INTRODUCTION Ontario’s Rules of Civil Procedure are facing their most significant overhaul in decades. Following the Civil Rules Review (CRR) Final Policy Report released on December 15, 2025, the legal community is bracing for a mid-2026 rollout that will fundamentally reshape how civil litigation is conducted. This is not just a procedural tweak; it is … Read more
What’s Changing Starting July 1, 2026, Ontario’s SABS shifts from a standardized mandatory benefit package to a consumer “opt-in” model. Only three benefits will remain automatic in every auto policy: Medical, Rehabilitation, and Attendant Care. Everything else — including Income Replacement Benefits (IRB), Non-Earner Benefits, Caregiver, and Housekeeping Benefits — becomes optional coverage that must be … Read more
A recent Licence Appeal Tribunal decision provides important clarification on Income Replacement Benefit (“IRB”) entitlement where a claimant has a mixed history of employment and self-employment. In Zeineddine v. Economical Mutual Insurance Co., the Tribunal confirmed that weeks of self-employment cannot be counted toward the requirement of being employed for at least 26 weeks in … Read more
Calculating Income Replacement Benefits (IRBs) for self-employed individuals under Ontario’s Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) can be deceptively complex. One of the most contested issues? Whether IRBs should be based on the claimant’s last completed taxation year or on the 52 weeks immediately prior to the accident. Recent decisions from Ontario’s Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), … Read more
For lawyers and law clerks supporting self-employed clients in Statutory Accident Benefits (SABS) claims, Income Replacement Benefits (IRBs) can be one of the most complex benefits to quantify and defend. Unlike salaried employees, sole proprietors or incorporated owners rarely maintain clean accounting, and their reported income often doesn’t tell the full story. To make a … Read more