Mediation successfully reaches agreement in 95% of the workplace psychological harassment cases mediated by the Commission des norms du travail in Quebec. In the four years since legislation was enacted protecting employees from psychological harassment, about 8,600 complaints have been filed and a little over a third have been resolved through mediation. Of complainants using mediation, 85% reported they were very satisfied with the mediator’s work.

Canada Newswire (July 3, 2008) (Subscription Required)

A paralegal was sentenced to four months of house arrest for contempt of court in Ontario after violating a permanent injunction prohibiting the practice of law. The paralegal unsuccessfully asserted that she was merely involved in mediation, which is not regulated, because she advertised that she could prepare legal documents and provide services relating to uncontested divorces.

Law Times (October 15, 2007)

Facing a potential “meltdown” of the Toronto court system, which is the third largest in Canada, Justice Warren Winkler introduced a three-phase mediation system to encourage parties to settle, and created specialized pools of judges to mediate in specific areas. Even with 30,000 civil lawsuits being filed annually, wait times for long trials are now down to one year, compared to three years in 2004 when Justice Winkler was appointed Senior Regional Justice.

Globe and Mail (Toronto Can.)(May 16, 2007)(Subscription Required)

The Ottawa Chamber Music Society is preparing to mediate with its popular artistic director, Julian Armour, who recently resigned. The plan for mediation came out of a meeting of more 300 concerned music lovers, and may include a longer-term role for the mediator to assist with other organizational issues.

The Ottawa Citizen (March 13, 2007)

Business disputes in Canada are increasingly turning to mediation, and more mediators are available to resolve them, according to the ADR Institute of Canada and others. Both attorneys and business people are recognizing that mediation can provide better and more subtle solutions to complex business disputes than going to court, as well as saving time and money. Full blown litigation is seen more and more as costly brinkmanship. Ten years ago, Canadian Supreme Court Justice George Adams shocked colleagues by stepping down from the bench to begin a mediation practice, but he has seen lawyers become much more sophisticated in planning for and using mediation over the last decade.

Financial Post (March 18, 2007)