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Statute of limitations in Canada: how to estimate the deadline: This DocketMath article is under primary-source review; claim-level legal values and citations are unavailable until verification is complete.

Statute of limitations in Canada: how to estimate the deadline

FEDERATION STRUCTURE: Canada has NO unified federal limitations Act for civil claims. Limitations are PROVINCIAL. Ontario's Limitations Act, 2002 (in force 2004-01-01) used as representative because Ontario has the largest population. Other provincial regimes: Alberta Limitations Act (2yr discovery / 10yr ultimate); British Columbia Limitation Act (2yr/15yr); Saskatchewan Limitations Act (2yr/15yr); Manitoba Limitation of Actions Act (cause-specific 2/6/10 yr); Quebec Civil Code Arts. 2925 ff. (3yr default — civil law); Nova Scotia Limitation of Actions Act (2yr discovery / 15yr ultimate); New Brunswick Limitation of Actions Act (2yr/15yr); PEI Statute of Limitations (cause-specific); Newfoundland Limitations Act (2yr-10yr cause-specific); territorial Acts in YT/NT/NU. Federal Crown Liability and Proceedings Act has its own provincial-borrowing rule (s. 32). PRIMARY SOURCE FETCH: ontario.ca/laws/statute/02l24 is a JS SPA that does not server-render statutory text; live curl returned shell page only. Wayback Machine snapshot 2026-04-02 contained the rendered text — used as authoritative since it is a verbatim mirror of the e-Laws content. CanLII alternative was blocked by Cloudflare 403.

Unless this Act provides otherwise, a proceeding shall not be commenced in respect of a claim after the second anniversary of the day on which the claim was discovered.

16 (1) There is no limitation period in respect of, (a) a proceeding for a declaration if no consequential relief is sought; (b) a proceeding to enforce an order of a court, or any other order that may be enforced in the same way as an order of a court;

16 (1) There is no limitation period in respect of, (a) a proceeding for a declaration if no consequential relief is sought; (b) a proceeding to enforce an order of a court, or any other order that may be enforced in the same way as an order of a court; (c) a proceeding to obtain support under the Family Law Act or to enforce a provision for support or maintenance contained in a contract or agreement that could be filed under section 35 of that Act; (d) Revoked: 2017, c. 2, Sched. 5, s. 14 (1); (e) a proceeding under section 8 or 11.2 of the Civil Remedies Act, 2001; (f) a proceeding by a debtor in possession of collateral to redeem it; (g) a proceeding by a creditor in possession of collateral to realize on it; (h) a proceeding based on a sexual assault;

A claim is discovered on the earlier of, (a) the day on which the person with the claim first knew, (i) that the injury, loss or damage had occurred, (ii) that the injury, loss or damage was caused by or contributed to by an act or omission, (iii) that the act or omission was that of the person against whom the claim is made, and (iv) that, having regard to the nature of the injury, loss or damage, a proceeding would be an appropriate means to seek to remedy it; and (b) the day on which a reasonable person with the abilities and in the circumstances of the person with the claim first ought to have known of the matters referred to in clause (a).

(c) the person against whom the claim is made, (i) wilfully conceals from the person with the claim the fact that injury, loss or damage has occurred, that it was caused by or contributed to by an act or omission or that the act or omission was that of the person against whom the claim is made, or (ii) wilfully misleads the person with the claim as to the appropriateness of a proceeding as a means of remedying the injury, loss or damage. 2002, c. 24, Sched. B, s. 15 (4).

The limitation period established by section 4 does not run during any time in which the person with the claim, (a) is a minor; and (b) is not represented by a litigation guardian in relation to the claim. 2002, c. 24, Sched. B, s. 6.

15 (1) Even if the limitation period established by any other section of this Act in respect of a claim has not expired, no proceeding shall be commenced in respect of the claim after the expiry of a limitation period established by this section. General (2) No proceeding shall be commenced in respect of any claim after the 15th anniversary of the day on which the act or omission on which the claim is based took place.

Statute of limitations in Canada: how to estimate the deadline

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