Brampton union ruling could open door for paralegals across Ontario

A group of prosecutors and prosecution coordinators employed by the City of Brampton have won the right to unionize following a ruling by the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

In a decision released May 20, the board ruled that licensed paralegals are entitled to form unions under Ontario’s Labour Relations Act, a move labour advocates say could affect thousands of workers across the province.

The newly unionized group includes 11 paralegals working for the City of Brampton. The Canadian Union of Public Employees filed its certification application in February 2024.

Paralegals are independent, licensed legal professionals who can provide legal advice, draft documents, and represent clients in specific courts and tribunals.

“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 ruling follows legal arguments heard by the Ontario Labour Relations Board in June 2024 over whether paralegals should be excluded from unionization rights under provincial labour law.

CUPE argued that licensed paralegals should be afforded the same labour protections as other employees. At the same time, the case centred on whether their professional status placed them outside the scope of the legislation.

The board ultimately sided with the union, a decision CUPE says effectively opens the door for licensed paralegals across Ontario to organize and seek collective bargaining rights.

The case is expected to have broader implications beyond Brampton, particularly for paralegals employed in municipal prosecution offices, legal clinics and private workplaces throughout the province.

The City of Brampton has not yet publicly commented on the ruling.