Influential decision opens the door for paralegals in Ontario to form unions
Brampton, ON – On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (“OLRB”) ruled that a group of licensed paralegals have the right to form a union. The newly-unionized workers include prosecutors and prosecution coordinators at the City of Brampton. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) filed the certification application in February 2024.
“This is an important decision, not only for these 11 paralegals who fought for two years to join a union, but for 10,000 paralegals across Ontario who now have a legally recognized right to form unions,” said Jordan Christenson, an organizer with CUPE. “Paralegals, like all workers, deserve a voice in their workplace and the protection of a union. Now that avenue is open to them.”
The decision comes nearly two years since CUPE made arguments at the OLRB in June 2024 about whether paralegals should be excluded from the right to unionize under the Labour Relations Act, 1995. The ruling effectively makes union representation available to paralegals across Ontario.
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Kevin Taghabon
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647-336-4991
