Update: Ontario Resumes Limitation Periods and Procedural Deadlines

Update: Ontario Resumes Limitation Periods and Procedural Deadlines

August 25, 2020 Litigation Bulletin < 1 read

Guneev Bhinder, W. Brad Hanna, FCIArb.

This is an update to our previous bulletin [1] on Ontario’s suspension of limitation periods and procedural deadlines as of March 16, 2020, due to COVID-19. The suspension order was made under O. Reg. 73/20[2] (the “Suspension Order”).

As the province gradually reopens, Ontario has decided to lift the Suspension Order effective on Monday, September 14, 2020 (pursuant to O. Reg. 457/20[3] made under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020[4]). Limitation and other procedural time periods that were suspended on March 16, 2020 will therefore once again begin to run on September 14, 2020. For example, if a limitation period was going to expire on March 20, 2020 (four days after Ontario limitation periods were suspended on March 16), it will now expire on September 18, 2020 (four days after the limitation periods resume).

by Guneev Bhinder and W. Brad Hanna

[1] McMillan LLP, “COVID-19: Ontario Suspends Limitation Periods and Procedural Deadlines” (March 22, 2020).
[2] Ontario Regulation 73/20: Limitation Periods.
[3] Ontario Regulation 457/20: Limitation Periods.
[4] SO 2020, c 17.

A Cautionary Note

The foregoing provides only an overview and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are cautioned against making any decisions based on this material alone. Rather, specific legal advice should be obtained.