One of the steps of overdue rent collection has become easier in Ontario with the introduction of a new online filing service for small claims court. The province-wide e-filing system has been rolled out with remarkably little lag time since initial pilot projects were launched in August 2014 in Brampton, Oshawa, Ottawa and Richmond Hill.

Until now, claimants — who are typically seeking $25,000 or less for contracted unpaid accounts — were required to file forms and pay associated fees at a provincial courthouse during regular hours of operation. The new online system has two filing options: for individuals who may require step-by-step prompts to assist them with the process; and for legal professionals to upload forms that have already been completed.

“E-filing small claims matters is excellent news for anyone who files such claims,” says Joe Hoffer, a partner and specialist in residential tenancy law with Cohen Highley LLP. “A good system should be able to pick up inadvertent errors that require correction, such as the wrong address or postal code or an overlooked field in the online form, so that would help avoid procedural delays.”

“E-filing will help reduce the stress and expense of pursuing a small claim by making the process faster, more convenient and easier to use,” promises Ontario Attorney General Madeleine Meilleur.