and Family Services Review Board should be sent to:

655 Bay Street, 14th floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2A3

The phone and fax numbers have not changed.

To drop off a document or speak to someone in person about your file or the application process, visit 655 Bay Street, 14th Floor, Toronto.

The new site is written in simpler language, is more accessible to users with disabilities and is easier to navigate on mobile devices.

CFSRB joins five other Social Justice Tribunals Ontario (SJTO) tribunals on the new portal: the Custody Review Board, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Ontario Special Education Tribunals (English and French), and the Social Benefits Tribunal. The Landlord and Tenant Board will be integrated in early summer and we are hoping to have the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board content on the site by fall.

While we’re proud of the work we’ve done, we know there is room for improvement. We hope you’ll take some time to browse the new site and write us with your comments at sjtoinfo@ontario.ca. We look forward to hearing from you.

In April 2019 it was announced that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) would begin the process of winding down its operations. The final step of the dissolution will be complete on December 31, 2021 with the closure of the CICB.

The CICB has worked diligently to ensure that all applications that were received by September 30, 2019 will be resolved before its dissolution. For applicants who have received an award of a monthly (periodic) payment or funds for treatment to be paid directly to their service provider, the CICB is continuing to issue monthly (periodic) payments and pay treatment invoices.

Once dissolution is complete on December 31, monthly (periodic) payments and treatment invoice payments to service providers will continue to be paid seamlessly by the Victims and Vulnerable Persons Division (VVPD) of the Ministry of the Attorney General starting January 1, 2022. As of January 1, 2022, applicants with questions about their continuing payments should contact VVPD at 1-833-704-2610.

To make a request for a determination on an early release of funds held in trust for minors by the Accountant of the Superior Court of Justice, please contact the Minors’ Funds program by telephone at (416) 314-8003 or by email to MinorsFunds@ontario.ca. For further information about the Minors’ Funds program please visit the Minors’ Funds Program website.

Quick Facts

• In April 2019, the wind down of the CICB’s operations was announced.
• The CICB continued to accept applications until September 30, 2019.
• As of October 1, 2019, individuals seeking supports and services that result from being a victim of crime can contact the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Victim Quick Response Program+ (VQRP+) or call the Victim Support Line at 416-314-2447 or 1-888-579-2888, to receive contact information for the VQRP+ service provider nearest you. These organizations will help you understand the eligibility requirements, complete forms and identify local support services.

MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Deline
Tribunals Ontario Communications
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Subscribe to Tribunals Ontario’s Latest News.

Effective today, Tribunals Ontario is implementing a new policy to postpone in-person hearings and reschedule to a later date. Where feasible, alternative hearing options such as written and telephone hearings will be considered to minimize disruption to hearings across the organization. In addition, all front-line counter services will be closed as of Monday March 16 until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to provide accommodation for people who have needs related to any of the grounds listed in the Human Rights Code.

Impacted individuals with upcoming hearing dates will be notified by staff via email to make the necessary arrangements. Parties should contact their tribunal or board for more information on the new policy.

In addition, we are requesting Ontarians to not attend to any tribunal or board location in-person if they have been advised by Public Health, their doctor or the Ministry of Health website to self-isolate due to possible exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Tribunals Ontario is monitoring COVID-19 developments and will update our policy based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials to protect Ontarians.

Tribunal and board contact information is listed on our website:

• Animal Care Review Board
• Assessment Review Board
• Board of Negotiation
• Child and Family Services Review Board
• Conservation Review Board
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
• Custody Review Board
• Environmental Review Tribunal
• Fire Safety Commission
• Human Rights Tribunals of Ontario
• Landlord and Tenant Board
• Licence Appeal Tribunal
• Local Planning Appeal Tribunal
• Mining and Lands Tribunal
• Ontario Civilian Police Commission
• Ontario Parole Board
• Ontario Special Education Tribunals
• Social Benefits Tribunal

For general inquiries, please email TO-TDO@ontario.ca

MEDIA CONTACT
Sarah Copeland
Communications Branch
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

Supports and services for victims of crime may now be accessed through the Victim Quick Response Program + (VQRP+), which helps to cover emergency and essential expenses, funerals and counselling costs.

A. Recent Changes

1. Applications with the CICB: The CICB will continue to process all matters received by the Board by September 30, 2019 including i) applications for compensation, ii) requests for review hearings, and iii) applications to vary an order for compensation.
2. Divisional Court Appeals: All appeals filed with the Divisional Court by September 30, 2019 will continue in its regular course. As of October 1, 2019, any appeals arising from applications can no longer be filed with the Divisional Court.
3. CICB dissolution: The CICB is in the process of winding down its operations and cannot accept new applications. It will adjudicate all outstanding applications prior to its dissolution.

B. Dissolution: Process and Procedure

1. Hearings scheduled by the CICB will continue.
2. Once a hearing date is scheduled, a written Notice of Hearing will be provided.
3. Adjournments of a scheduled hearing will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.
4. Decisions for each application will be made following a hearing and with the information contained in the CICB file.

a) Requirements: To ensure the CICB can process an application, applicants must:

1. Meet the timelines set by the Board throughout the processing of their claim.
2. Submit all treatment and expense reports and any other supporting documentation required by the Board by the required date.
3. Review your Notice of Hearing to see if your participation is required at an electronic (telephone) or in-person hearing.

b) Dismissal of Application: The Board may dismiss an application as abandoned without a hearing if:

1. the timelines are not met,
2. the information requested in the time required is not provided,
3. there is failure to participate in an electronic (telephone) or in-person hearing.

Applicants/legal representatives should provide a copy of this notice to their treatment and other service providers to highlight the importance of their cooperation in having applications processed expeditiously.

c) Rules of Procedure: To ensure the Board’s Rules are consistent with the legislative amendments to the Compensation for Victims of Crime Act that does not permit further reviews or appeals, Rule 19.3 is eliminated.

Effective immediately, this Rule and its associated Practice Direction are eliminated. Please note that Rule 19.4 permitting reconsiderations on the Board’s initiative, remains.

C. Questions

If you have any questions about your CICB claim, please call our Contact Centre at 416-326-2900 or 1-800-372-7463.

For information on the VQRP+ program, call the Victim Support Line at 416-314-2447 or 1-888-579-2888 to receive contact information for the Victim Quick Response Program service provider nearest you.

In April, the Government of Ontario announced plans to transition the responsibilities covered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) into a new one-window access system for victims seeking financial assistance.

As part of this transition, the CICB will continue to accept applications until 11:59pm on September 30, 2019. As of October 1, 2019, individuals seeking compensation for costs that result from being a victim of crime should contact the Victim Quick Response Program + (VQRP+).

As of October 1, 2019, applications for compensation, requests for review hearings or applications to vary an order for compensation can no longer be filed with the CICB. The CICB will continue to process all applications for compensation, requests for review hearings, and applications to vary an order for compensation received on or before September 30, 2019 according to its regular processes.

As of October 1, 2019, any appeals arising from applications can no longer be commenced with the Divisional Court. All appeals filed with the Divisional Court by September 30, 2019 will continue in its regular course.

The Compensation for Victims of Crime Act (CVCA) will be amended effective October 1, 2019, to include the following section:

4.1 (1) Despite anything to the contrary in this Act, on and after the day section 1 of Schedule 11 to the Protecting What Matters Most Act (Budget Measures), 2019 comes into force, no person may,

(a) make an application for compensation under section 5;
(b) request a hearing and review under section 10;
(c) commence an appeal under section 23; or
(d) make an application for variation under section 25.

For more information, you can read about the changes or visit the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Victims Services website.

The Government of Ontario announced that it will transition the responsibilities covered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) into a new one-window access system for victim service programs that would provide financial assistance to victims. This will bring Ontario’s approach to financial assistance for victims of violent crime in line with the rest of Canada as an administrative model rather than an adjudicative model.

What this means for you

Effective May 29, 2019, the following changes have been made to the Compensation for Victims and Crime Act:

• The maximum lump sum payment amount has increased from $25,000 to $30,000.
• The maximum award for pain and suffering will not exceed $5,000.

Any CICB decisions rendered on or after May 29, 2019 will be subject to these changes. A cut-off date for new applications to the CICB will be determined by the Lieutenant Governor in Council in the near future.

Next Steps

During this period of transition, the CICB is committed to providing high quality service to the public. The CICB continues to work with the Government of Ontario to determine next steps and to ensure continuity for victims of crime accessing victim services across the province.

We will continue to provide updates as they become available.

For information regarding the changes to victim services, please contact the Ministry of the Attorney General:

Ministry of the Attorney General
McMurtry-Scott Building
720 Bay Street, 11th Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2S9
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-518-7901
Telephone (Toronto): 416-326-2220
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• Ministry of the Attorney General

On January 22, 2019, the CICB started publishing its decisions issued 2017 onwards on the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) website. The decisions do not include any personal information and will be published after they have been issued to the parties. Decisions subject to a publication ban will not be published.

CanLII is a non-profit organization that makes Canadian law accessible for free on the Internet.

SJTO has posted for part-time members in various locations.

This position is posted on the “Advertised Positions” section of the Public Appointments Secretariat website.

The competition closes on Friday, December 21, 2018.

The CICB has adopted a new practice direction to vary an order for compensation. Additionally, the CICB has developed a new Application to Vary an Order for Compensation. This practice direction supports the CICB’s Rules of Procedure and provides helpful information to parties. The new application form will help parties submit requests to vary orders to the CICB in a clear and transparent way.

The CICB has adopted 3 new practice directions on reconsideration requests, review hearings and police witness participation. Additionally, the CICB has developed 2 new forms to Request a Reconsideration and to Request a Review hearing if parties disagree with a decision.

These practice directions further support the CICB’s new Rules of Procedure and provide helpful information to parties.

The new forms will help parties prepare and submit requests to the CICB in a clear and transparent way.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) has posted three documents for review and comment by members of the community and its stakeholders:

1. A proposed Practice Direction on Reconsideration Requests
2. A proposed Practice Direction on Requests for Review
3. A proposed Practice Direction on Police Witnesses

These changes are intended to improve transparency and access to the CICB’s processes.

We encourage you to have a look at the proposed practice directions and provide your comments and ideas by Friday, May 11, 2018.

Send your submission:

By email: info.cicb@ontario.ca

or

By mail:
CICB Consultation
Attention: Patricia Fiorini
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
655 Bay Street, 14th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2A3

Your submission may be shared with other stakeholders and may also be available to the public.

These changes are intended to improve transparency of the CICB and access to its processes.

We encourage you to have a look at the new Rules of Procedure and the proposed Practice Direction on Alleged Offenders and provide your comments and ideas by January 8, 2018.

Send your submission by email or by mail:

Email: info.cicb@ontario.ca

Mail:
CICB Consultation
Attention: Patricia Fiorini
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
655 Bay Street, 14th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M7A 2A3

Your submission may be shared with other stakeholders and may also be available to the public.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) has made changes to its Rules of Procedure. Among other changes, the amended rules:

• incorporate Social Justice Tribunals Ontario’s Common Rules into the CICB Rules
• allow youth applications to be filed by a legal representative, a litigation guardian, or the youth themselves
• stipulate that the CICB will record its hearings

The CICB has also developed a new Practice Direction on Recording Proceedings to support rule 7.4: “Recording”.

See all the changes by reading the amended CICB rules: 1.8, 2.2.1, 2.4, 2.10, 2.14, 7.4 and the SJTO Common Rules of Procedure.

The rule changes and the new practice direction are intended to make CICB processes more accessible and transparent. Both documents come into effect on August 1, 2017.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) has posted two documents for review and comment by members of the community and its stakeholders:

1. A proposed Practice Direction on Recording Hearings
2. Amended Rules of Procedure

The amended rules:

• incorporate Social Justice Tribunals Ontario’s Common Rules into the CICB Rules of Procedure
• introduce a new rule for applications by youth
• amend the rule on recording hearings

These changes are intended to improve transparency and access to the CICB’s processes. We encourage you to have a look at the proposed Rules and Practice Direction and provide your comments and ideas by Friday, June 23, 2017.

Send your submission:

By email:
info.cicb@ontario.ca

By mail:
CICB Consultation
Attention: Patricia Fiorini
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
655 Bay Street, 14th Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2A3

Your submission may be shared with other stakeholders and may also be available to the public.

• when hearings will be closed to the public
• expectations for members of the public who are observing a hearing
• how the terms of publication bans will be communicated
• the rules for use of cell phones, video and audio recording equipment

Read the Practice Direction on Public Access to Hearings.

Starting November 28, 2016, all mail for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board should be sent to:

655 Bay Street, 14th floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2A3

The phone and fax numbers have not changed.

To drop off a document or speak to someone in person about your file or the application process, visit 655 Bay Street, 14th Floor, Toronto.

A prehearing motion is a request for an order or interim ruling from the CICB before the hearing.

These are some of the reasons you might make a prehearing motion:

• To ask for an adjournment
• To ask for disclosure of documents or a decision about whether the CICB needs to hear evidence from a particular witness
• To ask the CICB to change the location or format of the hearing

Read the full practice direction.

We encourage you to have a look at the proposed practice direction and provide your comments and ideas by Friday, August 12, 2016.

Please send your submission to:

By email: info.cicb@ontario.ca

By mail:
CICB Consultation
Attention: Patricia Fiorini
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
429 University Ave., 4th Floor
Toronto, ON M5G 1Y8

Your submission may be shared with other stakeholders and may also be available to the public.

This consultation is now closed.

Maria Tassou has been appointed Associate Chair of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB).

Maria has been acting as the Chair/Associate Chair of the CICB since May 2014. During this time, and in her previous position as vice chair, she led a number of initiatives resulting in faster, more responsive and user-friendly processes. Most recently, Maria managed CICB’s transition into the SJTO cluster.

Maria has broad experience in administrative law, criminal law and victims issues.

Her appointment was effective April 20, 2016.

The new site is written in simpler language, is more accessible to users with disabilities and is easier to navigate on mobile devices.

In April 2015, the CICB became the eighth tribunal of Social Justice Tribunals Ontario (SJTO). Now, the CICB joins the other 7 SJTO tribunals on the new portal: the Landlord and Tenant Board, the Custody Review Board, the Child and Family Services Review Board, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Ontario Special Education Tribunals (English and French), and the Social Benefits Tribunal.

While you get used to the new site, things may not be where you’re used to finding them. Try typing what you’re looking for in search box next to the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner of the site.

While we’re proud of the work we’ve done, we know there is room for improvement. We hope you’ll take some time to browse the new site.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Effective March 8, 2016, under the new Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act, victims of sexual and domestic violence can make applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for compensation at any time. In the past, these applications had to be received within two years of the crime taking place. The two-year limit still applies to applications related to other kinds of violent crime

Earlier today, the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG) announced that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) will become the eighth tribunal of Social Justice Tribunals Ontario (SJTO). The CICB will officially join SJTO on April 1, 2015.

MAG posted the bulletin “Ontario Expands Social Justice Tribunals Ontario” to announce the change.

As an SJTO tribunal, CICB will benefit from the resources and expertise of a large and well-respected tribunal organization, while maintaining its adjudicative independence. The CICB is a good fit for SJTO. SJTO tribunals have experience dealing with people who are unrepresented, live in poverty or come from marginalized communities.

The mandate of the CICB will not change under the SJTO umbrella. As it always has, the CICB will continue to make expert, independent decisions about applications for victims’ compensation.

The mission of all SJTO tribunals is to provide fair and accessible dispute resolution. In recent years, the CICB has significantly improved client service and reduced claims processing times. These are accomplishments that the CICB will continue to build on within SJTO.

Michael Gottheil, Executive Chair, Social Justice Tribunals Ontario
Maria Tassou, Acting Chair, Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

Effective today, Tribunals Ontario is implementing a new policy to postpone in-person hearings and reschedule to a later date. Where feasible, alternative hearing options such as written and telephone hearings will be considered to minimize disruption to hearings across the organization. In addition, all front-line counter services will be closed as of Monday March 16 until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to provide accommodation for people who have needs related to any of the grounds listed in the Human Rights Code.

Impacted individuals with upcoming hearing dates will be notified by staff via email to make the necessary arrangements. Parties should contact their tribunal or board for more information on the new policy.

In addition, we are requesting Ontarians to not attend to any tribunal or board location in-person if they have been advised by Public Health, their doctor or the Ministry of Health website to self-isolate due to possible exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Tribunals Ontario is monitoring COVID-19 developments and will update our policy based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials to protect Ontarians.

Tribunal and board contact information is listed on our website:

• Animal Care Review Board
• Assessment Review Board
• Board of Negotiation
• Child and Family Services Review Board
• Conservation Review Board
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
• Custody Review Board
• Environmental Review Tribunal
• Fire Safety Commission
• Human Rights Tribunals of Ontario
• Landlord and Tenant Board
• Licence Appeal Tribunal
• Local Planning Appeal Tribunal
• Mining and Lands Tribunal
• Ontario Civilian Police Commission
• Ontario Parole Board
• Ontario Special Education Tribunals
• Social Benefits Tribunal

For general inquiries, please email TO-TDO@ontario.ca

MEDIA CONTACT
Sarah Copeland
Communications Branch
Media.TO-TDO@ontario.ca

As an accomplished lawyer and adjudicator, Jennifer brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to our organization. Some of her career highlights include operating a social justice law practice, serving as independent legal counsel to the Ontario Special Education (English) Tribunal and litigating human rights issues before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Quotes:
“Tribunals Ontario is committed to ensuring access to justice for children and youth and I know with Jennifer Scott’s leadership and expertise we will continue to do that.”
– Linda Lamoureux, Executive Chair, Tribunals Ontario

“Throughout my career, I have been interested in social justice law and the opportunity to continue in my role as Associate Chair will allow me to support children and youth – some of society’s most vulnerable people – as they navigate the justice system.”
– Jennifer Scott, Associate Chair of the Child and Family Services Review Board, the Custody Review Board and the Ontario Special Education Tribunals

Quick Facts:

• The Child and Family Services Review Board conducts reviews and hearings on a number of matters that affect children, youth and families in Ontario.
• The Custody Review Board hears applications and makes recommendations on the placement of young people in custody or detention.
• The Ontario Special Education Tribunals – English and French – hear appeals by parents and guardians who are not satisfied with the school board’s identification or placement of a child with exceptional learning needs.
• Tribunals Ontario is responsible for 19 tribunals that fall under the Ministry of the Attorney General. Tribunals conduct hearings, make decisions and resolve disputes on a wide variety of issues and operate independently of government.