Does a judge have a duty to help a self-represented litigant understand the process in Ontario?

Ontario judges generally have some recognized obligation to help ensure a self-represented litigant understands the basic process unfolding in front of them, but this is a limited, procedural duty rather than a substitute for legal advice. In practice, this can mean a judge explaining what a particular hearing is for, clarifying what documents or evidence are needed at a given stage, or making sure someone understands the consequences of a step they're about to take, such as not responding to a motion. The purpose is basic fairness and access to justice, not favouring one side over another.

What this duty doesn't include is a judge acting as the self-represented litigant's advocate, suggesting legal strategy, telling them what arguments to make, or otherwise stepping outside the neutral role a judge has to maintain for both sides. A judge who crossed that line would risk being seen as unfair to the opposing party, whether or not that other party has a lawyer. In effect, the duty is about making sure the process is understandable and the person knows what's happening, while leaving the substantive decisions about how to argue the case entirely up to the litigant, which is exactly why getting independent legal advice on a specific case remains valuable even with this support.