Can I ask the court to seal my family court file from public access in Ontario?

It's possible, but it's a significant exception to a strong general rule, not a routine request. Ontario courts operate on an open court principle, meaning court files and proceedings are generally accessible to the public, including in family cases, and a court will not seal a file simply because a party would prefer privacy or finds the process embarrassing. Sealing an entire file, or significant parts of it, generally requires showing something more compelling, such as a serious risk to a child's safety or well-being, sensitive medical or child protection information, or another recognized interest that clearly outweighs the strong public interest in open courts.

Where full sealing isn't justified, courts have other, less drastic tools available, such as limiting access to specific sensitive documents, using initials instead of full names in certain circumstances, or placing narrower restrictions on particular pieces of information rather than the whole file. Because this involves balancing a genuinely strong legal presumption in favour of openness against a specific privacy or safety concern, anyone considering this kind of request should get legal advice on whether their situation meets the threshold and, if not, what more limited protections might realistically be available instead.