Cannabis retail stores can now open as early as 7 a.m. (down from 9 a.m.)

The earliest permitted opening time for cannabis retail stores has moved from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., while the closing time remains 11:00 p.m. The same 7 a.m. start now applies to curbside or adjacent-area distribution. Delivery rules are also updated to make clear that deliveries must occur between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. during store-open hours — the 7 a.m. window does not extend to deliveries. The landlord-closure exception for delivery (allowing delivery even when a landlord forces a store to close) continues to apply within the 9 a.m.–11 p.m. window. Retail store authorization holders should review their operating schedules and staffing if they wish to take advantage of the earlier opening.

'Tailgate' permit class renamed 'bring-your-own' across Ontario's special occasion permits regulation

The regulation has been updated to replace all references to 'tailgate' events and permits with 'bring-your-own' terminology. The four permit classes previously called 'sale tailgate' and 'no-sale tailgate' are now called 'sale bring-your-own' and 'no-sale bring-your-own' respectively. The definition of 'tailgate event' has been removed and replaced by the 'bring-your-own event' definition, which covers outdoor ground-level events held in connection with professional, semi-professional, or post-secondary sporting events — and now also includes events designated as cultural or community events by a municipal council. Permit applicants for bring-your-own events or other public events contingent on a municipal designation must now submit proof of that designation with their application. All existing rules about attendees bringing their own liquor, possession and consumption, and removal of liquor from premises continue to apply under the new permit names.

Future-dated amendment notes removed as changes from O. Reg. 123/26 are now in force

The regulation governing occupation of public lands has been updated to incorporate changes that were previously flagged as upcoming amendments taking effect in May 2026. Those future-dated notes have been removed and the new rules are now part of the consolidated text. Key practical changes now in effect include: bridges and short-term bridges being governed under a new separate section from culverts and causeways; mobile wind testing equipment and environmental monitoring equipment being explicitly listed as authorized occupations with their own conditions; a new prohibition on occupying lands that are archaeological sites or areas where artifacts or human remains have been found; a requirement to stop work and notify the Ministry if archaeological artifacts or human remains are discovered during an occupation; and notice to vacate can now be delivered by email in addition to posting, personal delivery, or registered mail. Anyone occupying or planning to occupy public lands under this regulation should review the updated conditions applicable to their specific activity.

Ontario renewable energy approvals rules updated: Indigenous terminology, qualified-person assessments, and new biogas exemption

This amendment makes several practical changes to the rules governing Renewable Energy Approvals under the Environmental Protection Act. All references to 'aboriginal communities' have been replaced with 'Indigenous communities' throughout the regulation, which affects consultation lists, notices, document distribution, and reporting obligations for project applicants. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport are renamed to the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism respectively, changing where applicants must submit archaeological and heritage assessment reports and obtain comments. The previous requirement to get written confirmation from the Ministry of Natural Resources that natural heritage assessments were correctly conducted has been replaced by a self-attestation system: applicants must now have a 'qualified person' (as defined in the Natural Heritage Assessment Guide) conduct and attest to assessments, with written confirmation from that qualified person submitted as part of the approval application. A new exemption from the approval requirement is added for small biogas facilities (10 MW or less) located on the site of a business whose primary purpose is not electricity generation, with transition provisions for existing projects and pending applications. Applicants who submitted natural heritage reports to the Ministry of Natural Resources before the six-month transition deadline may complete their applications under the prior rules.

Ontario updates wildlife-in-captivity rules: new annual reporting for falconry licence holders, revised log-book retention, and gender-neutral language throughout

A set of amendments updates the regulation governing wildlife kept in captivity in Ontario, with changes falling into three main areas. First, holders of general, apprentice, and commercial falconry licences will be required to submit annual reports to the Minister in a prescribed format; general and apprentice licence holders must file by December 31 of the licence year, while commercial licence holders have until January 31 of the following year. Second, log-book retention rules are being clarified: for amphibians and reptiles, the five-year retention period will run from when the log book was required to be kept (rather than from licence expiry), and for specially protected raptors the obligation to keep copies is replaced with an obligation to keep the log book itself for five years from licence or authorization expiry. Third, numerous provisions replace gendered pronouns ('his or her') with gender-neutral language ('their' or 'the Minister's'), and several eligibility references are updated to refer to licences issued 'under the Act' rather than only under this specific regulation. Zoo operators, falconry licence holders, and persons keeping reptiles, amphibians, or raptors in captivity should review their record-keeping and reporting practices ahead of the changes taking effect.

Ontario updates public lands work permit rules: new definitions, registration system, artifact/remains duties, and geotechnical exemption

Ontario has consolidated a series of previously announced amendments to the public lands work permit regulation into the main text. Key practical changes include: the definition of 'shore lands' is now based on the high-water mark (not just seasonal inundation), with a new clarification that spring freshet or extreme flooding alone does not make land 'shore lands'; the term 'water crossing' is replaced throughout by the specific terms 'bridge, culvert or causeway'; and the old paper-based notice-of-activity form system for several exempt activities (building on mining claims, erosion control structure repair, etc.) is replaced by an online geographic-point registration process, with work allowed to start 10 days after Ministry confirmation rather than upon receipt of the form. Two new mandatory duties apply to anyone carrying out regulated activities on public lands: all work must stop immediately if an artifact is discovered and the Ministry must be notified by email, and all work must stop if human remains are found and police or a coroner must be notified. A new permit-free exemption is added for geotechnical investigations by test pit, trench or borehole where specified conditions are met. Operators planning dredging, filling, erosion control, vegetation removal, building placement on mining claims, or trail and road construction on public lands should review the updated registration requirements and new stop-work obligations before commencing work.

Ontario building code updated to reference revised April 21, 2026 Ontario Amendments document

Ontario's building code regulation now points to a revised version of the "Ontario Amendments to the National Building Code of Canada 2020" dated April 21, 2026, replacing the previous April 1, 2026 dated document. The National Building Code of Canada 2020 (First Printing) itself remains the base code. Anyone involved in new construction or building permit applications should confirm they are referencing the April 21, 2026 version of the Ontario Amendments document rather than the earlier one. The practical effect is that the amendment document adopted as part of Ontario's building code has been updated, and compliance work should be based on the current version.

Family arbitration awards can now be filed with court and challenged by motion under Ontario's Family Law Rules

Ontario's Family Law Rules now formally incorporate family arbitration awards filed under section 59.9 of the Family Law Act into the court process. A party who wants to change a filed family arbitration award relating to support must do so by motion under rule 15, the same pathway used for final court orders and filed support agreements. The rule governing which motions to change fall under rule 15 now explicitly lists filed family arbitration awards as a third category alongside final orders and filed support agreements. A new court form (Form 26D) has been added for the affidavit required when filing a family arbitration award for support with the court, and Form 26B and Form 32.1 have been updated. Cases involving the filing of a family arbitration award are also now subject to the restricted-access provisions that protect privacy in sensitive family proceedings. Parties who have resolved support through arbitration and filed or intend to file that award with the court, and their legal representatives, should be aware of these procedural requirements.

Ontario's interjurisdictional support law now recognises family arbitration awards as support orders — amendment takes effect

An amendment to Ontario's Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act has been brought into force, formally adding family arbitration awards to the definition of "support order." This means that an arbitration award requiring support payments — if it is enforceable in the jurisdiction where it was made as though it were a court order — can now be treated as a support order under the Act. Practically, this allows such awards to be registered and enforced across jurisdictions using the Act's interjurisdictional processes. The change affects parties who have resolved support obligations through family arbitration rather than court litigation. Anyone relying on a family arbitration award for cross-border support enforcement should confirm whether the award meets the enforceability test in the originating jurisdiction.

Family arbitration awards now treated as enforceable support orders under Ontario's family support enforcement law

Amendments that were previously listed as "not yet in force" have now been given a force date, bringing family arbitration awards (those enforceable under section 59.9 of the Family Law Act) fully within the definition of "support order" under Ontario's family support enforcement legislation. This means such awards are now subject to the same income-deduction and enforcement machinery — including automatic support deduction orders — that applies to court-issued support orders and domestic contracts. The rules around which court is deemed to have made a related support deduction order, and which court has jurisdiction to vary such an order, have also been updated to address family arbitration awards specifically. Individuals who pay or receive support under a family arbitration award, and their legal advisors, should be aware that the Director of the Family Responsibility Office can now enforce and administer those awards in the same way as court orders. Payors subject to such awards should review their compliance obligations under the FRO enforcement framework.

Family Law Act updated: child definition clarified and family arbitration award enforcement rules now in force

Three previously pending amendments to Ontario's Family Law Act have now taken effect. The definition of "child" has been revised to read "a person in respect of whom a parent has demonstrated a settled intention" — a minor grammatical correction that does not change the practical scope of who qualifies as a child under the Act. The rule for enforcing family arbitration awards has been amended to make enforcement subject to a new section (59.9), which creates a separate filing process specifically for arbitration awards containing support or maintenance provisions. Under that new section, a party can file such an award directly with the court clerk — along with the arbitration agreement and supporting documents — rather than making a full court application, though the right to apply to set aside an award is preserved. Anyone relying on a family arbitration award for support should be aware of this new filing route and its documentation requirements.

Engineering licence experience requirements will shift to a 24-month post-degree minimum plus competency assessment

The regulation sets out two staged changes to the experience requirements for obtaining a professional engineering licence in Ontario. Under the current rules, applicants must show 48 months of engineering experience overall, with up to 12 months allowed before completing their degree. The incoming rules replace this with a requirement for at least 24 months of post-degree experience, eliminating the provision that allowed some experience to be counted before graduation. Alongside the reduced time requirement, the incoming rules also replace the existing practical-skill standard with a competency-based assessment approved by the Registrar, shifting the evaluation framework from a time-and-opinion model to a structured competency review. Applicants currently in the licensing process, and those planning to apply, should consider how these changes may affect how they document and present their experience.

Ontario fish licensing rules updated: outdoors cards, cross-border fishing rights, and language modernized

A package of amendments to Ontario's fish licensing regulation makes several practical changes taking effect in mid-2026. The definition of 'outdoors card' is broadened so that a card identified on a licence summary counts as an outdoors card, and the licence summary itself is updated to also cover falconry licences and outdoors cards — not just fishing and hunting licences. The temporary carry-the-paper-copy workaround (for people awaiting their physical outdoors card in the mail) is being removed, meaning anglers will need to have their actual card or a qualifying document. Cross-border fishing rights are updated: Manitoba residents fishing specified Ontario border waters must now carry an 'angling licence' (replacing the old 'regular fishing licence' reference), the list of eligible Manitoba lakes is revised, and Quebec residents with valid Quebec sport fishing licences are formally recognized as able to fish in specified Ontario boundary waters. Active Canadian Forces members can now use a Temporary Identification Card (NDI 10) — in addition to the existing NDI 20 — as their deemed fishing licence, while veterans' eligibility is narrowed to the Veteran's Service Card only. The two species (Round Goby and Tubenose Goby) that require a licence to buy or sell are reclassified as 'invasive species' rather than 'fish that do not exist in Ontario waters.' Throughout, gendered pronouns are replaced with gender-neutral language.