Court decisions
This database presents summaries of key court decisions in Canada related to official languages and of events relating to language rights since 2003. These summaries have been prepared by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada.
This database is not exhaustive. It was designed to be used as a reference tool for people directly or indirectly interested in language rights. The database is updated on an ongoing basis.
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Year: 2009
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court
Citation: [2009] O.J. No. 250
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
In this caseFootnote 1, the Ontario Superior Court had to determine the consequences, with respect to the language in which future proceedings would be held, of the filing of an initial document prepared in French for a civil proceeding. It...Year: 2010
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court
Citation: 2010 CSON 5008
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
This caseFootnote 1 involved issues related to the language of a hearing before a committee of the Ontario Bar. The applicant appealed an order of the Bar committee suspending her licence. The appeal was not heard on the planned date because the...Year: 2010
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court
Citation: 2010 ONSC 4566
Category: Language rights and services to the public
In this caseFootnote 1, the Ontario Superior Court had to determine whether the Township of Russell (Township) had the jurisdiction to pass a by-law requiring that all exterior commercial signs be in English and in French. The by-law, which was...Year: 2009
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court
Citation: 98 O.R. (3rd) 220 (Ontario Superior Court of Justice)
Category: Vitality and development of official language minority communities
This applicationFootnote 1 was filed following the budget cuts made by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in 2009. On March 25, 2009, the CBC announced...Year: 2012
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court
Citation: 2012 ONSC 575
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
The Ontario Superior Court had to determine whether the accused was entitled to challenge jurors for his trial on the grounds of language competency. Summary In this case, the defence applied to challenge potential jurors pursuant to section 638(1)(f) of the...Year: 2005
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court
Citation: Toronto 05-CV-289563 PDI (Ont. S.C.)
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
In this caseFootnote 1, the Ontario Superior Court considered the issue of the translation of documents and pleadings when civil parties use different official languages. The plaintiff, a Francophone, initiated legal proceedings in the Ontario...Year: 2006
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court
Citation: O.J. No. 3969 (QL)
Category: Language rights and services to the public
In this caseFootnote 1, the Ontario Superior Court considered the legality and constitutionality of the City of Ottawa’s policy and municipal by-law on bilingualism. The applicant, Canadians for Language Fairness, challenged the legality and...Year: 2003
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court
Citation: 2003 O.J. No. 4293
Category: Vitality and development of official language minority communities
In Tremblay,Footnote 1 the Ontario Superior Court had to consider a decision made by a town council. The latter refused to award a historical designation to a church under the Ontario Heritage Act, requiring that such a request...Year: 2014
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court
Citation: 2014 ONSC 948
Category: Minority-language education rights
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice determined whether differences in student transportation policies constituted a violation of section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter). Background The school bus that carries the...Filter by year
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