Laws, rules and decisions
Learn about the laws, rules and decisions at Tribunals Ontario.
Legislation and regulation
Adjudicative Tribunals Accountability, Governance and Appointments Act
The Adjudicative Tribunals Accountability, Governance and Appointments Act, 2009 (ATAGAA) lets the government group adjudicative tribunals into an organization called a cluster, when “the matters that the tribunals deal with are such that they can operate more effectively and efficiently as part of a cluster than alone”.
ATAGAA requires adjudicative tribunals to publish governance and public accountability documents including: a mandate and mission statement, qualifications for members (adjudicators), service standards, a complaints policy and an ethics plan. ATAGAA also requires that appointments of members are made following a competitive, merit-based competition.
The full text of the legislation and regulations can be accessed on ontario.ca.
Statutory Powers Procedure Act
The Statutory Powers Procedure Act (“the Act”) provides a general framework for the conduct of hearings before Ontario’s administrative tribunals. Effective June 3, 2021, a new provision has been added to the Act making it an offence to record or publish a tribunal hearing unless an exception applies. Exceptions include unobtrusive recordings made by a party, representative or member of the media if authorized by the tribunal. Learn more about this amendment.
Rules regarding the appearance of out-of-province lawyers
Lawyers who are licensed and in good standing in another Canadian province or territory may be permitted to provide legal services in Ontario on a temporary basis under Canada’s inter-jurisdictional mobility framework. This includes representing parties before Boards and Tribunals at Tribunals Ontario.
Generally, eligible out-of-province lawyers may provide legal services in Ontario for up to 100 days in a calendar year without obtaining a permit from the Law Society of Ontario. Lawyers must comply with the requirements of their home law society, as well as applicable Ontario legislation, rules, and professional obligations, including the Law Society Act, its regulations and by-laws, and the Rules of Professional Conduct.
Lawyers who intend to practise law in Ontario for more than 100 days, or who do not meet the requirements for temporary mobility, may be required to obtain authorization under the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009 and applicable Law Society of Ontario requirements.
For additional information regarding temporary practice and mobility requirements, please consult the Law Society of Ontario’s guidance on inter-jurisdictional mobility and lawyer mobility provisions.
Practice directions and policies
Practice directions
Practice directions support the rules of procedure and provide guidance about what the tribunal expects of the parties and what the parties can expect of the tribunal. They help parties to understand the rules.
- Practice Direction – Form of Address
- Practice Direction on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Tribunal Proceedings
- Memo Regarding References to the Crown (October 20, 2022)
- Updated Practice Direction on Hearing Formats (effective November 30, 2020)
Policies
Decisions
Decisions issued by Tribunal Ontario’s tribunals are available on the Canadian Legal Information Institute’s (CanLII) website. CanLII is a non-profit organization that makes Canadian law accessible for free on the Internet.