Canadian Legal Guides

Flat vector illustration of a giant sheet of ruled paper filling the frame and acting as the ground. A small woman stands on it holding an oversized fountain pen, with dotted footsteps leading from her to a two-armed signpost. The left arm is labelled HANDWRITTEN and the right arm TWO WITNESSES. A closed folder labelled MY WILL lies flat at the upper right.

Is a Handwritten Will Legal in Canada? Where It Holds Up and What Each Province Requires

Five of the seven provinces we checked accept a fully handwritten will. Here is what yours has to contain, and when a court can still save a botched one.

October 2, 2026 · 14 min read

Flat vector illustration of a curving road with a small red hatchback parked on it, a tag reading "UNINSURED" hanging from its side mirror and a closed umbrella leaning on its bumper. A man stands on a grass island beside the road holding a blank card labelled "YOUR LICENCE", with a dotted line joining the card to the tag and the words "PROVINCIAL OFFENCE" in the background.

Is It Illegal to Drive Without Insurance in Canada? Fines in Four Provinces, and What a Crash Adds

It's not a crime, but it's an expensive charge. Fines in Ontario, Alberta, B.C. and Quebec, and how an Ontario crash can hold your licence until you repay.

September 29, 2026 · 15 min read

Flat illustration of a woman seated on a low bench holding a closed box labelled INHERITANCE on her lap, while a second figure standing behind the bench carries an envelope labelled TAX BILL toward an open filing crate on the floor labelled THE ESTATE.

Inheritance Tax in Canada: There Isn't One, but Tax Can Still Reach You

Canada has no inheritance tax, so you usually don't report what you inherit. Some payouts, post-death income and foreign assets can still create tax or filing duties.

September 25, 2026 · 16 min read

A calm woman stands on a floor band with a telephone handset labelled COLLECTOR held to her ear. The coiled cord runs down and to the right, flattens out and stops well short of a low wall block labelled DEADLINE, with a closed envelope labelled OLD ACCOUNT lying flat in the gap between them.

How Long Can a Debt Be Collected in Canada? Six of the Seven Provinces We Checked Say Two Years

Two years in six of the seven provinces we checked, six years in Newfoundland and Labrador, and why a payment before expiry may restart time.

September 22, 2026 · 14 min read

Flat illustration of a large outlined house standing on a plinth with a smaller solid house nested inside it, labelled THE HOUSE, BROUGHT IN and WHO KEEPS IT. A woman stands at one end of the plinth and a man at the other, each with a hand on the outer wall, and a dotted line with outward-pointing arrows traces the open band between the two house outlines. A ring holding two keys lies on the plinth between them.

Who Gets the House in a Divorce in Canada? In Ontario and Saskatchewan, Owning It First Counts for Nothing

Owned the house before marriage? Ontario and Saskatchewan count its full value. BC, Alberta and usually Manitoba protect what you brought in.

September 18, 2026 · 17 min read

Flat illustration of a calm man holding a closed folder labelled RETAINER. Beside him a short ramp ends almost at once in a low block labelled RESOLUTION, while a much longer walkway runs on to a tall empty doorway arch labelled TRIAL.

How Much Does a Criminal Lawyer Cost in Canada? The Answer Depends on How Far Your Case Travels

Our own figures from 592 cost profiles, what a block fee actually covers, and the free help waiting at the courthouse before you hire anyone.

September 15, 2026 · 15 min read

Flat vector illustration of a tenant holding up a blank notice sheet beside a tall display panel showing a regional map with one province highlighted and a marker pin, a calendar block labelled 90 days, and a blank clock, under a banner reading Rent Increase.

Rent Increase Laws in Canada: Which Provinces Cap It, Which Don't, and What Your Notice Must Say

Ontario's 2027 rent increase guideline is 1.9%. Compare the cap, notice period and exemption rules across eight provinces, and check whether your own notice is valid.

September 11, 2026 · 15 min read

Flat illustration of a woman sitting alone at a small round table with a second, empty chair opposite her. On the table sit a closed folder labelled NO WILL, a set of keys and a mug, with a dotted line running from the folder to the empty chair. The words COMMON LAW appear at the upper left, and PROVINCE DECIDES inside a thin arch above the two chairs.

If Your Common Law Partner Dies Without a Will, Do You Inherit? Five Provinces, Five Answers

Your partner died without a will. Qualifying partners may inherit in B.C., Alberta and Manitoba. Ontario gives no intestate share. Quebec has parental-union rules.

September 8, 2026 · 17 min read

Flat illustration of a person standing on the lowest of four rising teal blocks labelled STATUTORY FLOOR, an envelope in a tray labelled YOUR LETTER at the left, and an open dotted region overhead labelled ABOVE THE FLOOR.

How Much Severance Are You Owed in Canada? The Floor Your Employer Cannot Go Below

Twelve years of service buys 8 weeks in Alberta and as much as 20 in Ontario. Compare five Canadian jurisdictions, each cited to the current statute.

September 4, 2026 · 20 min read

Flat illustration of a B.C. personal injury contingency fee ceiling, labelled BC INJURY CAP, limiting the lawyer's percentage of a plaintiff's recovery through trial.

Maximum Contingency Fee in Canada: B.C. Caps Injury Claims, Ontario Does Not

B.C. caps injury contingency fees at 33 1/3 and 40 percent. Ontario and Alberta set no percentage; Quebec applies a reasonable-fee rule in this four-province comparison.

September 1, 2026 · 14 min read

Flat vector illustration of a woman holding up a blank claim sheet beside a tall display board labelled SMALL CLAIMS, with an amber PROVINCE LIMIT bar across it and a red marker sitting below the bar, while a court clerk gestures toward the bar.

Small Claims Court Limits in Canada: Your Jurisdiction's Ceiling, and Your Options If You're Over It

Ontario's small claims ceiling is now $50,000 and Alberta's is $100,000. Verified limits for all 13 provinces and territories, plus your options if your claim is over the line.

August 28, 2026 · 14 min read

Flat vector illustration of a woman holding out a blank ruled bill to an official seated behind a counter, with a wall grid showing one filled square and a blank clock face beside it, representing a lawyer's bill handed in for review before the deadline.

How to Dispute a Lawyer's Bill in Canada: Your Province Sets the Start Event

In most of the five provinces covered, your law society cannot reduce a lawyer's bill. Here is who reviews it and how long you have to ask.

August 25, 2026 · 15 min read