Can a family arbitration award be set aside for bias or unfairness in Ontario?

Yes, actual or reasonably apprehended bias on the part of the arbitrator is one of the recognized grounds for challenging a family arbitration award, alongside things like the arbitrator exceeding their authority or serious procedural unfairness in how the arbitration was conducted. Because the entire point of choosing arbitration is to get a fair, private resolution from a neutral decision-maker, an award tainted by real bias undermines that basic premise, and Ontario's arbitration framework allows this to be challenged rather than treating every arbitration award as untouchable.

That said, this isn't a low bar, and disagreeing with the outcome or believing the arbitrator got the law wrong isn't the same as establishing bias. A party raising this needs to point to something concrete, such as an undisclosed conflict of interest, conduct suggesting the arbitrator prejudged the outcome, or a process that meaningfully failed to give both sides a fair opportunity to be heard. Because these challenges are fact-specific and time-sensitive, anyone who believes bias affected their arbitration should get legal advice quickly rather than waiting to see how enforcement of the award unfolds.