What's the difference between a long motion and a short motion in Ontario Superior Court?

Ontario's Superior Court generally sorts motions into "short" and "long" categories based on how much hearing time they're expected to need, and this affects how they get scheduled. Short motions are typically dealt with on a routine motions list, often on relatively short notice, and are meant for matters that can be argued and decided fairly quickly. Long motions are expected to take considerably more court time, usually because the issues are more complex or contested, and generally need to be specially booked in advance through the court's scheduling process rather than simply showing up on the regular list.

Because long motions require advance booking, they typically also require more preparation ahead of time, including a complete motion record and often a written factum setting out the argument, so the judge has everything needed before the hearing begins. Underestimating a motion's complexity and booking it as a short motion can mean running out of time before the judge, which risks an adjournment and wasted costs. If there's real doubt about which category your motion fits, it's worth checking with the specific courthouse handling the case, since exact scheduling practices can vary somewhat by region.