Do I have to notify the municipality quickly after a fall on city property in Ontario?

Yes. Claims involving a fall on municipal property generally come with a requirement to give the municipality written notice of the incident within a short window after it happens, which is meaningfully shorter than the general limitation period that applies to most other kinds of civil claims in Ontario. Missing that notice deadline can seriously jeopardize an otherwise valid and strong claim, even where the underlying case against the municipality would clearly succeed on the facts, though courts retain some limited discretion to excuse a late notice in certain circumstances, such as a reasonable excuse for the delay and no real prejudice to the municipality.

This requirement catches many people off guard, since it is far shorter than the general two-year period most people assume applies to any injury claim, and most injured people simply have no reason to know about it until it is already too late. Because of how easy this deadline is to miss, and how unforgiving it can be when missed, anyone injured on public property - sidewalks, parks, or municipal parking lots - should treat giving prompt written notice, and getting legal advice quickly, as an immediate priority rather than something to deal with later.