After consulting with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Ontario government has extended all emergency orders that are currently in effect until June 19, 2020.
For a list of the emergency orders under s. 7.0.2(4) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (“EMCPA”) that have been extended, see here.
Ontario has also announced that it is extending the suspension of limitation periods and time periods in proceedings pursuant to O. Reg 73/20 until September 11, 2020, which is the maximum renewal period allowable under the EMCPA. O. Reg. 259/20 implements the extension and can be found here.
Furthermore, to address concerns raised by the bar, the Lieutenant Governor in Council has amended O. Reg. 73/20 to provide for further clarity. O. Reg. 258/20 amends the language of O. Reg. 73/20 such that the suspension of limitation periods is no longer tied to the “duration of the state of emergency,” allowing the duration of the order to be based on all relevant factors, and not just the state of emergency. As reported by the Ontario Bar Association, “decoupling” the duration of the suspension from the state of emergency was implemented to address the bar’s request for reasonable predictability and notice.
With regard to the suspension of deadlines and procedural steps set out in any statute, regulation, rule, by-law, or order of the Ontario government, O. Reg. 73/20 provides that the suspension is subject to the discretion of “the court, tribunal or other decision-maker responsible for the proceeding…” O. Reg. 258/20 has clarified that this discretion may be exercised by:
- the person or persons who have jurisdiction to make orders in the proceeding;
- the Chief Justice of Ontario, in respect of proceedings before the Ontario Court of Appeal;
- the Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Justice, in respect of matters before the Superior Court of Justice;
- the Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice, in respect of matters before the Ontario Court of Justice; and
- the chair of a tribunal, in respect of proceedings before the tribunal.
Finally, O. Reg 258/20 provides for the resumption of enforcement under Part V of the Family Responsibility and Support Arrears Enforcement Act.
With court closures, limited filings, suspensions of limitation periods, and a likely period of “post-pandemic austerity” on the horizon, Ontario’s justice system is changing, and will need to continue to change to effectively meet the needs of the public. Limitation periods may be on pause, but peoples’ lives continue. For many, this means having some form of interaction with the justice system. Ontario’s Chief Justice, the Honourable Justice George Strathy, has provided his thoughts on what changes may be needed, and questions whether oral advocacy is necessary in every case. For more on Justice Strathy’s comments, see here.
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