Is mediation required before a dependant support claim against an estate goes to trial in Ontario?

Not universally, but mediation is commonly used in Ontario civil and estate litigation, including dependant support claims, and in some regions a form of mandatory mediation applies generally to civil claims before trial. Whether it applies to a particular claim depends on the court region and the specific procedural rules engaged, so it isn't accurate to say every dependant support claim across Ontario must go through mediation as a fixed universal rule.

Even where it isn't strictly required, mediation is widely encouraged and frequently used voluntarily in estate disputes, because it can resolve a claim faster and with less cost and family strain than a full trial — and a large share of dependant support claims do settle this way rather than proceeding all the way to a hearing. A dependant, estate trustee, or beneficiary involved in this kind of claim should expect mediation or some form of settlement discussion to come up at some point, and should ask the lawyer handling the file whether a mandatory mediation requirement applies in that specific court location, rather than assuming either way.