Estimate possible dates for one recent Ontario defamation publication. If the rules for certain newspapers or broadcasts apply, the written notice and court filing periods can be short. Use these dates for early planning and get legal advice to confirm the applicable rule and deadline.
Check possible dates
Use dates from January 1, 2021 onward. The calculation runs in this browser. The dates you enter are kept in the checker and are never submitted to Soundmark Law.
Which rules can apply?
Certain newspapers and broadcasts. When sections 5 and 6 of Ontario’s Libel and Slander Act apply, the claimant generally has six weeks to give written notice and three months to start an action, measured from when the alleged libel came to their knowledge. Notice must identify the statements complained of and be served as the Act requires. The Ontario Court of Appeal applied the Act to an online newspaper article in John v. Ballingall. Online availability alone does not tell you whether these rules apply or whether time starts again.
The basic Ontario period. Sections 4 and 5 of the Limitations Act, 2002 generally measure the basic two-year period from discovery of the claim. That date depends on when you knew, or reasonably ought to have known, the required facts, including when a proceeding was an appropriate way to seek a remedy. Get that date confirmed before using the two-year calculation.
What to do with a planning date
Plan to act earlier. The checker uses calendar dates and omits adjustments for holidays, court closures, suspensions or special rules. See Ontario’s Legislation Act, 2006 for rules on computing time. An informal request to remove content or a platform report does not necessarily satisfy statutory notice or extend a limitation period. If you received court documents, check the response requirements promptly.
Save the full publication, its URL, when you learned of it, and any correspondence. The defamation evidence checklist helps organize those records. For a dispute about online reviews, see fake Google reviews and review bombing. For advice about your situation, see defamation and reputation services or book a free 15-minute screening call. Booking a call does not retain the firm or extend any deadline.
