Blakes Guide To Litigation & Dispute Resolution In Canada

Introduction

This guide provides an introduction to Canada's civil litigation and dispute resolution system. It describes the procedures followed in Canada's civil courts and administrative tribunals and discusses alternatives to dispute resolution, with a focus on mediation and arbitration.

The following discussion is intended to provide only general guidance and is not an exhaustive description of all procedures and laws that may apply in any proceeding or dispute. For this reason, the reader should not rely solely on this guide and should seek the advice of qualified counsel for assistance in dealing with any problem or dispute.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 bears mention as it has greatly impacted litigation in Canada. Most courts, tribunals and arbitration panels were in the process of modernizing to adopt practices such as electronic filing and virtual (online) appearances when the pandemic arose, but that modernization process has