FALL 2025

IN THIS ISSUE

News
Court Updates
From Our Blog
Community Updates

Mandatory Information Program
Testimonials
Contact Us

NEWS

The first quarter of the 2025-2026 fiscal year was a period of growth and transition for our team. We welcomed several talented IRCs and mediators to our roster while some team members moved into new roles, reflecting our evolving organization. Our roster continued to deliver the high-quality service our clients and partners expect.

Highlights from last quarter include:

Our monthly coffee shops continue to connect mediators and IRCs with court staff and counsel.
Referrals for mediation are on the rise, with settlement rates remaining strong.
Our team has actively promoted our work at numerous events, reinforcing the value of our program to the bench, bar, service providers, and the public.

COURT UPDATES

Our IRC, Roland Campbell, attended the Hon. Justice Curtis’ retirement party. Read his blog Lessons from the Bench: Celebrating the Hon. Justice Carole Curtis
We renovated the FLIC at 47 Sheppard. The space has been adapted to provide more space for the IRC and potential clients.
Our team at 47 Sheppard assisted with LAO’s Advice Counsel Program.
Our IRC or mediator at 311 Jarvis have been invited to attend all First Appearances to promote mediation and information services.
Borzou also attended the monthly Toronto Lawyers Association’s Family Lawyer meetup and spoke about our services.

FROM OUR BLOG

Expanding Access to Justice in Family Law

Access to justice in family law is an ongoing challenge in Ontario. Many litigants facing separation, divorce, parenting, or support disputes struggle to afford a lawyer. A recent article in National Magazine highlights the critical role of pro bono services in bridging this gap but also emphasizes that such efforts are often only temporary “stopgaps.” Read more

A Caution to Family Law Litigants and Counsel: Section 56.1 of the ITA

Spousal support is a common issue when couples separate or divorce. A recent CRA ruling is a warning to family lawyers and those paying spousal support via e-transfer. Read more

Understanding the FOAEAA: A Tool for Enforcing Support in Family Law

In this blog post, we break down what the FOAEAA is, why recent updates are essential, and how it helps parents and courts ensure that support orders are followed. Read more

COMMUNITY UPDATES

Our roster mediators Borzou Tabrizi and Leena Kumar, presented a session for the Toronto Lawyers Association (TLA) on September 17, 2025.

With over 60 participants, this live session provided vital information about how our family mediation and information services help families through complex issues.

Check out TLA's website for information about their monthly Family Lawyer Monthly Meet-up and other events.

We’re pleased to share that Hilary will be a presenter at the Canadian Collaborative Rocky Mountain Conference this November 8th in Banff!

Hilary will join colleagues Cindy Chisvin M.Ed. and Katreena Scott for a session exploring how practitioners can assess negotiation power, address family violence, and design safe, effective collaborative processes.

Learn more about the conference and full agenda here

Check out Luke's Place new guide for navigating family court for survivors of abuse.

The guide includes:

a checklist for gathering evidence
tips on how to organize evidence effectively
information on how to present information

CLEO is pleased to announce 3 new collections of Guided Pathways for people experiencing gender-based violence. Developed in collaboration with Luke’s Place, these free online tools help people fill out the court forms they need to apply for:

a family law emergency motion, including restraining order
a peace bond
a private prosecution

APCO Updates for 2025

APCO is pleased to share important service updates:

New Parenting Centres now open in Toronto East (Warden & Eglinton) and Toronto Central (Yonge & Sheppard).
Revised Court Communication: Exit forms for closed files will now be shared with 47 Sheppard Court.
Waitlist Management: Parenting time begins immediately after intake; virtual visits offered until in-person spots are available.
Updated Fees: Intake, user, observation report, correspondence, and court attendance fees have been revised.

Read the full update on our blog: Read More

MANDATORY INFORMATION PROGRAM

Anyone can attend the virtual (Mandatory) Information Program (MIP) for FREE! We want more people to get this information BEFORE they start an action. Have your clients attend a MIP by sharing the registration link below.

Register Here

TESTIMONIALS

"Spoke to Lori today and she was absolutely amazing. Very patient and informative allowing you to understand the processes of filing and all the intricacies of how the system works. Extremely grateful for her time and interaction. Thanks!"

- Client Testimonial

"Avagene was kind, patient, and professional. She helped us through a tough time and delivered a final report that was clear and thorough."

- Client Testimonial

"The lovely woman Preeti at the info center is very helpful and knowledgeable. The center has resources available and also some computers for printing. Highly recommend!"

- Client Testimonial

CONTACT US

Toronto Superior Court of Justice
Family Law Information Centre

361 University Ave, Suite 146 (ground floor) Toronto, Ontario M5G 1T5
Hours of Operation: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (Monday – Friday)
mediate361@mediate393.ca
416-977-0718

Ontario Court of Justice
Family Law Information Centre

311 Jarvis St. Toronto, Ontario M5B 2C4
Hours of Operation: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (Monday – Friday)
mediate311@mediate393.ca
416-326-1694

Ontario Court of Justice
Family Law Information Centre

47 Sheppard Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M2N 5X5
Hours of Operation: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (Monday – Friday)
mediate47@mediate393.ca
416-250-6161

Head Office

393 University Avenue, Suite 2000, Toronto, ON, M5G 1E6
416-593-5393

Program Coordinator:
Vanessa Pacheco
info@mediate393.ca

Program Supervisor:
Rhodes Thompson-Chase
rhodes@mediate393.ca

President:
Hilary Linton
hilary@mediate393.ca