ANNOUNCER: I’m here with John Nicholson from Cohen Highley Lawyers. If someone falls and gets injured on someone else’s property, can they sue the owner of the property?
JOHN: In Ontario, the Occupier’s Liability Act requires a person who has control over a piece of property to ensure that the property is in reasonably safe condition. If the occupier of the property failed to do that, for example, by failing to clear snow and ice, or failing to clear up construction debris and that causes an injury, the occupier could be sued.
ANNOUNCER: Now, is it just the property owner who could be sued?
JOHN: No. Anyone who has control over the property, from tenants to even contractors working on the property, are all required to ensure that it is reasonably safe. And if they fail to do that and someone gets hurt, they could be facing a lawsuit.
ANNOUNCER: Really?
JOHN: Yes. So, people need to make sure their property is kept in a safe condition. And if you’ve been hurt because of someone’s carelessness, you should get some legal help.