Is annulling a predatory marriage different from getting a divorce in Ontario?

Yes, they're legally distinct remedies. An annulment addresses whether a marriage was ever validly formed in the first place — for example, because one party lacked the capacity to understand the nature of the marriage at the time it took place — and, if granted, treats the marriage as void, essentially as though the legal marriage relationship never properly existed. A divorce, by contrast, ends a marriage that was validly formed and existed as a legal relationship, and is based on grounds like separation rather than a defect in how the marriage came about.

This distinction matters significantly in a predatory marriage situation because the legal consequences differ: an annulment based on lack of capacity can undercut the rights a spouse would otherwise have gained through a valid marriage, such as a Family Law Act equalization claim or intestacy rights, since those rights generally depend on the marriage having been validly formed. A divorce doesn't retroactively undo those kinds of accrued rights in the same way. Because choosing between these remedies depends on the specific facts and what result you're trying to achieve, get legal advice on which approach fits a suspected predatory marriage situation.