Civil Rules Review Central

Civil Rules Review Central

Civil Rules Review Central

Latest Update: On May 28, 2026, Attorney General Doug Downey and former Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz released a statement confirming that Ontario’s Civil Rules Review will move forward in stages. While the government remains committed to broader reforms recommended by the Civil Rules Review Working Group, including consideration of an upfront evidence model, pre-litigation protocols, and a three-track process, the statement confirms that implementation will be sequenced to allow for targeted early reforms before more comprehensive structural changes are introduced.

The Attorney General’s office anticipates advancing a series of practical amendments in 2026 aimed at reducing delay, complexity, and cost in civil proceedings. These include changes to strengthen parties’ and lawyers’ responsibilities to the court, streamline originating processes, leverage technology to reduce service costs, simplify discontinuances and withdrawals, clarify default judgment procedures, reduce the burden of resolving refusals on discovery, prescribe criteria for materials filed on interlocutory motions, consolidate pleading rules, eliminate form backsheets where practical, and clarify Rule 1.09 regarding out-of-court communications.

The statement also confirms that the profession will receive advance notice of any approved amendments before they come into force.

The full statement is available here.

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A New Era of Litigation Reform

Ontario is entering a transformative phase in civil justice with a comprehensive overhaul of its Rules of Civil Procedure, designed to streamline litigation, reduce delays, and promote early resolution.

Key reforms include fixed litigation timelines, mandatory pre-litigation protocols for select cases, the elimination of oral discovery in favour of upfront evidence exchange, and a shift to a “reliance-based” model for document production. A single online entry point, a new duty to cooperate, and limited adjournments further modernize the process.

Supporting the review’s co-chairs is a diverse working group composed of leaders from across the legal community, including members of the private and public bar, the judiciary, and academia, among them Lerners' partner Jacob Damstra.

Introducing CRR Central

Lerners is a leading litigation firm in Ontario with deep expertise across commercial disputes, class actions, insurance, and professional liability. Its teams combine rigorous preparation, strategic advocacy, and responsive client service to achieve strong results at trial and in alternative dispute resolution.

While the legal community has responded positively to these reforms, tracking the progress of the new rules and understanding their impact on specific legal procedures and industry sectors can be a time-consuming task.

With our broad range of litigation success — and to address these challenges — Lerners has established the Civil Rules Review Central (CRRC) as a centralized reference point for the legal community. This resource brings together up-to-date information, expert insights, and practical analysis, serving both as a comprehensive knowledge base and a guide. It highlights the general implications of the reforms, while also addressing the unique challenges and opportunities faced by different sectors.

The CRRC will foster informed discussion, support decision-making, and strengthen collaboration across the legal community.

Background

The Civil Rules Review (CRR) officially launched in January 2024, co-chaired by Justice Cary Boswell of the Superior Court of Justice and Allison Speigel, partner at Speigel Nichols Fox LLP. Their mandate is clear: to conduct a full-scale review of the Rules of Civil Procedure and, through broad consultation, identify targeted reforms that will enhance access to justice, reduce procedural complexity and cost, improve efficiency, and better leverage technology across Ontario’s civil courts. The CRR’s guiding principles are outlined in its Terms of Reference.

The CRR’s work is structured over a two-year period and unfolds in three key phases:

Scoping

January 2024 - May 2024
Stakeholder consultations and research to identify priority areas for reform.

Study and Policy Proposal Development

June 2024 - June 2025
Drafting of detailed proposals and public consultation.

Approval and Implementation

July 2025 - December 2025
Finalization of reforms, regulatory approval, and preparation for implementation.

The Civil Rules Review Working Group’s Final Policy Report was released on December 15, 2025. Chief Justice Morawetz and the Attorney General of Ontario are to provide direction as to the acceptance of the recommendations. If approved, the first changes could take effect as early as mid-2026.