Are electronic signatures valid on commercial contracts in Ontario?

Yes. Ontario's Electronic Commerce Act, 2000 generally gives electronic signatures the same legal validity as handwritten signatures for most commercial contracts. A party cannot deny a contract is valid simply because it was signed electronically rather than on paper.

There are exceptions: the Electronic Commerce Act does not apply to wills, powers of attorney for property or personal care, certain negotiable instruments, documents that create or transfer interests in land (other than leases of less than three years), and a few others. For those, a handwritten signature on paper is still required.

For standard commercial agreements — supply contracts, service agreements, NDAs, employment offers — electronic signatures are well-established in Ontario practice. The key practical issues are: authentication (can you prove who signed?), consent (did the signer agree to sign electronically?), and integrity (is there an audit trail showing the document was not altered after signing?).

Commercial e-signature platforms provide these audit trails automatically and are widely accepted in Ontario legal practice. A screenshot of an email saying "I agree" can also be legally effective, though the evidentiary record is weaker.