Legal guides for Canadians
Free plain-English guides to common Canadian legal tasks. Each guide ends with a matching tool that drafts the document for you.
Ontario lease agreement guide: the Standard Form of Lease, deposits & rent rules
The mandatory Standard Form of Lease, legal deposits (first & last only), void clauses, and the 2026 rent increase guideline (2.1%).
Read guide →Canada · Immigration & visitsVisa invitation letter for Canada: what IRCC wants in the letter
IRCC's exact contents checklist for hosts and guests, the super visa extras, and when the letter must be notarized.
Read guide →Canada · Employment & HREmployee warning letter in Canada: progressive discipline & just cause
Verbal, written and final warnings — what a defensible letter contains and how the paper trail supports just cause.
Read guide →Canada · Employment & contractsNon-compete agreements in Canada: Ontario's ban, Quebec's rules & what employers can still use
Ontario's ban since Oct 2021 (executive and sale-of-business exceptions), Quebec's article 2089 limits, and the non-solicitation alternative.
Read guide →Ontario · Employment & contractsNon-compete clauses in Ontario: the ESA ban, exceptions & what works instead
ESA s.67.2 deemed in force Oct 25, 2021 — who the ban covers, the executive and sale-of-business exceptions, and the non-solicitation alternatives that still hold up.
Read guide →Canada · Lending & contractsPromissory notes in Canada: required elements, interest limits & limitation periods
The six elements the Bills of Exchange Act requires, the 35% APR criminal interest ceiling (in force since Jan 1, 2025), demand vs. term notes, and province-by-province limitation periods.
Read guide →Ontario · Vehicle sales & transfersBill of sale for a vehicle in Canada: Ontario's UVIP, 13% tax & ServiceOntario transfer
The $20 UVIP sellers must provide, the 13% RST buyers pay at registration (price or Red Book value, whichever is higher), the 6-day registration clock, and PPSR lien checks.
Read guide →Canada · Business & contractsPartnership agreement in Canada: what it must include, LLP/LP rules & CRA tax notes
Capital contributions, profit/loss splits, decision-making, partner duties, dispute resolution, exit and dissolution — plus Ontario/BC/Alberta LLP rules and CRA flow-through taxation.
Read guide →Canada · Home & contractorsHome renovation contract guide: what to put in writing before work starts
Ontario's 10-day cooling-off rule, the 10% estimate cap, deposits, the 10% construction holdback, change orders, and contractor red flags.
Read guide →Ontario · Demand lettersHow to write a demand letter in Ontario (with free template)
What to include, how long to give them, mistakes that weaken your letter, and when Small Claims Court is next.
Read guide →Canada · Demand lettersHow to write a demand letter in Canada (with free template)
Province-by-province demand letter rules, deadlines, and court-ready wording — plus a free customizable template.
Read guide →Canada · Employment & HREmployment contract guide for Canada: clauses every offer letter needs
Probation, termination, non-compete limits, and province-specific rules for compliant Canadian employment contracts.
Read guide →British Columbia · TenancyBC residential lease: what landlords must include
Required terms under the Residential Tenancy Act, deposit limits, rent increase rules, and clauses landlords can't enforce.
Read guide →Canada · Privacy & PIPEDAPIPEDA privacy policy requirements for small business websites
The 10 fair information principles, consent rules, cookie disclosure, and Quebec's stricter Law 25 — in plain English.
Read guide →Ontario · Tenancy & evictionHow to legally evict a tenant in Ontario
N11, N12 and N4 notices, filing with the Landlord and Tenant Board, and the mistakes that get applications dismissed.
Read guide →Ontario · Tenancy & evictionOntario N4 notice guide: non-payment of rent, the 7-day rule & filling it out right
The 7-day rule in force since Sept 21, 2026, form walkthrough, valid service methods, what voids the notice, and the L1 application.
Read guide →Ontario · Tenancy & rentSubletting in Ontario: RTA rules, landlord consent & your rights
Your right to sublet under RTA s.97, consent that can't be unreasonably withheld, fees, refused consent, sublet vs. assignment, and overholding subtenants.
Read guide →Ontario · Shared housingRoommate agreement Ontario guide: rent splits, house rules & deposits
Rent splits, house rules, deposits, and what the RTA doesn't cover when you're sharing a home.
Read guide →Canada · Wills, executors & powers of attorneyWill & estate planning in Canada: the rules that actually differ by province
Wills, executors, powers of attorney and probate costs — the provincial rules that matter most.
Read guide →Ontario · Tenancy & depositsSecurity deposits in Ontario: what landlords can (and can't) ask for
Damage deposits are illegal in Ontario. The last month's rent rules, banned deposit tricks, and how tenants get money back.
Read guide →Ontario · Tenancy & rentOntario rent increase rules: N1 notices, guidelines & rent control
The annual guideline, 90-day N1 notices, which units are rent-controlled, and above-guideline increases.
Read guide →Ontario · Courts & disputesHow to file in Ontario Small Claims Court
Claims up to $50,000 (limit raised Oct 2025): filing online, serving the defendant, the settlement conference, trial, and enforcing judgment.
Read guide →Ontario · EmploymentSeverance pay in Ontario: ESA minimums vs. common law
Termination pay, statutory severance, and Bardal-factor reasonable notice — plus why not to sign a release in a hurry.
Read guide →Canada · Business contractsNDA template Canada: one-way & mutual non-disclosure agreements
What makes an NDA enforceable, what it can't cover, Quebec's French-language rules — and a matching NDA builder by province.
Read guide →Québec · Mise en demeureLettre de mise en demeure au Québec : guide complet
L'article 1594 C.c.Q., le contenu obligatoire, le délai de 10 jours et les recours devant la Cour des petites créances.
Read guide →Québec · Logement & bailBail de logement au Québec : ce que le TAL exige
Le formulaire obligatoire, les augmentations de loyer, la cession de bail depuis la Loi 31 et l'interdiction du dépôt de garantie.
Read guide →These guides are general information, not legal advice. Have a licensed lawyer in your province review your document before you rely on it.