Can I go to jail for not paying a debt in Ontario?

No. In Ontario and across Canada, you cannot be imprisoned simply for failing to pay a civil debt. The era of debtors' prisons ended long ago, and there is no mechanism in Ontario law that allows a private creditor to have you jailed for non-payment of a loan, credit card balance, or unpaid contract.

Civil debt matters are resolved through the civil courts. If a creditor obtains a judgment against you, their remedies are financial enforcement tools: wage garnishment, bank account garnishment, and seizure and sale of non-exempt assets. None of these involve incarceration.

There are limited, very different situations where debt-related conduct could intersect with criminal law. Deliberately writing a cheque knowing your account has insufficient funds (fraud) or engaging in fraudulent financial schemes can attract criminal charges — but these are about deceptive intent, not inability to pay. Failing to comply with a court order requiring you to attend an examination in aid of execution (a procedure that allows a judgment creditor to question you about your finances) could result in contempt of court proceedings, which could theoretically carry court-imposed penalties — but this is also distinct from simple non-payment.

Collectors who imply otherwise — that you could be arrested for not paying — are likely in violation of Ontario's Collection and Debt Settlement Services Act. Document such threats and file a complaint with FSRA.