Couples looking to divorce could have to wait a year or longer
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, family courts in Ontario have been operating on an emergency-only basis.
The majority of cases that were scheduled to be heard as far back as March were put on hold.
“We’ve got a four or five-month backlog, so the cases that were scheduled in March are now getting scheduled for October and November,” said Russell Alexander, a family lawyer in Toronto.
He says anyone looking to file a new case should expect to wait “well into the new year” before it gets in front of a judge.
“You’re three or four months in pre-pandemic times, now you’re probably eight months to a year or longer,” Alexander added.
Wait times could get even worse before things start to level off again.
