What is the legal difference between a line fence and a party fence in Ontario?

"Line fence" is the specific term used in Ontario's Line Fences Act to describe a fence built on or near the common boundary between two adjoining properties. It's the term that actually carries legal weight and triggers the Act's fence-viewer process when neighbours can't agree on building or repairing one. "Party fence" isn't a separate term with its own distinct statutory meaning in Ontario law; it's sometimes used informally, similar to how "party wall" describes a wall shared between two properties, but it doesn't have its own defined legal framework the way "line fence" does under the Act.

The practical takeaway is that if you're trying to invoke a specific legal process, such as asking a municipality to appoint fence-viewers, "line fence" is the term that matters and connects directly to the Line Fences Act. Calling it a "party fence" in casual conversation isn't wrong exactly, but it won't point you, or anyone else, to the correct legal mechanism the way the proper term does.

If you're dealing with a genuine dispute over a shared boundary fence, use "line fence" when researching your rights or contacting your municipality, since that's the language the actual legal process is built around.